Brandon Stokley

Liv Smith wrote:Looks like foxglove to me.

ohhhhh.... i think you're right.


than you

walking around my new property wondering if this is borage

i forgot a nitrogen fixer.

some research shows goumi berry being a good choice.

i put together a planting schedule for this area that spans a year. i did this to offset cost but also to allow the elderberry to establish a bit to provide protection for the paw paw. tried to also schedule out the planting for proper timing for each species.

Year 1 2024

Beltane( may 1)
Plant:
Walnut
Goumi berry
Elderberry
Bocking 14 Comfrey
Echinacea
Winter Squash

Litha ( june 21)

Lughnasadh ( august 1)
Plant:
Chard

Mabon (september 21)
Plant:
Arugula

Samhain ( october 31)
Plant:
Garlic
Harvest:
Squash

Yule (december 21)





Year 2 2025

Imbolc (febuary 1)
Plant:
Paw Paw
Hazel Nut
Trillium


Ostera (march 21)
Plant:
Arugula

for squash if you only grow one variety of the three species you can keep pure varieties and have diversity. they dont cross pollinate.

Joe Hallmark wrote:How big of an area are you wanting to cover? if this is just a guild around one tree I think you’ve done a pretty great job at putting it together. I’d put a flower or two that would help while the comfrey gets established. There’s quite a few that are compatible with walnuts.

i was going to do 3-5 walnut trees as the canopy/key stone. so the area would be fairly large.

i read echinacea does well around walnut. what else do you think would work?

Hey there everyone!

i have been trying to plan my first planting with the guild concept in mind. woud love some feed back and ideas. soo here goes.

zone 8a, lewis county wa

key stone species/canopy : walnut (grafted varieties for my area)

understory tree species: paw paw

shrub layer: hazelnut and elderberry

accumulator/attractant: bocking 14 comfrey

repeller: hardneck garlic

ground cover: candy roaster squash, seminole pumpkin

what else could i add here?

my goal is to fill the juglone exposed area immediately as to not have to worry about what i can and cant plant after this planting. also the walnut and paw paw are going to take the longest time to mature.

John F Dean wrote:There is a great deal we don’t know.  

Where is your property? ( in terms of rain and temperature)

Does it have any structures in it?

Does it have electricity run to it.

Is anyone else moving there with you?

Finally, with any plan comes the question if cash.

If, there is no place to live, shelter comes to mind.  After having lived in a tent for more than a few months, I would suggest a storage shed.  This would  have use after my dwelling is in.   I would buy the largest one I could comfortably afford.  Having one that could be moved might have benefits.

Certainly observe your property.  But, no matter what you will need water.  The source of the water will be heavily influenced by the location of your property. When I bought property in MN, my well went in before I moved.

I would be wondering about heat the winter?   I calculate how big of woodlot I need?  Will I need to cut wood now for next winter …or will I need to buy? Either way, I would need the wood to start drying now.

property is in zone 8a, lewis county washington state. wet winter, dry summer, mild seasons.

only structure is the house, which has electric and water from a private well.

my partner is moving with me but he is more... of the indoorsy type lol.

funding is tight but not terribly.

my first thought is to capture the winter water for summer when its dry. pond seems to be the best solution. where does that go, how big, how much does it cost?

John Wolfram wrote:

Brandon Stokley wrote:i am moving to my new property in Lewis County, WA in just a few weeks.  new house, well and septic, 5.75 cleared and level acres whats my first move?

My suggestion for a first move is to do nothing for a while. Watch and observe for a few months.

thats going to be hard lol.

i feel like i have been preparing for this for my entire life but now that its upon me; where to begin.

i am moving to my new property in Lewis County, WA in just a few weeks.

new house,
well and septic,
5.75 cleared and level acres

whats my first move? im ruminating over water. how to get it and how to get it where i need it. pond is my first thought. how do i find out where to put it? how do i do the pipes and swales from the pond do to the irrigation? are there consultants that i can have come out and give guidance?