Brandy Higgins

Thanks for responding. Ya, I need to think on the most humane ways to kill animal, but perhaps the conventional ways are more humane then I thought. Thanks again.

Maybe this has already been mentioned but if you put some old screening between the layer of plastic against the sheathing, that would keep rodents out. I need to read over this whole wofati thing more cuz there are so many ideas. Did anyone actually build one?

What I've seen is drain tile all around an earth bermed home just outside the exterior walls at the base, but I'd have a drop to the floor and inner drain tile with a sump pump just in case. Nothing I hate more than a wet basement so I definitely wouldn't want a flooded house.

I guess I don't understand the concern since if you are building a post and beam building, you always set the posts in concrete. At least every post and beam building I ever heard of is set in concrete. It's standard building code here in Wisconsin. In fact, I think I could probably get Oehler's plan passed for permit before I could get an Earthship passed in this area depending on the county. However, I think they both have there merits along with the many other natural or recycled building structures out there. With weather extremes and high humidity in this area, I always am concerned about using certain materials as well.

Saw a thing somewhere about using pantyhose attached to the pipe to catch food bits & grease. Have to watch it and change it as it gets gunked up but seemed like that would work. I've also seen gray water systems that run through a constructed wetlands/reed bed and then the filtered water drains into beds. That one was on youtube. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBMpaWq4EKE. They were doing a permitted system so they had to follow certain guidelines but seemed like a pretty good system.

Just wanted to say Loved the article! This excerpt had me falling over myself laughing "Even if you don't have a coop, you will find that the chickens will want to hang out in the same place day after day and make a hygiene issue. Usually right on your porch. They like you." That is exactly what chickens are like & why my grandparents didn't let them run free (coop &run system). However, I think the paddock system is the best system for any animal. Maybe even my dog who is a hunter breed and likes to dig holes going after gophers to no end - she does keep gophers away. I will have to add her to my cycle as well. I had some involvement in raising my grandparents' chickens and also a bit with the pigs (I was not allowed in by them during feedings because they could crush me)when I was a kid (they retired when I was a teenager) but never in butchering. I have always had a hard time with butchering. Everyone hunts up here and I have helped butcher deer and clean fish (My gma always said if you catch em you clean em.) But I still struggle with it. What do you think about using a tazer or something to put them out?

Hey all! Just live west of Wausau and will be moving back that way this spring. New to permaculture - Sepp Holzer's books have been inspiring. Have gardened for a while and am looking for land to build a sustainable home on. Would love to discuss ideas, trade seeds, etc.

I'd recommend terracing and building swales. The swales will keep the water and soil in place as will the terraces. If it's deer, I'd increase the edible bushes and if it's worms, where are all the birds? Maybe, you can improve the bird habitat by putting in more nesting areas and wildflowers - that will bring down the earthworm population.

Just got done reading Sepp Holzer's Permaculture and I'm all for hugelkultur as soon as I get land I can actually dig on. My question was wasn't there something about alleolapathic (ok I know I butchered that word, lol) trees like pines and furs or was that just walnuts and locusts? Anyway, do these types of trees cause issues in hugelkultur beds and what kind of issues? Since I moved into an apt I have not been able to have a garden, but then Sepp had some good ideas on creating a permaculture garden on a balcony. I have a big deck I don't use for anything really. I guess I'll start there. The yard is off limits