tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90409267074433552212024-03-05T06:19:04.704+00:00Senda VerdeWe are an ongoing work in progress, an evolving model.
We are interested in; permaculture, organic agriculture, biodynamics, off grid living, self sufficiency, sovereign independence, freeman on the land, free energy, expanding consciousness, epigenetic biology, unified field theory, keylontic science, MCEO freedom teachings, kathara science, holistic medicine, natural medicine, Truth, honour, morality and being the change we want to see.Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-26147934968210539742011-11-19T20:43:00.007+00:002011-11-21T16:40:27.774+00:00Animal Zen in puppy slippers<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPu63eG4Pqo_KSnXotfxj9oEoNHe6_OZSuczl34pU-yOxqKD8B5sQAjMyHHC-Ly-mFiYnO0fNVK0hFK6JS8XBZ27iwZq-szZ4v1e14zyUy2FvRDsB0lQ39umq7_aeIiyx3ipM-Co3UiOt/s1600/Dizzy.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPu63eG4Pqo_KSnXotfxj9oEoNHe6_OZSuczl34pU-yOxqKD8B5sQAjMyHHC-Ly-mFiYnO0fNVK0hFK6JS8XBZ27iwZq-szZ4v1e14zyUy2FvRDsB0lQ39umq7_aeIiyx3ipM-Co3UiOt/s320/Dizzy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677484934598034114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Dizzy and Mrs McGoo</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyzSx28sQM7KN_bNg-rE35pwfRObgIhGbPFsZRjZ00zP8ED1wSSEUi3I4gzcCF_whq-FWpH3UvRolh0twmLbKO8kxuRxAm5jPA-jjCs30HWo3jmTErBETnkFGRf-Nkgrca5vMpTHB0YjL/s1600/Spot%252C+the+white+one+got+covered+by+shakin+stevens+yesterday.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyzSx28sQM7KN_bNg-rE35pwfRObgIhGbPFsZRjZ00zP8ED1wSSEUi3I4gzcCF_whq-FWpH3UvRolh0twmLbKO8kxuRxAm5jPA-jjCs30HWo3jmTErBETnkFGRf-Nkgrca5vMpTHB0YjL/s320/Spot%252C+the+white+one+got+covered+by+shakin+stevens+yesterday.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677488597956878002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Freeranging on the river bank</span><br /></div></div><br />Isnt it great to be doing something you love. Even if you dont love it all the time, just now and again. Even if you have to do it 7 days a week during most of which your actually not loving it at all.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_ycz_78m3HsMYfb3SiKHMk52L0Az-5nQs-R7t6EYw3eeKhGTzZCV4hFUFIeEFBT51hSEK4tqVSB3yiy_HM_-h1tjDGYdLqQ5m-Mheznz9STpewzBaqV4Gk4NgpWs8QHHpEdGqirOQ_fL/s1600/Spot%252C+Annie%252C+wings+and+shakey.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_ycz_78m3HsMYfb3SiKHMk52L0Az-5nQs-R7t6EYw3eeKhGTzZCV4hFUFIeEFBT51hSEK4tqVSB3yiy_HM_-h1tjDGYdLqQ5m-Mheznz9STpewzBaqV4Gk4NgpWs8QHHpEdGqirOQ_fL/s320/Spot%252C+Annie%252C+wings+and+shakey.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677484967926608642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Shakin Stevens the new billy in the center of the photo</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></div>But then comes that special moment, the indescribable je nais cest pas of creative perfection. The rolling tight cast to a rising fish and dinner that night, a Eureka moment over some hard worried problem. It can come in many forms and the only commonality I can find in the absurd enjoyment I get from moments such as those, is that you appear to have to work, sweat, curse and sometimes hurt yourself in persuit of it.<br />Today was one of those days.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TAzEtxuiqtvO-7rSxy1pe_Ab6s-skMBL_NzYV1JDIsP3FxeaJjr1S_OlWcrk93n0ckC7j5BEr3fe_CFqchXgToL_wM-8pwZXndU965pllS2Q6ocsbbay-B0GyfSBTIf_lcavjHwrhQCC/s1600/josie%252C+No6+and+crystal.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TAzEtxuiqtvO-7rSxy1pe_Ab6s-skMBL_NzYV1JDIsP3FxeaJjr1S_OlWcrk93n0ckC7j5BEr3fe_CFqchXgToL_wM-8pwZXndU965pllS2Q6ocsbbay-B0GyfSBTIf_lcavjHwrhQCC/s320/josie%252C+No6+and+crystal.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677484948778716690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Josie, No6 and Crystal</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMfUIczYZU2kAAHOZazoGWHHji-zv8a7ZSGUj2XpipA7Q-RJ6UU-UlpZJ55CzZq6thn3hsSsnOUnYLZzlu60LWhM8faBrTOdsqKuSWpT5tT7kl5xyl4g2J5Atfiz4x5Q9Y6vy5MmqOMTg/s1600/Dizzy%252C+spot+and+wings.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMfUIczYZU2kAAHOZazoGWHHji-zv8a7ZSGUj2XpipA7Q-RJ6UU-UlpZJ55CzZq6thn3hsSsnOUnYLZzlu60LWhM8faBrTOdsqKuSWpT5tT7kl5xyl4g2J5Atfiz4x5Q9Y6vy5MmqOMTg/s320/Dizzy%252C+spot+and+wings.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677484940268919170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Dizzy gives a litre of milk every morning</span><br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOOD9nBHo6nGo6_T5NJx0UN_IeVO_f1pG8gy352wUj5OpmPBGtdQ5hTNHTGWOaMZGL6q-RoAjJh_tro2MVHtDvVgGqV_HPN4FrOYYGPRvN-BOtV2UdBTfF9Yiz7jeZktzR2zf5zOLTYFA/s1600/River+beach+for+milking.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOOD9nBHo6nGo6_T5NJx0UN_IeVO_f1pG8gy352wUj5OpmPBGtdQ5hTNHTGWOaMZGL6q-RoAjJh_tro2MVHtDvVgGqV_HPN4FrOYYGPRvN-BOtV2UdBTfF9Yiz7jeZktzR2zf5zOLTYFA/s320/River+beach+for+milking.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677488625700177522" border="0" /></a><br />My morning routine starts with collecting up my milking gear, a bucket of grain and a milking jug, then bait for my fish traps and a sack or two for driftwood. Then its down to the goat shed followed by an excitable pack of dogs and cats.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXzbqjR6tFMFscEWb9kSFcFpp5VdeEyk_vBqZPsAnuemCtHn2szUlkEiCuvU89w51CK11pQJmoNIW6AV94OK9dkRNbro7AAw5xeHdBHGpq_dA7eWfnOF6jOfEigLnpnDj1kZpTvxj89Ec/s1600/Goat+paradise.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXzbqjR6tFMFscEWb9kSFcFpp5VdeEyk_vBqZPsAnuemCtHn2szUlkEiCuvU89w51CK11pQJmoNIW6AV94OK9dkRNbro7AAw5xeHdBHGpq_dA7eWfnOF6jOfEigLnpnDj1kZpTvxj89Ec/s320/Goat+paradise.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677481492912103890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Goat paradise</span><br /></div><br />My Goats. Mrs Mcgoo the matriach and her daughter Spot. Dizzy and her kid Wings and little Annie the orphan. Not forgetting my most recent addition, Shaking Stevens a beautiful sturdy 1 year old billy goat.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9nbW7hVN9DZCgU7fXaprW11QO6PqGRlOetliyQebGVuJyQ-KSnFdK-ghm4wmrHvnwlKa5B3Ji-stsMyC6rH-j-v97TPR8MCk3gz8ZFzLmhqYUZ6TRV-xJDjkcK0xjv4QDKvHHstQ5CFB/s1600/Shakin+Stevens+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9nbW7hVN9DZCgU7fXaprW11QO6PqGRlOetliyQebGVuJyQ-KSnFdK-ghm4wmrHvnwlKa5B3Ji-stsMyC6rH-j-v97TPR8MCk3gz8ZFzLmhqYUZ6TRV-xJDjkcK0xjv4QDKvHHstQ5CFB/s320/Shakin+Stevens+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677488608508461058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Shakin Stevens the Billy goat</span><br /></div><br />I milk on my river beach with a little grain to keep Mrs McGoo and Dizzy occupied while I take about 1.5 lts a day from them, Im only milking in the morning leaving the rest for the kids.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQXAgNLQcFG7-JWny3ipL-00HeCh7gFkNyxUavO1K61A3z2ERAZ445gmPBiiF_uZKtgCcAIkOFgvXsDgflklabq6BnBZgKRww4ZUIG85syBk2wugrOcO6yf878U62b_hyphenhyphen-DEi-1-yUmC6/s1600/Crystal+and+pack.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQXAgNLQcFG7-JWny3ipL-00HeCh7gFkNyxUavO1K61A3z2ERAZ445gmPBiiF_uZKtgCcAIkOFgvXsDgflklabq6BnBZgKRww4ZUIG85syBk2wugrOcO6yf878U62b_hyphenhyphen-DEi-1-yUmC6/s320/Crystal+and+pack.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677481500729665474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Crystal and her pack of puppies</span><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGpw4cB2om30iM0MOsdaqR04Vy1x7zH6km4ohDQ1WheL9MOJACouF8cNKqHOpf10zrG3Uh6Slnx4q0zLLu6nRe5QVQCjxX1uf6AbmeC_cgDTDQNf7la4FZcYaCrAP1QdRKT9KmmDHyG3s/s1600/Carmela+and+puppies.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGpw4cB2om30iM0MOsdaqR04Vy1x7zH6km4ohDQ1WheL9MOJACouF8cNKqHOpf10zrG3Uh6Slnx4q0zLLu6nRe5QVQCjxX1uf6AbmeC_cgDTDQNf7la4FZcYaCrAP1QdRKT9KmmDHyG3s/s320/Carmela+and+puppies.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677481490630462754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The cats are going fairly crazy at this point as they know next job is fish traps. Im working with 3 traps at the moment baited with bread, dog biscuit, sometimes bones and im bringing them in every 2nd day or so. This morning was a good catch with 10 or so 5 inch barbel plus the usual collection of small minnows and 5 crayfish. The second trap was mainly crays, around 12 and a few small ones, the third trap didnt come out as the water was too high and my chest waders have a small leak, just didnt fancy it this morning.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_bOpgWAQ5K1ReZIOkHjQx4kXmEA-PV3puAHPalBaTvoUCxLJktErdp77SglKXdkV01-TR6HM0S3RPHZC_sbwCu26phCNPuf5oZvYuChEJxHqWh7Kk_aSx4NvFlMK1tHSJSKbEfzvR5oK/s1600/Bitsy.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_bOpgWAQ5K1ReZIOkHjQx4kXmEA-PV3puAHPalBaTvoUCxLJktErdp77SglKXdkV01-TR6HM0S3RPHZC_sbwCu26phCNPuf5oZvYuChEJxHqWh7Kk_aSx4NvFlMK1tHSJSKbEfzvR5oK/s320/Bitsy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677481477677379490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Bitsy the kitten and her mum Itsy</span><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16lxeg6kUl5f6eRN2HKmk2AuDzvsQ-YrbgU_dU_mIoIuKKMeI4_GWeOlfC4D4y2Nysb_5F5WIxj36YirNSeINF3hScSi5MheXdVxFlspPBwQYiRFnb39AuJpYtJxxAjrjQRwXIKhG-kTt/s1600/Itsy+and+daughter+Bitsy.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16lxeg6kUl5f6eRN2HKmk2AuDzvsQ-YrbgU_dU_mIoIuKKMeI4_GWeOlfC4D4y2Nysb_5F5WIxj36YirNSeINF3hScSi5MheXdVxFlspPBwQYiRFnb39AuJpYtJxxAjrjQRwXIKhG-kTt/s320/Itsy+and+daughter+Bitsy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677488615355216194" border="0" /></a><br />The dogs eat the crays fresh just like biscuits, but somedays I stock up my small aquaponics operation ive got running up at the farm. Im holding up to 100 crayfish in a large tank and harvesting them every 3 weeks or so.<br /><br />Once the dogs and cats have had a little breakfast and the milk and fish are hanging safe in buckets up a tree, its off for foraging with the animals.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cBrZbcvztwSA7H76H6acr1XqHomapbYS6dHTUyvO43Biu8ZPHXr_9HZGFmTvFYl3gzCmGza_cgWDcYMU5TBX_-7FCLWdOAvH10qFjacI584ns2fAqa3JLsFF4fv86_bfskYWRiP_vo8w/s1600/Whinny+whitey%252C+No+6%252C+DJ+and+Dizzy.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cBrZbcvztwSA7H76H6acr1XqHomapbYS6dHTUyvO43Biu8ZPHXr_9HZGFmTvFYl3gzCmGza_cgWDcYMU5TBX_-7FCLWdOAvH10qFjacI584ns2fAqa3JLsFF4fv86_bfskYWRiP_vo8w/s320/Whinny+whitey%252C+No+6%252C+DJ+and+Dizzy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677488592594195122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Whiney whitey, DJ and No6 checking out Dizzy</span><br /></div><br />At this time of year the river is up and down maybe 10 feet on the river bank every couple of days, leaving a driftwood tide line that takes just 10 minutes to get two good sacks of nice burning fire starting wood. I use far less hard graft logs this way and I like to harvest something every day, even if its just wood.<br /><br />One of my favourite spots is a south facing lazy bend of the river just on the boarderline of my property that leads into a narrowing and faster water with towering granite cliffs rising either side of the river. The goats just love the fresh grazing and a chance for a little mountain climbing.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3J2f18VONNxycA4n10dlkZyx6QL4FHyYXDJLmPqOfVKglB-8BYdqsSTuIvWLy1Npxy43Z8J4gtGtsh0qTiZqEgIrmR0eNdLrSWCjTOP4tfwvPCIKDAgj_C5hTVg80lsSmeJtpM1De48F/s1600/Annie+the+Nubian+cross.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3J2f18VONNxycA4n10dlkZyx6QL4FHyYXDJLmPqOfVKglB-8BYdqsSTuIvWLy1Npxy43Z8J4gtGtsh0qTiZqEgIrmR0eNdLrSWCjTOP4tfwvPCIKDAgj_C5hTVg80lsSmeJtpM1De48F/s320/Annie+the+Nubian+cross.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677481471233660546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Little Annie the orphan maybe a little small for breeding this time but we will see</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZ2MjhMsJXuQ_6qh5IWc4UfE2J3ibij-5EvM_Ulh_CjNzM821pu6tgL6sXJTY5X7blc0uqhSvqoZkcjhMKf-3cK3o0n6aQH_JTG7MIUt3U4AcJMiuPqQvWjhgkIwObH69KrxTsUNzn2py/s1600/Wings.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZ2MjhMsJXuQ_6qh5IWc4UfE2J3ibij-5EvM_Ulh_CjNzM821pu6tgL6sXJTY5X7blc0uqhSvqoZkcjhMKf-3cK3o0n6aQH_JTG7MIUt3U4AcJMiuPqQvWjhgkIwObH69KrxTsUNzn2py/s320/Wings.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677484954245980210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Wings going for some low hanging Mimosa on the beach</span><br /><br /></div>I watched fascinated as Skakin Stevens started to bark a bit like a dog and quiver, Spot was twitching her tail and showing interest and without more encouragement Shaking Stevens was mounted and doing his thing. He mounted twice and Id give it a thumbs up for precision and rhythm.<br /><br />The morning sun caressed my face, the river gurgled by, Itsy clinch pawed my shoulder and purred in my ear at the delight of fish breakfast. Puppies nipped my fingers and my goats started to double infront of my eyes.<br /><br />Creating in harmony with my tools and environment, walking away in every sense from the crazy that is overtaking the world, being happy with simple things that cost nothing apart from work, sweat, cursing and sometimes hurting yourself.<br /><br />In Lakesh <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=ead50ca7-98cd-48b3-a28b-ba95d637a9b4" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-85408531434781108522011-09-06T13:26:00.002+01:002011-09-06T13:39:28.074+01:00Land share for Permaculture driven offgrider.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIbWsJMzWM-E40xj_NwrJiTAPgDUm_GcqxhLb-eExeiVrMimZ2clYw5JjEz_3UMhb_w94yn0I6GCX74UKoFQsf3Rah59p8HILNan5e4m3CneuA-ekAT8vtngtPXePoyqMj0vqoWnZEDmZ/s1600/IMG_0998-1.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeJWVJjyxg9y1EfqSrenMbqHI7tENQOi1B2lqU_gAMCiSGNgX9q1kgHXMjOfHcUfBNVjBDho2F8hzDie81oNatS2c7J9ZqE4JBCXjY_1n_amg97nBuJrJoTsLxvydGGu-MlXjftGFSpMb/s1600/IMG_0933.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeJWVJjyxg9y1EfqSrenMbqHI7tENQOi1B2lqU_gAMCiSGNgX9q1kgHXMjOfHcUfBNVjBDho2F8hzDie81oNatS2c7J9ZqE4JBCXjY_1n_amg97nBuJrJoTsLxvydGGu-MlXjftGFSpMb/s400/IMG_0933.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649224668423412386" border="0" /></a><br />Traditional stone bothy and two large terraces need keen permie/s who want to walk their talk.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcbD36MTtwNrbgoEHpgdq_ENtvGKwOslicE172yFzbJgfgQzzBsgq-N6jZNWqL-snXFg6yNaVZ2umK1QKcv1vmL981Lfc7hG24k27WYQ4qrbQNGHCaZYXwPy6RLxOza7foQffW9kZI33k/s1600/CNV00016.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcbD36MTtwNrbgoEHpgdq_ENtvGKwOslicE172yFzbJgfgQzzBsgq-N6jZNWqL-snXFg6yNaVZ2umK1QKcv1vmL981Lfc7hG24k27WYQ4qrbQNGHCaZYXwPy6RLxOza7foQffW9kZI33k/s400/CNV00016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649224664152927122" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'll need a very basic rent in the first year as I need to be sure that whoever takes it on is serious about the journey. If they are then the money thing disappears, as it will anyway.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIbWsJMzWM-E40xj_NwrJiTAPgDUm_GcqxhLb-eExeiVrMimZ2clYw5JjEz_3UMhb_w94yn0I6GCX74UKoFQsf3Rah59p8HILNan5e4m3CneuA-ekAT8vtngtPXePoyqMj0vqoWnZEDmZ/s1600/IMG_0998-1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIbWsJMzWM-E40xj_NwrJiTAPgDUm_GcqxhLb-eExeiVrMimZ2clYw5JjEz_3UMhb_w94yn0I6GCX74UKoFQsf3Rah59p8HILNan5e4m3CneuA-ekAT8vtngtPXePoyqMj0vqoWnZEDmZ/s400/IMG_0998-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649224670134585618" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I manage a heard of goats, make cheese and live as self sufficiently as possible. Im looking to share my land as the quinta is too large to be worked efficiently on my own.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgncBHRQygz4bE9MwIf3RhyZlIn2_NSgrySlVGrVf5hlB9MD9thu6BR8ZSzSRldWgcDrabR7_WRw3atPt5iAgM9cu4Ou18KNQXPpwpVGpfEjnakjih42yA22p0g3vUquMWjDR72C5G9jj/s1600/CNV00010.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgncBHRQygz4bE9MwIf3RhyZlIn2_NSgrySlVGrVf5hlB9MD9thu6BR8ZSzSRldWgcDrabR7_WRw3atPt5iAgM9cu4Ou18KNQXPpwpVGpfEjnakjih42yA22p0g3vUquMWjDR72C5G9jj/s400/CNV00010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649224657502657058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If you are interested in escaping the collapse, living simply in nature on a small off grid traditional quinta close to Coja in the Sierra de Estrella mountains of Portugal and have a background in permaculture or self sufficiency then please leave a comment on this blog post with your email and I will get back to you.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK2dPc02bN8Tp2tVg31TWzi_opXLt78C49v0cxEWzH9SiGRDnuW2bHOFG-zgRwYl-bO-QSacvfotYwTDTlMTBtpUYsJVl0MDOLnJPSaH6Q-apCF048aYnjnWCHPrri3XGVMDPSrzaLBUE/s1600/CNV00014.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK2dPc02bN8Tp2tVg31TWzi_opXLt78C49v0cxEWzH9SiGRDnuW2bHOFG-zgRwYl-bO-QSacvfotYwTDTlMTBtpUYsJVl0MDOLnJPSaH6Q-apCF048aYnjnWCHPrri3XGVMDPSrzaLBUE/s400/CNV00014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649224655132619922" border="0" /></a><br /><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://westclifftransition.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/full-permaculture-design-course-apricot-centre-starting-october/">FULL PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE Apricot Centre starting October</a> (westclifftransition.wordpress.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/08/san-francisco-permaculture-garden.php?campaign=th_rss">San Francisco Permaculture Garden Grows Thousands of Pounds of Food</a> (treehugger.