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Post by steev on Oct 22, 2014 0:59:42 GMT -5
Aw, hell: I have to come get it?
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Post by richardw on Oct 25, 2014 3:29:34 GMT -5
Neat photos of your place copse,great time of year while its looking so green
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 31, 2014 2:39:27 GMT -5
copse, All that green...what a site for eyes so tired of seeing drought. Brown, Brown, Brown, more brown. Tomorrow it's supposed to rain. I'll believe it when I'm out dancing naked in it.
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Post by steev on Oct 31, 2014 2:52:12 GMT -5
Well, I certainly hope to see you doing so. For the rain, dammit, the rain!
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Post by copse on Nov 2, 2014 19:01:29 GMT -5
My persimmon seeds have finally germinated. After three months stratifying in the fridge, and then around 30 days in a pot by the window. My two Fuyu trees out in the paddock finally started leafing up around 30 days ago, as well. Was wondering if they were a lost cause.  |
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Post by copse on Nov 3, 2014 23:44:35 GMT -5
Finally got out and dug the second half of my fifth hugel-bed. I was quite disappointed at the progress I've made, and that this got delayed, but just as I was nearing finishing it, it started raining, then came the thunder and hail.     At this point, it started raining. So I covered it up to protect it from the chickens. There's just a little more soil to move on top, then I can flatten it out and plant it out.  The height on this is looking pretty good, and while three sisters was a failure last year, there's no harm in taking another crack at it. Worst that happens is I get corn, a few watermelon, pumpkins and stunted beans again. I've just got enough saved Cherokee Trail of Tears beans from last year to plant it out. |
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Post by steev on Nov 4, 2014 0:35:36 GMT -5
Could the chickens really do much harm?
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Post by copse on Nov 4, 2014 15:13:01 GMT -5
Could the chickens really do much harm? I have whole sections of garden they have access to, which I don't need to hoe the weeds out of any more. They scratch up exposed dirt for worms and grubs. They flick it off the bed and into the surrounding area. Once the corn is grown up somewhat, and the pumpkin is covering the bed, then it would be safe. When I first got chickens, someone told me not to worry about damage, just shoo them away and they'll get the message. I don't think the people who say that have ever owned chickens that weren't caged. |
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Post by synergy on Nov 4, 2014 17:15:24 GMT -5
I am aiming for one garden where I can have a perimeter chicken "moat" and be able to section off areas for the chickens to scratch up the weeds for me . It seems to be a reoccuring fantasy for me that I can reduce the amount of weeds. Another fantasy I have is that I might have a pristine orchard and lawn and some beasties will graze it off perfectly for me  |
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Post by copse on Nov 4, 2014 18:51:18 GMT -5
Reading all the permaculture literature, and blogs and so on, I got the impression chickens could be made to scratch up the things you wanted to scratch them up. In my experience, they'll scratch under your shovel or pick as you dig, they'll peck under your scythe as you swing, but they otherwise will only scratch easy targets. Like the compost heap. Or the bark mulched area. Or the exposed dirt around the plants you would rather they scratch up. Maybe they'll get those plants by mistake.
I could see a moat working if I fenced the chickens into it, and removed all grass cover to expose the dirt. If I put any mulch into it like sawdust or wood chips, the moat would need to have solid fences to prevent it being flicked into the neighbouring areas.
Whenever I fence my chickens in, they look sad and poke their heads through the wire repeatedly for hours on end. If I raised them fenced, perhaps it might be a different matter. Can a chicken dream of a freedom, if it has never known freedom? :-)
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Post by flowerweaver on Nov 4, 2014 19:12:11 GMT -5
From my personal experience, chickens and gardens do not mix, unless you confine them during the day in a chicken tractor over a spent bed in which you want manure, bugs eaten, and everything destroyed. This works well if they free range elsewhere, and are just employed seasonally in the garden. Early on, before I understood this, I let some into the garden only to come back that afternoon to find all my okra dug up and a huge poultry dust bath orgy going on. The only exception was a pet rooster who lived out there and never did any harm. Good luck with that copse! |
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Post by copse on Nov 4, 2014 20:02:43 GMT -5
From my personal experience, chickens and gardens do not mix, unless you confine them during the day in a chicken tractor over a spent bed in which you want manure, bugs eaten, and everything destroyed. This works well if they free range elsewhere, and are just employed seasonally in the garden. Early on, before I understood this, I let some into the garden only to come back that afternoon to find all my okra dug up and a huge poultry dust bath orgy going on. The only exception was a pet rooster who lived out there and never did any harm. Good luck with that copse! We are in complete agreement, all my beds with seedlings or small plants that chickens could possibly damage, are fenced off. They are free to scratch the beds which only contain shrubbery. |
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Post by reed on Nov 5, 2014 7:33:19 GMT -5
Chickens are disaster if allowed free run. Mine are loose right now pooping and scratching all they want in the turnips but NOT in the patch we want to eat. Next spring they go back to their room. It's about 50' x 100' and that is where they have to stay till growing season is over.
I think the idea of a chicken mote sounds good, maybe someday.
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Post by flowerweaver on Nov 5, 2014 9:13:52 GMT -5
Yeah, I get a chuckle every time I see this book cover. I'll admit I don't own it and haven't read what's inside. It's obvious to me from the lovely photo this person has one hen and a very big yard; or if there are more chickens, snapped this photo briefly before putting them back into their enclosure. My free ranging chickens (50) pretty much denuded my creek banks during the last two years of drought that I finally had to restrict their access and grow their greens to let things regenerate. Free-Range Chicken Gardens: How to Create a Beautiful, Chicken-Friendly Yard by Jessi Bloom et al. Link: amzn.com/1604692375Ducks are supposed to be better at weeding once plants are established. Perhaps Carol Deppe can speak to this. I know that one of my neighbor's ducks landed in my garden and became frantic when I entered and flattened a good deal of my plants before flying back over the fence! Presumably one's own ducks would be better behaved. |
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Post by copse on Nov 21, 2014 20:39:29 GMT -5
Here's the different popcorn seed I've managed to gather.  It's planted out row by row in my hopefully blackbird proof patch. For those who grow for a living, this is obvious overkill. I however am tired of the blackbirds scratching out seedlings. While fetching the cardboard, any time I was returning to the patch, blackbirds would fly away from it. Each hole has four kernels planted, and I'll go with the best seedling. After reading Joseph talking about area per plant giving more cobs in the GMO thread, I decided to veer away from the four plants per hill approach I did for three sisters last year.  |
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