Central Texas permie rollcall

Hi guys, checking in from New Braunfels-Canyon Lake area. Guess I've been reading this site for a year or so now and finally got around to joining.

I've done a few hugelbeds last year to use up some large dead oak trunks and plant some landscape plants in them. So far they are going fine, not spectacular, but everything is still alive. This year I have been cutting the dead oak branches into about 2' lengths and placing them at the bottom of my raised beds that fruit trees are going in. My working theory is: 1) easier to do raised beds in the Hill Country instead of digging down 2) gotta do something with the oak branches that are too large to go into a chipper 3) I use less soil to fill the raised beds by lining the bottom (except under the root ball) with the wood that I soak overnight 4) I'm hoping as the trees grow, the need to water will be low due to the decomposing wood inside the raised beds.

It has been very disappointing since we moved back to the Hill Country in late 2011 after being in the DFW area for 5 years as all my old garden friends just aren't interested learning different gardening practices.

I'm not a permie yet, but I want to be. Just bought Gaia's Garden on Kindle. I know that there is a meetup in Plano called DFW Permaculture & Sustainability.

Hi all. Am just north of Austin and have a 5 acre old homestead with pecan trees. Keeping the squirrels away has been a challenge, but a good pellet gun helps. Have had two vehicles that had to have repairs where they ate into wiring. Have several books on permaculture, and have made hugel beds at our previous house. Have been looking to do swales/trench/hugel on a section that slopes down, just haven't had the time to pursue. Need to get the contour figured out for it. Want to plant fruit and berry plants, but know keeping the wildlife away will be an ongoing thing.

1 acre in Bulverde-Spring Branch area (directly north of San Antonio, TX).

Wow how inspiring to see that I'm not the only soul in Tx that is interested in permaculture! I've been feeling a bit lonely in that most of the books I have read on permaculture (not that I've read very many) seem to revolve around areas with a proper winter or areas in the tropics. We face special challenges as central Texans with too much frost for several tropicals and too much heat for several temperate climate plants.

My name is Chris, I live in Cedar Park, Tx, which is a bit north of Austin. I have an east-facing balcony with a smidgen of railing that faces south. Currently I have a Kumquat tree in a pot there. I was first exposed to permaculture when I was in college, I ran across the book "Edible Forest Gardens" while looking for a different book in the library. I was totally floured by what plants are able to do when they work together as a team. At the time, I only had a room in an apartment, but it definitely got me thinking. A couple years later, fast forwarding to today, I finally have my own balcony to fill with plants, and I'm hoping to use as many permaculture principles as I can.

I currently have about 100 or so plants indoors, but I'm carefully planning an edible balcony forest that will hopefully be both a great source of fresh food, a wildlife habitat, and a colorful, beautiful garden, all in one space.

My dream is to have an acre or more of land to grow most of my own food, and live a sustainable life. Of course, land and house require lots of money, which I don't have, but I'm really hoping to find a community of people to share my harvests with once I get growing and also help with whatever I can. It's hard to meet people after college, especially people with similar dreams and/or values.

I'm so glad that this forum is here and I hope that I can be part of the community even though I don't yet have a piece of land to call my own.

Welcome to permies Chris.

Browse around. We have users here with 100's of acres, as well as many who are limited to balconies, like yourself.
Many balcony gardeners utilize trellises to maximize their growing spaces: if you have limited square footage, plants that climb can become abundant providers - think pole beans & peas, amongst others - they can climb to your upstairs neighbor's balcony.

Hello all! I have 5 acres near Seguin, TX. I'm just about as far from New Braunfels as I am from Seguin. I lived in nearby Schertz for a few years, where I grew quite a few things on my city plot! More than I've grown here, actually, and I've lived on this land for 6 years.

Getting into permaculture now, so hopefully I'll change that soon...

I'm looking for specifics about plant guilds in my area.

Howdy, yawl…

I joined Permies.com about a month ago and am always interested in meeting more Permies in my area. I have 5 acres in southwest Austin (near Driftwood). I got my PDC certificate in 2013 and have already implemented some of my design's features. I am now interested in redesigning my zone 2 growing/poultry area on the home front. I've functionally spec'd a relocation and redesign of my duck area so that I don't have to clean or change the duck water as frequently while more effectively using that nitrogen rich liquid gold in our main gardening area.

