Ed Farmer

Just gotta say, while in the city, the box store model has done well. Once we are onsite with a garden, we're gonna go to Cabelas. They may not be the cheapest but their Grinder we stepped up to from the beginning. I figure that the worst on machine are probably men. So I went to a hunting (Cabela's) store and never looked back.

Courtney Bibb wrote:Hi Everyone,

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Courtney Bibb. I'm 41 and a single mother to a 16 year old daughter. I work full time as a police officer and have been for almost ten years.

I also have guardianship over my two month old grand daughter and I've a fury baby, he weighs about six lbs.

I hope you find my profile of great benefit My email is csa592@yahoo.com and 912-656-8807. I look forward to speaking to you and your family soon. Kind regards.... Courtney

Wish I could help. But wanted/needed to say good on ya. You are yours are very lucky.

God Bless You - Ed

The only time I have ever felt real stress is when I've owed money. It'd be very hard to start my homestead if I owed anything. I can't imagine trying this with debt and having to work off property. On the other hand, who in the right mind tries doing this after they turn 65?

On my property, I even have a seasonal lake. I'll mix some of the lake bed in with everything else. Thank you.

I'm still trying to learn. But I think I'm trying to loosely fill the voids. Not doing so seems to be one factor in rodent control. If I leave a very loose network, there's an easy place for rodents to establish a home. It's the dirt I need along with aire soil. Plus, adding enough soil to use like concrete while I add layers.

This is a great thread to help establish my first.

Perhaps I'm just lucky. I live in the high desert of South Central Oregon. I have over 100 acres. Mostly a second growth pine forest. But I also hve downed trees all over the property. Some will fall apart when you lift them but a lot of them are very light and would be a great sponge material. I have collected 50-60 cu yds of horse stall material and am presently getting a large amount of yard maintenance debris from a local landscaper. I also have a seasonal river and lake. Most of the year it's completely dry. That soil is going to be very helpful in improving the soil.

I look forward to making a huge impact on my place by gaining a lot more green and wildlife.

Very cool. Nice pictures. Can't wait to get started.

Thanks Joshua,

At my age, I have a long term goal and pace myself. As for digging in the lake, slow and only as much as needed for the immediate task. I am having fun as I start planning. But as is my history, my plans change with the outcome and as experience is gained.

Thanks also for the link. I will peruse it thoroughly.

As for roads, minimal is best of course. But after this property was split up, the existing road (one) meanders back and forth across 2 properties and that cannot continue. Good fences make good neighbors, as they say. So probably one road north and south and one east and west is necessary. I have to cut the fence lines on two sides to establish the fence. No choice in that.

I am excited to get to work. But have the benefit of time to complete the work.

New to the forum. Gimpy 60+ year old retired guy with a dream of being part of a much smaller, very rural community.

Okay, this has been insane. I just finished reading 25 pages. What a blast of information and help.

I'm aware of hugelkultur but just found this site and it has given me exactly what I needed to understand the subject in detail. Let me give a little background.

I have about 150 acres of high desert forested property at 4500ft. (Just about 1 mile long by a quarter mile wide) Not more than about 5 foot of variance in elevation across the property. Mostly second growth pine and small (2"-4") trees that have become very overgrown. Also a lot of sagebrush. Basically just neglected forest land a mile off the highway on a non-county maintained dirt road. Probably more than a few acres of old dead trees on the ground. Much of it is lightweight due to decay. I need to cut fence lines and a few roads through out the property. Winters are cold and the rare winter can produce 10 foot deep snow. Growing season is short. Summers, a high of 90 with significant drops at night. Maybe 15-20 inches of precipitation. Summers produce nothing but dust clouds behind vehicles. Dry silty soil. Going to build a real log home. Bought a bandsaw mill to cut logs into usable dimensional lumber for farm structures.

Now I find this sight with all the answers to what I have to do to make my property a place to live and thrive. The added benefit will be to make my property more wildlife friendly. Recently bought 4 old bathtubs to use as wildlife water sources. We have coyotes, a pack of wolves, bear, deer, elk, mountain lions, bobcats, badger, and an occasional run away lama that stops by. Plenty of 4 legged visitors to keep us entertained.

We have a house in town and have been dropping all our "yard waste" off in a growing pile over the last 1.5 years. Also recently acquired about 50-60 cu/yds of year old horse manure now in a pile on the property. Acquired a dump trailer and a full size tractor. Access to a small Dozer. The only thing I was missing was this site.

Now I can get started. Will have to knock down plenty of smaller trees for the fence lines and roads. Most will be used for wildlife friendly fencing with plenty of leftover dead wood on the ground. Plenty of slash I will produce trimming and limbing trees. The best part is about an acre or so seasonal lake. One that I had wanted to deepen during the dry season. Now I've found a use for that lake bottom soil.

Can't wait to get started and start posting progress and pictures of my first hugel creation.

Thanks for a few days of reading material. Very cool to see the diversity of members worldwide.