Last night brought the first major frost of the season (amazingly a whole 2 months later than usual)...it was beautifully timed with our dark moon Samhain celebrations and meditations....and perfectly timed for the start of 'winter feeding season' for the cows and sheep too. Although there is more grass around for the animals to graze then usual this year, (a combination of a great weather summer and hopefully because of the improvements to the soil with my new grazing system), the quality of nutrition of the grass/herbs rapidly decreases at this time of year because of the ground temperature and decreasing daylight. so the sheep and cows are fed haylige each day from now until next April/May, depending on the weather (and when the grass starts to grow) next spring. Some fantastic hay/haylige was made from the Yorkshire Dales meadows this summer with all those days of sunshine, so hopefully the animals will stay very fit and healthy throughout the winter, with such good quality feed, a total opposite situation from last year when many of the local farmers really struggled with the quality and quantity of feed that was available/produced The Edible Garden has also had an incredibly productive growing season this year again mainly due to the super amount of sunny days, but also because of factors such as created microclimates and species and varieties of plants grown. Now all the frost tender plants have died back, i'll be spending the next couple of weeks, topping up the beds with well rotted manure/straw or garden compost (depending on that will be grown there next year) and then topping with more straw, to add fertility and protect the soil from leaching nutrients through exposure to the elements.
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In the farming world, as in the pagan calendar, the year is often divided into just 2 seasons...winter (the grass stops growing and most agricultural animals need to be fed hay/silage) and summer when the grass, herbs and other plants grow.... As we move beyond the autumn equinox and face the shorter hours of day light and the long , cold winter months here in the depths of the Dales, its that time of year where in the world of hill farming we need to start thinking about which animals are fit and well enough to not only survive but thrive in our harsh climate here over the winter. Its not an easy time, but the decisions are important to prevent suffering in animals who struggle to make it through the winter (and the extra human stress and input that creates), and I have to admit over the years as a farmer I have become much more strict about the fitness needed to thrive in the sheep flock in particular ......most of the lambs are sold on to either grow further on local lower grounds before going to slaughter, or as breeding stock for other farmers....we keep some for our our own lamb customers, and also some of the gimmers (females) to remain here as part of our breeding flock when they mature. The pigs have had an great summer in the sun....bought in as weaners as lambing finishes, they occupy and plough the deep straw beds and the barn used during lambing, as well as having access to outside land and streams of course....but at 6 months old they are huge, fit and a good weight to go to slaughter too......timing this for the autumn also means much less financial/human energy costs as the pigs spend more time inside in the winter, needing more food, bedding, mucking out etc...though the tough, native Berkshire and Gloucester Old Spot breeds we rear would (and have) thrived well in the winters here...so on Monday these lovely girls were loaded into the trailer with a bottle of cider each to make their journey to the piggie afterlife via the abbatoir in Ilkley ...we already have friends and neighbours with orders in for the amazing pork from them ...... ...and then there was old Sam the collie , who also went to the afterlife on Monday. At nearly 13 he'd been blind and deaf for some time, but over the summer had become increasingly confused and distressed with life...Emily at Westmoreland Vets took top quality care, (as she and the other vets at WV do with all our animals), of him in the last few minutes of his life and his passing was incredibly dignified and peaceful....the pack is having to readjust to the loss as they always do...there is a big empty space without him.... And the cows and chickens will all stay..I walked the cows the 3 miles back home for the winter a couple of days ago and they seem incredibly fit and healthy (and hopefully pregnant!)...this years calves, Larch and Spruce are growing really well...Roger (last years calf) is also doing great, but it will probably be after Christmas before he is big enough to be killed for beef...as the temperature falls, the herd will all grow amazingly thick winter coats to keep them snug and warm over the coming months....the chickens are a total tatty mess as they are all moulting but are a hardy bunch who potter on through the winter months just fine (with the odd warm pasta treat in the really cold weather!) ...so, Autumn Equinox week meant a big sort out of the polytunnel here. Usually we have had our first frosts at least a couple of weeks before now, but not this year. The amazing sunny summer here (plus my advancing permaculture design techniques I hope!!) has meant that this year we have had a great harvest of frost tender fruits from the 'tunnel...tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, peppers, chillies, runner and French beans... .....I then removed most of these plants to clear 2 of the 4 raised beds and topped up the beds with well rotted cow/hen manure/straw (3 years old) in preparation for the winter veg seedlings which had been growing on nicely in modules on the 'tunnel shelving ....it's hard to 'cull' plants that are still healthy and producing well, but needs must if the winter plants are going to get established before the cold weather arrives ....... ....some plants in the tunnel will stay for now though ...these runner beans have shared this bed really well with the (2 year old) Tuscan Kale ...and I'm going to let them keep producing as long as possible ..the Kale will provide lots of yummy greens right through the winter ...before being replaced by new (3 different varieties) kale plants (sown from seed last month) in the spring Sept 2013 A quick reflection about my life in the moment, using Holmgren's Design Principles. You don't need to be able to read the details, but I can really recommend the format used in the picture as a grounding way to make sense of the present x
spending time barefoot, literally connecting the soles of my feet to the Earth is a magical thing to do which helps me pause and connect
My roots go down My roots go down, down to the earth My roots go down, down to the earth My roots go down, down to the earth My roots go down I love this song. I learnt it (along with many others), from Starhawk on the Earth Activist Training PDC I attended in California earlier this year. Singing it as I work through my daily and seasonal tasks helps me to feel more grounded, to feel a deep sesnse of connection with the earth and all that flow in, on and around her. This time is essential to me to explore how best I am using permaculture to guide and influence my day to day life , routines and well being Its easy to loose sight of this, (and this focus of the essence of what permaculture means to me sometimes) - my permaculture and diploma 'journey' has got pretty busy - this week I’ve been reviewing my Action Learning Pathway (ALP)……the ‘plan’ for my diploma journey….and reflecting in general about what I am doing and my role within the permaculture community. Over the last year I’ve become involved with the Permaculture Association’s Farming Working Group, and additionally, a group for farming related research, written articles for publication, read and reviewed books for Permaculture Magazine, developed a greater presence and input on permaculture issues within social media. and become more involved with food growing and farming projects in my local community. All of this is of course alongside working away on designs for my diploma portfolio, writing a reflective diploma related blog, regularly meeting up with other diploma apprentices (both online and face to face) to share ideas, support (and eat cake..of course!).... and then the small task of achieving what I need to do as Hill Farmer and Carer, each day. Evaluating my ALP at this time has been really useful and from doing so I've decided that I need to spend a bit more time focusing on being grounded and what it means to me each day, alongside revisiting and reminding myself how I am using permaculture on a daily basis - so press the 'pause' button for a few days I aim to spend the next couple of weeks looking at each of David Holgren's Permaculture Principles, (these are my favourite of the principles, i've got to know them well now!), and evaluate how I am using them in my life right now.. in the present. Someone I met recently reminded me that the present is called so because it is a gift to us, - and the principles feel like an extra special gift to enable me to appreciate my life to a deeper and more connected level. (Internet connection willing!), i'm hoping to document these reflections here x Oh, and am also going to be singing more Starhawk taught songs too as I wander the fields...better warn the neighbours!