I also do lots of urban backyard poultry related events and outreach. I am the Organizer of the Austin and Central Texas Backyard Poultry Meetup and Founder/Event Organizer for the Funky Chicken Coop Tour. As part of FCCT, we give back to a community beneficiary. We are working out exact dates right now, but we will be doing a Permablitz to install a perennial food garden in November 2014 for New Farm Institute. We are really lucky to be working with Kirby Fry, Taelor Monroe and their dedicated crew for the Permablitz.

This may already be out there, but has anyone proposed a progressive permie potluck in Central Texas? I think it would be fun to get together and visit each other's places for good visits and inspiration. I'd be game to put this together, but I'm guessing this may already be under discussion on a thread…? Just point met to that discussion…or I can start a thread on that if one's not already going on.

Look forward to reading more on this thread to see who is around and say hi!

Linda Colonna wrote:Hi Tyler,
Since I am so late in posting and joining this group, I'm sure you have found many other permaculture enthusiasts in Central Texas by now. If you want to learn more by doing some hands on projects, there is a group of us organized on a Facebook group called Texas Permaculture Design Projects. Kirby Fry is the organizer and he took his PDC with Bill Mollison in the 90's. He is an excellent teacher and we have learned a lot. We are currently doing one Permablitz a month in the Austin area. We just completed our third blitz this weekend. We can always use more volunteers, so check us out.

Everything Linda says is true about the Permablitz. More will be coming in fall 2014. Can't wait.

I grew up north of San Antonio near Canyon Lake. We will start working 6 acres near the Bulverde area. Looking forward to some meetups and some more Hill Country photos!

*waves* I'm in Denton, but I've got family land down in central texas (waco) althoguh I think my long-term goal is to head north. (Mountains! Actual seasons! Snow!) Just getting started on this whole journey.

Been on 15 acres in College Station for just over a year now. Raising bees, chickens and heritage hogs. I should start my earthworks this winter if I can finish some other projects. We sure could use a Permablitz over this way 😃

Currently China springs I'm working towards being a permie I'm going to begin raising money to start a permie society or would join if any I could get to I'm very smart and have been researching a lot for a few years. we've made HUGE changes in our lifestyles

I am currently establishing connections with 3 groups. Only one currently has land. The one with land is near Greenville, TX. Land owner is vegan and does not want meat animals. I am omnivore. The other two are just forming. The one nearest me has had 3 meetings. The other group will have their first meeting this Saturday In Denton, TX. I am in Rockwall, TX. These two groups may combine or just share ideas. The leader of the first group had taught PDCs I will be introducing the other 2 to permaculture.

Jerry Sledge

In Wylie near Dallas and have been researching about permaculture and self sufficient living for about a year now. Working on transforming my urban home and looking into buying land within 5 years... I have much to learn!

Stephenville here. Just bits and pieces as opportunities arise, since I'm renting, but the landlord is OK with me cutting down on mowing by digging up a chunk of the extra lot out back and putting in a garden, so I might be doing a lot more as the weather warms up and it needs mowing again.

Hi all,

Im in Austin, TX, been here since 2010.

Hey there!

I'm a San Antonian! I'm here just a month or so out of the year. The rest of the time I'm living in Portland,OR. Looking to find a permaculature scene in San Antonio!

Brian

My family has owned 100 acres in NW Edwards county for 15 years. Just inherited it. I've always been interested in permaculture ( though I never called it that until recently) as my degree is in Range animal science. It's always made more sense to me to use what nature gives us rather than trying to bend nature to human will. In the long run, nature wins... every time.
I'm so glad I discovered this site! My plan is to live simply and in harmony with the gifts I've received.
I hope to learn a lot from all of you.

Hello Central Texans!

I have been stalking Permies off and on now for probably a few years, as I got into learning about permaculture about 5-6 years ago. I grew up in Eagle Lake, TX, and finally bought a house with a 1 acre lot in Guadalupe County, east of San Antonio. So, I have finally been able to start planting and wanted to introduce myself to the forum. I figured this is the best place to do it! I'm looking forward to learning about what is working for others in central Texas. I have found it difficult to find good resources on these topics for our area and noticed that some of you have quite a bit going on perma-wise.