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://permaculturepower.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/free-permaculture-ebooks/">Free permaculture Ebooks</a> (permaculturepower.wordpress.com)</li></ul></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=62a18055-dd46-4856-8471-99f6538a84f7" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-10193682694645630842011-03-12T22:37:00.007+00:002011-03-12T23:04:45.614+00:00A journey starts with the first step<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixw9_UePbPwUVCImsF-6QxZSgz4yP0wAC3mIBQqywbGZOhR8FEvVBaybfRnI3ydUK1DlxH5O0WZe6HDx0h1EPblxdR0ALKB_wHdHq9BXtP4JTRsP8XmsW1VlduUl90LJ4GKJLLhOTDudEy/s1600/100_2016.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixw9_UePbPwUVCImsF-6QxZSgz4yP0wAC3mIBQqywbGZOhR8FEvVBaybfRnI3ydUK1DlxH5O0WZe6HDx0h1EPblxdR0ALKB_wHdHq9BXtP4JTRsP8XmsW1VlduUl90LJ4GKJLLhOTDudEy/s400/100_2016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583329805382446306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Puppy Crystal MIA</span><br /></div><br /><br />Somedays it seems easy to navigate the gnostic path. In my self created pod of good vibes I float along bouncing practically frictionless off the sporadic contacts with consensual reality. Gently cocooned in my higher frequency pod floating softly on the cosmic ripples.<br /><br />At other times, specific times that seem related to solstices and equinoxes I am called to the job at hand. I have moored my pod in the galactic current where it hovers gently, waiting, whilst I concentrate and engage with the energies that seem to want to tussle with me again.<br />There is no free lunch as they say, and as Im called to duty it makes me appreciate just how good that last little trip was and how much Im looking forward to finishing business and getting back to my galactic cruise.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVvWoIQZqtZTpM8WSwvpVpjN6EjNjroxYMRq2KXNqpmH1hHVP4FKyXs4DszRn104tBETeLeD_vKAplyBtWc4zNSLN72wgT1IlLc59Eky8SpqgUYSXgkS6v-OiubS_f51XapHustU3IsKp/s1600/Crystal+and+Carmela.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVvWoIQZqtZTpM8WSwvpVpjN6EjNjroxYMRq2KXNqpmH1hHVP4FKyXs4DszRn104tBETeLeD_vKAplyBtWc4zNSLN72wgT1IlLc59Eky8SpqgUYSXgkS6v-OiubS_f51XapHustU3IsKp/s400/Crystal+and+Carmela.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583331966102013618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Carmela and Crystal, mum and pup playing</span>, MIA<br /></div><br />As the battle commenced this week I have to report some casualties.<br />My girls, Carmela and her puppy Crystal disappeared from the farm last Saturday followed by Lilly the goat, followed, on Tuesday by my new male rabbit, Hamish 2, he went off to his watership down in the sky.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeoXbM7eBlbaPVt2p77SSgMupdaP_A4xBAHvqVbkC_6oXH81QMah7GK9OthGQMpfADUqINKSIQsLz851kjvnPgCxsADXJlRAiu60vNmD_goj6k7UZsl4NcQem3D7-74PqfnWDnwjhaTBv/s1600/Hamish+2+and+Morag.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeoXbM7eBlbaPVt2p77SSgMupdaP_A4xBAHvqVbkC_6oXH81QMah7GK9OthGQMpfADUqINKSIQsLz851kjvnPgCxsADXJlRAiu60vNmD_goj6k7UZsl4NcQem3D7-74PqfnWDnwjhaTBv/s400/Hamish+2+and+Morag.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583332563431330498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">A photo never lies? I hope so, in 3 weeks we will know if Hamish 2 left his genetic mark, RIP Hamish 2</span><br /></div><br />This week also saw the start of the 9th level of consciousness according to the Mayans. There is little reason to believe that this body of knowledge has not been corrupted to the point of disinformation, but as with all things, a grain of truth probably rests within the bullshit. The 9th level is conscious co creation and Im consciously co creating the return of Crystal, Carmela and Lilly. MIA.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3tU7bJ9PmPQp3Rn6KNFcaBHTvdTFuJfhuBXUsmy0iE5QFJ5R0Y0FCT0OgchBQrcbG4ivAmt6dkXQrzuh6Uzywk7pEHMXL1oDfKFZ5kvfH_J742Voq1I9JPy2UYeYfYAL2MGV5q5uJjQL/s1600/100_1927.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3tU7bJ9PmPQp3Rn6KNFcaBHTvdTFuJfhuBXUsmy0iE5QFJ5R0Y0FCT0OgchBQrcbG4ivAmt6dkXQrzuh6Uzywk7pEHMXL1oDfKFZ5kvfH_J742Voq1I9JPy2UYeYfYAL2MGV5q5uJjQL/s400/100_1927.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583330633000584594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The fires of last summer, I learnt when I painted in Oils that the darkest dark is closest to the lightest light.</span><br /></div><br />This week hasnt seen much in the way of farming, mainly meditation, and walking the hills and river vally looking for my girls. Spring is my favourite time of the year and as I walked and whistled and hollered I savoured the fantastic displays of nature as the hills bloomed with wild flowers and insect life. Such strong and vivacious life springing forth in such contrast to the inside of an oven blackness that was those same terrains just months before after the wild fires of last year. Take heart those little flowers said to me, out of blackness comes the light, just another few steps, the girls are just around the next corner.Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-71771969049853435302011-03-02T20:17:00.005+00:002011-03-02T20:46:11.880+00:00Fertility on the farm.<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxVSXL9crC8ujh73rGdGUbvCgjR4jeKuDSmQUNSPap7MH_bGTkxhHmF8jaT8gOLYtHxm_laizpg8kwnMyXG_QBZw2_calhf39j4ldzKf_ufmQuRlYMwks7xanKrlEK1kN1Bf34PjzfzpJ/s1600/Itsy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxVSXL9crC8ujh73rGdGUbvCgjR4jeKuDSmQUNSPap7MH_bGTkxhHmF8jaT8gOLYtHxm_laizpg8kwnMyXG_QBZw2_calhf39j4ldzKf_ufmQuRlYMwks7xanKrlEK1kN1Bf34PjzfzpJ/s400/Itsy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579581311430345026" border="0" /></a>Itsy came of age today, good luck Itsy<br /></div><br />Today the 2nd of March and Itsy the cat came into season.<br />Ive never had a cat before, always a dog person, but Itsy has taken my heart.<br />I got her when she was about 5 months old back in May 2009. My friends Helen, Nuno and Eli gifted me a very ferile kitten who Helen named Itsy black beard and had to stuff into a cardboard box wearing big big gardening gloves. I didnt have the courage to do anything but let her out on the mezzanine floor in the barn and rename her Itsy.<br />3 months past, I fed and watered her daily, occasionally a hiss or a russle of maize stalks was the only sign of Itsy.<br /><br />Then came the fires in August, Itsy still up in her mezzanine palace rided them through without a care. She was coming to me a little during feeding time, rubbing my hand and purring, but still very skittish. I decided that was enough and one evening I grabbed her and told her straight.<br />"your part of the community, come and join in"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNe-7egGXEKdfglVjYdZBf9p-dS3fqxI5trTmyjm-kzRaTGnO-7jtQ75bFeuY0fFG9F0r59VohXAqtoDiLeafDjzpie_BazrXYvy51jpuHZHgZ75sIxBLJ0jSaCo9OX_r2V1xY_parxXz/s1600/Home.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNe-7egGXEKdfglVjYdZBf9p-dS3fqxI5trTmyjm-kzRaTGnO-7jtQ75bFeuY0fFG9F0r59VohXAqtoDiLeafDjzpie_BazrXYvy51jpuHZHgZ75sIxBLJ0jSaCo9OX_r2V1xY_parxXz/s400/Home.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579581299053126322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Home</span><br /></div><br />Whether my words or just "live and let live" demeanor had anything to do with it, Itsy has turned into the most amazing cat I have ever known. She sleeps with me on cold nights, she loves attention, she comes walking in the mornings with the dogs and goat, scrambling high up trees and crying out "look at me"<br />She is, and has been a brilliant companion for crystal the 7 month old puppy, the two play for hours and have a real bond.<br /><br />I hope she finds a suitor, shes out most nights hunting mice, tonight it might be a tom cat, good luck Itsy.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1y6IPhZeuucv_AnkB0pso1zYWS4vjE-6ibZCcNidpkpszkuf0P2F50GkIuA5qabVGQPZhXPgRS5Dem_91H0Vav2dtW1Fk0KrVt0I8TjsWGfcFh4bi_C105hhNCdDelPubgwXvQQmEIzHL/s1600/Hamish+2+and+Morag.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1y6IPhZeuucv_AnkB0pso1zYWS4vjE-6ibZCcNidpkpszkuf0P2F50GkIuA5qabVGQPZhXPgRS5Dem_91H0Vav2dtW1Fk0KrVt0I8TjsWGfcFh4bi_C105hhNCdDelPubgwXvQQmEIzHL/s400/Hamish+2+and+Morag.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579581294074031106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Hamish 2 and Morag singing sweet lullabies</span><br /></div><br />With the energy of fertility running round the farm I thought it a good time to introduce the rabbits. Hamish 2, my new male has settled in well and been getting to know the girls, Morag and Heather, through the chicken wire.<br />This morning during feed time I grabbed the nearest female, Morag, and put her with Hamish in his batchelor pàd, the two have been making sweet music all day practically from the offset and tomorrow I will swap and give Heather her turn.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MDHxGt5erW4lGQQIbAWc2pUJON83jdzC0YBO0B3ABU4WpOco_Dzwgqm5AwX-_wGOVWwPLQuGeCRsYOZLJz8y9FePzoj-IihCeS57lG85f9SNHml26aRWHUlkVQI6_3WInRiRWBfOVCRi/s1600/Crystal+and+Carmela.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MDHxGt5erW4lGQQIbAWc2pUJON83jdzC0YBO0B3ABU4WpOco_Dzwgqm5AwX-_wGOVWwPLQuGeCRsYOZLJz8y9FePzoj-IihCeS57lG85f9SNHml26aRWHUlkVQI6_3WInRiRWBfOVCRi/s400/Crystal+and+Carmela.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579581308357258834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Carmela and pup of 7 months, Crystal playing</span><br /></div><br />Spring is in the air and Im revelling in the sap thats rising, the animals that are mating and the veggies that are sprouting. Senda Verde cruised through the winter even with low food stocks and little money, it gives me confidence for the future.<br /><br />Living life post apocalypse but pre apocalypse seems a bit disjointed at times but Im glad to be doing it. History shows that 95 percent of the people are wrong and change happens sporadically and rapidly, not slowly and linearly. Dinousours died with food in their chops, perhaps they were the lucky ones as currently I see the Middle East bedlam being the kick starter to the Peak Oil reality and most city dwellers will be lucky to go the same way.<br /><br />For now Im happy to be on the fringe, looking at self sufficiency, peace, harmony and nature. If your not doing the same you need to seriously question your survival instincts, walk away from your job and save the world, become independent in food, energy and water to whatever degree you can. Buy food and seeds, take your money out the banks. Wake up to the ship going down.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqpSY1iwdWdfI9F7GAjsNSplwZbE7WsYzGrsWaYVPAMRY3ti2lq7r_xDPePr4_AgDH4ZdAjaw2LbRFDOFI9edtqOGUYWLk4Iqul9C-ooBLnyUK0aSqabmVvTUUA4SOgVHDgv0FNcUf6Hg/s1600/4+new+hens.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqpSY1iwdWdfI9F7GAjsNSplwZbE7WsYzGrsWaYVPAMRY3ti2lq7r_xDPePr4_AgDH4ZdAjaw2LbRFDOFI9edtqOGUYWLk4Iqul9C-ooBLnyUK0aSqabmVvTUUA4SOgVHDgv0FNcUf6Hg/s400/4+new+hens.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579581285454336914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">4 new hens, 2 Frenchies (black) and 2 Spanish</span><br /></div><br />If you would like to volunteer on the farm I would appreciate a few extra hands over the spring. The polytunnel is going up, irrigation systems, raised beds, ponds, animal husbandry, seeding, planting and eco building are all on the agenda. If you have an interest in any of those and would like some hands on experience please drop me an email.Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-40106012958247671022011-02-20T16:13:00.007+00:002011-02-20T16:52:19.670+00:00Farming Rabbits and Chicken tractorsRabbits<br /><br />Ive really appreciated the fact that my Goat and my Rabbits dont need any type of special feed, they will eat what grows naturally and the Rabbits are happy with weeds that would be good only for the compost.<br /><br />Ive been keeping Rabbits since mid October when my sister and family were over for a week.<br />Edhan and Eilidh treated me to three, two does and a buck, Morag, Heather and Hamish.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdYXuuvUZg6UUDCxdD269rc-3jlXsO1bNqEaqLtAA-sD1dEhS0cfcf1e2oPWZL0PTzodtIldD3aXdQj2pdbSmlVB9uAzIg1zkHoBSfDXvM1NA2YHWS8TwJhE2gAUCSDjPRu6pnZgZN10w/s1600/Edhan+and+Eilidh.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdYXuuvUZg6UUDCxdD269rc-3jlXsO1bNqEaqLtAA-sD1dEhS0cfcf1e2oPWZL0PTzodtIldD3aXdQj2pdbSmlVB9uAzIg1zkHoBSfDXvM1NA2YHWS8TwJhE2gAUCSDjPRu6pnZgZN10w/s400/Edhan+and+Eilidh.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575806235473452226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Edhan and Eilidh helping build the roundwood porch</span><br /></div><br />Unfortunatley Hamish, the buck, exploited a leak in my rabbit hutch and Carmela took her chance. I finished him off for Sunday dinner.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsYw6vJ1oUDm3LrJCko7iWTdV9G2nf4dve96Xyb_UinnczHPnpMOlc9PorJ8HRaYpXRZ1eqs_GLR1pcVfDOiOtrc4DXa-AHH_hdWnkOaEWtxbceXe90qDIsMVKCgjZBQ8JJsXLDft6O67/s1600/Chicken+dinner.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsYw6vJ1oUDm3LrJCko7iWTdV9G2nf4dve96Xyb_UinnczHPnpMOlc9PorJ8HRaYpXRZ1eqs_GLR1pcVfDOiOtrc4DXa-AHH_hdWnkOaEWtxbceXe90qDIsMVKCgjZBQ8JJsXLDft6O67/s400/Chicken+dinner.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575806231823328146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Rabbit easier than plucking chickens</span><br /></div><br />I also appreciate how easy and quick it is to prepare Rabbit, much faster than plucking chickens so Ive decided to up my Rabbit production.<br /><br />In <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Complete-Book-Self-Sufficiency-realists/dp/0751364428">John Seymours excellent book "self sufficiency"</a> he reckons with two does and a buck you can produce up to 90kg of Rabbit per year, fantastic for me and also for the dogs.<br /><br />On breeding them he says:<br /><br />"You can leave young Rabbits on the mother for 8 weeks, at which point they are ready to be killed. If you do this you should remove the mother 6 weeks after she has kindled (given birth) and put her to the buck. After she has been served return her to her young. Remove the latter when they are 8 weeks old and the doe will kindle again 17 days after the litter has been removed, gestation being about 30 days."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAbUjoR-mp1E6ll3cybtTOSZqqz7TW5cDj4yJUpknm4FLhqO-C18Fucl798rFsXNsidZlX3ndIKu-ytcM3GCmBaDokPwJkn4Ev7tdY8qVoJQ3XvT6b3TlJsb3IfFlJMq0350GJHjbhPBy/s1600/duplex+hutches.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAbUjoR-mp1E6ll3cybtTOSZqqz7TW5cDj4yJUpknm4FLhqO-C18Fucl798rFsXNsidZlX3ndIKu-ytcM3GCmBaDokPwJkn4Ev7tdY8qVoJQ3XvT6b3TlJsb3IfFlJMq0350GJHjbhPBy/s400/duplex+hutches.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575806237482574242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Buck HQ</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> on right hand side Does and family on left</span><br /></div><br />I have just finished the Buck HQ using recycled materials, an old desk I found rammed down the side of the barn, roundwood cut from my land and bits and bobs of timber. Wood mulch from the river as bedding and a few logs here and there and it looks good.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6T7ifhHVE3AKJLJPV4GgfEHmaPU9f6F_W0VVOtmSA_ehLqFnvdn513kGmoxwTLjvzIvgG_guAXHHYPcYshpJqaNg6aSAfpG4stuhTwqQxyKUb6RzMYZ29ZEYtXL0Bk0s9F4AMLyI4NiHY/s1600/Old+desk+upside+down.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6T7ifhHVE3AKJLJPV4GgfEHmaPU9f6F_W0VVOtmSA_ehLqFnvdn513kGmoxwTLjvzIvgG_guAXHHYPcYshpJqaNg6aSAfpG4stuhTwqQxyKUb6RzMYZ29ZEYtXL0Bk0s9F4AMLyI4NiHY/s400/Old+desk+upside+down.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575806245340007202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Recycle, repair and reuse</span><br /></div><br />The buck will have an outside run too but its been too wet to work outside and change the combination of chicken wire that will seperate buck, does and chickens on the outside of the barn.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5YROA5pCVC9YMmehBV0gkl4vqHoFBFmmeLQirGztBB3D4lfFhGWCWtigKPQZZ82-6Q0xrvxHwGFRCJbZ43Ijg1d1wiJtYy0XavGgOLFhnUYHC-C64dF46VuMZ9PCQQoHxtSgA4rGhTAw/s1600/Outdoor+run.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5YROA5pCVC9YMmehBV0gkl4vqHoFBFmmeLQirGztBB3D4lfFhGWCWtigKPQZZ82-6Q0xrvxHwGFRCJbZ43Ijg1d1wiJtYy0XavGgOLFhnUYHC-C64dF46VuMZ9PCQQoHxtSgA4rGhTAw/s400/Outdoor+run.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575806248757461794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Outdoor run for all with private access to duplex suites</span><br /><br /></div>Tuesday is Viseu market where they sell all the livestock so Mr Rabbit might have to spend the first few days indoors till I get around to rejigging the partitions and giving them all outdoor space.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgR9dY5NNV1udk4pMWUcL7GHFzxtYAH1QB6lGzdVM39lxYCImAvVylH_jRQc2wgSsKh-WGj6fsWJK2UW9tEiR3ON741yGV4U-8fgNLE8O5trffvMSYpc2-4Rs_YJjDaxxvFPp0sQ9-XZyK/s1600/chicken+tractor3.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgR9dY5NNV1udk4pMWUcL7GHFzxtYAH1QB6lGzdVM39lxYCImAvVylH_jRQc2wgSsKh-WGj6fsWJK2UW9tEiR3ON741yGV4U-8fgNLE8O5trffvMSYpc2-4Rs_YJjDaxxvFPp0sQ9-XZyK/s400/chicken+tractor3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575809063449016834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Carmela demonstrating the new chicken tractor</span><br /></div><br />Chicken Tractor.