Tinamarie Maison

Also, you mention permaculture zones- what are they? Never mind I found it

So much to think about that I hadn’t known to thick about! Predators, I have a lot of deer, magpies, skunks and voles, lots of other birds. I do have some ducks and a goose and one pond. The pig farming isn’t for me- I tried that but they got so big I couldn’t keep them in. One of my neighbors said when I went to work the hogs would leave my place amd go wandering onto other properties rooting up their places so they ended up in the freezer lol. I ok do the soil I jars test that would be helpful! I’m really not sure how to make the acre marshland into a harmonious feature! So far I’ve seen mullein and poison sumac, lots of cattails, some wild roses, Canadian thistle, dyers wode, and I have yet to identify most other natural plant life. Surrounding areas have lots of sagebrush. I love getting to know the locals, who are all about cattle ranching. I’ve put out feelers for wood chips, saw dust and compost and will be starting my own compost but in the mean time found a place I can get a ton at a time to get that part going. Thank you for reigning me in too- on starting on a smaller scale- I did order quite a bit that I’ll have to plant in spring so I’m sure I did already bite off more than I chew which is sadly kind of my nature- I always jump in with both feet! I was so excited when a light bulb went off when I was trying to figure out what to do about the shady areas under all those junipers surrounding the house and I stumbled across guilds. I absolutely love working with nature rather than fighting the whole way! I’ll get to walking the property more, I’m not sure how to map but I know where the gently slopes are in general, and it always floods in the marsh acre. So much to consider!! Thank you all again!!

Thank you all so very much! A lot of very much needed and extremely appreciated knowledge and advice!

I’m a city girl that bought a 10 acre plot in southeast Idaho USDA zone 5 that has the river at the back, a spring fed pond at the front and an acre of marsh that goes across the property close ish to the river. I have no idea how to tell topography or grades of slopes or get how to do swales or any of that - but I am seriously attempting to build a food forest homestead. I am new to the Idaho zone 5 and the short growing season and harsh winters. I’d love to hear from you seasoned pros! Would you grow on both sides of the acre marsh land? It lies north to south. Tips on figuring out my grades? I’m down in a valley from the highway, have a hill and some slopes (the property seems to all slope from the highway[west side] to the river on the east. I tried row gardening the last two years and between ignorance on my part as to seed starting and hardening off , no green house or windows, and my prior failures at keeping the livestock fenced in properly (finally got that figured out!! ) all my fruit and veg amd everything I planted was eaten, trampled, killed or died. Most of the property was an alfalfa field- I have some old plum trees that line a tiny creek, one Russian olive that is in a spot that doesn’t help anything ( behind a culvert at the bottom of one of the driveway slopes where only weeds have ever been growing ) - there is one ornamental crabapple, amd a few tall Juniper trees I think- that are too close to the house for my taste, but are for windbreaks/ anyway I’d love your thoughts and input!! I have some trees, shrubs herbs and vines ordered for spring- but every time I think I have a plan, I second guess myself.

Thank you all for posting this! I have deer pressure and was hoping a sea berry hedge would work. Thoughts?