Sector Analysis of my property - open to feedback!

http://livingwind.tumblr.com/post/16106106111/zone-analysis-january-17th-2012

Zone analysis for spring at my property. I’m open to feedback on choice of cover crop(s), placement of zonal parameters, choice of plants for steep contour (12% or greater), edibles among ornamentals, food foresting, edges, erosion control, misc.

Cheers -

How's about some ideas...

Preparing for spring now

I'd like to help, but I don't know anything about growing in your conditions. I did watch the video, and enjoyed seeing your efforts so far. That Red Russian Kale is the same survivor up here as well. That might be a good one to start incorporating into other areas like that bobcat trail area and other borders. I would certainly immediately get at least some small swales going across that steep area to try to hold some soil there and get some plants started on the swales.

Zone 7b. It's a micro-climate of sort. Dew point remains high. I'm in the foothills and only a couple miles from Sassafras Mt, 3,560 ft above sea level, the highest point in South Carolina. Kale is gonna be worked in as
an edible border. It looks sharp and is one of more nutritious greens out there, withstands adverse conditions and pests hardly fool with it.

It looked like some thinning could be done, and the trees used for hugelk along the contour.

i immediately thought swales all over as well. also rainwater channeling in places where swales would not be ideal. could probably do pond(s) easy with such clay soil it would seal well. channel the water there.

amaranth is supposed to tolerate heavy clay well, it's got deep taproot mass, very tall (8-12'), beautiful ,edible .i juice and stir-fry leaves as well as in salad.the grain i have popped and boiled.
it reseeds like crazy and the stalks add nice biomass for mulch/compost. i will send you a bunch with our next trade if you like.think it'd be nice for steep slopes.

consolidating all those little compost piles into 1 large heap would get it breaking down faster, a cubic yard as bare minimum is the rule of thumb ive heard and stick to.
can you source more organic matter from the forest in leaf or pine litter?
how about blueberry and other berry bushes in the forested areas nearer the house.

i'd get bamboo going someplace too. many do well in poorly draining clay soils.handy stuff to have around, good for erosion as well,could be a contender for those slopes.

Matthew Fallon wrote:i immediately thought swales all over as well. also rainwater channeling in places where swales would not be ideal. could probably do pond(s) easy with such clay soil it would seal well. channel the water there.

amaranth is supposed to tolerate heavy clay well, it's got deep taproot mass, very tall (8-12'), beautiful ,edible .i juice and stir-fry leaves as well as in salad.the grain i have popped and boiled.
it reseeds like crazy and the stalks add nice biomass for mulch/compost. i will send you a bunch with our next trade if you like.think it'd be nice for steep slopes.

consolidating all those little compost piles into 1 large heap would get it breaking down faster, a cubic yard as bare minimum is the rule of thumb ive heard and stick to.
can you source more organic matter from the forest in leaf or pine litter?
how about blueberry and other berry bushes in the forested areas nearer the house.

i'd get bamboo going someplace too. many do well in poorly draining clay soils.handy stuff to have around, good for erosion as well,could be a contender for those slopes.

Tossing amaranth with danger of frost away.
I've got elderberry and Arkansas blackberries, Nanking cherry, wineberry ready to roll come bit warmer temperatures (we've hit 20f lately at night here in the foothills).
I have a great source for low/highbush blueberry when warmth comes around (2.50/potted plant).
I'm trying to limit petrol inputs, therefore I'm having a single truck load of topsoil delivered to manually distribute.

Here's a mock-up I drew the other night.

Curious to know why you chose topsoil (which probably contains viable "weed" seed) over compost (which is less likely to contain seeds)?

I mentioned topsoil, I really mean compost. Topsoil is certainly better than what is currently prominent I'll say (construction fill dirt).

Ok, thanks!