Here's the newly published Straw/Wood/Iron levels of Animal Care.
What are your thoughts?
straw badge
35 points required
Can do up to fifteen new points from Animals.Sand list (each item counts for 1 point)
Required: Complete one of the BBs for “Control a pest”
- Set up a stock tank that won’t freeze in the winter without electricity - 4 points
- BB only applies in climates where freezing is a routine issue
- Set up a moveable electric fence for paddock shift systems (show a move)
- Using 110v ac power - 1 point
- Using car battery (kept dry) - 1.5 points
- Scythe and bale a dozen bales of hay - 4 points
- Scythe and bale a dozen bales of straw - 4 points
- Build a manual baler
- 3 points for animal care plus 3 points for dimensional woodworking Straw level
- Grow forage for chickens/pigs in a single paddock - 4 points
- at least 8 species, obviously more than 5000 calories
- note that 15 pounds of sunchokes are 5000 calories
- Prove that paddock shift is amazing - 10 points
- at least 4 paddocks
- pics throughout the season
- one control area that is fenced off 10 feet x10 feet
- Grow a three season nectar harvest for pollinators - 10 points
- pics and description of planting
- pics of hundreds of blooms at 2 points in each season (six pics total)
- at least a dozen species
- Prove that chickens prefer fresh food over organic commercial food - 10 points
- control is at least one chicken in a barren coop and run scenario
- at least one chicken in a lush paddock have access to the same chicken feed
- test must span at least three days
- 2 extra points if the paddocks chickens eat zero commercial food
- Prove your animal’s food is fit for human consumption - 1 point
- Eat 500 calories of the same food your omnivorous animals are eating
- Prove that your animal’s water is clean/fresh/healthy - 2 points
- Maybe drink a pint of their water
- Need more ways to show this
- Brainstorming thread
https://permies.com/t/139963/Brainstorming-Animal-care-Prove-High
- System to collect excessive insects in the summer, dry them and feed them out in the winter - 4 points
- at least two pounds of dried insects
- Set up a holzer bee hive - 2 points
- Shear a sheep - 4 points
- Shear an alpaca/llama - 4 points
- Make a lightweight paddock shift chick brooder - 4 points
- 2 feet by 3 feet minimum warm area
- connected to a 2 feet by 3 feet minimum “run” exposed to sun
- (looks a lot like a chicken tractor - but the covered side is insulated and heated)
- at least 12 chicks
- Make a lightweight paddock shift chicken coop - 4 points
- Make a skiddable goat shelter - 4 points
- Make a skiddable hog shelter - 5 points
- Make a skiddable cattle shelter - 7 points
- Make a 200 foot wavy deer fence - 4 points
- Per
https://permies.com/t/140079/Wavy-Deer-Fence
- Do the work to entice beavers to an area - 4 points
- prove that work introduced beavers to the area - 2 more points
- Show how offal from one animal system is an input to a different animal system - 2 points
- must be fed to a different species
- receiving species must be an omnivore or carnivore
Prove mitigation of pests:
- If you chose to do more than one of these BBs, work done for one of the BBs can not be counted for another BB
- For instance, to get credit for 6 toad habitats for mosquito mitigation and 6 toad habitats for fly mitigation requires the construction of 12 toad habitats.
- Control aphids with permaculture - 8 points (this is the BB)
- Not
- DE
- buy ladybugs
- any kind of spray
- squishing
- Do three of these things
- improve diversity of plants to reduce aphid load
- some species discourage aphids
- some species draw aphids away from other species (sacrifice)
- Predator buffet line
- Butterfly weed
- Some species provide nectar/food/habitat for aphid predators
- Some species take up excess nitrogen
- Many believe excessive N make a plant attractive to aphids
- Rhubarb, any grass, corn, nettles, asparagus
- create habitat for stuff that eats aphids (spiders, lacewings, ladybugs, etc)
- ladybug houses
- Research Thread:
https://permies.com/t/139109
- Insect hotels
- Brush piles?
