Posts by Bob
Keyline Path Phase I – Complete!
Thanks to awesome efforts by Lolo and his friend Joey, the first phase of the Keyline path project is complete (they did the section in blue show in this post). Doris (the UTV) can now run the entire length of the path providing access for managing the woods and upper prairie area, mushroom hunting and…
Read MoreKeyline Path Progress
Lovely progress on the keyline path. This provides access to the wooded hillside on the north part of the farm. The green line shows the portion now complete and the blue what I hope to finish this summer. We shall see! Just for fun, here’s a video shot from Doris driving from where the blue and…
Read MoreBerm’s Progress
It’s fun to watch the berm on the near west field mature – even in a short time the difference is noticeable. Here’s a brief gallery of images from the initial forming of the berm (October 2013), the addition of first fruit trees (Spring 2014), daffodils blooming (Spring 2015) and additional fruit trees. It’s coming…
Read MoreBerm Planting Progress
So how’s the new berm doing? More fruit trees planted and mulched, thank you. The berm now sports a mix of apples, cherries, plums, pears and serviceberries. It’ll be fun to see what thrives. Here’s the current listing, west to east: [Planted 2015] Apple: Roxbury Russet Apple: Cox’s Pippin Cherry: Gisella Cherry: Gisella Pear:…
Read MoreBeautiful Farm Looking for a Farmer
The time has come to find a real farmer. In the four years since we bought this place I’ve had a great time cleaning up the mess and beginning to restore the soil and infrastructure. While I do hope to continue to be involved in the future, after this season (already under contract) I’d like…
Read MoreA Keyline Drive
With the help of some teen muscle, access to the woods and upper prairie is improving. A while back I posted about a natural access route along a contour line. We've been working to open up that pathway and here, for fun, are two video clips taken from Doris (the electric UTV) starting up in…
Read MoreKeylines at Work
Spring melt and runoff is beginning and the first test of last autumn’s keyline work is visible. As the snow melts, the upper berm becomes clearly visible. Viewed from another angle water can be seen accumultating in the swales on the uphill side of the berm – just like we wanted. I’ll continue to monitor…
Read MoreKeyline Accomplishments
Gorgeous! A terrific crew of volunteers enjoyed fascinating presentations by Dan Halsey bookending a day of practical implementation of Keyline Design. Our near west field has new berms and swales and a rock (those were big rocks!) outflow by the culvert to slow and spread the flow of water during major rain or runoff events.…
Read MoreA Solution to the Permaculture Puzzle
A while ago I challenged folks to create solutions to the erosion and water management issues on the field just west of the barns. This Saturday we’ll begin to implement techniques we hope will address those challenges. Dan Halsey of Southwoods Forest Garden created this plan. With the help of some heavey equipment and a…
Read MoreSummer Reading 2013
Four books have dazzled me this summer. Here, for your perusal and amusement, brief explications. (Thanks, Brian Wicklund, for the nudge!). Gar Alperovitz' What Then Must We Do? (White River Junction: Chelsea Green, 2013) starts with systemic malaise: the generalized but unfocussed recognition that the system's broke and that the means to fix it are…
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