Melissa Bush

This is a great site that tells you the reasoning behind most of its recommendations. http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html
These include trap crops, dynamic accumulators, nitrogen fixers, mulchers, etc. I hope that helps.

Neal McSpadden wrote:Probably the most effective thing to do would be to start a business that creates hugelkultur beds for people, grows crops for them, harvests them, and then maybe cooks for them.

I could see an ad saying something like "Want fresh from the garden fruits and vegetables, but don't have the time or a green thumb? Call Wheaton's Gardens today! You'll get fresh strawberries (or whatever) straight from your garden without any of the work."

Or maybe "Why spend another minute in a grocery store? Call Wheaton's Gardens today and have fresh food grown and delivered straight to your kitchen!"

Actually, this business plan is being put into practice. Your Backyard Farmer, and they teach with Midwest Permaculture. So it's obviously a workable idea. They have 53 mini farms in backyards, people pay upfront, get produce at their door and can learn the techniques if they so desire.

I think your idea is right on.

Another thing might actually to act like it isn't a big deal, rather than acting all excited about it... I know it's hard, but some people will take things more seriously if you present it like it's normal, just something they haven't heard about. Reverse psychology, in a way. (This is, of course, going by the quality or quantity idea. If they don't embrace it of their own accord, did it really do any good?) Just my thoughts.

David Miller wrote:Also consider land conservation easements as a possible source of land renewal funding.

This reminded me of this article: Earth Stewardship 101 It's actually one woman recording her experiences with local, mostly free experts that came out to her small acreage to help her decide how the manage the land appropriately. This is in Texas, and it might be a bit different in each state, but the likelihood is that you can find resources available to you if you dig around. Her experts were the District Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. biologist (featured in Earth Sterwardship 102). The ‘Wildlife Habitat Management’ tax credit is mentioned, and seems fairly simple. Great article all around, in my opinion.

Here's one that is supposed to even heal gums with beginning stages of gingivitis. Holistic Dental Health & How to Make Herbal Mouth Wash

Here's a remineralizing tooth powder (toothpaste replacement) recipe (I know you didn't ask for it, but it's worth sharing, I think.) The Benefits of Brushing With Tooth Powder ~ And a Make-Your-Own Recipe

Clayton Taylor wrote:It was foolish to have posted this because even though I know much about farming and homesteading in a natural way. I know very little about running a business, that topic should be best left alone by me until I gain more experience in that area.

I disagree... by putting it out there, you can get information/feedback from others and save yourself time. Plus, I was under the impression that you wrote the original post not just for yourself, but to encourage others to get out there and get farming. I can't find the quote at the moment, but some federal Ag official stated that we need millions of new farmers beyond those already starting because of the high average and median ages of farmers, the implication being that many are going to want to retire soon.

The best Book I've read on making it a business through a business plan is overwhelmingly Making Your Small Farm Profitable: Apply 25 Guiding Principles/Develop New Crops & New Markets/Maximize Net Profits Per Acre It might be at your library, I found a copy at mine.

This is a GREAT site for planning, both farm business planning and emergency planning (like fire). Farm Business Planning I think it's neat to see something written by a specialty farm that can apply across the board.

Those two should get you going on creating a plan.

Brenda Groth wrote:that fella from India (in another thread) basically brought water to a dry area by plantinig trees, and the water just came..might also happen in the gully?

There's a plant 'pathogen' that causes this phenomenon. The life history of the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae is linked to the water cycle by The ISME Journal -Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology. =)