hoodat McCoy

Perlite does add air to heavy soils. As far as I know it is neutral so far as organic goes.

I always like at least some Rex in my lines. Rex have thick loins (the back) and that trait is usually retained in their offspring. Rex are usually consideed mid range in size but a line can easily be developed that equals NZ in size. The meat/bone ratio is also good. If you save pelts they shed less hair when tanned because they are all fur with no long hairs.

You have two different kinds of damage there. The leaves that look as though they have worm tracks are caused by leaf miners, a tiny critter that bores between the upper and lower skin of the leaf and eats the inner tissue. The second kind looks like mosaic virus. In both cases the affected leaves should be removed and destroyed by burning away from the plants. Mosaic virus can actually be transmitted in the smoke if the fire isn't hot enough so don't let the smoke drift over any live plants.
BTW both sorts prefer to attack plants that are already weak. It's probably getting too late in the year for heat lloving plants like cucumbers.

Walter Jeffries wrote:

Ken Peavey wrote:NOP rules specify that certified organic, and documented ingredients be used in producing certified organic compost. Also, the method of production must be monitored and recorded, particularly the temperature, and all records kept on site for several years. ... There is much misunderstanding about what is organic. Some believe it is a Description. The fact of the matter is the word Organic can not be used in commercial agriculture in any way unless the product is Certified Organic. Now, some states will allow or overlook this rule if annual sales are less than $5000/year. This presents a situation which is easily corrupted.

This is all very sad. We've been organic for decades, long before Big Ag and the Gubbermint stole the term Organic and said we can't use it. We are still organic. We just can't say we are organic. Meanwhile, my cousin who has a chicken CAFO a.k.a. factory farm where the birds never see the light of day or a blade of grass gets to call his farm Certified Organic because he feeds Certified Organic Feed. It is a corruption of the concept to let a factory farm like his be called organic but not a truly pastured farm like ours. This is the evil of Big Government in the pockets with Big Ag.

Certified Organic is a farce.

I have to respectfully disagree. There was good reason to require certification. When organic vegetables first began to catch on all too many factory farms were selling their culls and calling them organic. It had to be controlled.

Unless you have a urinary tract infection pee is almost sterile. In fact we were taught to use it on the battlefield to wash out injuries in an emergency (fresh from the source). I save it in a jug and when the jug is full I pour it on my compost as an aid to help break it down. You should never use it undiluted too close to plants. It is so high in nitrogen it could burn. remember those dead patches on the lawn where dogs peed?

Paula Edwards wrote:I would like to try kudzu and chufa (tiger nut), anyone knows where to buy the seeds? We can import seeds but we cannot import bulbs or plant parts.

Check your state laws. In most states where kudzu will grow it's illegal to plant because of its' invasiveness.

Re the waste from butchering I dig a hole with a post hole digger as deep as I can get and toss it in then backfill. The hole is deep and narrow so it reduces the chances of varmints digging it up and it is returned directly to the soil without the complications of composting. Keep track of where the holes are. Vegetables such as tomatos and peppers do great when planted above the ofal.

The term "angora" by itself is not a breed but a type of coat. Almost every country where rabbits are popular has developed an angora of its own; thus we have Englisg angoras, French angoras etc. If you want a combination meat/wool rabbit I would recommend a giant angora. They get very large. The wool is slightly coarser than the smaller angoras but quite suitable for spinning. The meat to bone ratio is not bad and the body conformation is quite good for meat. When they were first developing New Zealands the giant angora was bred into the line to add size. After a few generations of inbreeding you will often get a throwback giant angora from your New Zealands.

Jay Green wrote:It's a fair question. How about a show of hands on this forum alone? Anyone truly living a permie lifestyle in every aspect and producing even enough food for their own families without spending more than they would on just buying it from a local grower?

I'm as curious as the OP....

Permaculture doesn't necessarily need to be measured in acres. Some of us have gardens that we measure in feet. There are times when I think pemaculture works even better on small plots than it does on larger ones. I live in a housing development built in the late 60s so I have a postage stamp back yard. That being said I raise enough vegetables to supply not only my own needs but those of the neighbors on both sides of me. I keep rabbits for manure, meat and just because I like them. I don't keep track but I'm sure the amount of actual money I spend to produce meat and vegetables is pocket change.
That being said, permaculture is a life style and an ideal to work toward, not something to be taken lightly. Complete self sustainability is a myth, but we can come close. Every time we harvest for our own use or to give away or sell we lose a bit of fertility. This must be made up by bringing in some nutrients from outside the system. Without some outside input it will eventually run down. Fortunately there are numerous sources for free input of nutrients. Neighbors bag up and throw away grass clippings and leaves in the Fall. This is wasted and costs taxpayer money to haul away but can be salvaged for our own use.
My rabbits are raised almost entirely on greens, both from the garden and gathered wild greens with a small amount of grain as a suplement. The greens I gather wild produce both meat and manure for the garden so there is outside nutrient input from them.
We have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk but once we commit, it quickly becomes a way of life.

Boyd Craven wrote:

Michael Radelut wrote:Have you ever tried making silage for your animals ?

I have not fed beans to rabbits myself. I know that you must be careful with "bloatish" anything with rabbits as they can't burp or throw-up. Probably a bad idea is my guess, but if I'm unsure, I usually run a test.

Both green beans and bean vines are high protein but should only be fed in moderation along with a mixture of other greens. They contain a low level toxin that rabbits digestive system can handle if they don't get too much at one time. Pea vines contain very little toxin and field peas (cow peas) can be fed in quite large quantities. Dried legume seeds should never be fed. Rabbits can't digest them.
It isn't the gas that's harmful but the toxins. I break my rabbits into the cole family leaves a bit at a time. After a couple of weeks they can eat quite a large quantity without getting gas. It's just a matter of lettting the intestinal bacteria multiply
BTW I practice natural feeding as much as possible. My rabbits get large quantities of mixed greens and some grain but no pellets. The growth rate is a bit slower without the pellets but the rabbits taste better and you can't beat free food.