- create habitat for stuff that discourages ants (spiders, lizards, etc)
- Use permaculture techniques to improve the soil and support the health of an aphid affected plant
- bring tiny/immature fowl in to eat the ants, preferably in a paddock shift system
- Prove your efforts mitigated aphids. Here are two possible ways to prove it:
- Have a “control” patch and document results during the time of year when aphids are a problem
- Document one year without and one year with controls, same time of year
- Control leaf eating beetles with permaculture - 8 points
- colorado potato beetle
- japanese beetle
- other leaf eating beetles
- Not
- DE
- soap sprays or any kind of spray
- squishing
- BT
- Do four of these things
- improve diversity of plants
- some species improve the strength and health of target plant
- diversity of plants in a polyculture to allow most plants to escape beetle attack
- some species discourage beetles
- Some cultivars are resistant to beetles
- some species draw beetles away from other species (sacrifice)
- these species typically attract beetle predators
- build beetle predator habitat
- add mulch to support health of target plants
- bring fowl in to eat the beetles
- Trap crop (grapes?) to attract beetles then shake trellis to feed chickens below
- Demonstrate how landscape texture and underground diversity allow some plants to thrive while others suffer from beetles
- Texture could be 7’ hugelkulturs
- Show plants within 20’ of each other, one thriving, one suffering.
- Prove your efforts mitigated beetles. Here are two possible ways to prove it:
- Have a “control” patch and document results during the time of year when beetles are a problem
- Document one year without and one year with controls, same time of year
- Control cutworms with permaculture - 8 points
- Not
- DE
- soap sprays or any kind of spray
- hand picking / squishing
- BT
- Do four of these things
- improve diversity of plants
- some species improve the strength and health of target plant
- some species discourage cutworms
- some species draw cutworms away from other species (sacrifice)
- these species typically attract cutworm predators
- build cutworm predator habitat (fireflies, birds, wasps)
- add mulch to target plant
- Document plant of the same species in another spot not being bothered by pests
- bring fowl in to eat the cutworms
- Prove your efforts mitigated cutworms. Here are two possible ways to prove it:
- Have a “control” patch and document results during the time of year when cutworms are a problem
- Document one year without and one year with controls, same time of year
- Control mosquitoes with permaculture - 8 points
- Do NOT use BT, soap, sprays, citronella, propane, electricity
- Pre-requisite BBs
- create dragonfly habitat (make this a link to sand badge)
- create frog habitat (make this a link to sand badge)
-
create toad habitat
- Do all of the following:
- attract two different mosquito eating birds/bats
- describe the species and how you’re attracting them
- probably building housing
- Mitigate breeding areas - do two of:
- mosquito breeding trap
- introduce fish to a year round water tank or pond to control mosquito larvae
- reduction of standing water where it is not wanted - do at least one
- gutter that does not drain properly
- buckets or other objects outside that can hold water for five days or more
- puddles in a road
- build six more toad shelters
- Prove your efforts mitigated mosquitoes. Here are two possible ways to prove it:
- Have a “control” and document results during mosquito season
- Compare results of one year without and one year with controls, same time of year
- Control crop eating birds with permaculture - 8 points
- Do NOT use shotgun, electricity, netting or a blaring radio
- Pre-requisite BBs
-
Create snake habitat
- Do five of the following things:
- Distract birds away from other crops + animal feed by planting mulberries and the like
- 100 shrubs/trees total
- 60+ mulberries
- Staggered fruiting time to distract for as long as possible
- Select plant cultivars that hide the bounty from the birds
- Show 6 plants (can be the same species)
- Perches for raptors
- Create 6 more snake habitats
- Housing for purple martins (they’re territorial)
- Cats (need to prove they’re eating the right birds)
- Terrier
- Plant double the crop and accept the losses
- Bird trap pig feeder
- Tube that attracts starlings to enter (hey look at this nice house) but it is a one-way trip to the pig pen
- Prove your efforts mitigated crop eating birds. Here are two possible ways to prove it:
- Have a “control” patch and document results during the time of year when birds are a problem
- Document one year without and one year with controls, same time of year
- Control rodents with permaculture - 8 points
- Small outdoor rodents
- including, but not limited to:
- mice
- rats
- chipmunks
- voles
- moles
- gophers
- rabbits
- Do NOT use guns, electricity, fences, or traps
