Helen Deergrove

I'm having trouble with my Permies user account. I tried to send a message to "moderator", but it didn't go through because it said
" Error.
Could not determine the user id. Please check if you typed the display name correctly and try again. "

My user name is Dragonlaurel but the posts I made are now labeled by "dragonlaurelMcCoy". I do actually live in the Ouachitas, so that part is still the same.
Could my user account have been hacked? I just changed my password, in case it was.

Here's one of the posts, in case it helps:

dragonlaurel McCoy


Joined: Jan 02, 2011
Posts: 9
Location: Ouachita Mts. - Ar.

posted Tuesday, June 21, 2011 01:18:52
This sounds like a great idea. I'm newer to permaculture and figuring out good guilds -more easily- would be a huge help. Many of the permaculture favorites are more tropical than I can use. I would love to have plants narrowed down by climate. People with greenhouses could still click/type those conditions.

It would be nice if you could narrow criteria by any of these:
native plants of that region
moisture preference - desert, semi-dry, Mediterranean, rain forest, wetlands
shade/sun needs
soil types- sandy, rocky, clay, and deep topsoil or thin layer
deer/critter/bug resistance or tolerance
edible for humans or livestock - mention if it can be toxic

A selection option that lets you see stuff for areas with similar conditions would be great. (For example - French immigrants started wineries in the Ozarks before the Prohibition days, because the growing conditions were similar.

I don't want to overwhelm you. Just giving ideas on options that appeal to me. I'm not a techie, so I don't know which ones would be easy or hard to do.

Something to consider with orchards is the timing of nitrogen.  I haven't  tried this yet myself- but I was told that planting some spring flower bulbs around the base of the tree is protective of the trees. This apparently works by absorbing some nitrogen in the early spring when the trees are still barely waking up. Too much nitrogen available at that stage,  makes lots of tender growth that the last freezes can damage easier.

Higher nitrogen after the spring frosts are passed is okay.  Alliums (onion and garlic family) near the trees is a possibility for protection. Clover or orchard grass are used in some groves. If you time it well, they could be cut and stored for hay or grazed sometimes.

This sounds like a great idea. I'm newer to permaculture and figuring out good guilds  -more easily-  would be a huge help. Many of the permaculture favorites are more tropical than I can use.  I would love to have plants narrowed down by climate. People with greenhouses could still click/type those conditions.

It would be nice if you could narrow criteria by any of these:
native plants of that region
moisture preference - desert, semi-dry,  Mediterranean, rain forest,  wetlands
shade/sun needs
soil types- sandy, rocky, clay,  and deep topsoil or thin layer
deer/critter/bug  resistance or tolerance
edible for humans or livestock - mention if it can be toxic

A selection option that lets you see stuff for areas with similar conditions would be great.  (For example - French immigrants started wineries in the Ozarks before the Prohibition days, because the growing conditions were similar. 

I don't want to overwhelm you. Just giving ideas on options that appeal to me.  I'm not a techie, so I don't know which ones would be easy or hard to do.

This might work better for somebody that lives on a hillside. Having a drop from their gutters to lower on the hill would speed up the flow some.
If it wasn't enough for electric,  it could still be a gravity feed for a stock tank or something similar.

"  I just read in Mother Earth News Issue No. 239 page 30 that the quickest breeds to start laying are Cherry Eggers, Indian Rivers, ISA Browns, Pearl Leghorns, and Golden Comets. Pearl Leghorns also ranked high as producing well in free range (rather than confinement) conditions. Any one else have experience with breeds  that start laying quick and do well free-range?
Helen  "

You might look into  Egyptian Fayoumis. They are quick maturing, active, and also have very good instincts for avoiding predators.

I'd want a good portion of the land to be mixed woods. I could deal with weeds in the open land would would be suspicious about low fertility, if there is much bare soil.
Having clean water available on site is important. I am willing to conserve water, but would rather not rely on public utilities for essential stuff.
30 - 50 inches of rain a year makes growing gardens and farms easier.
Hills provides lots of micro-climates for fruit trees, vineyards, and possibly grazing. Swales and terraces may be needed. Avoid very steep mountain areas for home sites.
Any flatter portion would make starting the veggie garden easier but totally flat land costs more and isn't needed.
A Southern facing slope helps passive solar design to keep your home or other buildings comfortable. North slopes could make a house cold but work for some trees.
A windbreak between you and the direction your storms usually come from, really helps.
Desirable elevation depends on where you are and your goals, but living close to sea level can also be a flood risk and wells might have salt water intrusion.

I grew up in Fla. zone 9,  but live in the Ouachitas of Ar. (USDA zone 7)  now and prefer it for more variety of stone fruits. Some parts of Arkansas are zone 8.
The Northern edge of Ar. seems to have more severe storms.
There are lots of small earthquakes in the Guy, Ar. to Greenbrier, Ar. area. 

I like the idea of reusing the wool but not sure how suited it is to this purpose.  You  may just be using a totally  different repair method.  Lots of ways to approach a problem after all.
Does the pond have a plastic liner?
Plant materials decomposing in the low oxygen environment (under the water)  create the gooey layer that normally seals ponds. 
Good luck with the project.  

I'm a newbie here, but was just reading about this. There may be an easier solution. 
You might line the hole with some old hay, grass clippings or leaves instead of the wool.  The anaerobic breakdown turns vegetable matter into gley. Gley is the gunky layer on the bottom of most ponds and lakes that helps keep it from leaking.  Stamp the soil firm first- if you can. If you have pigs or sheep there,  they will do the job for you.  The feet/hooves compress the soil very well to make water not seep through easily.

I lived way off grid for over a year before and Liked it. We didn't have anything electrical except a little battery radio and a small flashlight. There's lots of ways to handle it for shorter or longer times.
We used a fire pit, then bought a wood stove to cook and heat with.
Dressed for the weather and used extra blankets in the winter.
The house was on a wooded hill, so it got good air flow in the summer.
We made a slit trench first, then dug an outhouse.
We used an oil lamp or candles for a few hours at night, then went to bed.

So living without electric wouldn't be that big a deal to me. This apartment building isn't set up that well for it though. All the appliances are electric. I should get some more blankets, and a few little solar garden lights, just in case.
I could stick the solar lights on the balcony to charge then use them inside at night.
A Sterno or propane stove would work on the balcony.
We have a solar shower bag, and I could hang it from the shower curtain bar when it was time for the shower. Always make sure the shower bar goes into a stud for this!
This building has lost power a couple times from ice storms, so I thought it out before.
I have a little garden and some food put aside, but should get more pantry stuff.

In extreme disaster- I'd harvest what I could, replant it, bring the food plants inside in pots, and grow them by the back window. That part of the building would not be climb-able for thieves. This building is strong, so it would be safer than leaving, for most situations. Some of the neighbors could help each other here.  Others wouldn't survive long if they couldn't get their medicines.

I wont pee outdoors at the apartment complex but I am used to peeing in the great outdoors. Here's a few tips:
I prefer to have a big tree behind me to help block the view then squat and arrange my clothes to keep things subtle.
Soft earth absorbs the pee without splashing, but hard ground can make that happen a bit.
I've dug a bit with the heel of my shoe to make a little hole if I wanted to be able to bury my waste. A garden trowel or army shovel is even better and packs easily.
Use the slope so the pee runs away if possible. Or dogs will be sniffing your feet.
I have a red coffee can with lid in the shower that I pee in sometimes then dilute it a bit and use it on the garden.