...a few of my chickens, sun, bathing...looking healthy with no apparent evidence of red mite infestation
.Red mite infestation is a common health and welfare in poultry in the UK, (and beyond) and this year seems to have been particulalry problematic. Over the last few weeks I've seen much discussion on Facebook and Twitter about various ways of treating and preventing what can be a really distressing and fatal health problem in poultry flocks of all scale and size. I'm not going to use this space for writing in detail about red mite, as there are are some very thorough works already out there about causes, signs, symptoms, life cycle of the mite etc., (which all need to be understood to be able to think about effective and appropriate solutions). I like this PDF from www.practicalpoultryvet.co.uk which gives good, clear information. Over the last few years I've had evidence of red mite in my flock of chickens and I've gathered information over this time from different sources about how best to address the problem, (talking to other poultry keepers - permaculture and non permaculture based; online information; my own vet; local agricultural supply company; poultry keeping books/magazines; 'things I have tried already' etc) In the end I came up with a variety of approaches to the problem... as nearly all of my designing, using permaculture ethics and principles seems to arrive at! The 'Practical Poultry' article above also suggests a diversity of approaches is likely to be more effective than just trying one. So the first thing I have considered is the general health and happiness of my chicken's and how enhancing this will make them more resilient to parasites and disease in general. This is an approach permaculture has taught me about all aspects of my life and work...the more I create environments where we (myself, my loved ones, animals, plants etc) are cared for, protected and nourished in all ways, the more we can cope with adverse events (illness, stress, parasites, infection, predators etc). My chickens are totally free range over as much land as they want...they have access to meadow and woodland where no chemicals are used and there is an abundance of herbage, flowers, grasses and insects for them to choose and eat. This diet is supplemented with a commercial non GM poultry feed plus garlic (which helps to protect against internal parasites) which the chickens rely on mainly in the winter months when there is snow on the ground and the growth of most plants ceases. Their housing is near to the farmhouse which means that people and dogs are constantly around which keeps potential fox problems (and the resulting stress to the flock ) at bay. My understanding and experience is that parasites such as red mite are always going to be around and my general aim is to enable my flock to be able to deal with it themselves to a certain level ...some of the solution I really like using aromatherapy oils to treat both my self and my animals, and have been doing so succesfully for most of my life. It fits really well with a lot of the other interests, attitudes and bbelifes I have relating to health and healing. Recent research undertaken by Newcastle University has shown that various plant oils can have a significant impact on red mite infestations, without causing adverse reactions to the chickens, humans or environment. From the above, I came up with the following treatment for my chickens; If there are signs of red mite infestation (see the 'Practical Poultry' article above)....... * Thyme oil 10 drops * Tea tee oil 10 drops * Citronella oil 10 drops * lavender oil 10 drops * Olbus oil 5 drops ........mix all together in a large spray container, ideally with a little vodka ( or other spirit) to help mix disperse the oils..The only evidence behind using Olbus oil is that Jackie Bridgen a farmer who I very much admire and respect told me she used it for all kinds of poultry care (and other animal care...its very much at the core of my 'medicines' cupboard now), with good effect....so i add it in for good measure. I spray the WHOLE of the inside of the chicken house thoroughly especially any joins/cracks/edges/perches where the red mite are likely to be lurking. i do this every 5-6 days (the life cycle of the mite) for a couple of months then when all signs of the mite have gone I apply the same solution in the same way every couple of weeks or so for 'maintenance'. In addition to this, I apply Barrier Red Mite Powder to the actual chickens at the same frequency as the chicken house treatment as above. The Barrier powder has a similar mix of oils as the spray I have devised above, but in a maize powder base, which means it stays on the bird longer. A recent farming press article here is suggesting a way forward also using some of the plant based solutions as appose to the more damaging insecticides currently used in the treatment of red mite in mainstream commercial poultry farming. This is really encouraging news. Further plans for the care of my chickens, both generally but especially relating to red mite, is to offer fresh (and dried?) thyme in their diet, especially during the summer months (when the thyme is growing and red mite is more problematic). I have no idea at present whether the chickens will eat the thyme on a regular basis (they seem to like the small amounts I have given them so far), or if it will make any difference to their well being...as mentioned before they already eat garlic on a daily basis, the oil of which is listed as beneficial to repelling the mite in the Newcastle University study. I am also going to place a 'dust bath' (big plastic tub) cantaining dry sand and some of the Barrier powder, inside the chicken house, so that the chickens can chose to coat their feathers she they need to in addition to when I apply the powder, what