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Getting To Know You => Laid Back Lounge => Topic started by: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 12:57:51 AM

Title: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 12:57:51 AM
i live on 25 acres of woods and poor farmland in appalachia. the woods are oak, sycamore, hickory, maybe a few chestnuts, maple, walnuts, you name it. cant do much with it at the moment, although theres a great deer funnel so we can use it for meat later on.. but we have about 15 acres in hay right now, and the lovely wife is starting to reforest it. plus we're going to be planting food to eat and to sell.

the most interesting thing at the moment are the native american hazelnuts. these appeared a year or two ago under the power lines where th ebirds poop, bt we though they were japanese knot weed. then they grew nuts.

(https://i.imgur.com/qxCFUDIl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Mm3ylqzl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/C7oOch2l.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NtloGcRl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yP85ydnl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WrvWEMal.jpg)

they make about 20 plus pounds per each bush. not a tree, so no ladders. at 500 to 1000 per acre, we might be able to do some mailorder and make a side income. absolutely no costs to cultivate after planting-- theyre native, hardy, pest resistant, and free.

gopt go the wife needs something in th elittle greenhouse.

Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cssh cropping
Post by: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 01:19:12 AM
back. she needed a table relocated.

anyway, im interested in making this property as self-sufficient on food as i can get it. hazelnuts, cold weather native pecans, we've got some paw paws started. plus some pears and peaches. in the spring ive got a bunch more peaches to get into the ground and maybe some apples. weve got some soviet figs that may or may not be useful. theyre really need more warmth than we have  they freeze tonthe ground so far but come back up. maybe if i build a heat wall. but thats too intensive for more than household stuff.

we're intersted in native, low-intensity cultivation, food plants. we might get some money out of it, maybe not. if i can get the bees up to 200 or 300 colonies, we can get something out of that.

then with a big vegetable garden and popping three or four whitetails in the falli we ought to be in a good spot.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: jumbojak on August 23, 2021, 03:04:18 AM
Get thyself some yard buzzards. Chickens, despite the current hipness associated with them are perhaps the perfect starter livestock. Cheap to buy, relatively feed efficient, and low maintenance if they are pastured in "tractors" for large gains.

There's a guy who occasionally comes to my gym to teach who started running chickens on his urban homestead and he's bringing in $2,000 per tractor at the moment. They can be used to maintain pasture as well.

As nice as three or four deer in the fall sound, having a bit of variety in your protein is always valuable. Some years you may not be successful hunting and CWD is a concern in the cervid herds right now.

How's your canning setup?
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cssh cropping
Post by: Magdalena on August 23, 2021, 05:21:19 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 01:19:12 AM
back. she needed a table relocated.

anyway, im interested in making this property as self-sufficient on food as i can get it. hazelnuts, cold weather native pecans, we've got some paw paws started. plus some pears and peaches. in the spring ive got a bunch more peaches to get into the ground and maybe some apples. weve got some soviet figs that may or may not be useful. theyre really need more warmth than we have  they freeze tonthe ground so far but come back up. maybe if i build a heat wall. but thats too intensive for more than household stuff.

we're intersted in native, low-intensity cultivation, food plants. we might get some money out of it, maybe not. if i can get the bees up to 200 or 300 colonies, we can get something out of that.

then with a big vegetable garden and popping three or four whitetails in the falli we ought to be in a good spot.
Wow! Sounds good. Sounds great, actually.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on August 23, 2021, 04:02:15 PM
Do you have anything you can smoke?
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 10:51:13 PM
Quote from: jumbojak on August 23, 2021, 03:04:18 AM
Get thyself some yard buzzards. Chickens, despite the current hipness associated with them are perhaps the perfect starter livestock. Cheap to buy, relatively feed efficient, and low maintenance if they are pastured in "tractors" for large gains.

There's a guy who occasionally comes to my gym to teach who started running chickens on his urban homestead and he's bringing in $2,000 per tractor at the moment. They can be used to maintain pasture as well.

