Gray Henon

A few google pics of what I am thinking, but probably looking for something a bit simpler…

I’ve got extra logs and looking for some art ideas for them.  I did arrange some large half logs in a spiral to make flipping logs, so the visiting kids could look for creatures.  What else do you have?

Greatly depends on the climate, the labor willing to work it, the equipment you are willing to buy/maintain, and the inputs you are willing to import.

I’ve got just shy of 6.  Plenty enough to keep me busy.  We might grow 25-40% of our food for 4.  I used to think I might buy  a few acres from the neighbors but those days are over.  Right now I am trying to figure out how to keep things running when the kids move out.

I like to think about what one person can maintain with minimal equipment and inputs.  Ball parking, maybe 1/2 an acre of garden, maybe 2-3 acres of orchard, and maybe 100+ of pasture.

We’ve been working on establishing silvopasture for many years.  We’ve planted trees in what was previously open pasture and thinned trees in what was previously woodland.  We have found it is much easier to add trees to pasture than it is to remove trees from woodland (absent heavy equipment). Woodland requires the removal of a tremendous amount of material to allow for light penetration and grass growth.  We have found 75% tree removal to be a good ball park figure.  On the other hand, trees can fairly easily be added to pasture at the appropriate spacing, and fast growing species such as black locust start adding meaningful shade in 3-5 years.  

What has been your experience?

Some chickens are smarter than others when it comes to predators.  Saw a video a while back where a fellow was trying to breed survival skills back into laying hens by crossing them with game hens, if I recall correctly.

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All spread! New single pile record!  1050 gallons.  This was absolutely NOT my intent.  The bamboo piled up as I was busy with other things.  Then we were in a drought so I just kept piling material.  The burn and spreading were both exhausting.  I much prefer piles that yield around 300-500 gallons.  They seem to match our time and energy levels pretty well.

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Other son was able to help me for a while and we got 10 loads spread.  Still more to go!

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My son’s any my schedules lined up enough for him to help me for an hour.  We were able to get 15 loads spread out of the large pile, and still lots to go!

Grasses are very aggressive in our climate.  The veg garden gets cardboard and woodchips to suppress their growth.  Works very well with larger plants like tomatoes, peppers, okra, squash, etc that can get above the grasses and shade them out.  I graze sheep in my orchard to keep the grass down there.  The hardest places to manage are among lower perennials such as herbs.  My wife spends a lot of time pulling grass out of the beds.  Best advice there is to really focus on what you want and keep the beds as small as possible.

bruce Fine wrote:also another note on growing chestnuts. DO NOT plant chestnut trees where you would have any livestock except maybe birds. sheep, goats, cattle and horses CANNOT be in area with chestnuts. better check with a vet if your animals would be safe if they tried to eat chestnut.

My cow cleaned up most of my chestnut (Chinese) harvest before I could get to them.  Didn’t seem to bother her any, but it wasn’t that much off of two 15 year old trees.  Might be different with higher volume off of more mature trees.  Pigs really enjoy them as well.