suez Cawood

Thanks for all the input.

Yes, well the dogs has been and is constantly trained.  As I said, they won't even look at the chickens when we're in the yard.  Whether we are close to them or even visible or not.  Only when we are not there...
We've fed the chickens between the dog's legs - they won't touch them. 

Instinct is never to be underestimated methinks.

Maybe the solution is to keep the chicken in a coup (even though I hate the idea) when we are away and only open them when we are there.  It would just take some work to get that sorted as the chickens somehow always climp up the inside of fence and fly over...

But hey, the joys of homesteading!!

Thanks a lot

Suzie

Hallo,

Wonder if anyone can help.  I have some red ants moving into my wormbin.  Good or bad?  If its bad how do I get rid of them?

Thought of using diatomaceous earth, but will it kill the worms too?    Not too sure on that one.

Many thanks

Suzie

Anyone have any idea on how to train dogs NOT to kill chickens. 
They've had their general training and wouldn't touch the chickens when we're around, but the problems start when we need to leave the yard. ... when we get back another chicken would be gone...  so sad!!

Any suggestions?

Many thanks.

Does anyone have experience using Jerusalem Artichoke as fodder for animals.  Cattle, sheep, horses?

Many thanks,

Suzie

Here in South Africa Ostriches are probably the best security guards.  But make sure you raise them yourself because they can be vicious.  I won't enter an ostrich camp if you pay me...

We moved onto our dream property a year ago, and though there is just no similarities between our climates, vegetation or even hemisphere  , I can highly recommend moving onto your property and biding your time at first!!  If you have the patience it is wonderful to live on the property for four seasons before making any major changes and deciding what you want to do.  There is some things about your property that you simply won't know before you have lived there for a year.  I promise you, once you are on the property, the "what to do" will come to you...  and you will find the "how to's" as you go along!!  Enjoy it!!

He he he.

Yes these buggers got us all in the area running in circles for the last couple of years.

Goats - We have, but can't put them there because they will surely get stolen quicker than they can eat anything - this is Africa.

It is strange.  The black locusts make the most wonderful soil when you eventually get them out - but nothing is growing under / close to it - hence me seeing it as a monoculture.  They grow so close together that we cannot get in between them. 

and no, we had a veldfire running through the locusts in winter, they seem to flourish even more after that. 

I get the idea the black locusts is a more aggresive grower here than in other parts from what I'm reading and seeing...

But we are indeed using every part if the trees that we are taking out.  For windbreaks and fenceposts etc, but there is so many of them!!!

I will take a photo this afternoon and post it tomorrow. 

Thanks for all the info and ideas.

Yes, we've though off grazing them until they die down, but with a little more research it looks like the bark is poisonous to animals.  There's a bit of a discrepancy there, as some sites say it is used as fodder and others advise not to use it as it can cause your animals to die.......... don't know if I'm willing to take the chance.
Plus they grow at the bottom of the farm where there is a bit of human traffic and I'm not willing to let my goats become meat for a happy bypasser (is that the right word??) as it often happens here.

I've seen people advising to plant it as the wood is very useful.  That it definitely is......... but oh boy, when it takes over.............  maybe in other climates it won't grow as aggressive as it is here. They've invaded almost 2 hectares of our property in the last two years.

We're currently taking out the roots with a backhoe and planting radishes for the cattle in the area so we can work the soil again if needed.  Weeding by hand only hurt the hands - nothing else.  Will let you know if the backhoe is working. 
And it does wonders for the soil.  Most beautiful soil builder.  I'm using the soil for my raised beds.

In the mean time the bees are indeed enjoying the flowers and we've created a whole windbreak with the  smaller sticks we've taken out.  Maybe I should post a photo.

Regards,

Suzie

Hi Brenda,

No vacuum, we have grasslands - native to our area.  They are taking over the grasslands. 

Looks like they grow back faster and harder if you hurt them (cutting or weeding).  But we are trying to weed them with the backhoe at the moment.  You cannot do any of these by hand, they are growing back too aggressively. 

Doesn't look like they are fazed by other trees either.  They grew in and out of an existing wood in the area and took over around the existing trees. 

They make nice fenceposts though.........

Thanks

Here's me wondering.
We live in South Africa and have a major invasion of black locusts on our property.  Which makes me wonder - isn't this a monoculture?  Nothing grows under/over/next to them.  Same goes for various weeds that can overtake.

So does nature sometimes create a monoculture?  Granted, as a result of human actions, but still...

And wondering if anyone knows how to deal with a black locust invasion........ If we leave them they will do what they've done successfully in the area over the last ten years - multiply and make it impossible to do anything on the piece of earth that they mark for themselves...


Regards and thanks,

Suzie