Joel Salatin, the ‘Lunatic Farmer’ from Virginia (his words, not mine), proclaims that no matter the food producing system, there is always room to increase yield. This speaks to the efficiency of using available space, or in this case, the inefficiency of that use. Traditional production practices have tended to focus on a two dimensional view when considering planting designs [...]
Last week I caught a chicken in a net. Grant caught five, but still, I’m happy that I was able to catch one. The barn chicks are old enough now that we put them into their own mobile coop and sent them out to pasture this morning. In an effort to help them acclimate to the new situation and environment [...]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DfHiiM10C8 We consider our livestock more than merely commodities to be reared, processed and then sold to the consumer. As much as they are a means for sustenance, they are also an asset in the Permaculture farmer’s toolbox. Livestock, no matter the type, have intrinsic value beyond meat, eggs and milk… they have attributes that we can utilize to our [...]
“Treat the earth well, It was not given to us by our fathers, But is lent to us by our children.” -African nomadic pastoralists verse Much energy was spent last week thinking about, and dealing with, waste. There seems to be a curious corollary between how much we love something--how much we care of it, are responsible for it, are [...]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tzpXHNtg8c At the risk of raising a stink, I am going to bring up the topic of poop. It’s a crappy job, but someone has to do it! A constant in life, especially life on a ranch or farm, is how to manage manure. All too often, animal wastes are mismanaged in conventional agricultural systems, leading to health issues for [...]
Note: These weekly journals are a means for me to process the events of the past week and to archive my journey into the world of permaculture. This week’s offering is different. What follows is my first attempt at using fiction to process my experiences. Carl Abbott, for example, argues for the use of fiction as a “sandbox,” a way [...]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dzZBaN7VSw Since we have only had cattle on the ranch for the past 10 months, we are experiencing many firsts regarding their management and care. In other words, we are total “newbs” when it comes to cattle, and have taken on the challenge of learning to care for our cattle according to humane, holistic practices as much as possible. That [...]
For two days last week I managed the morning and evening animal chores alone. I spent my two days singing to the animals. I spent my two days watching the animals and trying to understand how they see me. In short, I spent my two days being patient, being mindful, and being still. Grant, the farm manager here at ABC [...]
https://youtu.be/P_IYZGiqsKk The local Kestrel glides across the farm landscape weekly with a field mouse in its talons. I am always amazed with witnessing such an experience. At ABC acres we have designed and installed a working farm with all the livestock species you would expect. They live and play in a system we manage for their betterment and ultimate survival. [...]
One year ago I chaired an English Department and taught writing courses at a small college. When not dealing with administrative red tape--which was all too common--I worked at revitalizing a curriculum, rekindling a departmental vision, banishing plagiarism, and most importantly, cultivating ideas and empowering students’ voices. I felt that my labor was meaningful. Sometimes my sense of meaningfulness arose [...]