I am off of the Edwards Plateau, so I do not have to work with the limestones, but have a deep heavy black clay on my property, often called, gumbo, or could also be Houston or Beaumont clay. When I moved in late last summer there were cracks I could slip my hand into and nearly an ankle! The soil has been difficult to work, but was actually pretty rewarding through my small winter garden.

That's where I'm at in a nutshell. Again, looking forward to learning with you!

Thomas

I'm in a North suburb of Austin, creating a food forest on my .4 acre HOA typical suburban lot. So far planted out over 50 trees and probably a similar amount of shrubs/bushes with large annual and herb areas.

New to Permies, and thought this would be just as good a place as any to introduce myself.

I'm mostly on the research phase with some typical gardening on the side.  Renting, and not planning on staying here long, so I'm waiting on animals (though I may break down and get rabbits).  I currently live in East Texas near Cedar Creek Lake (South of Canton).  Don't see myself purchasing land anytime soon, but am open to helping another Permie for a little plot to rest my rump, lol.

Anyway, look forward to getting to know everyone better.
Steven

We all enjoying our 100 degree days? Big change from the wet spring we had. Crazy....

Super challenging, especially since we're supposed to be starting some Fall crops....

It certainly makes you love and hate air conditioning, lol.  I have so much outdoors I need to be doing, but it's not easy convincing myself to go out there

Hello everyone from Taylor, Texas. Taking a look around to see what I can learn. lol

Winter garden has been started, looking into making my own little back yard into a food forest..

Hi all,
I'm in Central Texas (Bell County) just getting our farm started. I'm posting a more detailed greeting in the Oklahoma and Texas forum, but am saying 'Hi' here to keep up with future replies.
-Josh

Howdy, Josh!  

Mother earth news has a trade show on Feb 18 in bell county. I went last year. It's worth attending.

I skipped the speakers, but there were plenty of big names there. The speaking areas were in same arena as the main floor. It was very hard to hear them. Maybe they'll do ot different this year.

wayne fajkus wrote:Mother earth news has a trade show on Feb 18 in bell county. I went last year. It's worth attending.

I skipped the speakers, but there were plenty of big names there. The speaking areas were in same arena as the main floor. It was very hard to hear them. Maybe they'll do ot different this year.

Thanks Wayne! Somehow I hadn't seen this was happening, right in my backyard. I stopped what I was doing and got tickets for both days, this is awesome.

Mother Earth News Fair - Belton, Texas

My backyard also. I may take the plunge and get a sawmill.  They had several working displays last year. Still debating it

Joel salatin is one of the speakers.  Thanks for posting the link

Wondering if we'll get a repeat of the big rain events we had last 2 years. My dry creek held water for several weeks after that. I've since removed all the cedars and scrub growth. Hoping that helps it. There were a couple of huge oaks mixed in with the scrubs. They provide good shade for the creek.

I expect and am planning for big rains in the Spring.  One of my rain-harvesting projects is a basin just uphill of the kitchen garden to keep runoff from flooding that garden.  It really set things back last year to get that much water in the garden all at one time.

I recently built raised beds. Rotted potatos last year

I enjoyed our rains up here last year hoping to get as much moisture as I can.  I am a little bit higher and drier then you all down stream from me.  I am like and Hour from both Lubbock and Odessa here I need to start turning this red land to green land.

Good luck on your quest

Mark Larson wrote:I wish. Property is too expensive out that way! I'm headed East. Northeast actually.

It depends on where in Texas. Land out between Killeen / Lampasas and Austin or over in Falls County could be purchased for $570-$1000/acre when I moved there in 1990 and still that low when I left in 2003. I paid $570/acre with 5% down at 10% interest in Falls County and sold for $600/acre cash.

The key is to ask the locals and not only look at land that is advertised for sale. The land I bought wasn't listed. I described what I wanted to a local realtor who was showing me some smaller places and he called the owners up and they agreed to sell.

Land here in Gaines county goes for 600-2000 if you buying large plots of land but for 1-50 acres it seems your paying 10-40k an acre for some reason.  Things due to oil fields have the price high.  But I do see the occasional cheaper land as well for those just trying to get back out of this area.

Gail Gardner
May be going to SE Oklahoma this week to look at land on south side of Lake Sardis. Any recommendations?