The Drought's About to End
Next week it's suppose to rain every day; some of those days it's suppose to rain A Lot. ABOVE IS WHAT A LOT OF WATER ON THE ISLAND LOOKED LIKE LAST YEAR. THE "ISLAND" IS UNDER THAT WATER.
Next week it's suppose to rain every day; some of those days it's suppose to rain A Lot. ABOVE IS WHAT A LOT OF WATER ON THE ISLAND LOOKED LIKE LAST YEAR. THE "ISLAND" IS UNDER THAT WATER.
Let me begin this negative post about water management, cooperation and the so called "farmer" in the dell with a little joyous progress.
The greenhouse is now full of little trays that plants are going to come out of. We've got about 20 different things in there and a couple of our bare root trees are still hanging out in there a lot because we haven't decided where to put them.... and there's 1 ramp plant that just didn't want to be planted on the hill with his friends. most of these seeds are just getting started and have not even sprouted yet.
This is our collection of house raised veggies that are getting their first taste of the outdoors these days. They will be going in the ground soon.
Last winters survivors: 1 pear, 1 peach, 1 nectarine, garlic, raspberry, blueberry, tanzy,, valerian, strawberry
So far In The Ground we've got 1 more pear tree, 2 potato trashcans, scarlet runner beans, onions, green onions, cilantro, lettuce, spinach, arugala, kale, mustard greens, pumpkins, cantaloupe, watermelon, asparagus, peas, butternut squash, strawberries, rhubarb, purple hulless barley, wrinkled cress, curled cress, ostrich fern, nasturtium, italian sunflower, genovese basil, tutti fruity lupine, spider flower, ramps, various wild flower and ground cover plants
But Now to the Real Reason for this Update.
The Watershed
I am sorry but I think to grasp the full impact what I'm spoutin' you're going to need a little back story. My GOAL is to live Off The Grid and to feed ourselves and family while putting in less work each year for higher production, therefore you can expect that every decision about where to plant things and what land use is feasible has these ultimate goals at it's core. Our "island" garden is actually a distraction from the main goal and was undertaken initially in an effort to gain some respect for the principles and techniques that we see as sustainable over the course of our lives and for future generations. We took the Island challenge because it has traditionally been considered waste land, worthless and something to fret about. The island is way cool now, even without the plants it will soon hold but it has eaten up a lot of our time. I am currently feeling very little progress toward the ultimate goal. The "island" is not where i would have chosen to do these things if all the land was available to choose from. The house could be taken off grid but I don't think the stakeholders in the house have the stomach for that much change; so that was never a real consideration. However, unless the house is taken off grid Someone is always going to have to pay a 2-5 hundred dollar heating bill every month through every winter just to keep the pipes from freezing... A large part of my desire to live off grid is that I have no interest in having that kind of bill to pay when there is plenty of free energy in the sun, wind and water. So, it's something that people might want to start thinking about. I do think the house could be taken off grid with a sun/wind combo and an attached greenhouse. ... but that's not what I''m typing about right now.
So upon our arrival here we assessed the land in search of a section that would be A) appropriate for permaculture activities and passive solar building design, B) accessible by vehicle (bus) and C) would create the least impact on the current cattle "farming" endeavor with the most benefit to future stakeholders in this property. The only place that seams remotely feasible to me on our limited budget other than in "the lot" or in "the meadow" is location #1. This determination is largely because the interior roads have been so degraded over the years that trying to build something anywhere else seems destined to fail largely because of a truly "impossible commute" and the expense of fixing/maintaining such large tracts of road while cows and tractors destroy them each winter/spring. There were several areas that are more beautiful, more isolated and yet more suited to perpetual food foresting that we were forced to rule out due to road and fencing costs.
I should say at this point that any permaculture expert that we have studied would tell us that the best places to work around here would be in "the lot" & in "the meadow" and secondarily "the back 40" ("impossible commute"). We are taking on "strange" new agriculture practices (actually commonsense techniques that started getting traction in agricultural circles 40-50 years ago) and we are trying to apply them to the best of our ability in all the wrong places... we cannot simply "do what they did" in most cases because they would start by doing it in a different location on the property, they would also have access to and experience with bulldozers and backhoes.
So over the course of the last year I've cleared most of the sumac off Location 1 and established flood control measures in the creek that is the watershed directly behind the house. So far our creek that flowed only after hard rain last year, and dried up rather quickly, has had a consistent trickle all spring even though we've had very little rain since the winter thaw.... so for low flow it's working.
We're about to find out how it does with High Flow.
