permaculture

[Paul Wheaton <paul@richsoil.com>]

> soil drainage characteristics-  terracing holds water well, but here on the 
> wet side,
> that wouldn't be a plus for some of the crops you mention

I'm pretty close to Idaho.  We get about 16 inches of rain a year.  The 
permaculture
techniques of holding on to water are some of the things I'm depending on!

> tractor turnaround distance-  are you sure you can turn your tractor/baler 
> rig around
> in a 25' circle?  And would your neighbors (who probably have BIGGER 
> machines, if
> they're anything like mine) see a small example like yours as something to 
> emulate?

Excellent points!  Both advocate the larger terrace.

> tree types- what were the tree crops you envisioned planting?  Big poplars 
> would be
> able to spread their influence much farther than, say, black locusts...

Pecan, white oak, apple, apricot, honey locust, mulberry, russian olive, 
cherry  ...  no
plans for poplars.   What is the root structure like for a poplar?  Is it 
drought
tolerant?

> hillslope-  what kind of grade are you looking at?  

These three pics should give you an idea

http://www.javaranch.com/farm/pigmountain.jpg
http://www.javaranch.com/farm/truck.jpg
http://www.javaranch.com/farm/naked.jpg

> The more cut and fill you have to
> do to make these, the more it will cost.  Plus, how deep is your topsoil? 

Virtually non-existant where we will be doing this.