<br /><br />I mentioned in my last post that the chickens have been running totally freerange. I saw no point in confining them after the <a href="http://permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com/2011/01/ducks-rape-and-cabbage.html">ducks mullered the veg garden</a> and they have been doing a grand job of scratching and cleaning different beds. As spring approaches and im getting ready to plant out, that has to change.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMmQC12uZoUWG1CEMg2nNXT3e7tOBcXPV6CmSpPsMRi7qucZRHLcS015fZY-P8gVagoUNV48i5nnUeqQOijKJnisTdhrDQfOA2gfEmw37_OrKTggn6GBoqoaVoRYmdKW2GuMNxIknvLwe/s1600/chicken+tractor4.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMmQC12uZoUWG1CEMg2nNXT3e7tOBcXPV6CmSpPsMRi7qucZRHLcS015fZY-P8gVagoUNV48i5nnUeqQOijKJnisTdhrDQfOA2gfEmw37_OrKTggn6GBoqoaVoRYmdKW2GuMNxIknvLwe/s400/chicken+tractor4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575809067263281362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">My first chicken tractor, more or less recycled materials</span><br /></div><br />Ive just finished building my first chicken tractor, it can be moved around the land and allow them fresh grazing whilst being secure and water tight at the same time. Im going to use some metal arcs Ive got with a shade netting covering to extend their run, it will also fit to any shape or size of raised bed ive got.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0g_sR8Jw1i1JIKCJX-60coYN54kr0PchMGvUklaIJ03Q7l8pMRN2bnn1i0SjiRhdBU1Byl96VCULbLwh2mN_36bJntltcpSGEhdrm30Sew7WKW8cy70_k4ndZZd2ddAcyTTXMCFOLpI_/s1600/chicken+tractor.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0g_sR8Jw1i1JIKCJX-60coYN54kr0PchMGvUklaIJ03Q7l8pMRN2bnn1i0SjiRhdBU1Byl96VCULbLwh2mN_36bJntltcpSGEhdrm30Sew7WKW8cy70_k4ndZZd2ddAcyTTXMCFOLpI_/s400/chicken+tractor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575809060987788370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Run can be extended with more metal hoops and shade netting to fit raised bed size</span><br /></div><br />The indoor chicken coop and outside run is still a little up in the air at the moment. I had some meat chickens, naked necks, that Im currently culling and they are around 3 to 4 kg and taste very good so I might go that route again.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYZWwLFYs7gY6ogJzrmmORrUoxYpPvdXnAP7liNpxPhDtvRJ0ML-AVNjee5yudPuRV_5LK12QA2eRh00lCRoV4vCbvEKrEsB9rWfn0YtUdNE_VHk1e0pzQyZniAwIhonhoOaSPFzJ1h_A/s1600/100_2069.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYZWwLFYs7gY6ogJzrmmORrUoxYpPvdXnAP7liNpxPhDtvRJ0ML-AVNjee5yudPuRV_5LK12QA2eRh00lCRoV4vCbvEKrEsB9rWfn0YtUdNE_VHk1e0pzQyZniAwIhonhoOaSPFzJ1h_A/s400/100_2069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575809070877293746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">6 berth with perch </span><br /></div><br />My friend and chicken aficionado Lynn has put some eggs in her incubator so I could use it for those keeping the best of breed to use in a second chicken tractor and filling the freezer with the rest at 3 months. We will see.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQeYYnzaBdwjxnx5hh84byDu3UVlSUhX3XmzJFtB6djsa5skQZoLv0XM3Yy2YV_SAWeKU667t1kkiPqarNLc-GDGn_GFzBDDE4_9JcOG9qumskQkLVSqQdbzP3na2XVXw9aX6fvG7IZXT/s1600/chicken+tractor2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQeYYnzaBdwjxnx5hh84byDu3UVlSUhX3XmzJFtB6djsa5skQZoLv0XM3Yy2YV_SAWeKU667t1kkiPqarNLc-GDGn_GFzBDDE4_9JcOG9qumskQkLVSqQdbzP3na2XVXw9aX6fvG7IZXT/s400/chicken+tractor2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575809065054885250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The chicken tractor and egg machine</span><br /><br /><br /></div><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2011-01-25/how-build-chicken-tractor-version-20">How to build a chicken tractor: version 2.0</a> (energybulletin.net)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/103813.aspx">Chickens in the Garden: Control Pests and Feed Your Birds at the Same Time</a> (brighthub.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/chicken-manure-in-the-garden-mother-earth-news-excerpts-gene-logsdons-holy-shit/">Chicken Manure in the Garden: Mother Earth News excerpts Gene Logsdon's Holy Shit</a> (chelseagreen.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://life.nationalpost.com/2010/12/22/field-trip-keeping-chickens/">Field Trip: Keeping chickens</a> (life.nationalpost.com)</li></ul></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=bc446457-0e90-41b0-a5a7-cb49fe6020f3" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-76786218881166499832011-02-19T11:54:00.009+00:002011-03-02T20:47:19.051+00:00Senda Verde Planting Diary 2011Bill Mollison says you shouldnt do anything on your land till youve been on it a full year and as I approach that mark I can understand the reasoning. I feel I understand the land so much better than last year. To participate in the four seasons and to see how the land reacts to each gives a fundamental understanding that no amount of theory can replicate.<br /><br />Last year was hard core learning, from the extremes of fire and no water to building everything from scratch with just booked based learning. One year does not a Mollison make, but I feel confident in my decisions and excited to be here and doing my thing.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U7qtPQZP5W-RZ2CIhkUHlEViHa_F0cDRSocLsJgCmhnuvRCm_OI5AXtaTCsaWPq39n475W5exNUz986R4X5j06ycCloJcoI7nqtxzEVUAY6rsJT05x-N16XXtN546NZHhQXvu7uQAC9N/s1600/polytunnel2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U7qtPQZP5W-RZ2CIhkUHlEViHa_F0cDRSocLsJgCmhnuvRCm_OI5AXtaTCsaWPq39n475W5exNUz986R4X5j06ycCloJcoI7nqtxzEVUAY6rsJT05x-N16XXtN546NZHhQXvu7uQAC9N/s400/polytunnel2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575368927172330514" border="0" /></a>The polytunnel is laid out and I hope to begin the construction over the next couple of weeks. Im waiting for the local metal shop to cut me some short tube that I will concreate in the ground and then big boy meccano starts.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PMI9GOzkxPalpwlvTYm0wSmwJ3bcha3nkan-avth4lAfokuBY0_pV9zBzuNw-Gm3G9JYlOQmXgoiaVQ6AcJeUjJA6SksaUpJTnDYJflZY1sUwTrvZuFuH5eWvydS_d4HUk45k2TlFX4F/s1600/polytunnel3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PMI9GOzkxPalpwlvTYm0wSmwJ3bcha3nkan-avth4lAfokuBY0_pV9zBzuNw-Gm3G9JYlOQmXgoiaVQ6AcJeUjJA6SksaUpJTnDYJflZY1sUwTrvZuFuH5eWvydS_d4HUk45k2TlFX4F/s400/polytunnel3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575368926802886370" border="0" /></a>Ive not decided on the final size, the width is fixed but I can space the arches out to a maximum of 3 meters, Ive got 12 arches and enough plastic to do it.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJShG2d6FoHKkkDne2j9Ch_iT9WRHGVPuOI2nBF3qZzuGlJOz6wFyAEald37oehIgNnusWmnTFBKEHXQ6kMpyo1KEpFBOG9-0reFM28NVZC3R93Q3SxemqII7swxE1ALCZrBC48fpjlyJM/s1600/100_2060.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJShG2d6FoHKkkDne2j9Ch_iT9WRHGVPuOI2nBF3qZzuGlJOz6wFyAEald37oehIgNnusWmnTFBKEHXQ6kMpyo1KEpFBOG9-0reFM28NVZC3R93Q3SxemqII7swxE1ALCZrBC48fpjlyJM/s400/100_2060.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575372592895690274" border="0" /></a>The chickens are running totally freerange at the moment so this shade netting is protecting my bulb onions, chard,and lettuce ive got in 3 raised beds<br /><br />Jan. 15th<br />bulb onions, Chard, turnip green and red, salad<br />Dry terrace. Green pasture, Grellos, Turnip red and green,<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRkKwE9Qn_6mAmOy01JPhFRDOozCwbicYzsobn-7qTzkLR1Wp-Laroo_sihNfYWEtRAAPG3CS5pGr28VnPIKmgJBJ_xvRo8M5IWYOXKSzUbhzzXc6xmaMRmudXL_d1FUZIhIZ_ECLmGpY/s1600/potting+shed+3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRkKwE9Qn_6mAmOy01JPhFRDOozCwbicYzsobn-7qTzkLR1Wp-Laroo_sihNfYWEtRAAPG3CS5pGr28VnPIKmgJBJ_xvRo8M5IWYOXKSzUbhzzXc6xmaMRmudXL_d1FUZIhIZ_ECLmGpY/s400/potting+shed+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575371050371129074" border="0" /></a>My little temporary greenhouse come potting shed has handled the lot, fire, wind, rain and snow and its doing me proud till I get the big one up.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQImCx2zHXbDTJgCrupWCpjEdQ2u2qBwMMqLvpukp-StxnvgqvlxS2OPl-f-MjRPWsRismj8c7ivyhRLf76f8sicKRjcery_ezmGtqca9WVLL5pT5vnwnBbLKQklgiTH836DnlWfdoL3w/s1600/potting+shed2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQImCx2zHXbDTJgCrupWCpjEdQ2u2qBwMMqLvpukp-StxnvgqvlxS2OPl-f-MjRPWsRismj8c7ivyhRLf76f8sicKRjcery_ezmGtqca9WVLL5pT5vnwnBbLKQklgiTH836DnlWfdoL3w/s400/potting+shed2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575371053854362690" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQImCx2zHXbDTJgCrupWCpjEdQ2u2qBwMMqLvpukp-StxnvgqvlxS2OPl-f-MjRPWsRismj8c7ivyhRLf76f8sicKRjcery_ezmGtqca9WVLL5pT5vnwnBbLKQklgiTH836DnlWfdoL3w/s1600/potting+shed2.JPG"><br /></a><br />Jan 15th Potting shed greenhouse,<br />Cauliflower, turnip, green spiral calabrese, purple headed brocoli, lettuce<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0kvTFpGMo2hBKVNk0KxvCNORwcL6_FJw0t_fit_VdbPYDBdNeQnOgXxmc1EqcxOjO9DyUXeQgG2T3FYGG-UdWe456F6eKl6i8-xkCYD5wzqlWoamsONPILsOyXmqyhCeuS5Bl2iqhFUFW/s1600/potting+shed+4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0kvTFpGMo2hBKVNk0KxvCNORwcL6_FJw0t_fit_VdbPYDBdNeQnOgXxmc1EqcxOjO9DyUXeQgG2T3FYGG-UdWe456F6eKl6i8-xkCYD5wzqlWoamsONPILsOyXmqyhCeuS5Bl2iqhFUFW/s400/potting+shed+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575371061932037650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">beetroot, beans, peas, rhubarb, herbs, citrus trees, cork oaks</span><br /></div><br />Jan. 29th. Covered raised bed<br />Onion valencia, Parsley root Atika, carrots<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbWYntmgyOVuEwRDoExcvMqZEomPb9xiWRJIwLXXmfOa5LKpMIB-Cu7zP8Mzz2CctvYDB140eJyAeEqYQkivjqO6nbua_zZeXveJQEQd4XaRRfmJa_oaQehp562JGvtRwrQclzNf2I9P7/s1600/Riverbank.JPG"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoagbcDAF9HXw3icaRYfTRUFTYbz9azEURhiEY7SPePf2ntVmn2w_eV7gzRCFmaj2_puVEmwI9Z1ACX7UjSNYyu4uJ_jWE51KB7yhzp_oGerBKHHRLWHzOG4wSaIJeW84mSUd-0L3ZxxN/s1600/riverbank+carrots.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoagbcDAF9HXw3icaRYfTRUFTYbz9azEURhiEY7SPePf2ntVmn2w_eV7gzRCFmaj2_puVEmwI9Z1ACX7UjSNYyu4uJ_jWE51KB7yhzp_oGerBKHHRLWHzOG4wSaIJeW84mSUd-0L3ZxxN/s400/riverbank+carrots.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575368907186528738" border="0" /></a>There is not much topsoil on this little patch of the riverbank, perhaps a foot or so of errosion soil from my main field. I thought I would try an experiment with some carrots as they like well draining sandy soils.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZDtCh6Oh6oIph3AEfuyhztqGe-50HD_xD43AjIjy8mIi8U0ncLSSRKaT55f_2WVOVbyW9bnMlpRmd1FQkS8qOLSCp5CVxnTuhOF2JWsUEJDNrnxWCLLf37c6nZH5ppNbgEtFTOalFIXy/s1600/riverbank2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZDtCh6Oh6oIph3AEfuyhztqGe-50HD_xD43AjIjy8mIi8U0ncLSSRKaT55f_2WVOVbyW9bnMlpRmd1FQkS8qOLSCp5CVxnTuhOF2JWsUEJDNrnxWCLLf37c6nZH5ppNbgEtFTOalFIXy/s400/riverbank2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575368917425903122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Easy watering with the river just infront but not much topsoil.. we shall see</span><br /></div><br />Jan 29th Riverbank<br />Carrots, Long de meaux, white green top, early nantes<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLLBgrr8w8MZ6lG3ALrHccatubkB2c-tGNqNgNS4gv9BQ8LQLGIoLZfCRTtUx8PgLGZZKQqJ_XYEK9oskpEnm6tKDHZYzuVT0wFvJjf5vAvcsHztZn_JTgks5TxECkuQTDCMWmCrIR2VP/s1600/potting+shed.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLLBgrr8w8MZ6lG3ALrHccatubkB2c-tGNqNgNS4gv9BQ8LQLGIoLZfCRTtUx8PgLGZZKQqJ_XYEK9oskpEnm6tKDHZYzuVT0wFvJjf5vAvcsHztZn_JTgks5TxECkuQTDCMWmCrIR2VP/s400/potting+shed.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575373404859346370" border="0" /></a><br />Feb 5th Greenhouse<br />Flowers x 4, Herbs x 5, celery, beans x 4, peas x 2, parsnips,<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbWYntmgyOVuEwRDoExcvMqZEomPb9xiWRJIwLXXmfOa5LKpMIB-Cu7zP8Mzz2CctvYDB140eJyAeEqYQkivjqO6nbua_zZeXveJQEQd4XaRRfmJa_oaQehp562JGvtRwrQclzNf2I9P7/s1600/Riverbank.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbWYntmgyOVuEwRDoExcvMqZEomPb9xiWRJIwLXXmfOa5LKpMIB-Cu7zP8Mzz2CctvYDB140eJyAeEqYQkivjqO6nbua_zZeXveJQEQd4XaRRfmJa_oaQehp562JGvtRwrQclzNf2I9P7/s400/Riverbank.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575368919850570530" border="0" /></a>Ive got a sort of half terrace thats on the riverbank, catching the run off errosion from my main flat field. Before the fires it was unworkable, a tangled mass of brambles but with a few hours work I got this little spot into reasonable shape and decided to give a few different vegetables a go. It gets alot of moisture down here so it might not requiere any irrigation but as I spent most of last summers afternoons lazing on the river beach, literally 5 meteres from the spot a waterering can will do the job.<br /><br />Feb 7th Riverbank<br />Chard, onion, carrots, sorrel, parsley<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVFYaXUmrefrbvvzla66rX_obe3tfDDp9eXQgZSn7CjEg4wM5nedktHETjwq1_ANrcpfbYjiXdSQBgJzgz2dU1B-FbjxUzTIOBHWCaeWGEqmt5cKRC9L_2up4vGALv4zn3tlYkdTZKZU9/s1600/100_2042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVFYaXUmrefrbvvzla66rX_obe3tfDDp9eXQgZSn7CjEg4wM5nedktHETjwq1_ANrcpfbYjiXdSQBgJzgz2dU1B-FbjxUzTIOBHWCaeWGEqmt5cKRC9L_2up4vGALv4zn3tlYkdTZKZU9/s400/100_2042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575372589876362994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">My greywater irrigation system with Rye sown</span><br /></div>9th Feb greywater terrace<br />Rye<br /><br />10th Feb Food forest<br />Hazel cuttings x 6<br /><br />14th Feb River bank<br />Carrots, radish<br /><br />19th Feb<br />Garlic 1kg<br /><br />28th Feb<br />Planted out brocoli, cauliflour, beetroot, lettuce, sorrel, red cabbage, white cabbage, perrenial cabbage, chard<br /><br />25kg Mona Lisa Seed potatoes layed out to chit<br /><br />2nd March<br /><br />Planted out Milan white turnip, Navet de Nancy,<br /><br />2nd March Greenhouse. Seeded<br /><br />Brussel sprouts Sanda, Beetroot, Quiabo Clemson spineless, Minidor dwarf yellow bean, Milan white turnip, Navet de Nancy, Grandpa Admires butterhead lettuce, Autumn giant cauliflower, Purple Autumn Cauliflower, Green headed Brocoli, Sunflowers.<br /><br /><div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=2f33d3a1-9120-4ddc-9763-ddb16d3f19c1" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-53699305845278343742011-02-08T12:26:00.004+00:002011-02-08T12:38:22.255+00:00Greywater irrigation system<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYhgxjEPVFxLSd8WNjebkA3axN5HrtWQH5BM6Hn5Hz3kt_HTzdnb2QBjkiIuns2CBTfsyDi8Q9HWMinjAck9T56lKLjTvvO0vVkyBCOswYT7HnICc2t4kRrXKQFFnaqOHcRfUjkcmoayQ/s1600/100_2039.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYhgxjEPVFxLSd8WNjebkA3axN5HrtWQH5BM6Hn5Hz3kt_HTzdnb2QBjkiIuns2CBTfsyDi8Q9HWMinjAck9T56lKLjTvvO0vVkyBCOswYT7HnICc2t4kRrXKQFFnaqOHcRfUjkcmoayQ/s400/100_2039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571294856750961506" border="0" /></a>Recycle and reuse materials<br /></div><br />Ive been very grateful for not losing the lot during last years wild fires, you can check out some <a href="http://permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com/2010/08/biggie-2just-when-you-thought-it-was.html">photos of the fires here.</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9soMOdIVRa3q6J7FrDPFN3zLPmaYDeeO2uAyVtSAyOweacTvR6hZBe2CexurW8za-SuDVX5jx5_XJ8zXglOJXI4E1gmurvhmjxaCnGIVLhOFx3svDL90JApHKGQlfxvLfgO59Xl8RGr4/s1600/100_2038.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9soMOdIVRa3q6J7FrDPFN3zLPmaYDeeO2uAyVtSAyOweacTvR6hZBe2CexurW8za-SuDVX5jx5_XJ8zXglOJXI4E1gmurvhmjxaCnGIVLhOFx3svDL90JApHKGQlfxvLfgO59Xl8RGr4/s400/100_2038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571294868469535682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Drip feeding my greywater to the animal feed terrace</span><br /></div><br />My caravan miraculously survived the blaze and post apocalypse, on analysing the site, I realised that it was my greywater that saved it. The caravan is sited just above a small terrace that the greywater pours onto through a simple black 50 mm irrigation pipe. An apple, a plum and a few vines were all it held, but the fruit trees were high yielding even though I didnt get to taste their delicacies, cremated pre harvest.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgpHXYScaCfsDsssHLNnjMjZ5nr0zY1SxfskfJ8Ja5KIlVQWBosy5Ku5IrUy6j3Au6gfEFTUN9Js9hO4ijofXiwzp3LDeWNci68BQSJHEPNJvcW9_3rz-NElEtIybjGUT3mDvQEINlrap/s1600/100_2045.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgpHXYScaCfsDsssHLNnjMjZ5nr0zY1SxfskfJ8Ja5KIlVQWBosy5Ku5IrUy6j3Au6gfEFTUN9Js9hO4ijofXiwzp3LDeWNci68BQSJHEPNJvcW9_3rz-NElEtIybjGUT3mDvQEINlrap/s400/100_2045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571294879789933986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Cleaning the prepared bed with chicken tractors</span><br /></div><br />Ive been thinking on how best to process the greywater and maximise this terraces use. Obviously I didnt want to have food crops growing in the greywater but a self irrigating terrace is just too good to waste. Ive decided to use the space to grow animal feed and bedding, thanks go to Josh and Veronica for the donation of a bag of organic Rye seed.<br /><br />Recycle and reuse are my maxims. With some half burnt 60mm irrigation tube and a 3 meter piece of PVC guttering donated by <a href="http://www.quintasaodomingos.com/">Tom and Lynn</a> Ive put together a nice drip system that should even out the flow of greywater so the whole terrace gets a better share.