Wesley Hatfield

New to me; thanks for posting!

5acre_dreamer wrote:
I think I'm leaning towards canceling my current subscription & getting the archives.

One more question though. I really liked the outdoor stove the featured sometime last year. The print edition referred me to their website for details. Do they include all the details for all project in the archive DVD? Sounds silly to ask but nowadays you never know  ops: I don't want to be referred to the internet while out in the sticks.

I let my subscription lapse last year and I encourage you to do the same. If you do cancel, then treat yourself and get the archives of MEN. Nothing new really comes out in the magazine just newer, more modern version of the old stuff. Plus, most of what MEN has now seems so basic with a flair toward marketing.

homesteadpaul wrote:
In most of rural Missouri, there are no building codes.  There is an EPA-mandated state law that says you have to have a perc-aproved septic system if you build on less than 3 (or 5?) acres.  It varies from county to county, so make double sure before you buy.

I believe it's 3 acres at minimum. I live in MO and had this issue when looking at a 2 acre plot. But I will second what homesteadpaul has said; rural Missouri is great for permaculture.

Welcome Sherry. I am excited to have another person interested in permaculture in the state (southeast MO here).

Two years ago, I did just what you are thinking about doing. Ludi is correct. The cardboard will form a mat which will inhibit root growth into the soil. But you can use that to your advantage.

I put down cardboard and filled the rest of a raised bed with enough soil, compost, and mulch material so that I could grow my garden in the added soil. I did this because I wanted to smother the bermuda grass below my garden area. The next year the cardboard had decomposed enough that roots could penetrate the soil without having to compete with the grass.

ecopepper wrote:
Have you ever thought about Florida? I garden all year long. It takes a while to get used to it. But in the northern area there seems to be a nice amount of land at 3,000 an acre and up. The heat can get bad. But if you want to go solar we are the sunshine state. It is easy to drill wells and rain catchment is a good idea. You do have to ammend the soil. Lots of good stuff with Florida! I was hoping to move to the mountians in North Georgia but it is too far from family and I am comfortable with the planting seasons here.

I have been looking at north Florida for a few years, there or southern Alabama. What can you tell me about the codes and other challenges? I currently live in a corner of the Ozarks and it is ideal except for the cold winters. It was 2 degrees last night!

This fall I made my first attempt to root cuttings from a Goumi bush. How long should I wait before I declare a 'learning experience' and try something else?

I have spent most of my life in MO and the best advice I can give is find your local university extension. They are wonderful!

To get started: http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6201
Download the "Revised April 2000" Vegetable planting calendar. It will give you the exact planting dates for your area. Find a local rabbitry and sawmill for manure and sawdust; your soil begins there.

Generally, chickens molt when they are 2 years old. That has been my experience and Mississippi State University agrees 

http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_feathers.html

But seriously, you never answered my question about calcium. Are they getting enough?

Campy in Nashville, Tennessee, USA wrote:
I have 70 chickens on a 10,000 fenced in area.
They are eating Purina Layena and laying a total of only 3 eggs a day.

Needless to say this is costing a lot of cash without much income via eggs.

My sense too is that the chickens would like more variety in their diets.

Please tell me any ideas you may have?

You are correct. I have noticed through the years that my egg production suffers with a decrease in diet variety, but not nearly as severe as your experience.

Try supplementing with kitchen scraps (oatmeal, cereal, etc.) although I know this will be a challenge with 70 chickens.


Do you give the chickens oyster shell?