Robert Hayes

@Tom Davis : is the Picasa photo links hosted anywhere currently?  The Tucson Swales have been coming up as a discussion topic in the Saturday class of SolarTony  - a San Diego professor of Physics  - there's a FB presence about EcoSustainable Neighborhoods too.  
Some class discussion has been about arranging for larger scale or "broadacre" preserves for non-toxic and living sanctuaries.  I'm wondering about some sort of public lands volunteerism which might even build upon this historic CCC example.  
If you have some shareable photo links maybe you'd kindly contact me @ biomeregen@gmail.com
I thank you for your time and consideration.
- Bob Hayes

I wonder if this is too late?  Before cutting down those leaning holly trunks, I'd suggest propping them up again into their acceptable locations.  I've done this with a group of 25 ft + tall holly trees using a few sistered together lengths of padded 2x4's.  After the snow load had brought the trees to block the sidewalk, I thought they might be done, perfelling, marquetry or maybe firewood.  But, after using a come-along and a few props, they got strapped back up against the house.  After a few months and some rains, they settled back into their mostly original locations. Your Celtic wizards might appreciate and approve.  Couraggio


One of my holly bushes is pulling itself out of the ground already. It's leaning across one of my paths. Before

Oak, maple, privet, chestnut, willow & holly, are some of the varieties used in traditional hedge work.  Willow and Elderberry might just become rooted now if you just poke them into the ground.  You can see 1000 year old hedge fencing in UK.  This might be a slow fence unless you've got a standing thicket right where you'd like your fence.  Devon or Leeds, for instance, this spring you can take a great course on this craft for £60 - or for free if you are "on benefits". You'll have to hop over the pond to get there however.  Or study a few videos about hedgelaying maybe?

http://www.countryside-jobs.com/Training/short-courses/skills

Hedging (1942)  quaint


How to ...Traditional Hedge Laying in the South of England Style


Hedge Laying with bill hook ( 20 or 30 yards per day )

GOOD IDEAS from the last weeks permaculture convergence meetings:  Re-Brand your PCDesign project to include it in a plan for disaster preparedness funding.
There are big funds coming down the pike right now.  Your project should have friendly packed council hearing rooms with many folks presenting evidence of how permaculture and food forests contribute to the national security, protect the ( and restore ) the environmental damages of flood, other scary disasters, etc.
How about local foods?  Don't they help when fuel supplies are limited or when grocery shelves are made bare by hording before storms, etc?
Build your case and get a share of the funds which would otherwise tend to build the fear/police state.   Build a WHOLE local food safety net instead.
Don't doubt for a minute that your permaculture efforts make us all more secure.  Get your municipal parks to contribute to the public effort and plan plantings for local food security, environmental protection, resource conservation, grazing stockpiling.... What benefits am I forgetting?

Thanks for mentioning that "37 Joule" electric fence charger. When I saw Greg Judy he said he used one which was 32 joules & I'm wondering where to get one. We'll have pressure from calf and dry cows soon. I'm not confident of the ones I got from tractor supply. Even a good 8 joules meant virtually nothing to 222 lb pigs who wanted to excavate damp spots by the kitchen door. Do you know the brand name of your neighbor's charger? Parmak? Thanks for checking, if you can.