ever the weather. (Chickens naturally seek out dust baths as a way of controlling external parasites) Well this has been a long post!..sorry!!...if you got to the end of it, then well done... and I hope some of it has made sense. I'll provide an update about the 'Further Plans' in a couple of months..... Seems odd to be saying this just now midst one of the most lovely weather summer in years...but i've been sowing seeds for winter edibles!......as ever I am excited about growing as much variety and diversity as possible throughout the year, in order to nurture my physical and emotional health over the long winter months here in the depths of the Dales....this time around the new moon is a great time to sow seeds (new beginnings, new life, gradually rising tides and water levels ...).....my lovely friend Clare visited last week, and she helped to get the winter planting underway.....then yesterday as the new moon emerged I sowed the rest......various winter lettuces, wild rocket, 2 varieties of kale and chard, coriander, parsley, various oriental leaves, carrots, beetroot, lambs lettuce, chicory, peas (for shoots) ...and more radish, spring onions and turnips which will hopefully be ready to harvest before the chill of autumn arrives, at which time I plan to create another 'hotbed' to raise the temp in the tunnel and extend the growing season even further....x 'Letting in the Wild Edges' by Glennie Kindred has, as anticipated, has become my 'book of the moment' and I am really cherishing re-reading the seasonal chapters as the year progresses round the circle......Glennie discusses many different wild edges that are fundamental to our lives, but my focus over the last few days (inbetween sheep clipping and workshop writing..amongst other things) has been to tame down the wilderness of the border of my Edible Garden...I have purposely designed the edge of my edible garden to provide multiple functions....shelter, habitat for pollinators, craft materials, food, and visual beauty...the 'wilderness' type design also means that there is little need for much maintenance over the growing season......the last couple of weeks of hot sunny weather has meant lots of extra growing for this diverse part of the garden though, and it wasn't going to be long before it started competing with some of the annual vegetable beds for growing space, light, nutrients and water........ .....so I set too and trimmed a lot of the growth right back...though not all of it of course!.....some nettles were added to my nettle brew fertiliser and others dried to trial a 'nettle hay' to feed to animals...some of the comfrey was layered under courgette plants and fruit trees, and more added to the comfrey brew fertiliser bucket, soon to be fed to tomato, chilii and cucumber plants in the polytunnel...and the majority of rest of vegetation cut back was just left to fall on the ground it was cut from and will be incorporated back into the ground by all that soil life to increase fertility , carbon and water storage capacity...the exception being grasses that had already seeded which gave to the chickens... .....and of course, an additional positive and yield from this garden care, was the time and freedom to reflect further on Glennies magical words and artwork.....but more on that in another post. You can read the review of 'Letting in the Wild Edges' I wrote for Permaculture Magazine a couple of months ago here
the lovely Lottie.....
...well Lottie the permaculture sheep has been hanging our on the edible garden fence for well over a week now, and has attracted the interest of quite a few walkers and visitors to the farm...iIts all to do with next years Tour De France passing through the area...There are now over 300 'lost sheep' (in yellow jumpers!) around and about ...if you are visiting the Dales over the next few weeks, then look for 3 of the lost sheep,. Enter the details of your spied sheep on the Dales Tourism Business website and win one of many prizes that have been donated by many of the business's participating. I personally am hoping that as well as enjoying being part of a big and diverse community event, that the lovely Lottie will attract people to see and learn from my permaculture garden, and you never know, maybe feel inspired have a go at food growing too..
fleeces of many different breeds of sheep
...this weekend a 'festival of the fleece' was organised at Hubberholme Church., Langstrothdale (my local church)...... I love the beautiful old church here and it was amazing to see how great it looked full of all things fleecy.... local shepherds, feltmakers, spinners, weavers, knitters and dyers had created some beautiful displays and demonstrated their skills and crafts over the weekend...I was lucky enough to be asked to look after my friend, Yvonne,'s feltwork on the Friday evening for the festival preview, and it was great to see so many local people coming along to participate in celebrating such a connecting feature of life here in the depths of the Dales. .....the whole event was really inspiring , not only in terms of the amazing skill and artistic talent of so many folk but also the way in which a community forms so many connections through an abundant local resource...I came away buzzing with ideas and energy for my 'Wool Use' design, which I am currently working on...and hoping to get written up in the next couple of months...happy times x On Saturday I attended a meeting of the newly formed Organic Gardeners Network set up at Growing With Grace in April this year. I was fortunate enough to have attended that initial April gathering too, where about forty people gathered in the beautiful yurt at GWG to establish that yes, folk would like to form a network to share experience and knowledge, and support each other in all things relating to Organic Gardening.