- There is a foraging BB for hunting rabbits/squirrels
- Pre-requisite BBs
-
Create snake habitat
-
Create a brush pile
- Do five of the following:
- Create 6 more snake habitats
- Create 6 more brush piles
- Plants that encourage cats
- Get a new cat that is a good mouser
- Get a new rodent eating dog (ie rat terrier)
- attract two different birds that eat rodents
- describe the species and how you’re attracting them
- probably building housing
- perches for raptors
- Plants that discourage rodents
- pulse hogs/chickens/turkeys/etc. through an area with too many rodents
- put out more food for rodents (thus attracting predators)
- Improve food/grain storage
- Create an exposed area around your garden that they won’t cross for fear of getting grabbed
- Make an actual moat
- Prove your efforts mitigated rodents. Do one:
- Have a “control” patch and document results during the time of year when rodents are a problem
- Document one year without and one year with controls, same time of year
- Control flies with permaculture - 8 points
- Including but not limited to:
- Horseflies
- House flies
- Deer flies
- Black flies
- Sand flies
- Not
- Bug zappers, fly paper, soap sprays or any kind of spray
- Pre-requisite BBs
- create dragonfly habitat (make this a link to sand badge)
- create frog habitat (make this a link to sand badge)
-
create toad habitat
- Do four of the following:
- Create 6 more dragonfly habitats
- Create 6 more frog habitats
- Create 6 more toad habitats
- attract two different fly eating birds/bats
- describe the species and how you’re attracting them
- probably building housing
- Possibly plants that attract birds/bats
- Remove fly specks
- Select for cattle that don’t attract flies
- Sell/eat fly attractors, breed fly-free cattle
- Attract/encourage two types of spiders
- Use paddock shift to break fly breeding cycle
- Describe how your system does this
- Plants that deter flies (wormwood, mint, etc)
- Carnivorous plants
- Plants that attract predatory insects, arachnids and/or wasps
- describe the species and how you’re attracting them
- probably plants that attract them
- Possibly housing
- Prove your efforts mitigated flies. Do one:
- Have a “control” patch and document results during the time of year when flies are a problem. Maybe counting fly specs or using fly paper to measure flies over time.
- Document one year without and one year with controls, same time of year
- Control indoor fleas with permaculture - 8 points
- Not
- flea collars, sprays, borates, flea bombs
- Required:
- Apply Diatomaceous Earth (DE) around edges of rooms
- Unlike other BBs above, since this is indoors it will last a very long time
- Twice a week vacuuming with DE for three months
- Spread DE and vacuum it up
- Wash laundry and bedding more often and with more soap
- Do one of the following:
- Switch one room from carpet to hard surface floors
- Feed pets/animals brewer’s yeast
- Heat the house to 105F for more than 5 hours
- Dehumidify the house to 30% or less for more than 4 days
- Prove your efforts mitigated fleas. Do one:
- Document your starting flea load, at one month with controls in place and at three months with zero fleas trapped. Measure with a 48 hour flea trap test.
- Breed a broody hen to hatch at least six chicks - 4 points
- points awarded when chicks are one week old
- Breed a broody duck to hatch at least six ducklings - 4 points
- points awarded when ducklings are one week old
- Breed a broody turkey to hatch at least four poults- 4 points
- points awarded when poults are one week old
- Breed a guinea fowl to hatch at least six keets - 4 points
- points awarded when keets are one week old
- Breed a quail to hatch at least six chicks - 4 points
- points awarded when chicks are one week old
- Breed a pigeon to hatch at least four squabs - 4 points
- points awarded when squabs are one week old
- Breed a goose to hatch at least six goslings- 4 points
- points awarded when gosling are one week old
- Breed a goat resulting in at least one kid - 4 points
- points awarded when kid is one week old
- Breed a rabbit resulting in at least six kits - 4 points
- points awarded when kits are one week old
- Breed an ewe resulting in at least one lamb - 4 points
- points awarded when lamb is one week old
- Breed a cow resulting in at least one calf - 4 points
- points awarded when calf is one week old
- Breed a sow resulting in at least six piglets - 4 points
- points awarded when piglets are one week old
- Breed a guinea pig resulting in at least six pups - 4 points
- points awarded when pups are one week old
- Breed a llama resulting in at least one cria - 4 points
- points awarded when cria is one week old
- Breed an alpaca resulting in at least one cria - 4 points
- points awarded when cria is one week old
- Breed a working farm dog resulting in at least six puppies - 4 points
- points awarded when puppies are one week old
- Raising mealworms - end up with two pounds more than when you started - 3 points