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAV96yUVav9dwE4tlj4WPrT786eA_inD2Y3SqwB9U1S7d2GE2D94fudJ6-S9n7U-yJNSD4xUqTwBf6lWbmr-5ZoA9RUvuTj5n497v6jvRkQWnvUde8hmxpwIQBA2AIBpP67UOjnH69Zypd/s1600/100_2043.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAV96yUVav9dwE4tlj4WPrT786eA_inD2Y3SqwB9U1S7d2GE2D94fudJ6-S9n7U-yJNSD4xUqTwBf6lWbmr-5ZoA9RUvuTj5n497v6jvRkQWnvUde8hmxpwIQBA2AIBpP67UOjnH69Zypd/s400/100_2043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571294863996599618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Manuring the bed before seeding Rye</span><br /></div><br />The soil looks in excellent condition and im going to scatter some corn on the turned land over the next few days and let the chickens tractor it through and pick up any weed seeds. Perhaps I can get two grain crops a year from the patch, this first one will Rye, good for animal seed feed and the straw will do for bedding. Ill figure out the next crop when I see the harvest timeline on the Rye.<br /><br /><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://greenanswers.com/q/207608/recycling-waste/what-are-pros-and-cons-putting-greywater-recycling-system">what are the pros and cons of putting in a greywater recycling system?</a> (greenanswers.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://water-conservation.suite101.com/article.cfm/greywater-collection-systems-conserve-water-and-save-money">Greywater Collection Systems Conserve Water and Save Money</a> (water-conservation.suite101.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/20101104/how-can-i-improve-my-greywater-system">How can I improve my greywater system?</a> (recyclethis.co.uk)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/11/greywater-report.html">Greywater Report looks at wastewater's potential</a> (latimesblogs.latimes.com)</li></ul></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=eca91bf0-597e-44fd-beab-e655254be08a" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-29720570099486976392011-01-16T14:44:00.004+00:002011-01-16T15:00:42.480+00:00Running on synchronicity, rice and beans.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCld7vMPm9lvMzXNYzKgnYt2XoLEM0ghdnk2-MOuKKsKf_-k67xgWEHsaJjKnTJA5qV9uG9xNfIyllXb8MBPerARbh0WW_lN0cfzlgkyd942B8ukrVUZJRTegjcaMHcz2I1TE19TddKBX1/s1600/synchronicity-iistage-4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCld7vMPm9lvMzXNYzKgnYt2XoLEM0ghdnk2-MOuKKsKf_-k67xgWEHsaJjKnTJA5qV9uG9xNfIyllXb8MBPerARbh0WW_lN0cfzlgkyd942B8ukrVUZJRTegjcaMHcz2I1TE19TddKBX1/s400/synchronicity-iistage-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562796326720834194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBxGer1apWGdm5n1hIW_DdgcjOTvtpe_vdSLSfmNLSdlUYTW5VpKTXieKRSA97KePm8WF1Y4feaINFGMMy9xkgN1gI614eb7799YmjryX4ylR_OamAFvgz1XvZwvazOv63cIApqVTSfA0/s1600/synchron.jpg"><br /></a>Rolling the dust from my last tabacco and savouring the last glass of red from the wine box I felt confident that cold turkey would not be too hard.<br />Back in November I did 3 weeks of off grid, by that I mean no money, no outside inputs.<br />Christmas came and I was invited graciously back into the busom of consensus normality which I accepted with appetite. January, so far has been a continuation as Ive slowly drained my funds, glug by glug.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBxGer1apWGdm5n1hIW_DdgcjOTvtpe_vdSLSfmNLSdlUYTW5VpKTXieKRSA97KePm8WF1Y4feaINFGMMy9xkgN1gI614eb7799YmjryX4ylR_OamAFvgz1XvZwvazOv63cIApqVTSfA0/s1600/synchron.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 323px; height: 323px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBxGer1apWGdm5n1hIW_DdgcjOTvtpe_vdSLSfmNLSdlUYTW5VpKTXieKRSA97KePm8WF1Y4feaINFGMMy9xkgN1gI614eb7799YmjryX4ylR_OamAFvgz1XvZwvazOv63cIApqVTSfA0/s400/synchron.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562796318696365010" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I am a creature of habit and if my 42 years has taught me anything its that changing my environment is much easier than changing my habits. A terrible weakness of spirit I know, but im a product of my environment, a mind controlled drone. Connecting the dots of my life, my personal history, have shown me that if I force myself into strange and alien environments they force me out of strange and alien antilife programming without the whailing of spirit, so in a way I relish the challenge. I wish I was a more balanced person that could do it without the environmental extremes. Balance is what I seek but its atypical to my nature and I know I would not be here today, on the ragged edge, if I had ever achieved balance without the extremis of my life.<br /><br />An expert in solitude develops the ability to hold interesting debates with onself.<br />Somedays my mind runs riot like Alex Jones on speed, my head propped on a spade handle or saw half way through a tree trunk, the debate arises like the Mondego river in spate.<br />The Prussian education system oposed the Trivium and Quadrivium; 911, but thats a short one not worth debating. Is the New World Order a physical blood line or an off planet DNA controlled manifestation aka Ickes philosophy?, or both?. Fractional reserve banking, Freeman on the land, propoganda; am I a mind controlled slave?, DNA, quantum physics. Keylontic DNA upgrading.<br />The white noise reaches a cresendo, then thankfully its outplayed by the waterfall and bird twitter. Breath deep, study nature, draw up some maharic current, protect and appreciate. Start digging.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKCIhwbj4ZwbR_MscSAxJgyvxEEOkXDvBputjisdvbJXRlradW9ARQwOJ4JvvPiCfUYogHe9JhX21g5rNdyJ0WhF-eqDv9RNNLGM2z2meRuR1sYy0ce9RHCAtNetA8EcW4FJMSsUBvuYT/s1600/puzzle_piece.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKCIhwbj4ZwbR_MscSAxJgyvxEEOkXDvBputjisdvbJXRlradW9ARQwOJ4JvvPiCfUYogHe9JhX21g5rNdyJ0WhF-eqDv9RNNLGM2z2meRuR1sYy0ce9RHCAtNetA8EcW4FJMSsUBvuYT/s400/puzzle_piece.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562796316263919346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My conviction to extract my energy from the parisitic status quo system means off grid and no money, with my definition being: permaculture lead self sufficiency. How the future will pan out I dont know, Im not a fortune teller. The system is coming down and with it what most take for granted, thats not conjecture but well documented fact. Visit transition towns or the oil drum web sites and you will get consensual reality and collapse in equal measures. It all seems rather doom and gloom unless you look at the expansion of consciousness which is the road I arrived from.<br /><br />After a triple heart attack and 10 day coma in 2006, my Near Death Experience (NDE) slowly started to permeate my being at about the same rate as my physical recovery to full health. A full and very powerful kundalini awakening happened in 2008 and repeated connections with the gnostic galactic internet, as I call it, from then till now has opened me up to the limitless possibilities of consciousness and the human condition.<br /><br />As I fully connect to my dharma; doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way for the right reason, vibrating in positive and loving energy with harmony in nature, in a state of statelessness and moneylessness, Im relying on syncronicity and the gnostic connection, and if thats no good, theres always rice and beans.<br /><br />If you feel a connection to project Senda Verde and would like to volunteer, contribute, learn or just spend some time on the farm please leave a comment on the blog with your email.<br /><br /><br /> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=4ce78946-0951-4636-bab7-c753ab91f811" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-79357144858868754632011-01-11T12:04:00.003+00:002011-01-11T12:07:46.568+00:00Ducks, Rape and Cabbage.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vne4asteflvh5DjO6_T6HqxUaF-L8h8pjdwoPJWgj6Ct8i8xjchGB0Vt7nPdOf_fUrmAPM-lbKemGVCdLeKBcUaj8b4s3itSoXWHARAUzLHKBjrFU0GcG_VKPHSpi5RXyNyhdxj_pLVu/s1600/DSC_0225.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vne4asteflvh5DjO6_T6HqxUaF-L8h8pjdwoPJWgj6Ct8i8xjchGB0Vt7nPdOf_fUrmAPM-lbKemGVCdLeKBcUaj8b4s3itSoXWHARAUzLHKBjrFU0GcG_VKPHSpi5RXyNyhdxj_pLVu/s400/DSC_0225.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560898190077406418" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Day old ducks are cute.<br />They spent their first 6 weeks in relative obscurity in the chichen run, captured by a sun drying screen propped against the chicken keep wall, keeping them and their special food from the grabbing ckickens. I visited once or twice a day. Water change and food top up.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMNw4RW8l2APUepcZPVE-ISL8xW2iuNJlBUqsEdyKCdkN4mrPR8F7fCSVkMSUqVFFEcJ5plTYCPVklN2X9TK7XmtRaHXvGgr5gVbMkeBgMi8Bw1zvei1ZRkbquLETBn2j3KqAUhZa6qqx/s1600/ducks1_400.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMNw4RW8l2APUepcZPVE-ISL8xW2iuNJlBUqsEdyKCdkN4mrPR8F7fCSVkMSUqVFFEcJ5plTYCPVklN2X9TK7XmtRaHXvGgr5gVbMkeBgMi8Bw1zvei1ZRkbquLETBn2j3KqAUhZa6qqx/s400/ducks1_400.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560898185530310450" border="0" /></a><br />Week 6, solid birds, big beaks, varacious appetites.<br /><br />The palacial duck palace finished, they moved.<br />A home of round wood construction, pine plank flooring, watertight iron roof, an impressive split level ramp good for small gauge wheel chair access. A stream of water from the the laid played melodies on the flow form as it replenished the pond that dominated their environs. No better in duckism was seen.<br /><br />Week 9.<br /><br />Big birds, big beaks, varacious appetites, big shitters.<br />Just 6 of them convinced me with their never ending quacking and the two rivers just a lob away that they should range free, free as a bird, free as a duck. Off they went. For a week it was as shephard and flock, a handfull of grain and they came, with a terminator like destructon through the veg garden. Chickens peck, Ducks muller, no way back for a cabbage.<br /><br />Week 10<br />My shepharding abilities seemed demeaned, a handful of grain or two? who you kidding. 3.30 pm I saw them last, happily mullering another raised bed then no more.<br />Downriver they went never to be seen again.<br />Its a real hungry gap this year.<br /><br /><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/102397.aspx">How Much Room Do You Need to Raise Free Range Chickens?</a> (brighthub.com)</li></ul></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=d6402f8f-a242-47c8-b6b8-4978a6804134" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-32375722832556670062010-12-27T14:00:00.008+00:002010-12-27T14:38:21.867+00:00Property for sale in Ribamondego Quinta Pimpao, close to Gouveia.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAP5wGnMrDpwPXR-sCtgCG-0uDNgtqf1t39MW5Qd4gCvnXEpfUmgRqr_kjlybYviQb7S8uDcJZEDJlPTIZyJDAyLnZyiZjy44K8STQ6QfZ8dTm8vyxep87Ro6mY3_nLaQBnYYAZTveJbi/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAP5wGnMrDpwPXR-sCtgCG-0uDNgtqf1t39MW5Qd4gCvnXEpfUmgRqr_kjlybYviQb7S8uDcJZEDJlPTIZyJDAyLnZyiZjy44K8STQ6QfZ8dTm8vyxep87Ro6mY3_nLaQBnYYAZTveJbi/s400/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555366733535957202" border="0" /></a>1.1 hectares with very good access and electricity near by.<br /><br />Recently dug 125 meter bore hole providing year round fresh water and great views of the Estrellas and down into the Mondego valley.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdNJcx7oF2NViVxXNNkoADuj8EnmRCytyZgwwza0AH0VV9kZ1HhdHr95fpqSy-YhurK0wGVNZk1rLqjTrUbiIrRM6akxSJjs5yQ1nCIloE37oUWHObQuu6nvZUO-RwFco0TKn5NXZNQDt/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdNJcx7oF2NViVxXNNkoADuj8EnmRCytyZgwwza0AH0VV9kZ1HhdHr95fpqSy-YhurK0wGVNZk1rLqjTrUbiIrRM6akxSJjs5yQ1nCIloE37oUWHObQuu6nvZUO-RwFco0TKn5NXZNQDt/s400/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555366740351695938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span>Quinta Pimpao, Ribamondego, close to Gouveia.</span></span><br /></div><br />Various trees including mature pines and cork oaks with good flat areas for cultivating. The quinta would make an ideal on or off grid property with heaps of solar and wind potential.<br /><br />There is a small 40 sqM ruin with a unique and huge rock making up one of the walls, the granite stonework is sound but the roof needs new timbers.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSRuInH_50_bzq9YCR8qTUXzSaoxERHepLhYsLxdnQkYkr9t9VMJv1TJITh4yp8b_1cRend3JKQgOppeYV9_pg_zIjsmv-EFar59PkmdRYJ6wX88r8REuESseWzK17_DfjR6lsiM_bfQT/s1600/011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSRuInH_50_bzq9YCR8qTUXzSaoxERHepLhYsLxdnQkYkr9t9VMJv1TJITh4yp8b_1cRend3JKQgOppeYV9_pg_zIjsmv-EFar59PkmdRYJ6wX88r8REuESseWzK17_DfjR6lsiM_bfQT/s400/011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555367826544164658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The land has planning permission to develop a home with a footprint of up to 200 sqM in addition to the ruin.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cN_pfta0Wn4pHhM8y2liPtQGbs84zXbtIoECX9ECJk6x0JIiVYJhq0UuNNf9fMUu9cRJAofzA1K5hd8bBGTDvFfexn3FhBeo-yaniI4S6NvJL5bh2o8yCPiEM1LImIZDaGtK3dGU2tss/s1600/008.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cN_pfta0Wn4pHhM8y2liPtQGbs84zXbtIoECX9ECJk6x0JIiVYJhq0UuNNf9fMUu9cRJAofzA1K5hd8bBGTDvFfexn3FhBeo-yaniI4S6NvJL5bh2o8yCPiEM1LImIZDaGtK3dGU2tss/s400/008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555366728389707938" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The property is 1km from the village of Ribamondego, a smal friendly and helpful community and only 5 mins from the train station in Gouveia which links to Coimbra and the rest of Portugal.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlU1FLCvOQgrTo_ZDyjZ-XJsmRzxTjcncggO2naDcKbBZfqg3xsRVH2aT3H8kLF_ZVV58vBLljBMJ2GFBTudIip1ugUlU4lNHX_1h06yHUpArKdiCs123K-Ijq70OGjB2C_lbqtv43QuhD/s1600/007.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlU1FLCvOQgrTo_ZDyjZ-XJsmRzxTjcncggO2naDcKbBZfqg3xsRVH2aT3H8kLF_ZVV58vBLljBMJ2GFBTudIip1ugUlU4lNHX_1h06yHUpArKdiCs123K-Ijq70OGjB2C_lbqtv43QuhD/s400/007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555366727075238962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The property is also for sale with Belaserra, a local trustworthy estate agent in Seia, go to <a href="http://www.belaserra.com/cybimob/index.php?option=com_hotproperty&task=view&id=810&Itemid=99999999">belaserra.com</a> for more pictures. However if you would like to contact the owners directly you can email them at notbob33@hotmail.co.uk<br />This is a great opportunity to deal direct with the owners, no hassle or complications. The owners, an English couple, live nearby and will make sure the sale is smooth and hassle free.<br /><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.winebookclub.org/portuguese-wines.html">Portuguese wines</a> (winebookclub.org)</li></ul></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=b86d96a6-2dff-424d-b53a-ac6914ee2d6d" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-32823722792074623422010-09-27T21:19:00.003+01:002010-09-27T21:32:18.127+01:00Crystal at 7 weeks, Itsy at 4 months<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtsrfvakG1-njCfD2BO9vV5J6_trH_gMzMvodSwUIQnNVRrZrXT7F_Ik-6WXWZGe-QpTebS0c07p92ZQRZme3pYhH5_IEsjfgVREtrgY8w33NCYiNXcEUUteK9vkRryps5zDG5klJQ660/s1600/100_2014.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzez9HC1gjOyRva1pY1Q6zybTrJgTaciVEat2CNQfdHIWbLQTcarc0knkwu9fIAWYi75PLcbh0zSNMdP4I6pJZ1AxHEl1GtUEwVZdc3lTOYHkyBTr0CqlCjMcPgoV8mLitfcziIl8J_TN/s1600/Crystal+7+weeks.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzez9HC1gjOyRva1pY1Q6zybTrJgTaciVEat2CNQfdHIWbLQTcarc0knkwu9fIAWYi75PLcbh0zSNMdP4I6pJZ1AxHEl1GtUEwVZdc3lTOYHkyBTr0CqlCjMcPgoV8mLitfcziIl8J_TN/s400/Crystal+7+weeks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521692806442153474" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Crystal is about 7 weeks old now, how time flies.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">She is a beautiful puppy and going to make a fantastic farm dog.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtsrfvakG1-njCfD2BO9vV5J6_trH_gMzMvodSwUIQnNVRrZrXT7F_Ik-6WXWZGe-QpTebS0c07p92ZQRZme3pYhH5_IEsjfgVREtrgY8w33NCYiNXcEUUteK9vkRryps5zDG5klJQ660/s1600/100_2014.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtsrfvakG1-njCfD2BO9vV5J6_trH_gMzMvodSwUIQnNVRrZrXT7F_Ik-6WXWZGe-QpTebS0c07p92ZQRZme3pYhH5_IEsjfgVREtrgY8w33NCYiNXcEUUteK9vkRryps5zDG5klJQ660/s400/100_2014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521692811620385058" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">She and Itsy the kitten have bonded and play for hours daily.<br /></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-79271008995194108092010-09-04T00:32:00.004+01:002010-09-04T00:48:52.098+01:00Carbon “Fixing” Plants<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhjeIMuJJTgqZALadrigP_rJUY7CeB20JcO0iPO1qCW1tKd8thyphenhyphenvFm4c-SmbdXhGNz-8SerpiykTI1Xhb9Ul8U5i8VxEvoMxmyDDmj0A3kkHa0rEEiCNuZLdTAxdll356w2dN30HJ-6c-/s1600/mulch.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhjeIMuJJTgqZALadrigP_rJUY7CeB20JcO0iPO1qCW1tKd8thyphenhyphenvFm4c-SmbdXhGNz-8SerpiykTI1Xhb9Ul8U5i8VxEvoMxmyDDmj0A3kkHa0rEEiCNuZLdTAxdll356w2dN30HJ-6c-/s400/mulch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512837981651317474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Mulch from carbon “Fixing” Plants</span><br /></div><br />Most gardeners are aware of “nitrogen fixing” plants; those plants, typically legumes, that have formed symbiotic relationships with soil bacteria to take airborne nitrogen and fix it into water-soluble form. As far back as the Romans, humans have fostered this natural occurrence to increase yields and increase fertility. What we hear about much less is carbon “fixing” plants – in Permaculture speak – biomass or mulching plants. In the past year, as I have learned more and more about soil ecosystems, I have become far more convinced that these “carbon fixers” are even more important in early successions as we heal our suburban ecosystems.