I'm here to learn

My name is Jeff. I live in Michigan on a four hundred acre farm, 250 tillable which is for the most part leased, and 150 in forest and well overgrown pasture. We still live in the original family home which was built in 1866. We raise chickens, turkeys, and keep bees along with a large conventional garden. I am looking to make my natural surroundings more productive and to bring this farm back to life without killing the ecology that has been allowed to revert back to a pretty natural state. I stumbled across the concept of permaculture and, as I said, I am here to learn. Everything I want to do is for the benefit of my family and to get my kids to learn what really goes into putting a meal on a plate.

I will ask silly questions, say the wrong things, and need clarifications. But after reading here for a bit, this place strikes me as having a pretty solid knowledge base. Thanks.

Glad you want to "improve" your land vs "develop" it, and have found your way here.
There are several very knowledgeable people here from Michigan.  They can probably provide a lot of good 'regional' advice on what to do/not do in your location.

Deer in your region can be problematic to growing many things, but if you can provide a healthy, natural environment for them in the wilder regions of your land, food pressures will not be as likely to force them into your food forest.  Anyways, who wants to put a scrawny deer in their freezer?

Good luck with your project.  This is one of the most important lessons that we can pass down to our children.  Food comes from our land, not a shrink wrapped styrofoam package.

Thanks for your reply. Yup, I want to improve it. Will just have to find a way to clearly explain the concept to family.

I live in Michigan and would be happy to answer as many of your questions as I am able. You can PM me or email me if that would be easier for you.

I love the idea of turning your land more toward nature and permaculture and it will be a huge change from the "old ways" of farming, but can be very rewarding as well.

Over 40 years we have reverted most of our land back to nature and "more natural" and have some areas yet to finish working on since a housefire in 2002

I have been planting more and more mixed gardens with trees, shrubs, perennials, vines and herbs and a few annuals sown in the bare areas each year...also putting in small hugel beds and reclaiming a field back to forest, building a pond, etc..see blog

Thanks very much, it will be useful to have someone to ask questions who lives in Michigan. I will keep you in mind, you can be sure. I guess my biggest question is regarding how to start. I have so much land to work with, it a little overwhelming.

If you apply the permaculture zone system, it will greatly simplify your task.
Start in zone 0, your home, kitchen garden, etc and expand outwards, one zone at a time, as time permits.

You are not alone in your endeavor.

Rebecca Hosking, A Farm for the Future

I loved that documentary. I saw it a few weeks back on someones blog; very nice.

Ken Peavey wrote:
You are not alone in your endeavor.

Rebecca Hosking, A Farm for the Future

That's a great documentary. And the first time I've seen Permaculture mentioned on mainstream TV!