As nice as three or four deer in the fall sound, having a bit of variety in your protein is always valuable. Some years you may not be successful hunting and CWD is a concern in the cervid herds right now.

How's your canning setup?

weve always had chickens. guineasand turkeys too.

rightnow we have only halfa dozenhens for tbeeggs . my wifewas trying to get some greens started and the chickens would get em first so theyre in a run right now.

but tbis place isfillthy with deer. i dont let people hunt on it any more exceptmy neighbor, and tbefesa stream with steep bankstbat runs the length of the property. startsomebody walking down it and tbedeerall pop out on tbe road at tbe bottom. easy.

im not big on variety anyway. while im ontbe road i mostly eat nothing but jerky, tinnedfish, and hard cheese. drink water. so if i get enough varietyto stay healthy im good
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cssh cropping
Post by: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 10:52:40 PM
Quote from: Magdalena on August 23, 2021, 05:21:19 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 01:19:12 AM
back. she needed a table relocated.

anyway, im interested in making this property as self-sufficient on food as i can get it. hazelnuts, cold weather native pecans, we've got some paw paws started. plus some pears and peaches. in the spring ive got a bunch more peaches to get into the ground and maybe some apples. weve got some soviet figs that may or may not be useful. theyre really need more warmth than we have  they freeze tonthe ground so far but come back up. maybe if i build a heat wall. but thats too intensive for more than household stuff.

we're intersted in native, low-intensity cultivation, food plants. we might get some money out of it, maybe not. if i can get the bees up to 200 or 300 colonies, we can get something out of that.

then with a big vegetable garden and popping three or four whitetails in the falli we ought to be in a good spot.
Wow! Sounds good. Sounds great, actually.

weve got a shitload of herbs going. ill have wait until im back at tbehouse to locatethe picturez.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 10:54:43 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on August 23, 2021, 04:02:15 PM
Do you have anything you can smoke?

just the deer. weve got a bunch ofdoe goats but havent had the time to get em bred.usedto eat the kids until tbe children made friends out of them
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Magdalena on August 24, 2021, 02:58:59 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 10:54:43 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on August 23, 2021, 04:02:15 PM
Do you have anything you can smoke?

just the deer. we've got a bunch of goats but haven't had the time to get them bred. usedto eat the kids until the children made friends out of them
You can smoke the salmon too.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on August 24, 2021, 12:37:56 PM
unfortuneately i dont live that far into the country

although i recall standing over a freshwater stream in california once somewhere, on the coast. it was late evening, and tbe stream was emptying into the pacific as as a little rivulet not more than thirty feet wide and a few feet deep.

the salmon were coming in from the ocean just under the surface, rocketing through the shallow water straight into the woods beyond.

not far from urban america, that one was
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on August 24, 2021, 02:48:35 PM
Quote from: Magdalena on August 24, 2021, 02:58:59 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 10:54:43 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on August 23, 2021, 04:02:15 PM
Do you have anything you can smoke?

just the deer. we've got a bunch of goats but haven't had the time to get them bred. usedto eat the kids until the children made friends out of them
You can smoke the salmon too.

It's too hard to get the papers around the goats and salmon, unless you cut them in very small strips.  They don't light very easily, either.  And frankly, the high is just not worth the effort.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Magdalena on August 24, 2021, 06:43:45 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on August 24, 2021, 02:48:35 PM
Quote from: Magdalena on August 24, 2021, 02:58:59 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on August 23, 2021, 10:54:43 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on August 23, 2021, 04:02:15 PM
Do you have anything you can smoke?

just the deer. we've got a bunch of goats but haven't had the time to get them bred. usedto eat the kids until the children made friends out of them
You can smoke the salmon too.