<br /><br />I have developed a mantra over the summer as I have worked to sloganize what it is that we are doing. The result has been my oft-repeated imperative to: Heal the Soil, Store the Water, & Plant Useful Plants. In a nutshell it is a roadmap to maximize the potential of any garden space – if the soil is alive it has more nutrients cycling in it, if the soil has sufficient water stored under mulches and in humus then the potential increases again. And once these two are in place, one can maximize the solar potential by filling in the canopy. Of these, I feel the first is the most important as it makes the others possible. And to heal the soil, you need carbon (organic matter).<br /><br />Plants are truly the conduits of energy into the earth – by capturing solar energy and turning it into simple sugar they supply the foundation for 99.99% of all life on the planet, whether it is through root exudates in the rhizosphere or nectar through their flowers, plants make life possible. But life also needs carbon, and most life on the planet gets its carbon from plants in the form of organic matter – the main food source of the bacteria and fungus in the soil. But some plants do this better than others.<br /><br />There are the grasses with their dense root systems that build soil visibly every year, and there are trees that cover the ground in a thick blanket of leaves every year. Finally there are other plants that form stalks and stems that form significant amounts of soil as well – the tall grass prairies, corn/sunflower stalks, and windblown branches from softwoods such as willows, sycamores, and poplar. What these have in common is tough, long carbon chains in their cell structure that resists decomposition. This resistance to decomposition -in lignin, cellulose, etc- is what forms humus. And it is humus that forms rich soils. This is something to be very mindful of as we mulch our gardens.<br /><br />If you were to build a compost pile of nothing but greens, with only the barest amounts of “browns”, the pile would heat up very quickly, but would decompose down to almost nothing – 75-90% of the bulk would be gone. That is because greens lack cellulose and lignin and are mostly water and nutrients – vital to soil life, but almost completely consumed in the decomposition process. Compare this to a similar sized pile of shredded leaves. It will take 4x as long to decompose, but the result will be 400% more humus with only a 25% reduction in size.<br /><br />In most of my permaculture guilds I have stressed the green mulches of comfrey, sorrels, chives, etc to pull and cycle nutrients, and for several years I have imported my cellulose and lignin in the form of dozens of yards of wood chips. Now that my gardens are maturing, I am starting to pay more attention to including plants specifically to “fix” carbon to maintain soil humus levels. In the 6 years I have lived here I have lost about 1-2″ of total height in our 3 oldest perennial beds compared to the sod. That is because the humus in the perennial beds is degrading over time, while the roots of the fescues in the lawn are forming .25″ of humus a year. I had not been mulching these beds much as they have almost completely closed “canopies” of thyme ground cover that I didn’t want to smother. I will try mulching more aggressively this year.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxuPmx3DW2gCZtBjwY-uVLZLv3hGVc-igTnL6YtyqFoF0CIX58NaRXTuBRfDavu0M1AEQ9RimM9RSNQghP45IFX1HNtafWhZAL-bqLTbFv3QzR2YigoHpromErgtTK9XoGObJTjNruzvIh/s1600/100_4279_mid.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxuPmx3DW2gCZtBjwY-uVLZLv3hGVc-igTnL6YtyqFoF0CIX58NaRXTuBRfDavu0M1AEQ9RimM9RSNQghP45IFX1HNtafWhZAL-bqLTbFv3QzR2YigoHpromErgtTK9XoGObJTjNruzvIh/s320/100_4279_mid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512836887730220802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Nitrogen fixers such as Russian Comfrey</span><br /></div><br />While all my guilds include nitrogen fixers such as leadplant, false indigos, New Jersey Tea, Serviceberry, etc and green “mulch” plants such as Russian Comfrey, I am beginning to either add in “carbon fixers” and am planting guilds specifically to grow brown mulches. Some of this I am accomplishing by letting box elder seedling mature in my guilds as they sprout in the wood chip mulch. In one spot, I have planted a 20 tree “short rotation coppice guild” of willows, poplar, and box elders. In my annual gardens I am taking much inspiration from John Jeavons and planting “stalky” plants such as corn, sorghum, and sunflowers specifically to produce compost carbon in addition to edibles. Once you change your mindset it isn’t overly hard. Of course, having a chipper to use can become important as well – though many plants such as sunchokes, and weeping willows produce stalks and “leaf” mulches that are laid down without chipping and fast growing trees such as Empress and Sycamore have HUGE leaves that really add up.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ub_oszti7RgTZI2dIFor3Men08dUQdS8f14NGIlE9Qm1Ar0FrA7QLgr2TrZ1jKf4P8HAIeE8Vbl1N1_Sp5m71HGUiT5HjAd41CqjlgVtyLEu434MkG9xNkaCOEMSgdAOKe7p60sBsKJ0/s1600/serviceberry.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ub_oszti7RgTZI2dIFor3Men08dUQdS8f14NGIlE9Qm1Ar0FrA7QLgr2TrZ1jKf4P8HAIeE8Vbl1N1_Sp5m71HGUiT5HjAd41CqjlgVtyLEu434MkG9xNkaCOEMSgdAOKe7p60sBsKJ0/s320/serviceberry.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512836897911017458" border="0" /></a>Nitrogen fixers such as Serviceberry<br /></div><br />As my gardens have matured, and I seek to support the soils I have built using primarily the inputs of my site, I find myself planting more and more of these carbon trees to grow my soil. In doing so I help to maximize the potential of my site by using these fast growing plants to sequester carbon to build the soils beneath my edibles, while also pulling carbon from the air to heal our climate.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWJHIS3plz_3W63i1An0a4FRiKyeE8PCacUkHF5_gPRYY0dbndeK2PGN-FeKTzty0jk93rFrOIlNsgRByjHsT7pqSbLJfBPjh5i7d6FvktUtx-5EIp6tbHNL3Zbk7MyqfCuWAIbwZmGMk/s1600/35155205.BlackLocust6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWJHIS3plz_3W63i1An0a4FRiKyeE8PCacUkHF5_gPRYY0dbndeK2PGN-FeKTzty0jk93rFrOIlNsgRByjHsT7pqSbLJfBPjh5i7d6FvktUtx-5EIp6tbHNL3Zbk7MyqfCuWAIbwZmGMk/s320/35155205.BlackLocust6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512836891238133378" border="0" /></a> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Prime Short Rotation Coppice Trees: Black Locust</span><br /></div><br />Willow, Hybrid Poplar, Black Locust, Box Elder, Empress, Sycamore, Ash, Hazelnut, most Standard fruit trees (annually pruned)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vjM38dcAYGHHW2UtyMuHtdSudpumEDLY4DxPFDnQxt_BTY5DwCZZc59LBTHyD33S867APbDZRFShbHjNavOZK5sQWGZFW-rgF93Est87XRD_q4xGQHn9jFm98Pd3sa7yI5yvIfgOIMJC/s1600/sunflower-showdown.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vjM38dcAYGHHW2UtyMuHtdSudpumEDLY4DxPFDnQxt_BTY5DwCZZc59LBTHyD33S867APbDZRFShbHjNavOZK5sQWGZFW-rgF93Est87XRD_q4xGQHn9jFm98Pd3sa7yI5yvIfgOIMJC/s320/sunflower-showdown.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512836906083116146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Sunflower prime “Carbon Fixing” Annuals/perennials</span><br /></div><br />Prime “Carbon Fixing” Annuals/perennials:<br /><br />Sunflower, Corn, Sorghum, Cupplant, Sunchoke, Small Grains, Amaranth, Quinoa, etc.<br /><br />Many of these trees are useful in many other regards – Black Locust is a nitrogen fixer, provides rot resistant wood, and its flowers are a great early nectar source. Black Maul willow is one of the most striking plants I have ever seen and the new growth makes incredible baskets. Hazelnuts and Sunflowers are some of the best ways to grow healthy fats in the northern hemisphere. Carbon gardening is by no means boring or a wasted effort!<br /><br />Productive soils need to have all their nutrients cycled, not only the water soluble ones, but also carbon to replenish that which is lost due during the respiration of the soil organisms. If we are to truly garden in the spirit of nature, we need to make sure that the carbon is replaced with the same diligence that we give nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and the 96 other macro and micro nutrients.<br /><br />Posted on September 3, 2010 by <a href="http://onestraw.wordpress.com/">onestraw- Rob</a><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles by Zemanta</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/2010/08/15/what-is-humus/">What is Humus?</a> (green-trust.org)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.brighthub.com/diy/lawn-garden/articles/85705.aspx">Effect of Colored Mulch on the Growth of Plants</a> (brighthub.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.hbb2obm.com/gardening-tips/pine-needle-mulch/">Pine Needle Mulch</a> (hbb2obm.com)</li></ul></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=576f81b5-de41-42c1-bc19-34ea0e21321d" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-80772946128000204602010-08-21T14:26:00.006+01:002010-08-21T14:52:44.566+01:00Crystal, new life for Joe and Carmela and fat as butter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-aFQ5pSb9gKZaQx6eTvDSzUwL4nEZQhGucD9myiptyl6-c-EpRysQmPdPcSxQYOntW2NvtBvrN6TXBGQMDsWBeR_Z5casM-vx-qrA-PmBmFR5bmrPQkpPGAFpGDabBzIlkzXNw_3Pv5w/s1600/100_1933.JPG"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA19mbp0t2hKBmUCr-6vK7oqP4NQLYmA_0_P1uvskv0MFzH6H6N_wmDt6evg4EXsRGDQraEN_DuV67jIsPIzRnJQdg3Nse6sgGb5hWijhw9MoYURbL6pUs-vdQ1GDsWtqEIJ0srRlsEq93/s1600/100_1938.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA19mbp0t2hKBmUCr-6vK7oqP4NQLYmA_0_P1uvskv0MFzH6H6N_wmDt6evg4EXsRGDQraEN_DuV67jIsPIzRnJQdg3Nse6sgGb5hWijhw9MoYURbL6pUs-vdQ1GDsWtqEIJ0srRlsEq93/s320/100_1938.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507854742131976194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Crystal new life arrives as old life is consumed, a good start for Senda Verde</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJY7euu5vtEOl462_s6aWQE3sPMGS_5JVKjQWFmHmBUWVqHJY-3mktowCa0vipufZCt2_u2fbxkAKrV82ddGWHSyGKsa6FjaRdSOg2Ig2HK6U0qxxIov1EW0WFy_aESJdoxDfQCUdkKiH/s1600/100_1937.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pPO3WLDJwatDMH1U167y0bsH3Oz8rPvN9jIOPiEZFBJySOnX_nEy02R9lmB72LaVQRTYFgcL0bIf5VWdCvjgIe0vYoR6VxPlYLfGKI0TLIJotSrAaigDSeVrynjgchd5aMMmG2lFW3se/s1600/100_1935.JPG"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKw-3Zgy72WN_jvJFB5sDNsVhuI9pcowgnGdRKyWuhFcV0B0E-W_1XfXyhf7DhXhHw3BBg5dvrCTLHTJqXyIy4Cl7DpG5FVI7uAf1g0t2JPpbMlZC_F_62smNV7HO8p_Z-6Re-BYNTqy98/s1600/100_1934.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKw-3Zgy72WN_jvJFB5sDNsVhuI9pcowgnGdRKyWuhFcV0B0E-W_1XfXyhf7DhXhHw3BBg5dvrCTLHTJqXyIy4Cl7DpG5FVI7uAf1g0t2JPpbMlZC_F_62smNV7HO8p_Z-6Re-BYNTqy98/s320/100_1934.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507854722339251474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">As fat as butter and she is packing on the oz, carmela is a great mum</span><br /></div><br /><br />Crystal, yes after three weeks of my amateurish inspections and two outside opinions, shes a she and she is called Crystal.<br /><br />In honour to the crystal pool where im drawing my life saving water and to the fact that she cried and cried yesterday till I lifted her out her basket and she let a big crystal stream go on the floor, what a dog, house trained, all be it her house is the dog basket, but house trained at 3 weeks.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Welcome Crystal.<br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-aFQ5pSb9gKZaQx6eTvDSzUwL4nEZQhGucD9myiptyl6-c-EpRysQmPdPcSxQYOntW2NvtBvrN6TXBGQMDsWBeR_Z5casM-vx-qrA-PmBmFR5bmrPQkpPGAFpGDabBzIlkzXNw_3Pv5w/s1600/100_1933.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-aFQ5pSb9gKZaQx6eTvDSzUwL4nEZQhGucD9myiptyl6-c-EpRysQmPdPcSxQYOntW2NvtBvrN6TXBGQMDsWBeR_Z5casM-vx-qrA-PmBmFR5bmrPQkpPGAFpGDabBzIlkzXNw_3Pv5w/s320/100_1933.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507854746810700450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My friend told me she was sheep dog stock with 4 white paws which fires the ball right back into Joes court, she was also early as I caculated 6th to 12th of August as delivery date but Carmela delivered 29th July, again firing the ball back into Joes court, Carmela escaped once, the penultimate day of her heat, Joe followed and came back wrecked, battered bruised and scarred so obviouslly defended Carmela till the end, but with a 29th delivery date that would put conception right into Joe and Carmelas honeymoon period, no other dogs around, just the two of them glued at the hip.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJY7euu5vtEOl462_s6aWQE3sPMGS_5JVKjQWFmHmBUWVqHJY-3mktowCa0vipufZCt2_u2fbxkAKrV82ddGWHSyGKsa6FjaRdSOg2Ig2HK6U0qxxIov1EW0WFy_aESJdoxDfQCUdkKiH/s1600/100_1937.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJY7euu5vtEOl462_s6aWQE3sPMGS_5JVKjQWFmHmBUWVqHJY-3mktowCa0vipufZCt2_u2fbxkAKrV82ddGWHSyGKsa6FjaRdSOg2Ig2HK6U0qxxIov1EW0WFy_aESJdoxDfQCUdkKiH/s320/100_1937.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507854738466256370" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My boy Joe and my new sweetheart Carmela are the proud parents of Crystal a fat as butter, as my friend is fond of saying, Pyreness Sheepdog, Griffon, Portuguese Setter, Estrella cross.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pPO3WLDJwatDMH1U167y0bsH3Oz8rPvN9jIOPiEZFBJySOnX_nEy02R9lmB72LaVQRTYFgcL0bIf5VWdCvjgIe0vYoR6VxPlYLfGKI0TLIJotSrAaigDSeVrynjgchd5aMMmG2lFW3se/s1600/100_1935.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pPO3WLDJwatDMH1U167y0bsH3Oz8rPvN9jIOPiEZFBJySOnX_nEy02R9lmB72LaVQRTYFgcL0bIf5VWdCvjgIe0vYoR6VxPlYLfGKI0TLIJotSrAaigDSeVrynjgchd5aMMmG2lFW3se/s320/100_1935.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507854726345167986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles by Zemanta</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com/2010/08/carmela-and-joe-create-first-new-life.html">Carmela and Joe create the first new life on Senda Verde</a> (permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com/2010/08/biggie-2just-when-you-thought-it-was.html">The Biggie 2...just when you thought it was safe to go back on the farm</a> (permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com)</li></ul></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=72b8145c-e728-455b-859f-bace5f84b4e9" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-82497684135957895592010-08-16T18:46:00.003+01:002010-08-16T18:59:51.767+01:00The Biggie 2...just when you thought it was safe to go back on the farmSunday 13th August, day two of the biggie.<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.es/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.es&captions=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.es%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fvirtualworld360%2Falbumid%2F5506061382678812849%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /><br />The far bank of the Mondego had practically burnt to a cinder, there was not much left to go and I was feeling like I might have escaped. Rob had been over to inspect the damage, we had been for a cofeee and smoked a cigar and congratulated ourselves on getting away with it. At around 2pm the wind did a complete reversal from blowing from the South West to howling like a banshee from the North East. It skipped over the Mondego river without pause and started in my direction in earnest.<br /><br />I was sitting on the computer, drink in hand thinking that Senda Verde was a blessed place when I started to see horrid acrid smoke fly past the window. I ran outside and onto the house roof and realized that it wasnt over the nightmare was only just starting.<br /><br />I managed to wave down a helicopter, Id see this guy many times pulling water from my river over the last two weeks and always gave him the thumbs up and a cheery fist salute. This time I had a sheet and was waving it madly and pointing to the ridge line, jumping around like a mad man. He did his best, he pulled 8 bucket loads from the river in front and dropped it on the lower ridge line, the area that would potentially stop the fire from crossing the small river where I draw my drinking and irrigation water from. He circled me after 8 loads, seemingly saying, "sorry mate I can do no more" and headed off to save a village or something.<br /><br />I turned the landrover for a fast getaway, started her up, put the wee man and carmela in the back, shut the caravan, loaded the tractor and all I could find into the barn, gave the cat a bucket of water and chucked two buckets onto her mezzanine floor area. I ran with lilly down to her animal house and did the same trying to clear as much loose hay and burnable crap out of the stall. I left her with a kiss, some water and a prayer.<br /><br />I took my last photo as the fire engulfed an old ruin that sits at the same hight as my water fall pool. I decided that when it reached there I had to go, I wasnt so sure about the geography on this one and the road out of Senda Verde runs very close to the ever rising fire line. I realized I was pushing my luck, so with one more snap I got Joe in the car and we raced upwards to the village and the community center for another 24 hours of nail biting waiting.