So Saturday was the first time we tried the agreed format of 'a couple of workshops, networking, shared lunch and a meeting to discuss the direction the network was heading in'. Nine folk (and Freya the border collie) turned up and the 4 hours allocated to the above, soon stretched into 5. I loved hearing other's stories about organic food growing here in the North West (ish) and lots of problem solving and the urgency around political influence relating to food production was discussed at length. I was really overwhelmed to the positive response I got from a (very informal) workshop I facilitated around 'a brief introduction to permaculture.' Everyone had so much to offer in their quest for learning about all things permaculture, and there was a big enthusiasm for further workshops to expand on the basics. And of course we ate some great food together, before deciding as a group that the format of the day had worked well and to keep the energy and momentum of the group going, we would aim for a meeting at the same time each month, with a similar format. Earlier this year I made a decision to really focus on establishing more connections with folk living nearby and attending events and gatherings in my local area, (and this was a key component of my Action Learning Pathway Design). I've made some lovely steps in this mission so far and hoping to make more in the near future. I've loved travelling to different parts of the country and further to meet people, but it feels really grounding and reassuring to learn and confirm how much amazing energy there is so close to home. Useful Links Growing With Grace Organic Gardeners Network @ Growing With Grace Face Book Group
peas sown in toilet roll tubes, ready to be planted out
This week I planted out my 3rd lot and sowed more of, many veg plants (2 varieties of peas, runner beans, french beans, various lettuce, carrots, leeks, spring onions, parsnips, beetroot, turnip, coriander, parsnip, various courgette/squash). The growing season can be so unpredictable here that I've found that regular sowings of seeds ensures that challenging weather situations (for example sneaky early or late frosts or endless rain) don't impact in a major way on my food growing. If one sowing of plants son't make it, its ok because another is following closely behind in modules and pots in the polytunnel. I also grow some of the more tender veg (French beans, courgettes/squash) in big pots, ( in addition to raised beds), so they can be moved into the polytunnel in the event of a frost forecast, this really helps to lengthen the growing season here. Sowing little and often like this also means that there is more variety of veg ready to harvest for longer, plus if the weather is settled and everything lives, I have plants and produce to give away/swap with friends and neighbours, yey!
baby trees , waiting to be planted into the wind break areas which help to protect the polytunnel, raised bed garden and forest garden from the strong easterly winds
We had a couple of hours of beautiful sunny weather this morning in between heavy summer rain showers...so I took the opportunity to do a bit of a pause and reflection about how my food growing this year was going...... I'm really pleased with how my polytunnel is performing now, and its made a huge difference to the length of the growing season. I feel like I have got the hang of what it can contribute to the growing here ....the drainage seems to be working well with stone and soak away pipe....the hotbed has done great in the cold spring for germinating modules of seeds on top of the bed and now is home to pots of tomatoes which have recently moved from out from windowsills in the cottage. The tomatoes always look terrible for a few days after the move out, but with a nice layer of 3 year old cow poo/straw mix topping their pots are now producing lots of healthy growth and flowers. You can see how the spinach has just bolted in the first bed...its going to be dinner for the chickens tonight, and that space will be replanted with a courgette plant Herbs in pots, overwintered in the polytunnel and now located just by the gate into the raised bed garden , for easy access. ....over wintered coriander going to flower now...lots more coriander planted among other plants in the raised beds to let flower...its a great bee attractor, and looks really pretty too! So, what am I harvesting from my garden at the moment?....3 varieties of radish, 4 types of salad/lettuce leaves, mizuna, wild rocket, nasturtium leaves, 2 types of kale, 2 types of chard, spinach, garlic leaves, mustard leaves, turnip tops, pea shoots, coriander, mint, parsley, sorrel, thyme, lambs lettuce, sage...some really lovely salads and stir fries being eaten... So all in all, the tweaks in my garden design are meaning that this years growing is really going pretty well...I'm sure that the improvement in the soil I've made especially in the last couple of years have contributed greatly to this. Very much looking forward to what ever challenges and woohoos the rest of the sumer and autumn brings now x
The summer months are a time for meeting up with friends for me.......winters here can make it very difficult to make and keep arrangements to see folk, while trying to juggle challenging weather, reduced energy levels due to the short days, farming and Elder care commitments. Our (now pretty reliable) internet connection means that I can keep in good contact with people all the year round, but leave actually seeing people who don't live locally to the lighter, better weather months.. Britt and Mart's allotment (Pic by Britt Swain) So, a couple of weekends ago I went to visit my lovely friend Britt in York, and she took me to see here newly aquired allotment...Britt and Mart are quite new to growing and producing their own food, but they are already achieving some amazing things. They've worked so hard over the last year to transform the neglected, overgrown plot they took on, into beautiful space where not only are they growing all kinds of fruit, veg and herbs, but they have created areas that they can relax and have picnics too. Then yesterday, Alan, one of my permaculture friends and fellow Diploma apprentice, drove down from the depths of North Cumbria to hang out with e here at the farm...he hadn't been before so I loved showing him around and letting him experience for real aspects of the farm he'd only ever heard me talk about or take pictures of before.....Alan's just about, (in fact probably is doing, as i'm typing ), to create his own food growing area in the garden of the cottage he moved to earlier this year, which is just fab! Over the next few weeks and months i'll be seeing other friends who are also producing their own food, fuel and fibre for themselves others too......for me being able to share our stories, highs, lows, ideas, dreams and visions about growing, gardening, and keeping animals ...and to actually be in the present in all our different growing and farming places is a really special part of my life. The reasons why we grow our own food are many and varied, but one of the common factors is the fact that it provides so much amazing nourishment and care for ourselves ...physically, emotionally, spirtially, socially..... I feel really happy, motivated and energised following Alan's visit here yesterday, I felt the same as I left Britt's in York...and I know I will continue to do so as my summer meet ups keep happening x .....so this last week I've been giving lots of my attention to something I hadn't really planned to include as part of my Diploma, but somehow its now become an overwhelming priority in my thinking, learning and work towards a more sustainable future, so in my Diploma journey it will now go!