It's too hard to get the papers around the goats and salmon unless you cut them in very small strips.  They don't light very easily, either.  And frankly, the high is just not worth the effort.
(https://c.tenor.com/mnJHXabhkkoAAAAd/hyde.gif)

I had a feeling you were talking about that, but when I saw billy's answer about smoking a deer...well... :lol: I thought, Let's smoke a salmon as well.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on August 24, 2021, 07:00:11 PM
But, you  might want to ask Willie about the feasibility of smoking animal matter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyBOpsF4ASo

Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Magdalena on August 24, 2021, 07:34:50 PM
^^^
:lol:
Sorry, billy.
I think it's a witch and witch hunter's "thing."
:grin:

...Please, continue.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on August 25, 2021, 12:42:41 AM
well, regarding animal matter this might seem odd but i am from oklahoma after all and i can attest that burning cow chips have an absolutely wonderful fragrance. like old fruity pipe tobacco

my beeyards were all in cattle ranches anf i burned cow shit in my smoker all the time
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Magdalena on August 25, 2021, 01:50:20 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on August 25, 2021, 12:42:41 AM
well, regarding animal matter this might seem odd but i am from oklahoma after all and i can attest that burning cow chips have an absolutely wonderful fragrance. like old fruity pipe tobacco

my beeyards were all in cattle ranches anf i burned cow shit in my smoker all the time
I don't know, man.
I think I'll pass on that grass.
:shifty:
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Icarus on August 25, 2021, 03:32:08 AM
When I was a wee tad some 85 years ago it was during the great depression of the 30s.  I lived on a tobacco farm in Georgia. A matter of necessity, even survival.

One of the elements of the farm endeavor was to smoke the tobacco............No, not with cigarettes or chewing tobacco. There was a small building that had long poles from end to end.  The tobacco leaves were spread over the top of the horizontal poles.  Some sort of smoking fire was built on the dirt floor. The little shed was closed and the process began.

At the local tobacco auction, the buyers would sniff or taste the smoked tobacco.  If their judgement was that one batch was better than another they would bid on that batch. But that was in the distant past.........Aaaah nostalgia.

Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on August 25, 2021, 03:53:13 PM
Back when you could safely cross the border into Mexico, my parents took me to the market in Nuevo Laredo. I think I was about 9.  There I saw "horse-shit cigarettes". It was written in English, so I guess there was some market for it, if for nothing else than novelty, with Americans. I knew that I wasn't supposed to say that word, but my dad chuckled when he saw it. I admire someone who tried that for the first time. Smelling burning horse or cow shit is one thing, but drawing it deep into your lungs takes a real courageous person.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on August 25, 2021, 04:03:47 PM
have you ever eaten haggis?

i consider that equivalent.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on August 25, 2021, 09:46:44 PM
Quote from: billy rubin on August 25, 2021, 04:03:47 PM
have you ever eaten haggis?

i consider that equivalent.

It's nasty.  I saw a haggis eating contest at a Renaissance Fair once - it made me gag just looking at it. You have to be desperate to come up with something like that.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on August 25, 2021, 10:57:08 PM
its illegal in america. it least the trafitional recipe is.

violates too many health codes
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on August 26, 2021, 12:24:33 AM
I guess in a Renaissance Fair it's allowed. But that is more like England than America.

Would you like some sheep guts with your oatmeal, sir?
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on August 26, 2021, 12:46:45 AM
gah

Method

1
Rinse the whole pluck in cold water. Trim off any large pieces of fat and cut away the windpipe
2
Place in a good sized pot and cover with cold water. The lungs float, so keep submerged with a plate or a lid. Bring to the boil and skim the surface regularly. Gently simmer for 2 hours
3
Lift the meat from the pot with tongs or a slotted spoon, and rinse in cold water to remove any scum. Place into a bowl and leave to cool

theres more of ^^^this

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/traditional-haggis-recipe

Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Magdalena on August 26, 2021, 07:15:52 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on August 26, 2021, 12:46:45 AM
gah

