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Subject: permaculture
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Re: [permaculture] Developing a permaculture system, Zambia.
- From: peter chama <chappsy2003@yahoo.co.uk>
- To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [permaculture] Developing a permaculture system, Zambia.
- Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 16:51:34 +0100 (BST)
it is good to read something from someone here in zambia please keep
cmmunicating at protoquette@yahoo.co.uk. i am at the zambia institute of
natural medicine and research
Adrian Bignell <bignell@zamtel.zm> wrote: Hi All
I've only just subscribed to this service and am looking for some help in
developing a permaculture system. I'm a commercial farmer in Zambia who has
converted to zero tillage over the last 5 years and am amazed at the
difference it has made. I have a 200ha block of land that has been cleared
and need to develop it but want to minimise the environmental impact as well
as reaching the full potential of the land.
My very basic plan, which mainly revolves around the use of acacia albida,
is.
1. Leave 20ha to develop as a natural woodlands. This will hopefully provide
refuge for bees, birds etc.
2. Plant acacia albida every 20m in offset lines. The reason I have chose
acacia albida is that it is a legume tree which occurs here naturally. Its
common name is winter thorn because it flowers , pods and has leaves in the
winter. This is quiet important in my plan as we have summer rainfall so will
be able to inter crop with maize, soya etc during the summer as the trees
will not shade out the crop. The nitrogen fixed by the trees will also be
utilised by the crops. The pods of the tree drop in Sept, Oct when we have
our biggest shortage of stockfeed, cattle/sheep love these pods and they are
a good source of protien. I'll also be planting pasture in 1/4 of the land
and this will be strip/control grazed in the summer months and then reaped
for hay at the end of summer.
3. I have done some work on interrow cropping corn with cowpeas, dolichos
bean, crotelaria and velvet bean with some success but unfortunatly I still
rely on herbicides so am strugling to find a broad leaf herbicide that can be
used on maize and the above mentioned legumes.
4. Any bee keepers out there who can help with regards apiculture. The reason
I ask is that we'll have a fulsh of pollen etc in the summer and then another
in May, june, july when the acacias flower. I feel this would be a perfect
opportunity to try and utilise the acaciacs further.
I look forward to hearing experienced comments. PS this is my first step
towards permaculture so you'll have to excuse my ignorance in some matters.
Cheers
Adrian Bignell
Bignell Ranching
Mazabuka
Zambia
Central Africa
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-
[permaculture] Developing a permaculture system, Zambia.,
Adrian Bignell, 05/25/2007
- Re: [permaculture] Developing a permaculture system, Zambia., peter chama, 05/31/2007
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