Hello Permies,
My name is Scott Vernon, the owner of The Horsepasture Permaculture Institue in Horsepasture, VA. We are entering our second year with the planning complete and construction beginning. While planning the 144 rolling acres featuring a pond and flowing creek, five acres were quickly designated for vegetable production. Last spring daikon radishes, clover, vetch, alfalfa, chickory, and a wildflower mix were planted. In the beginning of October, the largest radish was 30inches tall and as thick as my wrist. The cover crop was plowed under while winter wheat and Austrian winter peas were broadcast. The field is mostly clay, but the cover crop has really changed the color and consistancy.
The farm features a large teaching greenhouse. Apple and fig trees date back to the tobacco farmer years ago. Documents show a 2 year tobacco with 1 year clover rotation. Old oak trees just finished dropping their acorns. I am planting fifty apple trees this week in the orchard. The chicken coop is under construction. There is another post of mine with the construction layout drawn in sketchup. The dirt is scared from a ditch witch laying irregation lines.
Boer goats are in a pasture with two donkeys and a waterer. Soon they will demonstrate small scale rotational grazing with a milk cow and bull following behind in the rotation.
Deer plots dot the map.
Twenty five acres is currently hay. I will use the hay for a naturally built metal and blacksmith shop next to the exhisting wood shop. I need to get my sparky things away from the burny things. After the metal shop is built. This acreage will become no till corn, soybeans, sunflowers (i havn't thought that part out yet).
This is the tip of the iceberg, but I wanted to introduce myself and make it known that I am interested in finding help for many of the projects above and others. I am in desperate need of a web designer. But anyone that is in the area or not feel free to contact me.
Scott Vernon
scotthv@gmail.com
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