<br /><br />I was allowed back down at 4am Sunday morning, I managed to kick the door in on Lillys house, it was burning up when I got there and I got her out, the poor thing was in shock but shes gone to Rob and Fis with fresh green grass and lots of love. Im going to visit with Maggie on Wednesday and I hope theres no lasting damage and Maggie can give her a good check up, physically she was fine on the outside.<br /><br />The cat seemed like nothing had happened which is a blessing, the barn and the house got hit very little, a tribute to swales and decent irrigation.<br /><br />I have some videos which I will post when I have some time, some powerful pieces of nature red in tooth and claw.<br /><br />Life goes on, ive still got 5 or 6 raised beds with plants growing and tomorrow I hope to fix some sort of irrigation system so they dont die a slow death, Im down to my last 500 lts in the tanks so its a water tonight and tomorrow and then I better get some water from somewhere.<br /><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles by Zemanta</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com/2010/08/senda-verde-came-close-but-no-cigar.html">Senda Verde came close... but no cigar</a> (permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com/2010/08/senda-verde-welcomed-first-volunteers.html">Senda Verde welcomed the first volunteers during July.</a> (permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com/2010/07/lilly-goat-joins-senda-verde-project.html">Lilly the goat joins the Senda Verde project</a> (permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com/2010/08/carmela-and-joe-create-first-new-life.html">Carmela and Joe create the first new life on Senda Verde</a> (permaculturesendaverde.blogspot.com)</li></ul></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=8e4a5d02-f4ef-4408-ab58-233885d5d768" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-16157798735533764682010-08-14T14:03:00.001+01:002010-08-14T14:03:00.092+01:00Sepp Holzer: A Permaculture Worldchanger<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlj09t82HRK8BaKTfwM71g8djAQRLD5sjKPymrv-VA36qSgCFF9LUrHEGqovbI3OsCoOWzvdSzHu80cNm9PFEBpbV98ucjMGVDy6UlYUcHvVrKHXn8YRLrGdo87-Pp4FrJ0ZnLgXsE81RP/s1600/u49179-86735_uporni_kmet_sepp_holzer_blogshow.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 316px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlj09t82HRK8BaKTfwM71g8djAQRLD5sjKPymrv-VA36qSgCFF9LUrHEGqovbI3OsCoOWzvdSzHu80cNm9PFEBpbV98ucjMGVDy6UlYUcHvVrKHXn8YRLrGdo87-Pp4FrJ0ZnLgXsE81RP/s320/u49179-86735_uporni_kmet_sepp_holzer_blogshow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504510500763551042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">He is the author of several books, works nationally as a permaculture-activist in the established agricultural industry, and works internationally as an adviser for ecological agriculture.</span><br /></div><br />Permaculture as a systematic method was first practiced by Austrian farmer Sepp Holzer in the 1960s, about 10 years before it was scientifically developed by Australians Bill Mollison or David Holmgren and their associates.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aBKNLPYsaFaxkqS6FA7ApWWxOChcmc1hbAj-xjoT0viQ0pLa-plELg1yncreOh89a0xraHfE3gbuP_2hbUEFNrg0CofGz-_L08CaluOf1YWd8NI_jTbXEdWvIOyB4ziLUhOpuMPrqMab/s1600/Sepp_visit_11_08_02.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aBKNLPYsaFaxkqS6FA7ApWWxOChcmc1hbAj-xjoT0viQ0pLa-plELg1yncreOh89a0xraHfE3gbuP_2hbUEFNrg0CofGz-_L08CaluOf1YWd8NI_jTbXEdWvIOyB4ziLUhOpuMPrqMab/s320/Sepp_visit_11_08_02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504510496317637778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Sepp Holzer, work with nature instead of confronting it and working against it.</span><br /></div><br /><br />Without trying to describe his method in particular, I simply want to point out a few things why this man is so important and why he is even more important TODAY:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXOTGmA5lIcx1MDhkPgEo6TU5414kcw3HkF983guj1Z545nJTXWstlvcEP9OpduFbJrvOhjTrTik_eUVtNZwVH39pqvCHLx5XEhhnzaDU5qBKMWX06TErNm1w3QVUi5PPvRC-U-kh4-Bz/s1600/sepp_visit_11_08_01.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXOTGmA5lIcx1MDhkPgEo6TU5414kcw3HkF983guj1Z545nJTXWstlvcEP9OpduFbJrvOhjTrTik_eUVtNZwVH39pqvCHLx5XEhhnzaDU5qBKMWX06TErNm1w3QVUi5PPvRC-U-kh4-Bz/s320/sepp_visit_11_08_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504509592130577650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">45 hectares of forest gardens, including 70 ponds and tens of thousands of fruit trees, shrubs, vines and highly productive vegetables and herbs at an altitude of 1500 meters</span><br /></div><br />- His expanded farm now spans over 45 hectares of forest gardens, including 70 ponds and tens of thousands of fruit trees, shrubs, vines and highly productive vegetables and herbs at an altitude of 1500 meters (~5000 feet). He has created a self-sustaining landscape in which he produces many varieties of the best quality fish, fruits, nuts, vegetables, mushrooms, pork, poultry and even citrus and kiwi without irrigation, fertilizers, pesticides or weeding. His farm is said to be the most consistent example of permaculture worldwide.<br /><br />- He is the author of several books, works nationally as a permaculture-activist in the established agricultural industry, and works internationally as an adviser for ecological agriculture. He is often asked by desperate governments to rescue big areas of land (he currently has projects in: Austria, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Poland, Ecuador, Norway, Scotland, Switzerland, Russia, Montana, Columbia, Brazil, Thailand, and Ecuador). Governments turn to him and big corporations turn to him; it is about time to grant people like him more attention.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxL6uU5B-Sm5U_W7oTJpX3iikvN7fvkvF9J_AEXIfydI5DWqE3yEtbonyJooA6xCGQlx_1cgZlcqZSfHmp_bf4UOWlC1qDhzC0tdJ3LJ3WRtmu7j16WIV3R0AcvgYL2BbwibixlQIXtkfR/s1600/211784390_f697bf37dd.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxL6uU5B-Sm5U_W7oTJpX3iikvN7fvkvF9J_AEXIfydI5DWqE3yEtbonyJooA6xCGQlx_1cgZlcqZSfHmp_bf4UOWlC1qDhzC0tdJ3LJ3WRtmu7j16WIV3R0AcvgYL2BbwibixlQIXtkfR/s320/211784390_f697bf37dd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504510492228518418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">He actively fights for farmers’ most basic rights</span><br /></div><br />- He is getting older and has gathered much precious, relevant experience and knowledge. In his latest talk I experienced his strong urge to share this knowledge. To that end, he gets involved in bigger and bigger projects, to show and prove that his "alternative method" is the only method that is actually working for permaculture.<br /><br />- He actively fights for farmers’ most basic rights, such as the right to plant the crops the kinds of plants they want how and where they want.<br /><br />- He uses rare and ancient seeds and crops to promote more variety in the ecologic system and is therefore one of our most important activists against institutions such as Monsanto and genetically manipulated food (which is now also legal in Europe).<br /><br />- One of his biggest and most relevant truths is to work with nature instead of confronting it and working against it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvonm62ru6hbo-zHsh-LJr0F8yOD2m31iv6cVeoZ92PkJHTdUmio38fyTkDirhLbvXCB7GhkJQcEsVRj3LUhpZEHMHmqspAi7Nbw17lHKDJ0xCZRH_sRULcVlbDTt0yoIR-jkIuPh_TXUi/s1600/Sepp_visit_11_08_02.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvonm62ru6hbo-zHsh-LJr0F8yOD2m31iv6cVeoZ92PkJHTdUmio38fyTkDirhLbvXCB7GhkJQcEsVRj3LUhpZEHMHmqspAi7Nbw17lHKDJ0xCZRH_sRULcVlbDTt0yoIR-jkIuPh_TXUi/s320/Sepp_visit_11_08_02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504509589383054178" border="0" /></a><br /><br />- Last, and I find most importantly, he puts trust back into people's hands. He claims anyone can do it!<br /><br />To check his latest projects visit his <a href="http://www.krameterhof.at/">website</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw7mQZHfFVE">YouTube</a>. He is working on a radical book that will come out next year.<br /><br /><br />Image Credit(s): Photos of Sepp Holzer and his farm in Austria via Der Krameterhof.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.worldchanging.com/bios/uleshka.html">Uleshka Asher</a> is a writer always on the lookout for inspiring people who have something to say. She is also a regular <a href="http://www.worldchanging.com/">Worldchanging</a> Correspondent.Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-30443489757987211832010-08-13T04:08:00.006+01:002010-08-13T13:34:42.152+01:00Senda Verde survives massive forest fire, still an oasis of green<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fvirtualworld360%2Falbumid%2F5504721176970112433%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="400" height="267"></embed><br /><br />Portugal is in flames, on the 11th of August according to the mainstream national news more than 128 forest fires were burning. The Bombieros are stretched to maximum many of them having gone 3 days straight fighting forest fires. The sound of spotter planes and buzzing helicopters which seemed so novel just a few weeks ago had merged into the background white noise, then it was my turn for a close call.<br /><br />Towards the South near Nelas a forest fire had been raging for a couple of days, plumes of acrid smoke chocked and made breathing a strain, then the wind turned and started blowing North East and the fires started getting closer to my Quinta.<br /><br />My local fisherman friend came down and suggested I load up the landrover with the dogs and head up to the village, but the wind was pushing the fire towards me but on the opposite side of the Mondego river, I made a calculated decision and told him I was staying put for the time being. He headed up to the village on his motorbike and I made sure he understood to tell the bombieros that I was still down here, just in case it all went bad.<br /><br />I sat and watched as the fire slowly engulfed the far side of my mountain valley, the wind pushing it along the ridge line and with the natural river barrier I thought maybe I could escape. Over the brow of a hill came another seperate fire front, pushing directly towards me, it still had to cross the river but it was low in the valley and I realised I was in trouble.<br /><br />I jumped in the landrover and went up the track to view the danger zone only to meet the bombieros on their way down. The insisted I get out now, so I did a quick U turn and headed to pick up the dogs and essentials, said a small prayer to Senda Verde, Lilly the goat and Itsy the kitten and headed up to the community center in the village.<br /><br />Im writting this at 4am, the house, the caravan, Lilly the goat and Itsy the cat are all ok, Ive not seen the damage done yet, but thank you to the Bombieros of Mangualde proffesionals and volunteers alike, your all hereos, thank you to the villagers of Cervaes for your kindness and support and thank you for letting me pick up the pieces, whatever they may be, and start again tomorrow.Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-89248274338958253612010-08-11T11:31:00.002+01:002010-08-11T11:54:42.536+01:00Regenerative Permaculture with Darren Doherty<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJlVz-xxRw7fdMUJ3nEfny4ss-XqxSFwdmYoBtSo3wT7yCQn9isx0jAn3NRYbXG6VoS2zMc7_FEAuf0PkJ8pXW3if8TrG4DkTOCdE2nQXGrCfLP5RoYWXVrSSDA2B3YU1O9GfnZbtSbQa/s1600/3256983273_18df13f014_m.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJlVz-xxRw7fdMUJ3nEfny4ss-XqxSFwdmYoBtSo3wT7yCQn9isx0jAn3NRYbXG6VoS2zMc7_FEAuf0PkJ8pXW3if8TrG4DkTOCdE2nQXGrCfLP5RoYWXVrSSDA2B3YU1O9GfnZbtSbQa/s320/3256983273_18df13f014_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504103875559750338" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />In this 100th episode of the Agroinnovations Podcast we are joined by Darren Doherty, a permaculture designer and consultant who is an expert in keyline design, broadacre permaculture, and agroforestry. Topics of discussion include Australia as a source of innovation in agriculture, regenerative vs. sustainable agriculture, the life and work of P.A. Yeomans, the keyline orders or permanence, open source agricultural implements, and the Spanish Dehesa as a model for broadacre permaculture. This episode is a tour-de-force of many of the critical issues facing the permaculture movement.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://agroinnovations.com/index.php/en_us/multimedia/blogs/podcast/2010/08/episode-100-regenerative-permaculture/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">click here to listen to the interview or download to your player</span></a><br /><br />Congratulations Frank on your 100th episode looking forward to many more.<br /></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=9bf8f8b1-88ca-4712-a3ae-b21edc1b6260" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-52129994399885148702010-08-01T15:22:00.004+01:002010-08-01T15:38:02.312+01:00Carmela and Joe create the first new life on Senda Verde<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQb85K7ythzZRsUl0XQfX_Izep_QoyN0L4y44uslw0kxWxm9mnM5CpqsEy5WNcO2YhTCgsR058S9AGZUN4jSR3wJKk0pFsGrcpvh3bWH-js7YEGyadWrBiMKAw1G1e1DhjPM7jGVcze5j/s1600/100_1739.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQb85K7ythzZRsUl0XQfX_Izep_QoyN0L4y44uslw0kxWxm9mnM5CpqsEy5WNcO2YhTCgsR058S9AGZUN4jSR3wJKk0pFsGrcpvh3bWH-js7YEGyadWrBiMKAw1G1e1DhjPM7jGVcze5j/s320/100_1739.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500448834735739058" border="0" /></a>After a nights sleep and a good feed for both Mum and pup<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoHe-kQIBLWThEGFB1O-Ae442S9-eLiZ4vL_ySJC58MOft_OHy2NDENyescp5Kxa9xig7B4hG5yn8CeVHzt3JuUEkbkGA_lYR1Or3CHKLITiFuFcS1ep-TaHu1kDD4zQlSKScDBsykU2p/s1600/100_1738.JPG"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeW7FVxAjH1Vuu4Z7N_2P-APVcGW7Omo6lC2ScFoBWuDoRg4n0bur_ktkl9huVkc7FzuY1E9gfYHq1tvpx-NZIRkM_Ev4BmYpw1uNBJbJfEsFr4pdaQHje8IUrPK9JD89BbHz0hGPfBwMv/s1600/100_1736.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeW7FVxAjH1Vuu4Z7N_2P-APVcGW7Omo6lC2ScFoBWuDoRg4n0bur_ktkl9huVkc7FzuY1E9gfYHq1tvpx-NZIRkM_Ev4BmYpw1uNBJbJfEsFr4pdaQHje8IUrPK9JD89BbHz0hGPfBwMv/s320/100_1736.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500448808560669090" border="0" /></a>Carmela and puppy, Joes not allowed near yet<br /></div><br />Saturday afternoon Carmela my 1 year old bitch came into the kitchen and laid herself out on the sofa. She had been showing signs for the last few days, nest building and general agitation and she hadnt touched her food the night before.<br /><br />Carmela never comes inside the house so when I saw her on the sofa and panting heavily I sprung into action and got all the old sheets and towels I had laid aside for this moment and made her a comfy nest.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZO1-H4c98auWJ1gZ5d_1B7vWvQjMM9di4Lp6KBm8BVrAcMS0CmpQzOVyhIPOzQ5XegTMuHrbyhh0_br10j1CbAdqxsLPuramY2X0JxJKpFxlLBdJCg8v6hqkmsr2i8uxHg4tP5wJGBly/s1600/100_1735.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZO1-H4c98auWJ1gZ5d_1B7vWvQjMM9di4Lp6KBm8BVrAcMS0CmpQzOVyhIPOzQ5XegTMuHrbyhh0_br10j1CbAdqxsLPuramY2X0JxJKpFxlLBdJCg8v6hqkmsr2i8uxHg4tP5wJGBly/s320/100_1735.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500448798493670930" border="0" /></a>Just a few minutes old and yet to home in on the nipple<br /></div><br />It was only around 10 minutes after when the head appeared, I cleared the placenta from the pups head and Carmela did the rest, what a moment, my old faithful dog Joe was banished outside and Carmela and our new addition have taken up residence in the kitchen.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoHe-kQIBLWThEGFB1O-Ae442S9-eLiZ4vL_ySJC58MOft_OHy2NDENyescp5Kxa9xig7B4hG5yn8CeVHzt3JuUEkbkGA_lYR1Or3CHKLITiFuFcS1ep-TaHu1kDD4zQlSKScDBsykU2p/s1600/100_1738.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoHe-kQIBLWThEGFB1O-Ae442S9-eLiZ4vL_ySJC58MOft_OHy2NDENyescp5Kxa9xig7B4hG5yn8CeVHzt3JuUEkbkGA_lYR1Or3CHKLITiFuFcS1ep-TaHu1kDD4zQlSKScDBsykU2p/s320/100_1738.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500448820695942370" border="0" /></a>Mum and pup sleeping happily<br /></div><br />Last night was comfortable for all concerned I slept just a meter away from them and Carmela drank plenty and eat a few dried biscuits, this morning she had a bowl full of dried food and puppy has been suckling and sleeping. With no competition as a 1 pup litter the wee fellow will be packing on the weight.<br /><br />Its a great start for the future as animals are a major part of my off grid self suffciency plans and also the first time ive assisted at a birth. I hope they all go as smoothly as this one did.Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-41239149580717101822010-08-01T14:19:00.005+01:002010-08-01T14:58:47.173+01:00Senda Verde welcomed the first volunteers during July.<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vw9tZr4Bfc4ItC_fgupVXnM_MxHfSG52GenmqmEYrF0ve-k1gMkaPrUzEcdt3T65Jxx5MH5BLlwRWJtYEg3LCS57hxjf95r1D6Bmi5jOhbtRg4GJcAxyToe-uO_QyLEWOgrQQ1Nw8AeD/s1600/100_1726.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vw9tZr4Bfc4ItC_fgupVXnM_MxHfSG52GenmqmEYrF0ve-k1gMkaPrUzEcdt3T65Jxx5MH5BLlwRWJtYEg3LCS57hxjf95r1D6Bmi5jOhbtRg4GJcAxyToe-uO_QyLEWOgrQQ1Nw8AeD/s320/100_1726.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500435743361565810" border="0" /></a>Bugui rotivating the new terrace<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbRI-e-F9swe6UUFYhYeqVFpj-orCpDXjKIP8cf2HdKyPwFEcgdPaM4N2lMJt0r0sP49ZJaApeWhKPE-SGbWV3MY5JgjOK3sCMFo-bPtaxNdYlxlge79IfKfaW0JaWizRYaHXlZi7iKvT/s1600/Permaculture+group+of+Galicia.