So far In The Ground we've got 1 more pear tree, 2 potato trashcans, scarlet runner beans, onions, green onions, cilantro, lettuce, spinach, arugala, kale, mustard greens, pumpkins, cantaloupe, watermelon, asparagus, peas, butternut squash, strawberries, rhubarb, purple hulless barley, wrinkled cress, curled cress, ostrich fern, nasturtium, italian sunflower, genovese basil, tutti fruity lupine, spider flower, ramps, various wild flower and ground cover plants
But Now to the Real Reason for this Update.
The Watershed
I am sorry but I think to grasp the full impact what I'm spoutin' you're going to need a little back story. My GOAL is to live Off The Grid and to feed ourselves and family while putting in less work each year for higher production, therefore you can expect that every decision about where to plant things and what land use is feasible has these ultimate goals at it's core. Our "island" garden is actually a distraction from the main goal and was undertaken initially in an effort to gain some respect for the principles and techniques that we see as sustainable over the course of our lives and for future generations. We took the Island challenge because it has traditionally been considered waste land, worthless and something to fret about. The island is way cool now, even without the plants it will soon hold but it has eaten up a lot of our time. I am currently feeling very little progress toward the ultimate goal. The "island" is not where i would have chosen to do these things if all the land was available to choose from. The house could be taken off grid but I don't think the stakeholders in the house have the stomach for that much change; so that was never a real consideration. However, unless the house is taken off grid Someone is always going to have to pay a 2-5 hundred dollar heating bill every month through every winter just to keep the pipes from freezing... A large part of my desire to live off grid is that I have no interest in having that kind of bill to pay when there is plenty of free energy in the sun, wind and water. So, it's something that people might want to start thinking about. I do think the house could be taken off grid with a sun/wind combo and an attached greenhouse. ... but that's not what I''m typing about right now.
So upon our arrival here we assessed the land in search of a section that would be A) appropriate for permaculture activities and passive solar building design, B) accessible by vehicle (bus) and C) would create the least impact on the current cattle "farming" endeavor with the most benefit to future stakeholders in this property. The only place that seams remotely feasible to me on our limited budget other than in "the lot" or in "the meadow" is location #1. This determination is largely because the interior roads have been so degraded over the years that trying to build something anywhere else seems destined to fail largely because of a truly "impossible commute" and the expense of fixing/maintaining such large tracts of road while cows and tractors destroy them each winter/spring. There were several areas that are more beautiful, more isolated and yet more suited to perpetual food foresting that we were forced to rule out due to road and fencing costs.
I should say at this point that any permaculture expert that we have studied would tell us that the best places to work around here would be in "the lot" & in "the meadow" and secondarily "the back 40" ("impossible commute"). We are taking on "strange" new agriculture practices (actually commonsense techniques that started getting traction in agricultural circles 40-50 years ago) and we are trying to apply them to the best of our ability in all the wrong places... we cannot simply "do what they did" in most cases because they would start by doing it in a different location on the property, they would also have access to and experience with bulldozers and backhoes.
So over the course of the last year I've cleared most of the sumac off Location 1 and established flood control measures in the creek that is the watershed directly behind the house. So far our creek that flowed only after hard rain last year, and dried up rather quickly, has had a consistent trickle all spring even though we've had very little rain since the winter thaw.... so for low flow it's working.
We're about to find out how it does with High Flow.
So I went up to our little area to check out the road that runs horizontally across the mountain just above the space that we hope to someday section off for our off grid homestead.
The cattle farmer (whose lease is getting short, whose only legal responsibility to the stakeholders in this property is to maintain fences and roads) had been driving Our Tractor up to this road through a meadow this winter and driving across the road at the top end of where we would like to set up someday. The blue line in the photo below is roughly where the road is. Between there and "the lot" would make a do-able area for sustainable food foresting. Certainly not the easiest spot on the property but one with good potential, that's convenient and would require the least amount of fencing and road work. Also, I feel this area needs to be more closely managed irregardless of where we put our food and shelter because of the flash floods and road erosion issues that we're about to get into.
remember that this creek also crosses under our driveway and parallels the road outa here.
The road through Location 1 now has extremely deep ruts in some places which will be collecting all the water from about 30 steep wooded acres above it and forcing all of that down the trenches in the road to the natural pooling spots that flood into the creek while washing out the road.
I have installed 7 flood control speed bumps in this creek this year in order to mitigate the potential flood damage to our island crops and to slow the creek bed erosion from raging flood waters.
Meanwhile someone else has spent the year making the problem worse.
