permaculture

["permaculture.biz" <darren@permaculture.biz>]

Hello Antonio,

 

My bread and butter is (re) designing mixed sheep and cropping farms in South Eastern Australia - however on a broadacre basis - the same principles apply for you only on a broader scale. Naturally you’ll have to start with a plan/design – the following concepts and physical elements could be included in such a system.  

 

Soils:

Getting the soil sorted out is the first step as in any agricultural system there is (or has been) net nutrient (soil capital) loss over time causing an array of symptomatic responses eg. Weed incidence, soil acidity, soil structural decline, erosion, animal/plant health issues etc. Naturally as the permaculture retrofit of these systems develops there will be (through design) less nutrient loss and annualized improvement of the system overall.

 

We follow the Albrecht method (www.apal.com.au) which through specific soil testing recommends feeding the soil not the plant with a range of organic and non-organic fertilizers and amendments respectively. The method initially focuses on correcting the imbalances of the Base Cations i.e. Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Sodium and Hydrogen. Achieving numerically based balance of these creates the soil structural conditions appropriate for the maintenance of more sustainable agricultural systems (chemistry effecting the physics promoting biological systems). Neal Kinsey’s book “Hands On Agronomy” is the modern classic on the subject and makes the whole Albrecht method very easily understood. Using this method (as we have on hundreds of properties over the last 6 or so years) you will use less fertilizer, more consistent yields, radical soil improvement, and improve stock and plant health.

 

Also look at progressive cultivation using a keyline plow (www.yeomansplows.com.au) or similar non-inversion rigid tyned implement to reduce soil compaction and improve run-off entry and increase soil depth.

 

Food:

Grazing of mixed species pastures with high proportion of grasses and legumes (mostly rye grass (perennial and annual), fescues, cocksfoot and bromes with clovers and medics - including Lucerne - also "tonic herbs" @ about 2-3% of sowing: plantain, chicory, dandelion, garlic, yarrow, comfrey and borage. Cell grazing using portable electric fencing allows "pulse" grazing of pastures down to 2 - 4" then move the mob into the next strip. This rests the grazed strip and allows you to manage the pastures better and establish high productivity gains. If you can do this on contour/keyline then even better. Maintaining 100% ground cover is essential to sustainable production and erosion incidence. Also favour species that are don’t have spiky seed heads as this can cause eye and nose problems.

Browsing of deep rooted fodder trees which are either established in blocks or as hedges along gully edges or as subdivisional fencing. Species and layouts vary but should consider land class and land form - best layout is "keyline alleys" in my opinion. That is tree belts that follow keyline contours and are accordingly integrated with the overarching farm layout. I would break fodder trees up into three categories (following species are suited to temperate/Mediterranean regions – local analogues for other climates should be included):

 

1.    Quick growing shrubs: Cytisus palmensis (tagasaste), Atriplex nummularia (old man salt bush), Atriplex amnicola (river salt bush), Acacia saligna (coastal wattle) + local analogues. These species are classically placed along fence edges or are planted as blocks as monocultures with pasture or as mixed species layouts (latter preferred). Fodder is in form of direct leaf browse. “Living Haystacks”.

2.    Pollarded Trees: Populus spp (poplars) and Salix (willows). Grown again along edges, in rows or as blocks. Essentially a system of coppice fodder production – fast growing high production (8 - 20 tonnes/ha wet matter in China from Populus systems) high nutrient/protein leaf and stem fodder.

3.    Larger trees: Ceratonia siliqua (carob), Gleditsia triancanthos (honey locust), Morus nigra (mulberry), Quercus ilex, suber, microcarpa, virginiana (low tannin oaks). In North America Proposis spp (Mesquites) could also be utilised (severe weed here and in Africa though). Planted as “paddock” trees on own (@10m – 20m spacing) or in rows (linear or keyline layouts) or as blocks. Fodder as lower level leaf browse but mainly as pod, fruit or acorn fodder. This produce can be harvested for storage (not mulberries except in jam for us!!) or directly as respective fruits fall to ground and are eaten accordingly. Typically high yield carbohydrate rich end of summer feed. As such perfectly balanced with protein feeds such as leaf fodders.

 

Water:

 

Good clean water supply is essential to maintaining good stock health and to reducing pathogen and parasite transfer. Remove stock access to any open bodies of water and establish a reticulated system (preferably gravity) of stock watering. Closing stock access and revegetating dams and creeks etc. will improve the water/environmental quality of these systems – which if being used as a source of stock water is a means to an end – not a source of infection! Draw (pump/windmill etc.)/Divert(pipe) water from high quality source to high level tank/storage – then reticulate to a network of stock water troughs throughout the system.  

 

Shelter:

 

Establishment of tree fodder systems such a way that you increase shelter should be a primary aim of the design process. “Each element performs many functions”……… The principle of shelter effects most worth noting are: that shelter protection effects are around 10-15 times tree height (lee side of shelter) and that the degree (or coefficient) of protection is a function of shelterbelt layout and porosity. That is to say that if a shelterbelt is too dense then it will create turbulence and have a reduced shelter impact – 20-40% shelter porosity “absorbs” then wind and increases the respective shelter protection. If you have a succession of shelterbelts (contour strip forests or alley farming) then a net reduction of ground wind speed will be afforded to the system.

 

 

 

I hope all of this answers some of the questions you may have.

 

Baaaah!

 

Cheers,

 

Yours and Growing,

 

Darren J. Doherty

Applied Diploma of Permaculture Design, (Education, Site Design, System Establishment & Implementation) Permaculture Institute (1995)

Permaculture Design Certificate, Permaculture Institute (1993, 1995, 2001)

Whole Farm Planning Certificate (Train the Trainer), University of Melbourne (1995)

permaculture designer @ permaculture.biz

a. 103 Casey St, East Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 3550

p. 613 5444 1068

f. 613 5444 0621

e. darren@permaculture.biz

w. www.permaculture.biz

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of antonio.scotti@tiscali.es
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2003 12:49 AM
To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [permaculture] Sheeps management

 

Hi all,

I was asked to consider introducing a couple of sheeps in a design I am

making for a Nature School, eg a local administration run place where school

children are brought to in order to learn about environmental matters and

nature.

I am looking for advice on sheeps managament in a permaculture system.

Web pages, publications, your own advice ... since I know nothing about

it.

The books that I have hardly mention sheeps management (Permaculture 1,

2, Introduction to PC) I am not sure about th Designer's Manual since there

is not a specific entry in its index.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks in advance,

Antonio

 

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PONNOS A PRUEBA

 

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