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiPX2FwOgNDu6yAIf6dguBrrCyzxzLDB6KpxreUKpcgvnY9OKvSKowAmb8p6dGH2RqImaIuzJx4L-WN7f8W9vq3-HPg6tNtUSqSrfFrWXqfpv7fpwF4iuq9MfpydkIxq-AAQLdGrhW30c/s1600/Onza+and+Christina.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiPX2FwOgNDu6yAIf6dguBrrCyzxzLDB6KpxreUKpcgvnY9OKvSKowAmb8p6dGH2RqImaIuzJx4L-WN7f8W9vq3-HPg6tNtUSqSrfFrWXqfpv7fpwF4iuq9MfpydkIxq-AAQLdGrhW30c/s320/Onza+and+Christina.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500435728652163682" border="0" /></a>Christina and Onza moving goat poo to the newly cleared and rotivated terrace.<br /></div><br />Christina from Italy spent just over three weeks here and Bugui and Onza came down from Galicia where they are very active in the network of Permaculture in Galicia. I spent most of last winter with my caravan parked up at Buguis finca while I got to know the permaculture crew up there and looked for some land to start Senda Verde.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbRI-e-F9swe6UUFYhYeqVFpj-orCpDXjKIP8cf2HdKyPwFEcgdPaM4N2lMJt0r0sP49ZJaApeWhKPE-SGbWV3MY5JgjOK3sCMFo-bPtaxNdYlxlge79IfKfaW0JaWizRYaHXlZi7iKvT/s1600/Permaculture+group+of+Galicia.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbRI-e-F9swe6UUFYhYeqVFpj-orCpDXjKIP8cf2HdKyPwFEcgdPaM4N2lMJt0r0sP49ZJaApeWhKPE-SGbWV3MY5JgjOK3sCMFo-bPtaxNdYlxlge79IfKfaW0JaWizRYaHXlZi7iKvT/s320/Permaculture+group+of+Galicia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500435725126690546" border="0" /></a>Make hay when the sun shines and it has certainly been shining with temps over 40 degrees these last weeks.<br /></div><br /><br />I didnt find the land in Galicia but ended up finding this amazing place but good friends were made in Galicia and Bugui and Onza made the first visit down and really put their heart and soul into helping me out, clearing terraces, making hay and generally lifting the energy of the place.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlSG-T3_xfQ5IA6Rkqi_kSHCeiK0u3RtEQCwtu-eGnJ3wyVlMA_fX42UZoZKa9ehopS573pDcKFMs5xE6HDV16t7g4eoCxAQTRSsgxCoow_JJqEwwJfjL7PQHFZ33bJ5r5RItfcipYa5-/s1600/collecting+hay+while+the+sun+shines.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlSG-T3_xfQ5IA6Rkqi_kSHCeiK0u3RtEQCwtu-eGnJ3wyVlMA_fX42UZoZKa9ehopS573pDcKFMs5xE6HDV16t7g4eoCxAQTRSsgxCoow_JJqEwwJfjL7PQHFZ33bJ5r5RItfcipYa5-/s320/collecting+hay+while+the+sun+shines.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500435739248162210" border="0" /></a>Bottom terrace cut for hay and ready for a winter crop of rye and cabbage.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdeSKJTzS1LIdw03iFj9AfR3HNWmrPkXlzbGvnOqVZErEtL0T45-iGl-ePHB-duplMglI0W2vTt_P2MnZwGTaz6zEL_WfWiDSTcd_DDks5e9wfHHU1xIYtltj_vJNgkaz7T7jk9XCCaVg/s1600/Standing+stone+circle.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdeSKJTzS1LIdw03iFj9AfR3HNWmrPkXlzbGvnOqVZErEtL0T45-iGl-ePHB-duplMglI0W2vTt_P2MnZwGTaz6zEL_WfWiDSTcd_DDks5e9wfHHU1xIYtltj_vJNgkaz7T7jk9XCCaVg/s320/Standing+stone+circle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500435738579147474" border="0" /></a>Onza and Christina crossed the Mondego and climbed up to the ancient standing stones, this Dolmen seems to balance the energy from the Mondego river which runs north to south and the water fall river that falls from the west, these standing stones give a double energy vortex with its center right in the middle of the Mondego river, where I spend most afternoons cooling off and meditating.<br /></div><br />Thank you so much for all that you did and as we say in Spain, me casa es tu casa.Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-23674301066367840172010-07-08T17:57:00.006+01:002010-07-08T18:22:57.165+01:00Lilly the goat joins the Senda Verde project<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KtEepMXyAei3yvAbDQzym_KVWXamAEvuRIcGHFNK3oKvFEOj374YfVscS-O2XN-0as8w0JXGP645QqXX7gE-gdklBaemYODh0SKOJyilTn4WyPpYoKnMPaDaH6wLp9uGyl30FUF9cusx/s1600/100_1662.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KtEepMXyAei3yvAbDQzym_KVWXamAEvuRIcGHFNK3oKvFEOj374YfVscS-O2XN-0as8w0JXGP645QqXX7gE-gdklBaemYODh0SKOJyilTn4WyPpYoKnMPaDaH6wLp9uGyl30FUF9cusx/s320/100_1662.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491586473631769714" border="0" /></a><br />Lilly a five month old Cabrita joined the project on Friday and is settling in well.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0JwFPqVer_9Y77ib9rYp-LydJk8DMYPDk7923IdCnhN7l-wmRpS8evnTDhyphenhyphenTrjppgz0oQZmmtmj_qHNq8b6jpM-NXExMvoz_Ief732SGmoUBc0bQbtWZ3Ii3ZSeK9m9h3oe9Lbp0Fifd/s1600/100_1660.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0JwFPqVer_9Y77ib9rYp-LydJk8DMYPDk7923IdCnhN7l-wmRpS8evnTDhyphenhyphenTrjppgz0oQZmmtmj_qHNq8b6jpM-NXExMvoz_Ief732SGmoUBc0bQbtWZ3Ii3ZSeK9m9h3oe9Lbp0Fifd/s320/100_1660.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491584247449674818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Carmela has taken the role of Goat dog and its great to see her naturally abilities as a working dog shine through. She is also pregnant and due from August 6 to 12th so I hope the Senda Verde family will be expanding again in a few short weeks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4bBn63LM1egbl4qFIekUb0QxBWjKVkbGNl2J3I37KbJyP17RvxCW49-X7_miduT7GuMFpB0mFx_2k0oQ0_gCoAn-RC9jbarXDJ2KyxkLFEwfFqOHuep7573fkweHSUXzmzb7iwUa69L6/s1600/100_1653.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4bBn63LM1egbl4qFIekUb0QxBWjKVkbGNl2J3I37KbJyP17RvxCW49-X7_miduT7GuMFpB0mFx_2k0oQ0_gCoAn-RC9jbarXDJ2KyxkLFEwfFqOHuep7573fkweHSUXzmzb7iwUa69L6/s320/100_1653.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491584259165537602" border="0" /></a><br />Lilly follows without a rope very easily and its a lot of fun to take a ramble with her.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24BDzn7NMlJyBSJFGrtP2xTPiMXUMnW52kkx3faxipTXrXY7nPbaDbWV3pv6bZSdEA98OWyknzof6FBm2s4eGx0pbp8dZTcqAGyS1fWjhe0hK_pTEOBWqezvKIAuj9qK92n5xmq2ciuhw/s1600/100_1669.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24BDzn7NMlJyBSJFGrtP2xTPiMXUMnW52kkx3faxipTXrXY7nPbaDbWV3pv6bZSdEA98OWyknzof6FBm2s4eGx0pbp8dZTcqAGyS1fWjhe0hK_pTEOBWqezvKIAuj9qK92n5xmq2ciuhw/s320/100_1669.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491584247256109218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I will be looking for another Cabrita of a similar age so Lilly has company and in November bring in the services of a Billy goat. Its a 150 day gestation so around April they should kid and 3 or 4 months later once the new kids are weaned, Lilly and her companion should continue to give milk for up to two years, and it should make Senda Verde self sufficient in diary and a cash crop of goats cheese.Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-6220932161063959392010-06-26T13:00:00.000+01:002010-06-26T13:00:29.901+01:00'Striato d'Napoli' the first courgette of the season<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho46C0JVO1CwNX4m9lwRVgRYQsjhLzCYyppkxuKf-tL_v3UEZzbFBUPyyi2CTw7PN7oMinatMSdUzMLi7bMKP2kjyQlUsS5YGVuRwTdJ-BUSeUpjY6vUGRukpC92xwZcn1lpHWwUi3jIC_/s1600/First+courgette+Striatori+di+Napoli.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho46C0JVO1CwNX4m9lwRVgRYQsjhLzCYyppkxuKf-tL_v3UEZzbFBUPyyi2CTw7PN7oMinatMSdUzMLi7bMKP2kjyQlUsS5YGVuRwTdJ-BUSeUpjY6vUGRukpC92xwZcn1lpHWwUi3jIC_/s400/First+courgette+Striatori+di+Napoli.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487044236045659282" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">'Striato d'Napoli' Courgette from the real seed company</span><br /></div><br />A good early courgette from Italy. Big bushy plants giving lots of long, pretty fruit with alternating light and dark green stripes. Perfectly smooth and round in cross-section, and the flesh doesn't go as 'soft' when cooked as other courgettes do.<br /><br />Thanks to the <a href="http://www.realseeds.co.uk/index.html">real seed company</a> for this years excellent range of heritage hierloom seeds.<br /><br />The first courgette of the season wont be turned into soup, but with many more to follow a freezer full of soup seems like a good idea.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy85MarxpurfoVTCqCOsTQQzQPEpERsWmUBvSTo1Q_73szkVvqgeLBqhurz6Ypz5n5e9b7FyPr0BTa0ofeCmh64xA4tI0nRV1HawCHiW7BN_icsS0xwDxtOBaNfOsAy9jzsU1XfrDsl5yC/s1600/22174+plant.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 65px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy85MarxpurfoVTCqCOsTQQzQPEpERsWmUBvSTo1Q_73szkVvqgeLBqhurz6Ypz5n5e9b7FyPr0BTa0ofeCmh64xA4tI0nRV1HawCHiW7BN_icsS0xwDxtOBaNfOsAy9jzsU1XfrDsl5yC/s400/22174+plant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486814151291342066" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Courgette Soup Serves 4 or fill the freezer.</span></span><br /></div><br />Ingredients<br />* 1 kg courgettes - any size and colour<br />* 250g potatoes (suitable for mashing), peeled or scrubbed<br />* 2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed<br />* 1 medium onion, peeled & chopped<br />* 30ml olive oil<br />* 150g soft cheese (see note below for alternatives<br />* Handful fresh chives, chopped<br />* Handful fresh summer herbs of your choice, chopped<br />* 1 ½ pints water (or mild-flavoured stock<br /><br />The method<br />1. Wash the courgettes and chop them into chunks. Cut the potatoes into cubes (smaller than 1 inch).<br />2. Heat the oil gently in a large pan. Add the onion and garlic.<br />3. Gently cook for about 5 minutes, to soften.<br />4. Add the potatoes. Stirr. Cook gently, covered, for about 15 minutes, until about half-cooked.<br />5. Add the courgettes and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.<br />6. Add 1 1/2 pints of water - just enough to cover the contents of the pan. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.<br />7. Remove from the heat and liquidise the soup.<br />8. Add the Cheese & herbs.<br />9. Season to taste with salt & pepper.<br /><br /><br />Cupboard-To-Table<br />About 40 minutes. (Most of this is waiting, so actual preparation time is about 15 minutes<br /><br />Thanks to veg Box recipesFraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-67101905466148845542010-06-25T18:58:00.004+01:002010-06-25T19:27:53.375+01:00The Milk Thistle guild<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja84nusvkL6mY7wpQBzPXrS1bcN1ZtKyefgsGOZKhaXgymPW8PzFm336-RnbeNHJTVwy1ClJFNO4UAArrvPcLHXzQCPUwPZD86wITlATDEtSEUbP3K8_a9Rkm5oL41BlvSqpi2mMas9yy1/s1600/milk+thisle.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja84nusvkL6mY7wpQBzPXrS1bcN1ZtKyefgsGOZKhaXgymPW8PzFm336-RnbeNHJTVwy1ClJFNO4UAArrvPcLHXzQCPUwPZD86wITlATDEtSEUbP3K8_a9Rkm5oL41BlvSqpi2mMas9yy1/s400/milk+thisle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486776890069998034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Milk Thistle... a candidate for "food from the gods"</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">...im going to try and make friends</span><br /></div><br />With a date fixed for the arrival of Liliput, the first Cabrita at Senda Verde I have been reading a couple of books on goat keeping and mentally sizing up the job of repairing her sleeping and living quarters and securing an area on the main terrace where she can graze freely but not get at the veggies.<br /><br />I intend to get into the habbit of a morning walk with Lilliput, the goat, Joe and Carmela the two dogs, Itsy the kitten but its wishful thinking that she will ever make the break from the mezzanine floor of the barn.<br />Perhaps, rod over shoulder and a can of worms from the worm farm I can make the most of early morning fishing opportunities whilst Liliput grazes on river bank lushness.<br /><br />I met my friend Maggie last weekend at the monthly farmers market in Baril de Alva. Maggie is a veteran small holder of five years, self sufficient, off grid and an expert on goats. Maggie kept a small herd and made cash from the sale of goats cheese and various other homesteading craft spin offs, from carpets to purses. In the permaculture tradition Maggie expertly manages an input, her goats, and maximises their uses right through her sustainable system, from manure for the permaculture garden, to milk, cheese, skins and meat, Maggie also tells me they make great companions.<br /><br />Animals are an integral part of self sufficiency and are essential to a sustainable permaculture design. After three months on the land I realise Im still making big decisions way to quickly but the luxury of waiting is not mine at present. Phase two of the project, Animals, is being forced by the impending over production from phase one, the raised bed veggie gardens. The plan is working even if it feels a little racy at present. You can imagine it was with great pleasure that I set up my stall next to Maggie and we got down to some serious goat talk.<br /><br />Liliput is due mid July but Maggie advised that I start collecting Cardamon thistle or Milk thistle, as the crushed seed heads are used to turn the curds and whey, a natural process rather than using rennet. Im currently on the solar dryer project at the moment so was hunting the finca for wild fennel to dry with one eye out for milk thisle and I think I discovered some.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkCuV7j5tvPyuiZ9ebZHqcNSASb7tek7LFjrmBTYX9yT6HtZ-epT1LDUNO07oM3kN5EiacMdchg1rbC4W2uW3vEVQ0iQ0BLbRXil3kTyDHgd2rRfuEXlQXWdO-MyZpVPf_EzdMe1pBeBr/s1600/B450milkthistel_web.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkCuV7j5tvPyuiZ9ebZHqcNSASb7tek7LFjrmBTYX9yT6HtZ-epT1LDUNO07oM3kN5EiacMdchg1rbC4W2uW3vEVQ0iQ0BLbRXil3kTyDHgd2rRfuEXlQXWdO-MyZpVPf_EzdMe1pBeBr/s400/B450milkthistel_web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486775010211259106" border="0" /></a><br />I also discovered a mountain of very interesting information on the health benifits of milk thisle,<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-style: italic;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify; font-style: italic;">Milk thistle seed extract protects the liver from a variety of common toxins, including alcohol, pesticides, heavy metal poisoning, pollution, and medications of all kinds. It has been used for more than two thousand years for medicinal purposes, and its use as a detoxifying agent and treatment for liver disease is well validated by research.<br /></div></blockquote><br />In the permaculture tradition im going to collect seeds and grow this as a cash crop. I can sell the plants, prepare a tincture and use it as a natural rennet replacment for making goat cheese. Maggie told me she got a premium for her cheese that was prepared using crushed milk thistle pods. An excelent guild, milk thistle, goat cheese and a tincture of silymarin, all from a wild growing plant.<br /><br />Ive also been looking for something to detoxify heavy metals, recent water analysis research on the effects that chemtrails have on the water table show high, off the scale concentrations of barium and aluminium, both heavy metals.<br /><br />Here is a good article on the many health benifits of the Milk Thistle<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71D68-U7I4gNmCaD0JEnF3Dv4pyIoVKJ9ZLTwPttcsVd6JZ-Wg1IS60mlRK0S1iIsy6XUGmBYMBrKKYvqLDB0ge_HjW5vqY8ZZ7p69OQfjRZQbkYHRlFX-3oITKQ_DmvZXO47TQqcITFL/s1600/milk-thistle-tres-lowres.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71D68-U7I4gNmCaD0JEnF3Dv4pyIoVKJ9ZLTwPttcsVd6JZ-Wg1IS60mlRK0S1iIsy6XUGmBYMBrKKYvqLDB0ge_HjW5vqY8ZZ7p69OQfjRZQbkYHRlFX-3oITKQ_DmvZXO47TQqcITFL/s400/milk-thistle-tres-lowres.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486775021935711362" border="0" /></a><br />Milk Thistle: Benefits and Side Effects<br /><br />A short, wide, prickly plant known as milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is the source of a popular herbal remedy that is widely used to detoxify the body and to treat liver disease. Milk thistle seed extract has been shown to have antioxidant properties that help the liver function and stay healthy.<br /><br />As the name suggests, this herbal remedy is derived from the seeds of the milk thistle plant. Many people take milk thistle seed extract as protection from environmental toxins, such as second hand smoke. People with liver disease, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, jaundice and inflamed liver, use the herb to protect and regenerate that vital organ.<br /><br />Milk thistle seed extract contains active compound known as flavonolignans, which can protect the cells of the liver from toxins as well as encourage cleansing and detoxification. When damage has already been done to liver cells, milk thistle can stimulate protein synthesis, thereby helping the liver to repair injury and generate new cells.<br /><br />Milk thistle seed extract protects the liver from a variety of common toxins, including alcohol, pesticides, heavy metal poisoning, pollution, and medications of all kinds. It has been used for more than two thousand years for medicinal purposes, and its use as a detoxifying agent and treatment for liver disease is well validated by research.<br /><br />Milk thistle seed extract is an excellent tonic for anyone under stress. It is also useful for people who use alcohol, recreational drugs, performance drugs such as anabolic steroids, as well as prescription medications. In addition, anyone living in a heavily polluted environment can benefit from supplements of milk thistle seed extract. The herb has a gentle detoxifying effect, and its ability to increase bile secretion and flow in the intestines makes it effective as a mild laxative. Milk thistle seed extract can regulate bowel function as well, making it useful for people who alternate between diarrhea and constipation.