Looking at how the sheep and cows graze the land impacts on the health of the land, the grazing animals and the bigger picture of ecosystem biodiversity and resilience (and I include us humans in that)....... Of course its a subject I've been involved in the whole time i've been farming, (and before really)...and in the last few years my increased knowledge and experience of using permaculture design within agriculture has really kicked its relevance and urgency to a new level.... I've decided to set up a new section within this website to journal my designing relating to all things grazing, for many reasons ,it feels like a huge step for me, so having its own space (even though its connected to lots of other elements of my work) will hopefully help me stay focused and moving forward with some positive changes. thats all the writing i've got time for now but there's lots more to say, so watch this space x
peeling back the winter mulch.....
So, it’s getting towards the end of May and all things growing are really behind this year, and like a lot of the country we’ve had a really cold, dark spring. I can count the number of sunny days here on one hand, along with the days I’ve not had my winter thermals on. But gradually over the last couple of weeks the seeds sown in the polytunnel in modules (especially those boosted my the ‘hotbed’) have germinated and grown big enough to transplant some of the frost hardy ones out into my Raised Bed Garden. One thing that always makes me smile and often quite teary with excitement and joy, is the first look at the soil in my raised beds, as I peel the thick newspaper and straw mulch covering the bed for the winter. The manure or compost (depending what has been growing in that bed the previous year and what is planned for the coming year), spread thickly on top of the bed in the autumn has all been incorporated into the soil. The crumbly, beautiful stuff that will be growing our veggies, herbs and herbs this year is full of life , literally moving with worms and insects….and I also like to imagine the, much much smaller beings dancing their routines in there too…the stuff we cant see but is so essential to our growing, health and survival….
As I’ve worked on my Raised Bed Garden design over the past few years, it’s been so inspiring and reassuring to watch how my knowledge and skill learnt about soil and fertility building has developed and influenced my food growing and farming here .......and today we have snow forecast in the depths of the Dales…..I have a sneaky feeling this growing season could be another challenging one... x ....on Saturday myself and 5 other lucky folk ventured over to Nethergill Farm (...just down the track/over the hill from me) for the first of their series of 'Wild Workshops' ...all about River life and conservation. Chris and Fi at Nethergill have created a beautiful environment to learn about and share the amazing work they are doing to create and promote sustainable farming here in the Uplands of the Yorkshire Dales. Take a look at their website (see 'links' below) for lots more details about what they offer, but the brand new Field Studies Centre, landscape and lovely hospitality was perfect for the workshop. ...observing and sampling from the river bed.... Dan and Ed from the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust ran the workshop. In the 'classroom' we learnt about the work of the Trust, the current issues threatening river life and then the work being done to tackle these....Then it was out in the amazing sunshine to 'survey' half a mile or so of Nethergill river, with added input from Chris about other ways the work being done at Nethergill is promoting and linking to river conservation (we saw otter poo!)....after that we spent time having a good look in the water at the life on different sections of river bed (rock, silt etc) and took samples of what we found back to the classroom to look more closely under the excellent 'magnifier linked to big screen' setup....... ...fantastic growth of willow from bundles sited along the banks at Nethergill last year..... ........after (a very yummy) lunch and tea drinking it was back out to make and site willow bundles ...I was so impressed by this, (already being really successfully used at Nethergill), easy and effective method of river bank erosion control.......in addition, the willow also creates; Beneficial habitats for river life, birds, mammals, insects; Shelter and shade; ...and of course a crop for building with, craft work, fuel, animal feed etc.... ...siting the willow bundles...(using wire and posts...) ....also creating essential habitats and the really important role of regulating the temperature of the water in sun are trees, which are all too often missing from our agricultural landscapes, due to grazing animals......Our last activity of the day was to plant some trees (in secure guards...to protect from Nethergill's cows and sheep...and also wild deer) to add to the already impressive riverside planting carried out as part of the conservation plan ........then it was back to the classroom for some reflection time about the day, while consuming more tea and cake..... ...the day really got my mind twirling, not only during the reflection/feedback time, but in the days since.... I spend a lot of time and energy considering the earth/soil and air, in my thinking and work, but I really don't give water, especially the becks and streams on the land I live and work on, enough of my detailed attention. Dan and Ed had SO much knowledge and motivation about their work to teach and share.......one particular thought I am going to expand on is how like a forest structure the river is...it needs rotting wood, leaves etc to create the optimum environment for its healthy abundance to be generated.
