Composting and raising rabbits in Canadian winter.

I have just recently decided to record some of my attempts at begining to live a permaculture life which is a challenge when its -30C outside. I have put a couple of videos on you tube to share but am hoping to get feedback and advice from others for I am just a begginer. Please taker the time to watch and please provide some feed back or even corrections if I'm doing somthing wrong. I hope they are helpfull and hope to hear and learn from you.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Revolutionisnow1

-30C is -22F.  That's pretty cold, but I've experienced colder here in missoula.  And on Mt. Spokane.  And in eastern oregon.

So I'm watching #4.  Looks like work.  I guess if it is a hobby and you have fun doing it, then that much work is okay.  I think if we were talking farm scale and you wanted to do 100 times that much, then I would suggest techniques for less work. 

How cold is it on the day of video #4?

You mention paper and cardboard:  we've had some discussions about that here that you might be interested in.

You mention ash:  we've also had some discussions about there here that you might be interested in.

I think I wouldn't put compost anywhere until there was stuff planted to take up the yummy bits.  Otherwise the yummy bits will just make a beeline for your groundwater.


Where's the stuff about the rabbits?

I have several about building a rabbit hutch which is nearing completion but not done yet.
If you search "Turning my shed into a small animal barn" on you tube you should find it or subscribe to my channel.
I will look into the more disscussions here as I'm always wanting to learn more!

Benny,

if you have -30C, you must be in either near the praries, or near the eastern part... Where are you?

I  am planning a building project to include chickens, and a few rabbits for the kids... Wintering is an important aspect of planning!

I am in wonderfull central Alberta on the prairies! Rabbits are great for cold enviroments due to the fact that they have their own insolation, wild rabbits survive the weather with no help from us. My dad raised meat rabbits when I was a child and it is a great experience for kids. Even still I know little and any advice would be great.  I'm hoping to have a buck and two does within a month if time and finances allow, there will of course be a video when I do. Once the rabbits are settled I'm  thinking pigions next.

I have a friend that raises both rabbits and pigeons (homing and rollers)

I dont know much about either, but if you have specific questions, let me know and I'll get you the answers!

Awsome I may have to take you up on that thank you!

Hi Benny,
    I'm not able to view your videos on you tube-dial up is way to slow-but have raised rabbits in western NY. My rabbits saw -30F more than a few times and only lost an occasional kit mom dragged out or to the rats. (Rats love kits up to a month age-plan accordingly)
    Mine were outdoors and in and definitely did better outside even with the bitter cold. I kept the nest boxes full of straw or hay and made sure the kits were snuggled in at the bottom of the nest. My does were used to me handling them and their kits as sometimes needed to move kits to a mom with not so many to nurse.
  Keeping fresh-unfrozen water and feed available was key to success. Winter found me using metal water pans that could either take "dinging" to break ice in them or could be soaked in warm water to remove the ice. The feeders were self feeding for pellets with a cover for the outside portion of the feeder.
  Will be adding a few rabbits to my farm soon-4 does and a buck. I'm fond of satins-which is what I had as a kid. They will have an open faced  3 sided shed, but with a critter proof front-most predators here love free rabbit!
    My plan is a diet of alfalfa hay and orchard grass, with supplements in addition to the mineral blocks for rabbits being free choice azomite, DE and zeolite. There will be occasional treats raised here on the farm.
    The manure will be used for composting and manure tea. The process will also have shredded tree leaves added and other browns - roughly 3 parts manure to 1 part leaves/browns by weight.
    I'll need to fine tune the tea making process for the farm conditions, but the intent is create a compost tea and use dried molasses on my varying crops including the alfalfa and grass baled for livestock and the sunflowers the goats enjoy so much. I'm looking to create a compost tea potent enough for acreage rather than a few square hundred feet.