When I arrived here I made numerous attempts to discuss our plans with the cattleman in hopes that we could work together to improve the land or at least coordinate our efforts so that no one was getting screwed. Since he doesn't do the internet, I provided him with several dvds worth of sustainable agricultural practices in hopes that I could get the wisdom of his actual experience as opposed to the sometimes Over Glorified Fad Driven World of "permaculture" gurus. When I arrived here I insisted on trading phone numbers, in case I needed to get a hold of him, or in case there was something I could do for him to save him a trip over here.... I called him once to tell him I had dropped off the dvds he never looked at in his wife's work mailbox. Several months later I destroyed my phone and lost a lot of phone numbers. His was one of them. When I next encountered him, I told him I'd lost his phone number and we should trade again.... he ignored the direct request brushing it off as unnecessary. Yes, I should have insisted. I think I was slightly amazed by the indifference. This is the level of communication I can muster with the cattleman therefore I have largely avoided him for the last couple months. He does not talk "to" me but rather pontificates while gazing out at a meadow and occasionally glancing my direction to add emphasis. I find his manner rather disingenuous. I have considered that it might just be "the country way" but no one else I've met here communicates that way except the guy that just got out of prison.
Visual Perspective
The cattle farmer (whose lease is getting short, whose only legal responsibility to the stakeholders in this property is to maintain fences and roads) had been driving Our Tractor up to this road through a meadow this winter and driving across the road at the top end of where we would like to set up someday. The blue line in the photo below is roughly where the road is. Between there and "the lot" would make a do-able area for sustainable food foresting. Certainly not the easiest spot on the property but one with good potential, that's convenient and would require the least amount of fencing and road work. Also, I feel this area needs to be more closely managed irregardless of where we put our food and shelter because of the flash floods and road erosion issues that we're about to get into.
remember that this creek also crosses under our driveway and parallels the road outa here.
The road through Location 1 now has extremely deep ruts in some places which will be collecting all the water from about 30 steep wooded acres above it and forcing all of that down the trenches in the road to the natural pooling spots that flood into the creek while washing out the road.
I have installed 7 flood control speed bumps in this creek this year in order to mitigate the potential flood damage to our island crops and to slow the creek bed erosion from raging flood waters.
Meanwhile someone else has spent the year making the problem worse.
When I arrived here I made numerous attempts to discuss our plans with the cattleman in hopes that we could work together to improve the land or at least coordinate our efforts so that no one was getting screwed. Since he doesn't do the internet, I provided him with several dvds worth of sustainable agricultural practices in hopes that I could get the wisdom of his actual experience as opposed to the sometimes Over Glorified Fad Driven World of "permaculture" gurus. When I arrived here I insisted on trading phone numbers, in case I needed to get a hold of him, or in case there was something I could do for him to save him a trip over here.... I called him once to tell him I had dropped off the dvds he never looked at in his wife's work mailbox. Several months later I destroyed my phone and lost a lot of phone numbers. His was one of them. When I next encountered him, I told him I'd lost his phone number and we should trade again.... he ignored the direct request brushing it off as unnecessary. Yes, I should have insisted. I think I was slightly amazed by the indifference. This is the level of communication I can muster with the cattleman therefore I have largely avoided him for the last couple months. He does not talk "to" me but rather pontificates while gazing out at a meadow and occasionally glancing my direction to add emphasis. I find his manner rather disingenuous. I have considered that it might just be "the country way" but no one else I've met here communicates that way except the guy that just got out of prison.
Visual Perspective
THE BLUE LINE IS THE ROUGH ESTIMATE OF WHERE THE ROAD YOU ABOUT TO SEE IS. ALL THE WATER ABOVE THAT LINE WILL BE ERODING THE ROAD AND POOLING IN ALREADY HEAVILY DAMAGED AREAS INSTEAD OF HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOAK INTO THE GROUND AND BE USEFUL.
This is how deep the ruts were when the creek flooded all spring last year.
I call that spot the "death trap" because last year the road narrowed to a point that was not wide enough for tractor tires; the over brush at the edge of the road to the down hill side of the wash hides a sheer drop off that putting a tire in could get you killed. It almost happened last year.
So Here's the Current Tour
So Here's the Current Tour
This is the far right end of this problem.
Cattle were predominantly feed just off camera to the right. This series of photos follows the road from here to the top of the meadow on the other side of this watershed.
Water will soon be rushing down the hill and find a fast track in the down sloping road ruts.
Cattle were predominantly feed just off camera to the right. This series of photos follows the road from here to the top of the meadow on the other side of this watershed.
Water will soon be rushing down the hill and find a fast track in the down sloping road ruts.
