Ponds at Wheaton Labs

Earthworks + Time -> ponds!

We were fortunate to get some heavy rains a few weeks ago and a few spots are holding water. This pond has a sign calling it Cat's pond, but this isn't Cat's pond. Now that it is holding water, perhaps it is time to name it!

This pond is "Zach's Pond"

It is currently fed by rain only.  We hope to some permaculture around the pond to add more water.  And maybe an airwell or two.  And maybe drill a well nearby - and add a solar pump to fill it.

There's a distinctive Mt Fuji-looking pile of dirt next to the pond in one photo.  Is that just for texture or does it have a specific function?

When we still had the 32 ton excavator here, it could dig a hole about 24 feet deep in 20 minutes.  So I dug a hole at the bottom of the pond to see if there might be water flowing a bit lower.   I just found lots and lots of clay.  

"Mt Fuji" used to be in the bottom of that hole.

Down the road from Zach's pond, Evan's ducks are finding and improving a few small bodies of water. Not quite ready for livestock, ants must do the work of the pigs. Here, you see what happens when we do that work with vehicles. Want a pond? Build a road. Ha Ha! Everyone is excited to see some upcoming detailed topography of the ant village so we can better plan our earthworks, including our pond building efforts.

Oryx, a Barred Rock, wanders the Ant Village during the cool parts of the day, but never strays too far from the ducks. Together they are turning puddles into ponds!