Ben Zumeta

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:BTW if you're interested in studying, in learning more on a certain subject ... and it's a subject that's taught in college/university ... you still don't have to go to college.
I found out that by 'studying' yourself, in your spare time, by reading books and articles (most of them can be found on the internet) you can learn so very much! You can go on learning about interesting subjects for all of your life, in fact even for all eternity (there will always be more to learn about!)  :-)

I think independent study is great and I continue to do so myself, but I still think the intellectual community is the most beneficial aspect of college. I remember my Taoism professor describing and then demonstrating in her great course why texts like the Tao Te Ching are not really meant to be read in solitude by a monk in a cave. Conversation and synthesis of the ideas is integral to these works’ value. This is actually a theme of The Seven Taoist Masters, and I also think is an aspect of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. I think this is also a big part of the Permies’ value. Being together in person has its own value as well, and some of my greatest realizations happened in laughter filled dorm room debates and camping trips with college friends.

25yrs ago, my higher education policy professor Dad encouraged me upon going off to college to study a wide range of subjects. The PhD and Master’s students he worked with that had specialized early on were intellectually inflexible and less resilient.

When it came time to choose a major, he said fundamental and broadly applicable fields like physics and philosophy would be the best foundation, and any worthwhile employer would see these as indicators of an intelligent, inquisitive problem solver. I was already into philosophy and anthropology, so I followed those interests. I went on to get a master’s in adventure education with a focus on Wilderness Service Learning as a mode of self realization.

None of these degrees led to me making much money by American standards. Still, what I learned and who I met while getting them have helped me see through a lot of expensive BS, live a great life, and likely saved me hundreds of thousands of dollars and thousands of wasted hours. I am debt free with beautiful land, a nest egg and a big garden. I may have been able to learn some of what I did in college just independently reading, but I would have missed out on the learning community that I gained much more from. At a good school, we learn more from other students than we do from teachers and texts. Of course, this should not cost a parent a year+ worth of their income per student, but more people engaging in dynamic learning communities would be a good thing for society.

Welcome Dave. Some context for where you are (region, zone, elevation, precipitation) helps get better answers, and that can be put in your profile (upper left of post) or signature (bottom of post).

I would also suspect deer, which eat my grapes off the fenceline they grow on. Deer can jump anything short of 8ft. They will not jump a double fence 4ft tall and 4ft apart, as they do jot have good depth perception. Elk are our biggest herbivore issue here, as they can jump anything short of 14ft and can also knock down most fences. You’d know if it was elk.

At my friend’s Willamette Valley vineyard, heatwaves followed by wind can knock grapes and desiccated leaves off, but yours do not look heat stressed or even that far along into fall color. Young, stressed grapes—particularly grafted rather than self-rooted—will drop fruit and foliage with drought. That doesn’t look like your issue though. On that note however, my friend has had much better  hang time through these stressors than his neighbors, likely because of his  regenerative practices with minimal soil disturbance, interspersed tree plantings, self-rooted vines, and many of his are over 40yrs old.

It looks like something that could not reach the top wire grazed on it. Some regenerative vineyards have started using short legged sheep to do weed management and leaf thinning very similarly to what looks like happened at your place, of course timed to not take all the grapes.

OP looks like something Tom Green would do to his parents’ house.

A Regenerative Agriculture Podcast covered a very interesting experience by a broad acre forage and seed crop farmer-rancher who saw impressive results and resilience in self sowing brassicas on untilled land.

“In this episode, John and Brad discuss:
Brad’s shift from conventional hay work to regenerative farming

No-till seed production for brassicas and alfalfa with better germination

Epigenetic seed adaptations for local resilience

Livestock integration for soil health and direct meat sales

Direct-to-consumer marketing with consistent, local products

The role of soil health in sustainable farming and stewardship”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/regenerative-agriculture-podcast/id1372359995?i=1000724970763

You probably already know this, but I’d make sure to have a slight grade away from structures for 10+ft to ensure drainage. As mentioned above, a pond, swale, or rain garden that provides soil for grading the lawn could also catch french drain runoff to infiltrate. In fire prone areas like mine, roof runoff going to a wetland or well hydrated garden around the house (at least 6ft away from structure) can be a good approach.

Hi Francisco, and a warm welcome to permies. My friend Forrest is the owner-operator-vintner of Schaad Cellars. He has self-rooted grapes dry farmed organically since around 1980 on Schaad Hill, near Newberg. He increased the vineyard acreage from 5 to 10 acres between 2007 and 2014, which I helped with a bit and have provided permaculture informed advice since. He also helps manage his extended family’s August Cellars, which is adjacent to the vineyard and where he processes his grapes.

The grapes looked and tasted great this year. Due to being self rooted and dry farmed with permaculture informed farming practices, they were able to hang and gain acid complexity for a week or two longer than most. This is likely due to deeper roots in biodiverse soil in my opinion. The sorters said his grapes looked like the best they saw this year, and often that seems to be the case.

https://www.schaadcellars.com/

I think his wine is very underpriced for the quality and love Forrest, and his dad Fish before him, put into it.

If looking for help achieving similar results, or for other permaculture design, consulting or education needs in the PNW or Northern California, PM or contact me at: OldGrowthEdibleLandscapes@gmail.com

Dundee Hills AVA produces some of the world’s best wine in my opinion, and apparently in the view of many more qualified than I. My oldest friend has a vineyard just north in Chehalem Mtn AVA where I have helped do everything from planting to picking, and it is a wonderful growing climate. I hope you find a great buyer!

Alpaca manure is some of the best. It does not burn plants when used within reason, but it likely would also contribute minimal heating to the pile. Lower temp composts are generally slower and more prone to residual weed seeds, but are more biodiverse.

Ela La Salle wrote:

Ben Zumeta wrote:Statistics indicate whitewater boating is similarly dangerous to driving. Similarly, alcohol and other coordination and risk assessment impairing drugs, low light conditions, and bad weather increase the risk for both similarly. Learning how to drive or paddle safely, and identifying when it is not safe to do either, is also an effective way to reduce risk. I would not want to force anyone onto whitewater who doesn’t want to try it, but the drive to the put-in is as dangerous as most boating trips get.

I beg to differ. I have breaks and steering wheel to my disposal in my car. No such things on a "paddle boat" Sorry, I just had to say it

I encourage no one to take risks they do not see as worthwhile, but statistics show similar risks, which I learned in my Swiftwater Rescue course from someone very serious about safety. Skills similarly important to safe boating can be learned in a similar amount of time as those for driving. Of course physical fitness is more important, but I have seen paunchy dudes and small women dance in whitewater with remarkably little exertion. In a car, you have a lot more metal, speed, mass, and other drivers to worry about than in river sports. Water is very powerful and must be respected, and Both have inherent risks that are statistically similar. Of course you are unlikely to need to get someone to the hospital or school via whitewater raft or kayak. However, the places you can see with these boats are often much more beautiful and serene than anything reachable by car. Sorry, I just had to say it.