Method

1
Rinse the whole pluck in cold water. Trim off any large pieces of fat and cut away the windpipe
2
Place in a good-sized pot and cover with cold water. The lungs float, so keep submerged with a plate or a lid. Bring to the boil and skim the surface regularly. Gently simmer for 2 hours
3
Lift the meat from the pot with tongs or a slotted spoon, and rinse in cold water to remove any scum. Place into a bowl and leave to cool

there's more of ^^^this

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/traditional-haggis-recipe

I've had kidneys, but I haven't had lungs, yet.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: No one on August 26, 2021, 12:28:29 PM
Funny farms?
Do they count?
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on November 02, 2021, 05:32:30 PM
native hazelnuts. went and picked yesterday. a bit late, but we were all busy

(https://i.imgur.com/sb2VE43l.jpg?1)

weve got some 15 acres of flat ground with a southern exposure, and we can put a lot of it in hazelnuts. these are smallet than the commercial hybrid varieties, but they require zero care beyond making the microenvironment favourable.

we can sell these right now over the net for atound US$12 per pound, and we re looking at significant income from this and other micro enterprises

^^^these were picked off the bushes along about 30 feet of roadside. with flatter ground and thicker plantings we can do much better

Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on November 05, 2021, 01:44:20 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/uF3N3eal.jpg?1)

seed chestnuts.

chestnuts were destryed in america 100 years sgo. there was a blight, and they cut down all the blighted trees and then all the others too just in case they were blighted.

so there eere almost no survivors of a tree that made up something like 25 percent of all american forests.

we re growing these, a variety of mongrel origin that is blightvresistant and edible.

first crop in five years, full production in fifteen. ill be 80 years old so if we cant sell em ill be eating em all
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Tank on November 05, 2021, 08:55:06 AM
Wow! I didn't know that.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on November 05, 2021, 12:17:10 PM
they were dense

the saying in america was that a squirrel could jump from cjestnut to chestnut all the way from mississippi in the south to maine in the north

there are still living stumps that put out new growth but the blight kills them after about 20 years
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Bad Penny II on November 05, 2021, 12:21:28 PM
QuoteUnder the spreading chestnut tree
I sold you and you sold me:
There lie they, and here lie we
Under the spreading chestnut tree
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on November 05, 2021, 03:55:50 PM
i hope not
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on November 19, 2021, 03:24:45 PM
well the wife planted about 30 chestnuts and 160 hazelnut bushes the other day. the chestnuts wont be doing anything for 15 years, but well get an idea about the hazelnuts this cominh spring and summer. well need thousands of those.

pictures coming. i was hauling steel plate into chicago and missed the fun
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on December 08, 2021, 12:18:17 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/cr1jpe0l.jpg)

^^^this is US $1000 worth of nut trees: native american hazelnuts, commercial variety of pecans, and viable mongrel chestnuts.

those are not conkers. you can eat them.

this batch went into the ground in the ex-hayfield over the weekend. we ll have hazelnuts in three yrars, chestnuts in fifteen, and i think tbe pecans start out at around five?

chestnuts: 

https://images.app.goo.gl/7W44TAaX64g4Gqtx9

these trees used to comprise 25 percent of all american hardwood forests. almost all dead now, killed by the introduced fungus.

tbere are a few survivors. ours are hybrids between american and chinese

Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Tank on December 08, 2021, 09:48:19 AM
$1,000! Seriously?
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on December 08, 2021, 12:28:38 PM
more than that, really. figure US $2500. theres about 250 nuts in there.

