Jan Dalene

Making grow beds is a good idea. Since they'd be amongst the trees, I could try growing lettuce and squash. Once I had volunteer squash vine up a blue spruce. Thanks for the idea.

Hi George,  we're on a truck route, and lots of people have rows of arborvitae in our area. We're rural. We're not in a neighborhood.  Since we have the same folk traveling up and down the road, same locals, too, I doubt if they are interested in what's behind the trees.  Our place isn't especially pretty or special.  I have talked to some of the people in accidents.  Some run the stop sign. Some think it's a four way stop, even though the sign says it's not.  The last one said she saw the stop sign but skidded.  Lots just run the stop sign from what the neighbors say. That's what one of the highway dept studies was about. Why does this happen?  They said it was a variety of things.
I will look into your idea of the blue reflectors. That's interesting.
Thanks

Hi George,  I did check with the zoning dept. They said the law says everything, ie: trees, fences, etc must be 30 ft back from the center of the road, well, all roads, and the intersection.
I knew we complied, but I measured once again, and all is well. The highway dept said that they have intersection warning signs in four places before the intersection, and have signs that say "cross traffic does not stop" on the double stop signs, (stop signs on the left and right side of the road), and they checked out our property on google maps to see the position of everything.  Their conclusion is that drivers have to pay attention.  While this is true, it doesn't help us at all. But thank you for your idea, because it could be one of those overlooked things, since trees continue to grow.

Thank you all for such excellent solutions.  It gives me a lot to think about.  Since I didn't post pictures, it was a challenge to find a solution. We have planted at least 25 green giant arborvitaes as a barrier, but they take time to grow. At 14 feet tall, I thought they'd be stronger.  So the temporary solutions that were mentioned are all worth considering.  I did contact the state highway dept, twice, and my insurance company, to no avail.  The idea of putting sand in the totes is good since we live in zone 6.  Also the tires with flowers might work.  I could make them the same height as a guard rail.

Hi Timothy, thanks for the ideas.   True, the freeze thaw cycle could damage the bladder.   For four years we have had three IBC totes, full of water all year, to water the garden during the summer draught.  So far, so good.  We are in zone 6a.

Your idea of a rock filled cage probably would work the best, and as a last resort I would do that.   One advantage if that they are about 4 feet high.  The first responder thought that if the tote had water in it, there would still be some give to it.  So far our garden totes haven't frozen solid, which I agree, would be like a rock wall.
Do you think the idea of a cinder block raised bed would work?
I wonder how high it would have to be.

Hi John, thanks for your reply.   I know what you mean about not worrying too much about others once they're on our property.  Problem is that innocent people are hit, and end up there. The innocent people could be us, or our friends, as well as any strangers. BTW, I've called the highway dept twice, they've reviewed it, and won't put up flashing lights, or even a guardrail, just saying.

I got lucky finding IBC totes for $20 each, while new ones are $400 at Tractor Supply.  There's a landscaping place that buys food grade dye for their mulch, and then gets rid of the totes for $20.

I don't know how often they'd have to be replaced.  The next step could be to make raised beds from cinder blocks, to put between the ring of trees on our perimeter, the totes, and our house.   This would just be close to the corner of the lot, not around the whole two acres.

Hi, I'm looking for a barrier to keep vehicles off my property. We're somewhat rural .  I don't like the idea of rocks because it could hurt the drivers.  I'm not talking about people parking on my property.  We have a corner property, speed limit is 55 on front street, and 45 on side street, which has stop signs.  Lots of crashes at this corner.  Three in five weeks, more than usual. One drove over my mailbox, the other totally flattened a 14 foot high Green Giant, and damaged the one behind it.

So far I'm thinking of buying IBC totes, adding water, putting a wooden stockade fence up to hide them, they aren't pretty.  A first responder said a vehicle will move them, so it sounds safer than big rocks. Two accidents involved high school aged drivers, one at fault, the other one not at fault.  My aim isn't to hurt anyone, but protect ourselves and our trees, which we planted for privacy.  I've read many ingenious ideas on this forum, so hope to hear more. TIA

Michelle, would you want to exchange email addresses, in the hope that when we both have time, we can visit each other's place?

Hi Michelle,  Geoff Lawton's class was good at explaining the general principles ,. but after that I think it's good to follow other people who have similar land to your own, to get the details.  Even though I've been here five years, I haven't done a very good job using what I learned.  Our 2.3 acres isn't a great example of permaculture. There was an existing local permaculture group here, when I arrived, but it disbanded soon afterwards. I need like minded people to talk to.
  I'm near Valley City.   I have some things to share, if you'd like, but they could be invasive, so you might not want them. I have two types of elderberry, Kiowa blackberries, and some strawberries.  I also have the sterile comfrey, and, also, the invasive comfrey. (which I brought with me , by mistake, when we moved) Are we close?

Hi Michelle,
   Thank you for the link. It looks good, and I hope it works for you. Have you been on your property during early spring?  
   I find our property challenging because it's so different in summer, compared to spring. My challenge is where to plant trees. It's not only the flooding we get in spring, but we have 11 black walnut trees on our 2 acres.
    Hopefully my before and after pictures will attach. One is of the advertised 'stream', which is really just a run off, in it's normal state, and the other is what it looks like when it floods. I'm about to plant two small pecan trees there this fall. I think they'll grow roots before the spring rains.
   I do love the look of rain gardens. I think they're serene. Can't wait to see a picture after yours develops.