ponds, swales and keyline systems: water for your dried up farm (june 24)

Ponds, Swales And Keyline Systems:  Water For Your Dried Up Farm
Whether you have some water to play with or your land is bone dry, we're going to talk about how any dried patch of dirt can be converted into a lush jungle of crops and forage.

June 24

6:30pm

Missoula Public Library, Large Meeting Room

As we don't have pigs to pack the bottom, where's a good place near Missoula to get bentonite for a pond?

I think bentonite is not a good solution. 

Granted, it does help to some degree, but I think there are a lot of other techniques that are superior.

Anybody know what a swale and a keyline system is??
I'm not up on my irrigation terms.

We can all learn what theses terms mean by going to the library on Thurs eve.
to hear Paul Speak. D

This Event Is Tonight!

Dianne Keast wrote:
Anybody know what a swale and a keyline system is??
I'm not up on my irrigation terms.

Neither of these are irrigation sytems.

Both of these are techniques to hold water (from rain) and soil on a slope. 

There is a whole book on keyline stuff, but one of the most popular techniques is to use a keyline plow (not a regular plow) which sorts digs a tiny channel about 18 inches underground.  And you want this channel to run slightly downhill AWAY from ravines. 

A swale is like a ditch that is perfectly level.  So rain water builds up in it and passes through it.  The swale holds soil and concentrates moisture.