The problem is the solution - erosion edition

We are having a house built on our farm, and in getting power up the hill to the house, then down the side of the hill to our shop, we had 2 options.  The inexpensive and inconvenient option, trenching or the more expensive but theoretically more convenient option of boring.  We hoped to do as little surface damage to the land as possible (we already have a huge bare dirt patch where we've had grading and dirt work done at the house site), so we opted to bore power up and then down the hill.  And the boring company ended up doing a not-insignificant amount of damage to the surface in multiple areas.  So to minimize erosion, we will need to seed and get some plants established.  And with the opportunity of disturbed soil in our pasture area, I've decided to seed it with perennial prairie grasses, native black eyed susans, a perennial wildflower mix, and probably a handful of sunflowers.  

That is going to be wonderful for you, and for the local ecosystem! I'd be so happy to have an opportunity to do something like that.

Have you already got a mulch in mind for covering the seeds once you have spread them?

Also, if you can source enough local compost for that area, you could inoculate the disturbed soil with all kinds of native microscopic goodness. (I've been reading all about soil restoration lately, so it seems like you're doing a really great thing there. Can't wait to see the "After" photos during the next season or two!)

Kentucky is beautiful countryside and those hills there look lovely. I've got lots of friends that live in the middle and eastern part of the state and I'm looking forward to them getting their own properties because I'll be planting trees for them. The black eyed susans and sunflowers are a good idea, I started mine last week. I like to envision fruiting trees (apples, plums, pawpaws) and clumps of yarrow on those hillsides. Do you have any tree planting plans?

Rachel Lindsay wrote:That is going to be wonderful for you, and for the local ecosystem! I'd be so happy to have an opportunity to do something like that.

Have you already got a mulch in mind for covering the seeds once you have spread them?

Also, if you can source enough local compost for that area, you could inoculate the disturbed soil with all kinds of native microscopic goodness. (I've been reading all about soil restoration lately, so it seems like you're doing a really great thing there. Can't wait to see the "After" photos during the next season or two!)

The neighbor has cattle and has told me that I'm welcome to as much composted manure as I can take, however I have no way to transport it from his place to mine yet.  We will be mulching with straw initially.  Not sure if it'll stay, but I have some wood chips I can toss down loosely over the straw if it blowing around becomes an problem.

Thombo Corley wrote:Kentucky is beautiful countryside and those hills there look lovely. I've got lots of friends that live in the middle and eastern part of the state and I'm looking forward to them getting their own properties because I'll be planting trees for them. The black eyed susans and sunflowers are a good idea, I started mine last week. I like to envision fruiting trees (apples, plums, pawpaws) and clumps of yarrow on those hillsides. Do you have any tree planting plans?

It really is.  I put in phase 1 of the orchard a couple of weeks ago, 8 apple trees, and 3 pear trees.  I'll be adding stone fruits next year.  You can see the tree tubes on the next hill over in this photo.  I'm also waiting on my bare root shipment of 24 black locust, white oak, pawpaw, mulberry, and sycamore trees.  My goal is to try to put in around 30 trees each year.  Overall this pasture area will remain pasture, in the next few years we hope to add sheep, a few small cattle, pigs, chickens, and maybe turkeys to the mix, but I'd like to encourage a silvopasture type situation in some areas, and this year's trees will create a few "tree islands" to provide shade, shelter, and forage after they get larger.

Laurel Jones wrote:

Thombo Corley wrote:Kentucky is beautiful countryside and those hills there look lovely. I've got lots of friends that live in the middle and eastern part of the state and I'm looking forward to them getting their own properties because I'll be planting trees for them. The black eyed susans and sunflowers are a good idea, I started mine last week. I like to envision fruiting trees (apples, plums, pawpaws) and clumps of yarrow on those hillsides. Do you have any tree planting plans?

It really is.  I put in phase 1 of the orchard a couple of weeks ago, 8 apple trees, and 3 pear trees.  I'll be adding stone fruits next year.  You can see the tree tubes on the next hill over in this photo.  I'm also waiting on my bare root shipment of 24 black locust, white oak, pawpaw, mulberry, and sycamore trees.  My goal is to try to put in around 30 trees each year.  Overall this pasture area will remain pasture, in the next few years we hope to add sheep, a few small cattle, pigs, chickens, and maybe turkeys to the mix, but I'd like to encourage a silvopasture type situation in some areas, and this year's trees will create a few "tree islands" to provide shade, shelter, and forage after they get larger.

If you want seedlings with vigor to be a part of your tree islands, give me a shout. I travel to KY usually once a year, and last year had a car full of pots/buckets that were all perennials and fruit trees I gave to friends and family. Y'all have a lovely property. Any addition of trees and livestock will only enhance it. We've got land in Louisiana that we're gonna start working on this year, I think we have similar plans. Thumps up on the silvopasture. I'm gonna run hogs under our pine canopy with rows of fruit trees.