250 one-year nut trees at $10 each from a commercial nursery. we re taking a hit by planting from seed, but they re essentially free.

the hazelnuts are the best hope. they re native and unusual, and they re prolific. we got five or ten pounds of nuts just casually spending about two hours picking them off trashy bushes on the roadside. with a decent hedgerow style of cropping we can be much more efficient.

it would not be possible to do without direct internet marketing
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Dark Lightning on December 08, 2021, 02:03:44 PM
Do you sell them whole or shelled? As a kid, I ate the hazelnuts (filberts) from the nut assortments that came out around xmas time. I love them, but nobody else could be bothered to crack them open.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on December 08, 2021, 11:27:09 PM
just starting now

so far the plan is to sell one-pound window sacks through etsy, like coffee beans. raw, unshelled. maybe we ll get a sheller, because the american native nuts are about half tbe size of the big oregon types.

but look at this

https://www.etsy.com/listing/536224264/5-american-hazelnut-tree-aka-filbert?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=hazelnuts&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&tr_rank=2&organic_search_click=1&bes=1

^^^this ismarked . . . best-seller. hes selling 5 unshelled hazel nuts for tbree dollars.  ?????

we made 100 lercent of our income for five years at a weekly farmers market selling honey, beeswax candles, and miscellaneous skin care products. (then tbe recession hit and i became atruckdriver)

so we can do this. just have tostart getting plans and product
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Dark Lightning on December 09, 2021, 01:53:42 AM
Quote from: billy rubin on December 08, 2021, 11:27:09 PM
just starting now

so far the plan is to sell one-pound window sacks through etsy, like coffee beans. raw, unshelled. maybe we ll get a sheller, because the american native nuts are about half tbe size of the big oregon types.

but look at this

https://www.etsy.com/listing/536224264/5-american-hazelnut-tree-aka-filbert?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=hazelnuts&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&tr_rank=2&organic_search_click=1&bes=1

^^^this ismarked . . . best-seller. hes selling 5 unshelled hazel nuts for tbree dollars.  ?????

we made 100 lercent of our income for five years at a weekly farmers market selling honey, beeswax candles, and miscellaneous skin care products. (then tbe recession hit and i became atruckdriver)

so we can do this. just have tostart getting plans and product

Something about sheep and fleece comes to mind. He has to have (a) shill(s) making those comments. That price is crazy.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Davin on January 05, 2022, 10:30:48 PM
Not sure if it's appropriate for people to be showing off their nuts.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Magdalena on January 06, 2022, 02:04:54 AM
Quote from: Davin on January 05, 2022, 10:30:48 PM
Not sure if it's appropriate for people to be showing off their nuts.

:lol:


Davin!!
It's good to "see" you, again.
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/9c23db33e0465a65e426e2691a55631f/tumblr_pxmmgkGK141sqsyybo10_r1_500.gif)
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Davin on January 06, 2022, 10:20:05 PM
Quote from: Magdalena on January 06, 2022, 02:04:54 AM
Quote from: Davin on January 05, 2022, 10:30:48 PM
Not sure if it's appropriate for people to be showing off their nuts.

:lol:


Davin!!
It's good to "see" you, again.
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/9c23db33e0465a65e426e2691a55631f/tumblr_pxmmgkGK141sqsyybo10_r1_500.gif)
(https://entreresource.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/welcome-back-gif-6.gif.902008f895660d02e3d653791097bf39.gif)
It's been a wee bit.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: hermes2015 on January 07, 2022, 02:45:21 AM
Good to see you again.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Dark Lightning on January 07, 2022, 04:36:22 AM
Indeed. Have you any insight about Ravingatheists.com going toes up? Chris lived in Hawaii for a long time. Maybe something happened there? I do know that the military bases are having a serious problem with underwater fuel tank leakage.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Davin on January 07, 2022, 10:52:44 PM
Thanks, it's good to be back.

I don't know anything about RavingAtheists, I haven't logged into there for even longer than here.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on May 21, 2022, 08:08:34 PM
well, we have sunflowers going in, sweet potatoes, and a few fruit trees. 1/3 of an acre of sunflowers  supplies caloric needs for several people for a year, and we'll have maybe 600 pounds of potatoes too.

just a start, along with various nut trees and the other seasonal vegetables.

we re fortunate in that when my parents died and left us some money i used it to pay off the farm . so no matter what happens to the economy-- short of an apocolypse-- we re in the clear for somewhere to live and grow food.

