Sam McMillan

Back in 1970 or so, we had a Corona hand cranked flour mill.  It would grind a pound of flour in just a few minutes.  It worked quite well and cost about $30 or so.  (Now they are close to $90 on Amazon.)  Anyway, why would someone need / want this KoMo Classic Grain Mill at >$500 when the Corona costs less than 1/5  as much?  Not complaining, mind you, just curious.

Wow!  Thank all you folks very much for the helpful tips and encouragement.  Based on my studies and your tips, trenches at the edge of the drip ring seem like the way to go.  Much as I'd like to do the excavation now, there is a bunch of slushy snow falling so the job will have to wait.  (I'm older but not completely crazy.)  I'm on top of D. Nelson's caution about wildfire fuel.  There is a mower on my wife's tractor that stays hitched up all Spring and Summer.  Yes, I'll post photos and update this post when the weather warms up.

I would like to add that this was my first foray into posting on Permies and I'm overwhelmed and grateful for the welcoming assistance and for this marvelous resource.  In fact, I briefly met Paul Wheaton about 8 years ago at Ernie and Erica Wisner's place near Missoula but never followed up on it.  It was my loss but I'm really glad to see this site is still flourishing.  Thanks again.

My thanks to Phil and Orin for their speedy replies.  I appreciate their suggested points but still have concerns.  My concern with brush / log piles on the surface are: 1. the natural decomposition will be slow due to (relatively) minimal ground contact, thereby pushing the time frame closer to my 80th birthday and 2. any surface piles will limit proximity access as I continue to haul water in the back of my pickup (ute?) while the hugelkultur is getting going.  I'm just spitballin' here so other opinions are welcome.

I've heard the concept of "one must water the ground in a circle equal to the outer most extension of the branches and leaves" that Orin mentions from other sources as well and it makes sense.  In this case the "circle" is only about 12 feet / 3m in diameter and our summers are quite dry so that makes me think any roots may be more than 1-2 feet / .3 - .6 m deep.  Although well established, the trees are relatively small for their age, possibly due to minimal water during their early life.  Assuming (always dicey) the foregoing is valid, I wonder if logs buried at a radius of 9+ feet / 3+m from the trunk and just deep enough to clear the soil surface will be close enough  to the trees to "do the hugel trick".  Maybe I'm just overthinking this, too.  As before, comments, observations, etc. are most welcome.

Thanks again.

I have 2 heirloom apple trees, a plum and two pear trees in our plot in north Idaho.  They are well established and produce nice fruit which we love.  Every summer for the last 6 or 7 years, I've hauled two 55-gallon barrels of water to each tree about once per week.  I'm nearing 75 and not in really good physical shape so the task is becoming more difficult for me each year.  Having learned about hugelkultur, I'd like to dig ditches (with a rented back hoe) around each tree and add some pine/fir logs to the holes to (maybe) reduce the trees' dependence on hauled water during the hot season.  So far, so good.  

My question is, how far out from the trunk should I excavate the ditches so as to avoid damaging the roots?  The pear trees are all less than 10 feet tall, the apples are less than 7-1/2 feet tall and the plum is about the same.  The soil is sandy clay with grapefruit-sized rocks, probably an ancient stream bank, but very well fertilized and mulched around the trees.

Any advice, rules-of-thumb or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.  

Thanks,
Sam McMillan