The Land # 4 - Green Manure Update

Some photos of the Mustard's progress below.  Its going OK, and is fortunately being joined by a strong showing from the weeds.  Hopefully this will help to provide some interest for the next batch of pigs and also help to improve the texture and fertility of the soil as they root and 'plough' it in.

Still a lot of mud in evidence though - maybe time for a second sowing of Mustard?  I would really love to have a lot of Wild Garlic growing in this area - bound to be good for the taste of the pork!  Will have to find out how to encourage it here.

The Land # 3 - Green Manure

In the pig's former area, I planted a 'green-manure mega-mix' about 3 weeks ago, consisting of :

• Mustard
• Rye Grass
• Alfalfa

I mixed approximately equal quantities of each seed together and hand broadcast it over the pig's area. 

Within a few days the area resembled the 'mustard & cress' of childhood memory!  Now, 3 weeks it's starting to grow nicely.  I've clearly missed some areas, and I'm pretty sure it's only the mustard which is growing (I will update as things progress!), and that's one of the brilliant things about learning!

Photos and further green-manure discussion to follow!

The Land #2 - "Quarter Acre Farm"

Thinking about how we will rehabilitate the permanent pasture, and get some decent fertility and condition into it, I've been developing an idea called 'Quarter Acre Farm'.  The idea is a rotation which includes:
Pigs: To plough up, manure to add fertility and texture, and to uproot and remove perennial weeds.
A 3 Year Ley: Rich in red clover to fix nitrogen to improve fertility and provide grazing for the poultry.
Chickens: To manure, eat flies and larvae, and graze the ley.
Geese: As chickens.
Vegetables: Obviously to provide vegetables (!), but also to ensure that each section of land gets a deep cultivation during the rotation.

The table below gives a bit more detail on each element:
<><>

Pigs	3 Pigs for 5 months + green manure 7 months
Vegetables	4 plots of 50m^2 each, solanceae, brassicas, legumes, little polytunnel
Grass	Rye & Red Clover, 3 year Ley Mix
Grass & Chickens	4 plots of 25m^2 each, 7 Light sussex hybrids moved every 2 days. Plus, same system, batches of free range suitable broilers.
Grass & Geese	2 or 3 Embden geese?  Construct a pond from car tyres and a pond liner?

The rotation would run as shown below.  Ideally, the idea is that the animals do some of the work, in the place where the work is needed (no wheelbarrowing of pig manure!):

2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
Pigs	Veg	Grass	Chickens	Geese
Veg	Grass	Chickens	Geese	Pigs
Grass	Chickens	Geese	Pigs	Veg
Chickens	Geese	Pigs	Veg	Grass
Geese	Pigs	Veg	Grass	Chickens

We'll trial this in one of the worst fields starting later this year, and if successful, I would like to expand the size of each 'strip' and try to get a quarter or so of the land into this kind of cultivation at any one time (the rest probably being strip-grazed).  A key element which we will address either before or in parallel with the above is drainage!

The aim is to create productive, weed free, super-nutritious, healthy farmland that we can be proud of!  I'm sure the plan will change many times as we learn and adapt, but this is our starting point!

The Land #1 - The Permanent Pasture

The permanent pasture at Tymawr Farm in June 2012 is composed of several species:

Nettles

Thistles

Docks (Giant Variety!)

Buttercups

We also have a cracking crop of ferns in one field!
I'm sure I've seen grass in places, and also some red clover, so maybe all is not lost. Having said that, I'm afraid that turning this into the perfect pasture I dream about is going to be a life's work!

Another feature which needs to be addressed is drainage I think - this photo was taken towards the end of a dry day after a wet night - not good!  I've read about 'mole drainers' and 'sub-soilers' but think I need some professional advice and a holistic plan that we can work on in a phased way over several years.

The drainage!