we have 25 acres, up here in the eastern deciduous woodland, maybe 40 inches of precip per year. about 2/3  is flat and arable, especially for the low-effort perinnial stuff we re doing-- and the rest is hardwoods. if we want, there are abundant deer and turkey in that stuff we can shoot for meat, or we can raise goats, pigs, and poultry if we choose. the hardwoods are an infinitevsource of fuel, should we go that way.

its a bear in the winter, but the climate is very good for subsistence agriculture. i hated it here when we first moved from california, but that place is spiraling down a drought sinkhole right now, so we seem to be doing well.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on May 21, 2022, 10:45:15 PM
dammit

both our satellite connections are too slow to load images today.

guess ill havr to go back to fixing the air compressor

got a nice motorcycle ride the 20 miles to town and back tho getting pipe fittings
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on September 13, 2022, 07:12:24 PM
this place we live on is an old farm, appalachian-style.

what that means is that the ground has been strip-mined, poorly and casually recl;aimed, and not very productive. its also been hayed every year since god was in short pants,.

the result is that th etopsoil is very thin-- maybe only four or five inches-- and then you get to simple clay that is too heavy for grass roots to penetrate well. the farmers here cut the hay every year, brought no fertilizer or manure back, and essentially mined the fertility the same way the coal company mined the coal.

for the lastr several years weve let a neighbor hay the ground for the price of about ten bales of hay that we feed to the goas and the donkey. easy for us, no involvement and we've been busy.

but now that were putting in chestnut trees and native hazel nuts, im looking over what we have to work with.

heres what the top ten or 15 acres look like, after one half year of lying fallow:

(https://i.imgur.com/KQLvxrQl.jpg)

just the grass hay dying back in the late late summer. theres timothy, some deadnettles, a bit of vetch, and then whatever just grows here naturally. not very nutritious, and not much activity putting anything back into the soil. ^^^this is what it would noprmally look like before next years cropping.

but next to the warehous, the plants have been left alone, for about ten years now. a vast difference:

(https://i.imgur.com/YbywrT0l.jpg)

there's native wild cherries, crabapples, milkweed, teasel, goldenrod, asters, and so on. the ground has been able to reclaim some topsoil and start to build a more varied horizon than the stuff out there thats been cut every year.

were about 6 years into what old eugene p odum christened old-field succession, back when he invented the idea of ecological steps involved in colonizing bare ground. a revolutionary idea, but one that people have finally been paying attention to it for frtility issues.


keeping ground fallow in a rotation is old-school. when i was in california, ground was too expensive to kep out of production, assuming you could buy the water to irrigate it. you hired a consultant who told you what minerals were lacking, and you injected them in with the water. the idea that the soil could regenerate itself was ancient and out of fashion, as well as expensive.

but we're on outr way to an improvement here. the wife bought four chestnuts saplings, and i made her bbuy five more, and when she's not looking ill go get another half dozen. one thing i know for sure is that if you wan to make a living in agricultre, you have to cough up the willingness to start big enough to make a minimum amount of income. four tomato plants wont feed you,. but 400,000 will make a dent in your debts.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: Tank on September 13, 2022, 08:35:06 PM
I really enjoy your farming stories.
Title: Re: farm stuff, any farm stuff. food growing or cash c r opping
Post by: billy rubin on September 13, 2022, 09:28:16 PM
its the future.

my mothers family were red-dirt farmers in pre-united states oklahoma. that ground stayed in the family for well over 100 years, and if i win the lottery ill buyt it all back.

when i was a child i spent my summers there feeding the hogs and beefcalves, living in the house my mother was born in, amidst the debris and litter of a dying way of life.

doesnt have to die. we're in late stage capitalism right now, where the bezos and th emusks are all about insulating themselves from the death throes of the world that theyre killing. but its still possible to grow your own food, provide your own fuel, and live a simple life away from the complications that we make for ourselves.

ive got twenty five acres in a climate where the water is likely never to run out, and in the end, i dont need a whole lot.