Design fruition(s)

Post date: Aug 6, 2016

Today, we went with Stanthorpe Permaculture Group to help Richard and Marion complete one of their swales. We started with the swale that had been dug by a small excavator a few weeks earlier according to a design penned a couple of years ago:

The first task was to level the bottom - we used a builder's level. Looked a lot better after some scraping, chopping, and pulling out roots, and more scraping, and checking the level, and more scraping! At the same time, more soil was added to any lower points on the mound. The next series of tasks was done a small section at a time. Biochar (char soaked overnight in diluted worm tea) was added to the mound and forked in a bit. Trees planted - one nitrogen fixer, then one fruit tree, then one N-fixer and so on. We had made up an inoculant to be sprayed onto the mound (diluted worm tea). As this was sprayed, wet newspaper was added and covered with soybean mulch. Something like this progressing from start to finish:

Bravo everyone! 40m completed in less than 2 and a half hours:

Another design progressing is at Sugarloaf - lining the bottom dam with clay and earthworking in Zones 2/3. Lots of digging and cleaning the bottom. The clay had to be carted in by large truck, moved into place, and then track rolled solid. Lots of work, but it will hopefully now hold water and fill frequently enough to supply us with ample water. After raking, seeding, and haying it is set on its path to regeneration:

Back up near the house. A pond to go here please:

2 hours later, mostly completed (excellent clay under the surface - yay!):

with the slope in the background then transformed into terraces (yes the rocks WERE a challenge for the excavator driver):

and followed by "please dig these circles":

which the ducks thought were for them!

Watch this space as this is transformed into a chicken vege circle successional food system!

and mama pig is due any day now: