Case Smithey

Mark, If you are in the US, I could probably hook you up with some starts. I began with one little tuber and they have grown huge over the last year. Not sure what variety I have, but the tubers are like fingerling potatoes, very smooth and great tasting!

My wife and I have an agreement of sorts, she uses commercial fertilizer on the front lawn, and generally manages the front yard so it is all pretty and landscaped like my neighbors would want. I handle the backyard in a much more permaculture fashion. This year I spread a thin layer of well composted steer manure on the back lawn and it was greener and nicer than the front yard. I will probably do another application for the fall. Worked out really well, was cheap and easy!

Check out Rockland ranch. The place is pretty cool:

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/11/polygamists-in-the-rock/100406/

Just curious... Why would you be worried about using glyophosphate if you have already doused it with diesel?

I imagine you could build up some organic matter. I have used thick layers of straw, leaves, and manure and compost to build up on top of my very heavy clay areas.

My wife also is very fond of the manicured and more ornamental look. Our compromise is that the front yard is hers and the back is mine. This year I added a long swale that I planted with some ornamentals. It has a few of the "black lace" elderberry bushes witch look really nice, very much like a japanese maple. I also planted lettuce all over the swale and it has turned out awesome. Not really a perennial, but it readily self seeds and looks great. I did about 4 different lettuce varieties ranging from dark red leaf lettuce to very light green stuff and it really works well from a visual/groundcover/tasty-treat standpoint.

Would probably take a serious amount of work to get 50 families on there, but would be very badass to at least try.  I live in SLC area and dream about the situation you are considering.  If I had the opportunity to get that land, I probably would.

I planted some fennel from seed and it did quite well.  I left a few bulbs in the ground on accident and they made it through a harsh winter and came back very vigorously.  I am planning on doing a guild around apple trees and adding these for sure!  Two  plant varieties in my garden attracted lots of beneficial insects this year.  The fennel was crawling in wasps, the artichokes were the another wasps hangout, ladybugs liked it there too.

I had a flip-flop firewood cutting incident this year as well.  Though, not as bad as you described.