- Raising crayfish - end up with two pounds more than when you started - 3 points
- Raising worms - end up with two pounds more worms than when you started - 4 points
- Raising black soldier flies - end up with two pounds more grubs than when you started - 4 points
- Raising mason bees - end up with ½ lb of cocoons - 2 points
- Fish farming - 2 points
- Prerequisite is to do “Stock a pond with fish” sand BB
- Harvest 5 lbs of fish that are obviously much larger than when you introduced them to the pond
Harvest List:
- Process fish - catch and clean 5 lbs of fish from your pond - 2 points
- Butcher a goat - slaughter and clean - 2 points
- Butcher a sheep - slaughter and clean - 2 points
- Butcher a cattle - slaughter and clean - 8 points
- Butcher a pig - slaughter and clean - 6 points
Parasite list:
- Check three times, once in spring, summer and fall
- Prove that your chickens do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your ducks do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your cattle do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your guinea fowl do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your quail do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your pigeons do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your geese do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your rabbits do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your llamas do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your alpacas do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your hogs do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your cats do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your dogs do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your goats do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your sheep do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your turkeys do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your fish do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your bees do not have parasites - 4 points
- Prove that your guinea pigs do not have parasites - 4 points
wood badge
180 points required
Can do up to 30 new points from Sand and Straw lists
Prerequisite: Complete the Straw BBs proving your animal’s food and water are fit for human consumption
Brainstorming thread:
https://permies.com/t/139963/
Required:
- Care for 6 different species of animal for 6 months - 40 points
- Provide clearly better conditions than any conventional farm
- Primarily skiddable shelters
- No manure handling
- Less than 2% off property inputs
- Harvest 200,000 calories from a domestic animal system - 60 points
- At least 6 animal products -
- Poultry and Eggs may count as 2
- Dairy and Beef may count as 2
- Minimum of 10,000 calories from each of the 6
- Must be for human consumption
Electives:
- Harvest 20 lbs of fiber from a domestic animal system - 10 points
- Cleaned, stored and ready for use for other aspects
- Harvest 5 square feet of leather - 8 points
- tanned, stored and ready for use for other aspects
- only domestic animals count for this BB
- Harvest 5 square feet of fur - 8 points
- tanned, stored and ready for use for other aspects
- only domestic animals count for this BB
- Seal a 1000 square foot pond with pigs - 12 points
- Prove it doesn’t hold water prior
- Prove it does hold water after
- Grow a large three season nectar harvest for honeybees - 20 points
- pics and description of planting
- pics of thousands of blooms at 2 points in each season (six pics total)
- at least two dozen species
- species must be ones that attract honeybees
- Minimum of 1/4 acre, can be divided among multiple locations
- Arrange a hayless system for a ruminant herd - 20 points
- Grow forage for chickens/pigs in four paddocks - 10 points
- at least 12 plant species, obviously more than 20,000 calories of forage per paddock
- note that 15 pounds of sunchokes are 5000 calories
iron badge
These six species required:
- Cattle
- Chickens
- Hogs
- Turkey
- Fish
- Honeybees
Six more species required (your choice). Possibilities could be more than what you see on this list:
- Ducks
- Guinea fowl
- Quail
- Pigeons
- Geese
- Guinea pigs for meat
- Working farm dogs
- Working farm cats
- Sheep
- Goats
- Llama
- Alpaca
- Rabbits
General conditions required for all animals for which it applies:
- Primarily skiddable shelters
- No manure handling
- All of the animal systems must be less than 2% off-site input
- Hayless (or dramatic hay reduction system) is required
- Minimal bare dirt under hoof/foot
- Out in green, lush pasture most of the year
- Plenty of shady spots
- Sufficient herd/flock size to satisfy animal’s natural needs
- Lack of flies, ticks, etc
- Dry, wind protected shelters
- Cattle butchering offal goes to chickens, pigs, fish, etc., Chicken goes to the pigs, dogs, fish, etc
- Little to no predator pressure
- Parasite and disease checks for all species
- Their last day and last 15 minutes are calm and relaxing. Slaughtered on site.
