PowerSwitch

Hi Tess, cor you're brave putting your photo in here !

I haven't dug soil for about thirty years but that's because I'm a lazy bitch and you don't really need to dig to grow good food. Just do what you think is right, don't worry about what other people do. Start a dug patch and a no-dig patch and see what happens. Either way, you'll get crops from the ...

I'm in Long Eaton, if you'd like to meet up I'd look forward to it. Whereabouts are you staying? I'll be in the centre of Nottingham Mapperly and Baseford - but I know where you are - know the area well as I used to work for a textile ITB in Nottingham and live in Ilkeston. I'll PM you with my itin...

I've been using Permaculture principles since I did an intro course in 1984 - learned as much as I could then did a Design course in France about four years ago. As John says, it just become natural after a while to always think of the ways you can do something for as many uses as possible in the ea...

Yes we do.

Foxes take the odd chicken - but only one at a time because we shut them up at night. It's rare though because we have six dogs and we're here all the time.

Pumpkins.



I often use pumpkins to start off a new part of the garden as the chickens really clean around them well and we grow a lot because the pigs love them and they keep well for us too.

Well said John. When I saw your drawing the first thing I wanted to know is how the land slopes and how you'll distribute the water collected from roofs. Maybe that's not an issue in Wales ! The next thing is how often you walk around the plot and to where and why and how you'll distribute the waste...

Yes, that works for certain plants. Here's an example - these two photos are taken from the same view : http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1100/534957978_14d22145dc_z.jpg http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1239/887107578_98f9a52f4c_z.jpg The sticks help to keep dogs off too. (We've got 5 mini-diggers ) :lol: ...

How do they know which are the weeds and which are the plants? Peter, They don't care but I know what they'll eat and what they won't eat and where they're likely to make dust baths, so I protect the vulnerable veg with a combination of sticks, cages and fruit boxes. http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1...

Ujoni08, thanks.

There are loads more where they came from....

I've learned so much from the internet so I always try to take photos when we're doing something to stick them on the 'net for people.

I'm gonna be in the UK, relatively free from the 20th towards the end of November but although I'd love to, I just can't hold out until the meet-up.

Is anyone near Nottingham -- London..... ???

Hic....

That's exactly what I do - well, did. The mother hens teach the chicks once they're big enough, now all the chickens tap the pots automatically.

Lovely coop Mad Cyclist ! If food growing is done outside normal work hours, what activities does it replace? Gaining £200 worth of food may also save thousands in drinking, smoking, travelling, home entertainment, gadgets etc. Absolutely John - and keeping chickens keeps you entertained for hours !...

Catweazle, we bought a blank canvas too and this stage of the process is so important to spend loads of time planning, looking at maps and just being there. I'd love to help if I can. Have a look at http://www.flashearth.com/ If you're lucky your place might be covered with a more recent photo than ...