So an excellent day...great learning, fab people, amazing location......i'll be back...'Peat' is next on the my list for Wild Workshops to attend at Nethergill...cant wait! Very useful links.... Nethergill Farm http://nethergill.co.uk Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust www.yorkshiredalesriverstrust.com 1st born, 2013 ....spring is in the air, at last.... over the last few days the temperature has risen...most of the snow is melting....the grass has a green tinge to it....geese and swallows have arrived.... the daffodils are (almost) out and this morning our first lamb was born in the breezy sunshine....Now the ground is finally warming up, i've been sowing lots of seeds in modules to grow in the polytunnel for planting out in a few weeks time....the sun looks like it will shine tomorrow and hopefully this means getting the early potatoes and shallots into their allocated raised beds in the edible garden.......as a neighbour said to me this morning, 'you can smell the grass growing...she's right.... ..i've been making full use of my Action Learning Pathway design and started using the pathway to guide my Diploma work......the awakening of spring feels like such the right time to be making these changes and positive steps forward x Over the last couple of weeks I have been thinking about and dealing with a lot of issues relating to death....one of our farming neighbours died very peacefully at home after being poorly for some months, another of our friends and neighbour has just found out she has just a few weeks to live......and on different level, but still very, very sad, a good friend of mine is facing the fact that her faithful old dog is dying ....and two of our flock of sheep here in the hills have died in the last few days too, (one had a broken leg, the other we're not sure about she became very poorly and weak over a couple of days and didn't respond to any of the treatment we gave her).......Holly and I have also been reflecting a lot about the family members we have cared for at the end of their lives, over the duration of our relationship there seems to have been many, sometimes too many.....Of course alongside this sadness and loss, we are approaching the Spring Equinox, and despite the deep snow and icy temperatures, the evidence of spring, new birth and growth is all around. Lambing and calving preperation is underway here, I've also planted some seeds for my annual veg/herbs, though not as many as usual for this time of year...many are on hold for the warmer weather to appear. In addition i've got more more energy too, not just physical energy with the longer days, but a thinking and planning buzz too....and as I am typing another friend has just gone into labour with her second child.... ....reflecting on the the recent weeks has really demonstrated how the rhythm of the cycles and of life, birth and death are so intertwined...and for me this is such a balancing feeling of reassurance and hope.......our decision to make one of the functions of our young forest garden a pet burial ground is a good example of this too.... We need to talk and plan..... Anyone who knows me well knows that one of my life passion's is around quality of life and quality of death for all beings...plants animals.... I've worked for many years as a palliative care nurse, supporting people and those they love and care about, facing the end of their life. One key thing I've learnt from the 100's, possibly 1000's of patients I've cared for, along with family members and friends I've also looked after is that talking openly and honestly about death and dying can really help everyone involved. Asking questions, accepting help, making plans about how and where you want to be cared for, doing things you've always wanted to do, can all contribute towards dispelling some of of the myths, fear, shame and depersonalisation people who are dying often experience.........In addition, along with good support from family, friends and community after someone has died, the peaceful death of a person who has felt in control, informed, heard and understood of the end of their life can make a huge difference to the way those close to that person experience grief and cope with life after the death My Design... ....I have called one of my diploma designs 'Designing Death', its only in the beginning design stages at present, but my initial ideas are about the provision of a resource that would help people to think and talk about death and dying and support planning related to dying and grief too. The resource will be from a non medical perspective and use permaculture principles and ethics as a guide, for example exploring ways that Earth Care can be a priority when we face death as well as care for people. I strongly believe that permaculture can make a massive difference to how face death and dying, and I guess at this point i'm talking about the UK in particular. So, after a review of where I am with all my design work to date, and in relation to other stuff around my health and wellbeing I have been looking at, I have decided that I will also have a redesign of my own 'end of life' plan. I initially wrote the plan which included how I would like to be cared for as well as what I would like to happen after I die, about 20 years ago now when I was seriously unwell and thought life was going to be a much shorter one than its turning out to be...going through this process again with much more life experience and knowledge should be really interesting and quite exciting! ....for more information and support relating to some of the things i've being writing about on here please see my books and links pages elsewhere on my website (I should really learn how to put in a direct link here!), or feel free to comment or ask me for more info or thoughts too, either on here, via the contact link or via Face Book or email where you can find me at [email protected] beds all mulched with compost/straw/black plastic...garlic growing in the uncovered bed .......spring is just emerging here, just starting to notice the extra time available during the day, compared to the daily challenge mid winter of getting everything that needs doing outside in day light hours. And with the added light time comes increased energy for all those plans made at Imbolc a few weeks ago....... This year I would really like to finish my raised bed edible garden design, its been a work in progress for about 6 years now and I am just about to start the 3rd cycle of the design process in that time. I'm hoping that this cycle will be an accumulation of lots of the things I have learnt about my garden and how it grows....my intention is also to make detailed written and photographed observations about the different edible plants grown this year, and to include elements such as * Reasons for species/variety of plant chosen * Dates seeds sown * Dates seedlings planted out * Dates of harvest times * Quantities harvested (yields) * Photos taken at each full moon (or the nearest fine day!) In addition I am hoping to compare starting seedlings off in modules on top of a hot bed (chicken manure/straw mix in raised bed with glass lid), with sowing the same seeds in the polytunnel without the hot bed.. Am hoping that these records will give me a clear, measurable picture of the food growing capacity of the garden and also identify areas where things could be changed to Improve any aspect of the elements listed. My aim is to be able to transfer some of the knowledge and skills gained within this design to other land with similar food growing challenges....well thats my intention anyways!...I know I will need to be disciplined to devote time and routine to the recording, but really looking forward to it photo by Jen.......building chinampas at Starhawks place Last month I spent just under 4 weeks in California with my lovely friend Rachel from Portsmouth.....we'd booked onto the Earth Activist Training (EAT) PDC (Permaculture Design Course ), taught by Starhawk and Charles Williams (plus many other fabulous guests ), as soon as the course was advertised several months before hand...both of us had ethical dilemmas about flying such a long way to attend a course, but we eventually figured that we could bring an awful lot of knowledge and skill back from EAT and also from our experience looking at urban permaculture in San Francisco too to share with others back in the UK. I've been reading Starhawk's writing since being a teenager, and her work and voice have been hugely influential in my life and growth ...the course which combined both Earth Based Spirituality and Activism at its core, integrating fully with the standard PDC elements was fantastic....set in the wonderful Cazadero hills, just down the road from Starhawk's ranch, there were 40 plus students, mainly from North America, but such a diverse mix of cultures and backgrounds.....we worked from 9am until at least 10pm each day (one day off in the middle), a fantastic mix of theory and practical, and amazingly taught....it was at times really intense ...but so inspiring and insightful. ....I loved being immersed in the ebs and flows of the community we created there....and so much learnt....I personally experienced my understanding and empathy of issues about race and culture discrimination being taken to another level, especially in relation to connections with the land. Hearing the stories of other course students experiences was invaluable and humbling....It was also really good to gain knowledge and practical skills around extreme dryland farming/growing when so much of my time here in the Yorkshire Dales is spent managing too much water. And then in the fews days before and week after the EAT course had finished Rachel and me explored San Francisco...what an amazing, vibrant, friendly city...we walked for miles, exploring the different diverse districts...soaking up the vibes, eating such gorgeous food, hanging out in the parks to read books in the sun ...oh and drinking some of the local alcoholic beverages (it would have been rude not to!)....we also paid a visit to Hayes Valley Farm Urban Permaculture site, which is a fantasitc community food growing and education project. We spent a rainy afternoon there helping to prune and mulch the 'perennial plant spiral' and learn more about how the project works from Jay and the many others who were there that day The whole trip was an incredibley positive experiance and I know it will radically shape and enhance my Diploma work. I've learnt such a lot about permaculture on a global scale and also affirmed how fundamental spiritual and political aspects are in my developing design work and how I live my life in general........one huge thought I have returned back to England with, is a shocking reminder of how patriarchal white supremacy has caused so much harm and distress to our beautiful planet and all who live on her. .....and for this, I hang my head in shame......I only hope that my continued journey within the permaculture revolution will help towards the present and the future being times of equality, health and peace for all x Luna .....earlier this week we took Luna our 18 month old Hereford Stirk (castrated bull) to slaughter as planned......the preparation for taking him to the abattoir in Ilkley was a time of mixed emotion.....he's been a lovely gentle boy and a great part of our little Hereford herd......but the plan had always been to raise him to provide beef,for family, friends and neighbours locally to us.....our Hereford cows seem to thrive really well here in the roughest of fields and edges of the forestry land eating the abundant mix of grasses, herbs and flowers growing there and spending only the wettest of winter months in the old fashioned stone barn, munching on good quality haylige.....he's had a great life here and with careful planning, the journey to Ilkley and his short time at the abattoir was as stress free for him as possible.... ....by chance, over the past couple of weeks, i've also been involved in some very interesting and at times very emotional and heated discussions in a couple of different Face Book groups, about the use of animals within permaculture, and particularly about issues around how animals (wild and agricultural) are killed. The (massively) varying views in the debate have helped me to take a good look at my own thoughts and behaviours (past and present) around ethical aspects of humans' relationships with animals, and how we treat both farmed and wild animals in a permaculture system: * I have been vegetarian and in the past, vegan, for most of my life, and really being vegetarian supports the production of meat anyway through the consumption of dairy products. (the cow has to give birth to a calf that will probably be used for beef, or if a pure dairy bull calf, shot at birth, for her to produce milk). * The decision to be and then remain vegan/vegetarian was/is based on environmental, fair share and animal welfare/rights ethics. I can at some point in the future see myself eating meat from an animal that I have reared. * I have been farming animals for meat for the past 12 years and over this time have gradually come to the conclusion that farming agricultural animals for meat/dairy/hide production can have an important role in permaculture systems, but in much less numbers and within increased welfare standards compared to present. In addition, I firmly believe that eating ethically raised veal and older sheep (mutton) should be as common place as lamb, beef, pork etc, to avoid a massive amount of waste (energy, work, life). . Both dairy bull calves and sheep past prime breeding age are 'worthless' at present. (Older fell sheep were sold for just £1/each last week at a sale local to here) * A future where all humans are vegan and no animals are killed would be near impossible....numbers of deer, rabbits and grey squirrels would increase rapidly and eat the veg/fruit/nut/tree crops. * Eating 'pests', deer/rabbit/grey squirrel, needs to become the cultural norm for meat eaters in the UK, reducing the numbers of farmed agricultural animals needed and the associated environmental/fair share/welfare issues. * If animals are going to be killed for humans to eat (or because the animal is suffering in some way) I firmly believe they should be killed as quickly and with as little stress as possible. In my experience that is with a gun, shot by someone who is not only competent with a firearm, but understands the anatomy, physiology and behaviour of the animal they are shooting. Ideally the animal should be in an environment they know, and shot from behind. Post BSE and Foot and Mouth Disease eras, the government enforces very strict regulations about how and where agricultural animals can be slaughtered. Many animals have to travel long distances to huge abattoirs. Slaughter would be much more kind and less stressful if it took place on the farm. In addition to this the environmental impacts of transporting animals long distances and then having to deal with slaughter 'waste' on a huge scale is considerable. Human involvement with hunting animals (ie using ferrets/hawks/dogs) to chase/catch/kill wild animals causes massive fear and suffering, (often to the hunted and the hunter animal). I don't believe killing animals in this way is morally acceptable. ...its been good to take some time to reflect on the above...and a first step towards starting on a Diploma design about the use of agricultural animals within my own permaculture system, where I aim to look at these issues in more depth.. I've found reading Simon Fairlie's book 'Meat - A Benign Extravagance' really useful in helping me to understand more about the complex issues around the human consumption of meat, and also in helping me to gain a realistic daydream and vision of what wide scale permaculture design farming could look like in the future. I highly recommend Simon's book (and related article in Permaculture Magazine, for anyone interested in wanting to further their knowledge and thinking about food production in general. Floss and me ......I like to split into the cycle of the year into 2 main seasons here in the depths of the Dales... 