Layering

"We can play Duck, Duck, Goose, Mom!" Ha. Funny, giddy girl. Lindsay has finally succeeded in talking me into getting ducks. We've talked about it since she was about 3. Her Aunt's 2 neurotic cats that were Lindsay's kittens and a couple of, mmm, rather unsuccessful Hermit Crab attempts left us a little skeptical.

Looking at our bright 14 year old daughter's responsible behaviour, I can say with confidence that she is ready for a bigger job. We've discussed time management (we can't both be away from home... at the lake, for example...at the same time), repayment of debt first (set-up costs for fencing, and pesky little things like electricity and fuel), word to the wise-to name a pet is asking for tears (culling for health, breeding and overwintering purposes means that most of the flock will be gone and perhaps even eaten in the fall), and lastly, partners don't roll their eyes and PFT! at each other (well, maybe they do, but I'm holding out for a more mature relationship).

There is an excitement beyond "I'm getting DUCKLINGS!". For Linds, it's that there is potential for duck egg sales. More research to be done (by us), but duck eggs have been sold as a replacement to people with allergies of chicken eggs. For me, it's the weeding and nutrient bombs that ducks and geese have to offer a garden.

I, personally, have always loved it when things work well in conjunction with others. In permaculture, the "layering" of natural systems is imperative. For example: when a nitrogen fixer* is planted under a nitrogen hungry plant, the necessity to bring nitrogen in, in the form of compost or manure, can be eliminated, thus creating a more self-sufficient system. In the case of ducks and geese, bringing them into a crop of say, tomatoes, is beneficial all around. The geese are good weeders of certain crops (not much information out there as to which crops, so this will be a good experimental year). They are herbivores, and will, if fed at night, work diligently to weed. The ducks will do some weeding too, and will eat some pests too, so are good to keep in the pen with the geese. The birds poop, providing ON SITE fertilizing **, fairly good weeding (the jury is not out about trampling crops, eliminating all weeds, and which crops a flock will actually try to eat). The weeds provide free, nutritious food for the birds. The added benefit to all of this, of course, is that my daughter will be all wiggly and giggly cuz she gets DUCKS!

The nutrient content of a duck egg is far superior to the chicken egg. As for the taste, that remains to be tested. Our family has been invited to visit Green Eggs and Ham farm. On this farm, the daughters raise chickens, geese and ducks. I called to ask if we could take a look at their set up, so we don't have to reinvent the wheel. Mary Ellen has invited us to a tour and a meal in a couple weeks. I look forward to learning what we can apply to our setting and sharing that here.

Photos from Metzer Farm website

*a plant that takes nitrogen from the air and "fixes" it into the soil.
**I have just learned that on average, 50% of a traditional farmer's costs is fuel (!!?!). Some of that is spent taking manure from the site on which the animals exist, to the crops, and then taking feed from the crops to where the animals are kept. hmmmm.

Great (or not) musings

Pretend there's a picture here.

My camera is seriously sick after having been in a tropical storm. I think there's sand in the works. I miss it dearly, after having spent 2 months seeing life thru eyes that wanted to document every step of the way. The mechanisms grind painfully, as the lens comes out, then back in, then out again...finally the screen instructs me to turn the camera off then on again. Each time it's the same.

These are not complaints (altho I am really saddened and look forward to the day I can afford to take it in and get it fixed), rather an analogy of the state of both my home-garden and the Costa Rica project. Plans for both have come to a grinding hold. Neither forward, nor back, just....there.

So. What would the picture be, if it were truly there, at the head of this post? Lots of brown. A late-blooming spring hasn't been as difficult on me as it has on the good people of Alberta, who've toughed out this particularly long, cold winter. The extended cool weather has allowed me to continue to think about what I'll do with my poor yard, which was purposely neglected last year (much sadness ensued, after the decision to scrap the CSA). Now, with the remnants of weeds in every bed, threatening to take over again, it's easy to feel a little overwhelmed. Randy insisted that if I were to pursue the new, revised, Permaculture/CSA/retreat/learning facility vision I have for our place, I must give it one year of TCOB ie: putting a new coat of paint on things, fixing the broken, eliminating the unused. There are trees ordered for a wind row, and we've started discussing where we'd house chicks, and goslings during the colder part of the season.

The picture, then, is one superimposed on the actual one. Yes, there's brown weeds now, and sucker trees where we don't want them, and some outbuildings that have become mouse and Dove infested (actually, they are Pigeons, must dispised, but they are the same animal, just Dove sounds better). With the green that comes, so, too will the hard work of tilling the gardens, building raised beds, tree planting and a snow-fence to protect them next spring, which might just double as a goose enclosure (what to do about the Lily-dog?? she's such a herder! will the geese hold their own?). The overview is one of green. Multi-layered, intertwined function, this is the year to throw things out there, and hopefully, make many mistakes so that I can know what will work here and what won't.

Fact one about having any kind of food farming business is that I can't do it alone. Obtaining volunteers is key, and so lodgings is another area where I need to focus. Plumbing is a big problem, as it can cost a bundle, especially with updated laws about having a field, so I'm thinking about getting a couple old trailers on the place for WWOOFers http://www.wwoof.org/

Costa Rica is simmering on the back burner, waiting for some good ideas to come along. In my thoughts: funding for transportation and subsistence, land on which to focus my attention.