This is facing down hill from the same location as the 1st photo
Water that would normally flow over the road and seep into the ground on the hillside below will be staying on the road creating deeper ruts and mushier footing.
Water that would normally flow over the road and seep into the ground on the hillside below will be staying on the road creating deeper ruts and mushier footing.
The view back up the hill from where the tractor was parked in the previous photo.
Facing down the road from where the tractor was parked.
This is from about 1/2 way down the slope in the previous photo.
At the end here, the road takes a slight bend to the left & there is a seldom flowing run off stream that goes through there. Some of the rushing rut water will take this path down the hill.
At the end here, the road takes a slight bend to the left & there is a seldom flowing run off stream that goes through there. Some of the rushing rut water will take this path down the hill.
standing by the run off area in the bend; looking back toward the tractor at the top of the hill.
Some of the water rushing down the road will continue on around the bend in the last photo.
Our hazelnut trees are just out of frame on the left.
Our hazelnut trees are just out of frame on the left.
this is the road just above the "enchanted forest". Ideally we would be able to drive our Solar Powered Bug Out bus to here and set up camp with free electricity while we work on improvements in the area.
2 photos ago there was a puddle in the left trench. this is from there looking down to the death trap.
That pipe is where the road was last year. The rut on the right was not the road.
on the left side of the pipe is a tight steep ravine. The death trap.
This is where most of the water in this watershed will pour down the hill. This spot needs a new culvert and I propose a small pond built into the creek about 40 yards uphill of this road crossing to regulate the flow through here and stabilize the road. Just gotta get a hold of bulldozer on a dry day.
But ultimately what this spot and the entire road that I'm showing you here needs...
is to not have cows on them at all and to not have vehicles on them when the ground is mush.
... after we get it fixed.
Side by Side Comparison you can click them to make them larger.
on the left side of the pipe is a tight steep ravine. The death trap.
This is where most of the water in this watershed will pour down the hill. This spot needs a new culvert and I propose a small pond built into the creek about 40 yards uphill of this road crossing to regulate the flow through here and stabilize the road. Just gotta get a hold of bulldozer on a dry day.
But ultimately what this spot and the entire road that I'm showing you here needs...
is to not have cows on them at all and to not have vehicles on them when the ground is mush.
... after we get it fixed.
Side by Side Comparison you can click them to make them larger.
the other side of the death trap looking back at it. due to the ruts and the hooves this area hardly ever drys. those ruts were (over your boots) full of water a couple days ago before i cut escape channels and it had not rained more than an hour in a week.
And if you step in that mud you'd better have your shoes tied tight or you won't get them back.
And if you step in that mud you'd better have your shoes tied tight or you won't get them back.
continuing past the Death Trap to "the other" constantly wet mushy spot that runs off over the hill as a tributary of the creek that runs around our island.
This is about 30 yards down the road from the death trap.
This is about 30 yards down the road from the death trap.
From near the top of the road in the previous photo looking back. The ruts on this side funnel the water back down to the 2 collection / erosion spots.
For perspective.
The top of the meadow the cattleman drove hay to cattle through during much of the winter.
Notice how often he turned to his left to feed his cattle on the 60 or so acres available in that direction. The unused direction has no severe road erosion and if there was erosion and flooding over there it would by-pass the house completely.
The top of the meadow the cattleman drove hay to cattle through during much of the winter.
Notice how often he turned to his left to feed his cattle on the 60 or so acres available in that direction. The unused direction has no severe road erosion and if there was erosion and flooding over there it would by-pass the house completely.
This is the unused road heading the other direction.
This is what the rutted out road would look like if it had very little (if any) cow or tractor traffic over the winter.
This is what the rutted out road would look like if it had very little (if any) cow or tractor traffic over the winter.
Walking back to the tractor I encountered the cows, who had come over thinking I was a cattle farmer. 2 days ago these cows were fed in the "back 40" but since there's ZERO functioning fences outside of "the lot" and the perimeter; they were back in this area where they love it soooo much within a day.
The death trap full of cows exactly where they need to never be again.
I understand that rutted out roads are an expected part of cattle farming/logging etc. So is fixing them; so I've been told. Clean water is quickly becoming a very valuable commodity and we have enough of it here that it can work against us if it is not managed and put to use.
I could say a lot more about all of this if anyone wants to talk about it.
but today is suppose to be the only really nice day all week, so... I got to go put some food in the ground.
I could say a lot more about all of this if anyone wants to talk about it.
but today is suppose to be the only really nice day all week, so... I got to go put some food in the ground.
If you'd like a color code explanation write or call. you can enlarge this by clicking and save the image by right clicking the enlarged image.
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