'summer' - May - mid October the grass grows, the grazing animals can meet their nutritional needs from the plants growing in the ground and ...'Winter' - Mid Oct - end of April, when then animals need feeding daily........and during winter I spend the majority of day light hours outside feeding/ caring for animals, and in rain, hail, snow, ice, storms.....it can be challenging, and its easy to start feeling a sense of dread and gloom at the thought of the months ahead at this time of year...and in 2012 I am consciously aware that these negative outlooks may be even more amplified this year, after very little sun and warm weather over the summer.... ...I am pleased not to have full blown SAD (seasonal affective disorder), like so many folks, but I do recognise that my mind and body slow down lots as the days get shorter (as do most mammals!).....and its easy to let unhealthy lifestyle patterns creep in....and finish the winter feeling unfit in mind and body... ...so, this year, I've decided to to proactive in taking care of my emotional and physical health through the winter (and hopefully beyond), and the following plan is being implemented as I type * i've stopped drinking alcohol and caffeine * trying to eat more varied, healthy foods * admitting to myself I need to sleep more in the winter, and doing so * gentle activities for after dark....reading, watching TV, writing, drawing.... and more specifically to outside working * wearing good quality wind/warmth/waterproof clothing and boots, this is an element of consumerism that is a priority for me, it makes a massive difference to my experience of difficult weather conditions * taking a flask of tea outside with me...most things can be made little bit better with a cuppa! * daily deep observing and self awareness of my surroundings... Living in the moment...what can I feel, see, smell feel, touch, hear, sense? ...feeling gratitude and thanks for my health, abilities and freedom that I can immerse myself in the magical landscapes and their changes around me * Using meditations I have learnt from Starhawks, 'Earth Magic' audiobook as I work * understanding and being thankful for my relationship with Floss, my collie....she is by my side throughout the day, everyday..., keeping me warm, making me smile and (usually) making things much easier with my sheep * reminding myself that although bad weather episodes are becoming more frequent globally, the UK weather is challenging and difficult, but rarely threatening to life, health, housing etc * gratitude and awareness of my warm house and the wood/fuel we have to keep it a safe and welcoming place to be ......... pallet compost bins at the bottom of the Edible Garden ....fertile, healthy soil.....its the heart and soul of food growing, and when designing the for the functioning of the whole farm, I have carefully considered the role that multiple aspects play in helping to make the garden as productive as possible in terms of adding to soil fertility.....cows, chickens, sheep, pigs, comfrey and nettles are all part of the design ...at the bottom of my Edible Garden sit my trusty pallet (salvaged) compost bins (tied together with recycled baler twine!) ...there are 3 bins here and one (overspill for the winter, when the contents don't compost down as quickly), in the little Forest Garden....each bin provides me with enough volume of composted material for a whole growing season for incorporating in raised beds, pots and other containers..... I generally add a thick layer to the surface of the bed (and then top with straw to prevent nutrients been leached), in autumn/early winter/early spring (depending on the crop and the weather) and totally replace the contents of each container in Spring, before planting seeds/young plants....old contents of the container get added to raised beds which need less less nitrogen content for the following season (carrots/parsnips/onions etc).... ...i don't house my cows in a building if the winter is very cold, so only get chance to collect their poo for short periods of time...this is heaped (with straw bedding), left and spread on the pasture land after rotting down for about 2 years.....I also use 2/3 year old cow manure/straw mix to add to my raised beds both in the polytunnel and outside, particularly for crops which like a heavy feed of nutrients (courgettes, potatoes etc). layers in the compost bins ......so, layered in the pallet bins are :chicken poo mixed with straw, pig poo mixed with straw, garden leafy waste (including lots of nettles and conmfrey, cut specifically to be added to the compost bin), kitchen scraps, wool scraps (from the sheep clip) and some paper/card....I usually keep each bin covered with weed suppresent mulching material to keep some of the rain from making the mix too wet (our rain fall is very high, too dry is never a problem!)...when the bin is full I tuck the cover in to secure, and then leave it...for 2 years....after this time, the compost is lovely, smells amazing and ready to use making leaf mould ...for the first time this year, I have collected leaves from the garden to make leaf mould....half in black bin liners, half in hessian sacks....the plan is to make seed compost with the leaf mould, so will probably take about 2 years to break down to that consistency........ I feel really lucky that I am able to provide so much fertility needed for the garden from the farm itself....next year I plan to try incorporating a green manure system into the established one too. .......well autumn is most definitely underway now...and over the last week or so here in the Yorkshire Dales we've had some lovely dry sunny days and beautiful clear frosty nights....i've .said a sad goodbye to any frost tender plants who managed to survive the September sub zero night time temps.......am now trying to grow as many varieties of edible plants as I can throughout these long wintery months......my poytunnel is clear of all the summer growing now ..and i've topped up the raised beds in there with home made compost to give them a nutrient/protection boost for the cold season......I have kale, rainbow chard, lambs lettuce, winter lettuce, quick growing carrots, radish, corriander, rocket, spinach, chicory land cress , rocket and peashoots as baby plants in the raised beds/seedlings just coming through in modules ....am a bit worried what they just haven't had enough sun/light/warmth to get going this autumn...but will have to wait and see what they produce....outside, I am harvesting leeks, turnips, swede, beetroot, kale, chard, parsley, parsnips, carrots, lettuce....and 2 different varieties of cabbage, purple sprouting broccoli, sprouts and oriental greens look reasonable promising....and last week I planted garlic... ...who knows what kind of winter we will have though ....fleece and bubble wrap are at the ready for cloches over the raised beds for both inside the tunnel and outside too ....hopefully for creating little microclimates that will provide extra warmth.....am also extending my 'in the house windowsill growing' too this year (seed/pulse sprouting, micro herbs)......I didn't grow enough of anything this summer to store over the winter....but am determined to obtain a yield, and eat something I have grown, everyday this winter.....
PS....sorry about the lack of pics....internet connection almost comatosed! |
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September 2015
AuthorKatie Shepherd |