joe choi

Howdy Cal.
I'm also in zone 8b but on the east coast in mostly acid sandy soils. I'm trying to locate people to have been practicing permaculture in my region so I can develop a plant list for all the various layers from canopy trees all the way down to ground covers. I want to compile a list that favors the sandy acid soil type that I will be growing in.

I'm looking for some basic designs to kick around for a potential piece of property that I may have access to this year. I'm in zone 8 east coast USA in a coastal plains geography. The property is wedge shaped with the longest sides of the property facing south. Most of the land has been timbered about 7ish years ago and not maintained since. Based on the soil type/description the county has for the land it is mostly MU standing for Murville Muck type soil. This soil by definition is sandy upland boggy soil. There is septic already onsite so I know there are areas that perk, but I'm sure that there are areas that I will need to pull excess water from. The land is mostly flat with slight contours. I want to have about 10 acres for pasture, 4 acres for food forest type setting where I can run poultry. The rough dimensions of the land are 200 feet wide at the west end and 400 feet wide at the east end. The length of the land is 2200 feet and it lays from southwest the northeast. There is a slight slope from west to east about 4-5 feet over the 2200' length. I would like to build a few smaller ponds for water catchment and aquaculture. My question is how to get excess water away from areas to my catchments, swales to help drain and move to ponds is what I'm thinking? It guess I'm struggling with how to permaculture flatland that's skinny and may have too much water at times.
thanks all.

Will Black locus grow in sandy acid soils, I'm in coastal plains sandy soils? We do have lots of native red buds here, so they will definitely be incorporated.

Thanks Alder, i will research those plants.

Good to know, sounds like good forage for my chickens! Are there trees that grow here that are legumes?

Any advise on summer time legumes for a sandy acid soil for coastal plains in zone 8? I want a good green manure and n fixing legume for summertime. Thanks, joe

Thanks Roy those are awesome links!!

it worked much better when it's not raining and dry wood!! It is a hungry beast and uses a bit more wood than I want. I guess I need to insulate the 90 and the uptube a bit??
thanks, Joe

Hello All, I'm on the quest to make a rocket stove that I can use for cooking outside, mainly as a redundant way to cook food. I played with a couple of prototypes and have a few questions. My basic design has been a simple L tube. My first attempt was with 4in tubing. 2 feet of tubing going up and about a foot of tubing sticking about the bottom via a 90 adapter. We got to it work but it was pretty high maintenance keeping it going. The second design is 6in tubing 1 foot sticking up attached to a 90 and then attached to a 8 in increaser which i'm using as the burn chamber. It too worked but needs tweaking. Where do I want the fire to be burning, in the back close to where the tubing goes vertical or closer to the front of the burn chamber? I used a small piece of grill grate as my wood rest in the burn chamber of the 6inch version but i think it should be a solid piece so air draws only through the back or where ever the burn is supposed to be? I should've uploaded some pics but it's dark now and will do so tomorrow. Any input is much appreciated.
thanks Joe

awesome ideas. Never heard of the char treatment but it makes sense. Biochar lasts 100s of year. Another duh-huh?
Thanks everyone!!