- Harvest 4 million calories from 9 domestic animal systems (this is the BB)
- Must include a minimum of:
- 1 beef animal
- dairy (5 lbs butter, 5 lbs cheese, 1 qt cream)
- 100 eggs
- 12 butchered chicken
- 6 turkeys
- 2 hogs
- 10 lbs fish
- 10 lbs honey
- Harvest 80 lbs of fiber from a domestic animal system (this is the BB)
- stored and ready for use for other aspects
- Harvest 20 square feet of leather (this is the BB)
- tanned, stored and ready for use for other aspects
- only domestic animals count for this BB
- Harvest 20 square feet of fur (this is the BB)
- tanned, stored and ready for use for other aspects
- only domestic animals count for this BB
Provide proof that you are breeding and nurturing 12 animal species
- Special note: We are hoping that by creating these BBs, people will provide suggestions/solutions and they will become 10 times better in a year
- Pampered or treated better than 98% of other domestic animals
- Research thread:
https://permies.com/t/133897/show-pampering-animals
- Photo essay talking about signs of health, good breeding and being pampered
- Parasite check once per season for all species
- Level 6 animal care is “pampered” and level 7 is “something that would inspire a Disney movie about a little girl and all of her homestead animal friends.” Provide some evidence that you might be close to level 7.
- General examples:
- Come when called
- Let them “escape” and show you can call/entice them back easily
- You drink their water
- You eat their food
- You’ve thought deeply about your animal’s fears of predation and act accordingly (ie. not picking up rabbits or especially flipping them over)
- Just because a human would like your “pampering”, ensure that your critter would
- Herbal apothecary in their paddocks
- Sing or play with you
- Sleep in their shelter for one night
- Toys and forms of entertainment for the animals
- Four seasons of pampering
- Examples of being people friendly
- Prolific reproduction
- Prolific meat/milk production
- Describe your breeding objectives and plan
- Describe, for each animal, how your breeding objectives breed out dependence on antibiotics
- A heated shelter for the 12 coldest days of winter
- Put out food for them for the 12 coldest days of winter
- Prove you are nurturing your cattle (this is the BB)
- Minimum of 3 calves from breeding to six months old
- Come willingly to be milked
- Scratching posts (ideally trees)
- Prove you are nurturing your chickens (this is the BB)
- Chicken breeding program to favor good egg production and foraging on your property
- Minimum of 100 chickens from hatch to 3 months old under broody hens (no incubators)
- Winter bug feed system
- Additional fats and oils in the winter
- Swings, tethercabbage or similar activities for entertainment in winter
- Grow winter feed systems
- Prove you are nurturing your hogs (this is the BB)
- Minimum of two dozen hogs from birth to six months old
- Ensure wallow facilities for the 12 hottest days of the year
- Prove you are nurturing your turkeys (this is the BB)
- Minimum of a dozen turkeys from under a broody hen to 3 months old
- Winter bug feed system
- Additional fats and oils in the winter
- Swings, tethercabbage or similar activities for entertainment in winter
- Grow winter feed systems
- Prove you are nurturing your fish (this is the BB)
- 12 or more species of aquatic and riparian plants
- Variety of water depths, rocks, logs, hiding places
- No supplemental fish food - sufficient bugs/plants/etc for them to forage
- Perhaps add something in the future to reduce mercury levels in the pond
- Plenty of oxygen year round
- Prove sufficient levels for your species with a dissolved oxygen meter
- Research threads
-
https://permies.com/t/37206/Cleaning-Toxic-Gick-Water-Aquaculture
-
https://permies.com/t/140309/reduce-mercury-fish
- Prove you are nurturing your honeybees (this is the BB)
- Pics and description of pollinator planting
- Pics of tens of thousands of blooms at 2 points in each season (six pics total)
- at least 12 species blooming per season
- species must be ones that attract honeybees
- within 150 feet of the hive (about two acres)
- Pictures and description of your bear protection system
- Pictures and description of your additional winter insulation system
- No paint on hive
-
Bee hut or equivalent system for shade, rain and snow protection
- Hive(s) at least 1 foot off of the ground
- Each colony must come from a wild swarm
- Same colony occupies your hive for 2 years
- Prove that your colony swarmed at least once
- Each hive is at least 200 feet from any other hive
- Prove you are nurturing another species (complete this BB 6 times)
- BB threads for all other animals will be created as people need them
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