Brian Cady

There's discussion in David Jacke and Eric Tonesmeier's 'Edible Forest Gardens' about grassy areas having bacteria-dominated soils, while forests have fungi-dominates soils, and that trees struggle to establish in bacteria-dominated soils.

P Oscar wrote:... I only have British Alpine. I have kept BA goats in milk continuously for over 7 years. I have even bypassed the need for kidding and the difficulties of managing a buck. BAs are prone to "precocious udder", where they start to produce milk without being in kid. I started milking my does when they presented with precocious udder and milk production increased all the way up to peak lactation (5-8 litres per day). The first doe I tried this with is in her second year of lactation and still producing well. They don't jump and are happy in a confined space as long as they have food, shelter and the company of other goats. They truly are the most amazing permaculture survival animals.

Hi P Oscar,

I am fascinated by long lactation and 'precocious udder'; by these British Alpine goats. I read that in USA they are not registered separately, but are lumped in with American and French Alpine registrations, but in USA BAs are instead called 'Sundgao', from a french/swiss/german border valley name.

Are you in Northeastern USA, by any chance? If so, are you willing to sell some? Edit - I see you are in Southeastern Australia.

Brian
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Benjamin Dinkel wrote:Hi Brian,
thanks for sharing.
In general, wood burning does cause some pollution. So do many other forms of energy, usually somewhere else (coal power plant).
You're right that a well tended fire in a good wood burner would also cut down pollution.
Not sure what it has to do with rocket stoves (cooking devices) or TLUDs (to my knowledge used to make biochar) though. Or did you mean Rocket Mass Heaters?

Hi Benjamin,

Thanks for your note. I did mean rocket mass heaters, my mistake, but I also did mean TLUDs(Top-Lit Up-Draft burners), which emit heat that can be used for space heating or cooking, while making char.  I think that CHAB (Combined Heat And Biochar production) presents a great opportunity to fix some carbon in the lithosphere while satisfying some heat needs.

Brian
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This article ignores woodstove efficiency variation, and suggests less wood burning for pollution abatement:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-wood-homes-dangerous-air-pollution.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly-nwletter

I hope folks write an informative comment there, if possible.

Brian
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Seeking shade- and acid-soil-tolerant, very-low-growing and nitrogen-fixing groundcovers for chestnut orchard floors.

Ideally these would be low-growing enough that Autumn's fallen chestnuts could be harvested from atop them, with little mowing needed.

I've found seed of 'Empire' Birdsfoot Trefoil; Lotus corniculatus cv. 'Empire', 'Microclover' White Clover; Trifolium repens cv 'Pirouette'; Mahala Mat; Ceanothus prostratus; and Miniature Lupin; Lupinus bicolor.

I seek Black Medic; Medicago lupulina; Forest Clover; Trifolium breweri and Brewer's Lupin; Lupinus breweri, as well as Prostrate White Clover; Trifolium repens subsp. prostratum.

Seed source and other cultivar suggestions are welcome.

Brian
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M Ljin wrote:Non-permie family veto. Also worry about pipes freezing without a hot-air system.

No wonder I feel so nasty in the house, we’ve had toxic levels of carbon monoxide… sadly no chance of changing this, but I can change some things which is good.

No chance of changing toxic carbin monoxide levels? Ackk! Can you move/open windows. This sounds bad.

I want to also be making biochar, and imagine needing slow, steady heat, so TLUD - Top-Lit Up-Draft stoves intrigue me more.

There is good-seeming advice in other crowdfunding  threads. I like your ideas, by the way.