<br />Special hybrid seeds are usually used to prepare herbal supplements of milk thistle seed extract. Supplements should be standardized to contain 70-80% of a class of flavonolignans known as silymarin. Silymarin is a powerful antioxidant that is ten times as potent as vitamin E. Three compounds in the silymarin class, silybinin, silydianin and silychristin are the specific substances that produce therapeutic effects in preparations of milk thistle seed extract.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9TX4tDgkQg9_y4DPPq8pQx9AzX4O01WNGj1QZjLOynqLlyi0gjfr1OLaqWqibnp3oWHLAKznEoGKI2_9dBW-SejYoA8BuP20GpDxklUJp48kBjdPm69992sTq8IEEqm9Dxc5I_d33qX1/s1600/milkthistletop.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 364px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9TX4tDgkQg9_y4DPPq8pQx9AzX4O01WNGj1QZjLOynqLlyi0gjfr1OLaqWqibnp3oWHLAKznEoGKI2_9dBW-SejYoA8BuP20GpDxklUJp48kBjdPm69992sTq8IEEqm9Dxc5I_d33qX1/s400/milkthistletop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486775016878072706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The active ingredients can be extracted with alcohol to produce a tincture, or pills can be prepared using the seeds. Milk thistle teas made from bulk seed are also available, but very little of the active ingredient is present in steeped teas. The recommended daily dosage of milk thistle seed extract is 140 to 420 mg in tablet form. This should be divided into two or three smaller doses. Tinctures of milk thistle seed extract should be mixed with water or juice according to instructions on the package. Tinctures can also be taken directly under the tongue.<br /><br />Few side effects have been reported from the use of milk thistle seed extract, though the tablets sometimes cause stomach irritation. A mild laxative effect has been reported as well, but this is often a desired effect of treatment with milk thistle seed extract. The herb is considered safe for, and has long been used by, pregnant women, though it may still be advisable for them to consult a physician before using it. There are no known drug interactions with milk thistle seed extract.<br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://andwelove.wordpress.com/">andwelove</a> for the Milk Thisle health info<br /><br /><fieldset class="zemanta-related"><legend class="zemanta-related-title">Related articles by Zemanta</legend><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/the-astounding-benefits-of-milk-thistle/">The Astounding Benefits of Milk Thistle</a> (healthmad.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.lifescript.com/Health/Alternative-Therapies/Herbs/Milk_Thistle_Herb.aspx">Milk Thistle Herb</a> (lifescript.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/67215.aspx">Try Some Liver Cleansing Herbs When Your Liver Becomes Overburdened with Toxins</a> (brighthub.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/68965.aspx">Purify the Body with a Liver Cleansing Detox</a> (brighthub.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/73850.aspx">Natural Forms of Chemotherapy</a> (brighthub.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.realself.com/question/milk-thistle-vitamin-breast-implant-capsular-contracture">Milk thistle and Vitamin E for Breast Implant Capsular Contracture</a> (realself.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/16226.aspx">Natural Remedies for Hepatitis</a> (brighthub.com)</li></ul></fieldset> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=8cac3298-00a1-4e48-a98a-ea02572f5d4d" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-38862997622536006152010-06-23T15:30:00.007+01:002010-06-23T15:50:51.466+01:00The Peach and Raison Jam Jam<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxig35xEuB6T0DgOltpNXY3znG0p7xyA85eJjob-8esULvnQJ4-QV7kih8znDZSHP5Qp09LKj32KbtRRKDeo54R2SyU4FoPdwLk58rAuStVtOqpXrDfKv0wcynXDhZ9x7-mOkdmouq5m7/s1600/100_1596.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxig35xEuB6T0DgOltpNXY3znG0p7xyA85eJjob-8esULvnQJ4-QV7kih8znDZSHP5Qp09LKj32KbtRRKDeo54R2SyU4FoPdwLk58rAuStVtOqpXrDfKv0wcynXDhZ9x7-mOkdmouq5m7/s400/100_1596.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485980168363090338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I have two small peach tress that have been bursting with fruit.</span><br /></div><br />I did the main harvest yesterday and got 6 kg of sweet tasty peaches which Ive been enjoying on my muslie in the mornings. I bought a pressure cooker last week with just such a moment as this in mind. It was time to try my hand at jam making and preserving my summer bounties for winter leanties.<br /><br />I got this receipt from the internet and added the raisons and lemon juice myself. I cooked the fruit and lemon juice slowly before adding the sugar and then brought to the boil and let it boil for 15 mins.<br />I should have left it longer as the jam didnt set, got to reread that bit on setting points and dropping spoons and saucers again, so ive frozen this lot and it will be used for crumbles or fruit flans.<br /><br />Im happy with my first attempt and looking at the fruit trees it will be the plums turn next.<br />Anyone got an easy plum jam receipt?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgTQk51WYqckW9sWMqLHCIfwhZVvOXv4BCJ7mWB31oKAYgvPxCMELoyePqOGKq5pTjFpYumOevfvIo4Dq4OFC2x3dHOUiGH0TNQfb2EkUSDLgXJA9XoPSC3VxBulgfZDBwidyAapdo2kB/s1600/IMG_0158.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgTQk51WYqckW9sWMqLHCIfwhZVvOXv4BCJ7mWB31oKAYgvPxCMELoyePqOGKq5pTjFpYumOevfvIo4Dq4OFC2x3dHOUiGH0TNQfb2EkUSDLgXJA9XoPSC3VxBulgfZDBwidyAapdo2kB/s400/IMG_0158.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485980417981899746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">How its meant to look...next time</span><br /></div><br />Ingredients<br /><br /> 2 kg peaches<br /> 2 kg sugar<br />Juice 2 lemons<br />2 cups of raisons<br /><br />Directions<br /><br />Bring water to a boil. Put peaches in the boiling water for just 1 minute or under. Take them out with a slotted spoon and place them in cold water. Peel and slice peaches. Discard peach pits. Put peaches into a large (wide-open) heavy bottom pot and add the sugar. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil mixture and stir frequently. Mixture will thicken in approximately 45 minutes to an hour. As mixture thicken, you must stir more frequently to ensure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pot. To test whether the jam is ready, place a cold metal spoon in the mixture and tilt. The jam should form a single stream.<br /><br />Note: The faster you cook the jam the brighter the color will be.Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-4035607148276194942010-06-23T15:03:00.009+01:002010-06-24T11:34:35.416+01:00First wild fire of the summer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintawA6CYdUKEME5-faM7gzoBaKcxuDGGPgolFWU8Ny8uTzc8yNWjX9Ffqpl555_w0YiN64BHtsi5KTW_OpshOYcuN0QcTHQAKAJk_okpzNLPHG3bx7OOFROdhmo7d_ikdDsZxSSZuO42p/s1600/FAQ-boiled-frog-syndrome.gif"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxU1WR9hiILT9wCpiAxoEfD7C_TQ2vbKYBU3A5TRKbAmIKvh3K3WfDS6qlK3UZsvIExY_LlDLOm0fZvxD6GqMIZ19kKX8KSm7OdNVQcI_1-w9PupacG8O0sb85lwQVxdkN9X71xa4fOEHA/s1600/povoa1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxU1WR9hiILT9wCpiAxoEfD7C_TQ2vbKYBU3A5TRKbAmIKvh3K3WfDS6qlK3UZsvIExY_LlDLOm0fZvxD6GqMIZ19kKX8KSm7OdNVQcI_1-w9PupacG8O0sb85lwQVxdkN9X71xa4fOEHA/s320/povoa1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486276198928777394" border="0" /></a><br />Os incêndios, um em Contenças e outro em Póvoa de Cervães, começaram a deflagrar pouco depois de almoço e ficaram um só ao meio da tarde.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNz4tv63ooQomQ276CimlHYCVm5fWPwIj9Bc1fG27zwInPZM40vdCG9ljb3TBVLaVyK7r-yaQROESWBAjMiPiDjB7_QXU2vKZejuM4yozNQeCIPAS9NVcE33YqlKChpFNMoYYdsIREySE/s1600/povoa2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNz4tv63ooQomQ276CimlHYCVm5fWPwIj9Bc1fG27zwInPZM40vdCG9ljb3TBVLaVyK7r-yaQROESWBAjMiPiDjB7_QXU2vKZejuM4yozNQeCIPAS9NVcE33YqlKChpFNMoYYdsIREySE/s320/povoa2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486276203642458770" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ao que conseguimos apurar houve alturas em que as chamas estiveram bem perto de habitações, mas em momento algum houve perigo de arderem já que os homens da paz tinham a situações controladas. O que não conseguiu ser evitado foi o encerramento da linha da beira alta por algumas horas, já que as chamas deflagravam mesmo junto à via-férrea.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7UnfJYngrJ3hhrAAGL7X2SOaTwrDdVRyRK3Y1SZBa-RI-rEY4fwouhQxLkjfA1QN7phrdr4llzavGVlx8w_RWG4xHDyb1jzdR_eN03kEiJM2PNBAF5AA8hmaX1FynJxy4YyQW53NOQXu/s1600/povoa3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7UnfJYngrJ3hhrAAGL7X2SOaTwrDdVRyRK3Y1SZBa-RI-rEY4fwouhQxLkjfA1QN7phrdr4llzavGVlx8w_RWG4xHDyb1jzdR_eN03kEiJM2PNBAF5AA8hmaX1FynJxy4YyQW53NOQXu/s320/povoa3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486276204888702530" border="0" /></a><br />17.20 - Nao Circunscrito<br /><br />17.28 - Grupo de Reforço para Combate a Incêndios Florestais de Santarém accionado para o local.<br /><br />17:53 Accionado 1 Helicóptero Bombardeiro Pesado Kamov<br /><br />18:21 Accionados 2 Aviões Bombardeiros Pesados CANADAIR<br /><br />18:42 No local Engenheiro do Gabinete Técnico-Florestal da Câmara Municipal de Mangualde.<br /><br />18:47 Flanco esquerdo extenso, a arder com intensidade, algumas projecções.<br /><br />21:23 Incêndio circunscrito.<br /><br />21:43 Incêndio Dominado<br /><br />23:12 Incêndio em rescaldo<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.es/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.es&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.es%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fvirtualworld360%2Falbumid%2F5486273444603134225%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="400" height="267"></embed><br /><br />A team of fire fighting helicopters worked furiously filling and refilling the water buckets in the Mondego river infront of Senda Verde.<br /><br /><br />Apparently the fire started at two points, the two villages closest to Senda Verde.<br />Senda Verde sits at least 50 meters below the villages in the river valley.<br /><br />Fire should only move uphill. I did consider the massive downdraft we get each night as the cold air rushes down the valley, but overall felt it safer to sit tight than drive uphill into the smoke.<br />The water supply from the waterfall was at pressure and the team of helicopters filling up in the river infront, whilst working fast, looked in control.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintawA6CYdUKEME5-faM7gzoBaKcxuDGGPgolFWU8Ny8uTzc8yNWjX9Ffqpl555_w0YiN64BHtsi5KTW_OpshOYcuN0QcTHQAKAJk_okpzNLPHG3bx7OOFROdhmo7d_ikdDsZxSSZuO42p/s1600/FAQ-boiled-frog-syndrome.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintawA6CYdUKEME5-faM7gzoBaKcxuDGGPgolFWU8Ny8uTzc8yNWjX9Ffqpl555_w0YiN64BHtsi5KTW_OpshOYcuN0QcTHQAKAJk_okpzNLPHG3bx7OOFROdhmo7d_ikdDsZxSSZuO42p/s320/FAQ-boiled-frog-syndrome.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486285618222928194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Boiled frog sends you all a reminder.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Take total responsibility for naked flames.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The summer is only days old and the heat just starting.</span><br /></span></div><br /><br /><br /> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=3dc0a941-f3f4-43cd-91de-17e81639743a" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040926707443355221.post-28286351907574988102010-06-15T10:35:00.006+01:002010-06-15T10:46:28.201+01:00Seed Drying & Storage<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrFyM7_Sb_igk_CiYK9fe4HesemYsZc77WxM5M8fQ4FNGBIKGvNX8Hr8ZOshdPBH2kT5eescwGFa4jDtf5yoP-xXFZ5ulWbDVrHOAfAXe8Bueat3-zkIuUIoZJqanPyblVVMIOeQ5d7n8/s1600/seeds.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrFyM7_Sb_igk_CiYK9fe4HesemYsZc77WxM5M8fQ4FNGBIKGvNX8Hr8ZOshdPBH2kT5eescwGFa4jDtf5yoP-xXFZ5ulWbDVrHOAfAXe8Bueat3-zkIuUIoZJqanPyblVVMIOeQ5d7n8/s400/seeds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482933321568131762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">You need to dry your seed out, or it will not keep.</span><br /></div><br /><br /><br />Seed that is air-dry is not really properly dormant - its just napping; so it is still burning through its stored reserves of energy and will soon run flat - like a mobile phone left on.<br /><br />Also, you can't put it in a sealed container as it is still breathing - it would suffocate. And without a sealed container, it will soon reabsorb water from the air on the first humid day, and start getting ready to germinate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_hGFQodkZ-AbyDLPEdueqhinkHD20NQ3f44PI7h3FfM5Lh-0UHC3fPUxsj3cS3c6d2nyuhjagati-cxixw9SWBnast0IGYm-JbYgpdbgurc7hmHFScxcgCQRPWDG3Ts-ECKBxuNEQp-u/s1600/seeds3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_hGFQodkZ-AbyDLPEdueqhinkHD20NQ3f44PI7h3FfM5Lh-0UHC3fPUxsj3cS3c6d2nyuhjagati-cxixw9SWBnast0IGYm-JbYgpdbgurc7hmHFScxcgCQRPWDG3Ts-ECKBxuNEQp-u/s400/seeds3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482933331397923074" border="0" /></a><br /><br />How can we dry the seed at home?<br /><br />We'll use dry rice to suck the water out of the seed & get it really dry. Then it will hibernate completely.<br /><br />You need to get:<br /><br />a big jam-jar with a good lid,<br />an old pair of tights,<br />a rubber band,<br />and some rice<br /><br />You need to use at least twice as much rice as you have seed. It doesn't matter if you have too much rice, but too little won't work.<br />Bake the rice on a tray in the oven for 45 minutes until it is bone dry. While it is still hot, put it in the jam-jar , about half full, and screw the lid on .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYWPxCHf56smHdUD0j1OUOSAXoUUwykE0_FJ-ttNaT787SOameGZIXw-EHf5ahbBiYJpA4fMPLIGCERLfSuMsB6qs1zpHdecKCKvwOeXYqWcK4r9nzaSBCCt2HnHOshAdIAb5w2b4URq8/s1600/seeddryingjar.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYWPxCHf56smHdUD0j1OUOSAXoUUwykE0_FJ-ttNaT787SOameGZIXw-EHf5ahbBiYJpA4fMPLIGCERLfSuMsB6qs1zpHdecKCKvwOeXYqWcK4r9nzaSBCCt2HnHOshAdIAb5w2b4URq8/s400/seeddryingjar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482933618360826946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Wait patiently until the rice is cool. (If you rush this you'll cook your seeds.) So you now have a jam jar 1/2 full of very dry, cool rice.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0IJ2WlsjDL_s3TiWpDwpQwvLrGPoJld5-Px-0_51f4Y2UW17yva3laH1MbK7CNNu9lJ7FgrElPLKci_ZOeXtN3FDBrrQVSyjWxSnf-1FSRs4war4rjhd3LF7X2bViiqNly79o8_gYDiu/s1600/seeds2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0IJ2WlsjDL_s3TiWpDwpQwvLrGPoJld5-Px-0_51f4Y2UW17yva3laH1MbK7CNNu9lJ7FgrElPLKci_ZOeXtN3FDBrrQVSyjWxSnf-1FSRs4war4rjhd3LF7X2bViiqNly79o8_gYDiu/s400/seeds2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482933325555296658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Put your seed in a bag made by cutting off the foot of the tights, and tie it in with a rubber band. Put it in with the cool dry rice. Put the lid on tightly, so damp air can't get in.<br /><br />Leave your seed sealed in the jar with the dry rice for a fortnight, and the dampness in the seed will be drawn out into the rice.<br /><br />You now have bone-dry seed that you can safely seal in a plastic bag, and it will keep for several years.<br /><br /><br />Passing it Round<br />This is also important. You will have huge amounts of seed. If you are sure you avoided crossing, and that your plants were nice and healthy, then you have a valuable thing there.<br /><br />You will get about two and a half kilos of seed from a 20-foot-long bed of 30 plants. Now that's actually three-quarters of a million seeds - and if every one of those was given away or swapped, and then grown, you will have created more than 500,000 kilograms of kale! More than enough to feed all your friends and neighbours, and their families.<br /><br />So you can see that even one person, on a small scale, can make a real contribution to local food security. Take your spare seed to a local seed swap, or even better, organise your own. Get to gether with your friends or family and set up a seed-circle: one person can grow kale seed, another parsnips, another cucumber, etc etc. You'll all have bags of seed - you can all just swap with each other, so no-one has to save seed from more than a couple of things, yet you all get seed of everything.<br /><br />It will save you a fortune, and you'll get great, locally-adapted varieties. Just remember, all this is only possible because you are growing real, open-pollinated seed. You can't do this with hybrid (F1) varieties. Funny how the seed companies are so keen on selling you hybrid seed, isn't it?<br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://realseeds.co.uk">Real Seed</a> company for the article and some excellent seeds and great service.<br /><br /><br /><fieldset class="zemanta-related"><legend class="zemanta-related-title">Related articles by Zemanta</legend><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.hbb2obm.com/gardening-tips/collecting-and-saving-herb-garden-seed/">Collecting And Saving Herb Garden Seed</a> (hbb2obm.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://brainz.org/what-quinoa/">What is Quinoa?</a> (brainz.org)</li></ul></fieldset> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=bf5c986e-f9eb-4652-bcfe-100ccab2622a" alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Fraserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03762157322512927166noreply@blogger.com0