what should I do first?

Any questions or comments you have about Natural Sequence Farming processes. These could include general questions or ones about your personal problems.

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Ashlee
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Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:15 pm

what should I do first?

Post by Ashlee » Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:19 pm

Hello to the NSF people out there. I'm new to this forum and I've only learnt about NSF and Peter's techniques this year. I bought a 30 acre property just outside Geelong, victoria 5 years ago. As far as I know it was mostly used for grazing but in time we've owned it we've had a share farmer (using traditional techniques) put crops on for us. As we have no farming backgrounds at all, our share farmer also advised us to spray all the gorse and remove it.In addition to this we planted about 3000 native trees (about 20 different species) around the border and plan for about the same in grasses and shrubs this year. I recently found out the previous owner removed all the top soil and sold it which possibly explains why the clay is so close to the surface in many places. The previous owner also dug channels around the property perimeter - maybe to divert water....there are also 3 areas which we've been told are 'soaks'. I really wish to improve the soil fertility, take advantage of whatever water comes my way and try to base all this on NSF principles so really just looking for advice on what I should do first????

ColinJEly
Posts: 167
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:50 am
Location: melbourne

Post by ColinJEly » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:07 pm

Ashlee
I am not a farmer myself, but have one piece of advice I wish to pass on to you. I spent a couple of years mowing lawns, and lawn mowing contractors are ALWAYS looking for somewhere to dispose of their clippings for free! If you are very close to geelong you may be able to arrange with someone to supply you with lawn clippings which you can either spread and let compost in situ or organise a compost heap, when rotted they will increase the prganic matter in your soil

Good luck

Col.

Ashlee
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Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:15 pm

Post by Ashlee » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:34 pm

Hi Col, actually my brother-in-law owns a Jim's Mowing so we have been collecting grass clippings for a few months now, which we have been spreading over certain patches around the tree lines.

Ian James
Posts: 253
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:31 am
Location: Avon West Australia

Post by Ian James » Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:43 am

I can't control the rage and fury I feel as I read your post Ashlee.

It is such a sickening thought to think that some rapist ecophile could strip a block of land of its top soil and sell it for profit.

Thank goodness for your decision to buy the block and rescue it from such disgusting exploitation.

I know it is in the past and that nothing is to be gained from pursuing the criminal behaviour of that person, but I wonder if he had a mining license and approval from the local government to treat his land in that way.

Good luck with your efforts, I am sure you will receive a mass of excellent advice and assistance from NSF advocates.

Ian James
Posts: 253
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:31 am
Location: Avon West Australia

Post by Ian James » Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:13 am

What should you do first?

You have already done it. You have rescued the block from that rapist. Well done!

You have already done the second thing too...

You have asked for advice, spot on!

My advice is this...

First, get a survey of your block and study it closely.

By doing this you can understand the surface gradients and use this understanding to plan how you will manage the movement of water and the planting areas for vegetation which you should soon introduce.

Depending on the unique topography of your block, and the management plan which you and those advising you believe best suits both you and your block, break your plan down into simple achievable steps and identify realistic targets of progress.

Remember... little steps.

Some pointers....

Prevent run off anyway you can.

Introduce many, many different species and varieties of plants, strength in diversity.

Do not kill anything.

Mulch is gold.

Search and identify through trial and error plants which are primary colonisers... these are plants that grow vigorously; self propagate profusely and require minimal assistance in your unique environment.

Do not listen to nay sayers, instead get out there and trial methods that you think may achieve success.....Find our for yourself!

Try many, many diverse techniques to find those most suitable to your situation.

Diversity is your greatest tool.

Ashlee
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:15 pm

Post by Ashlee » Tue Jun 16, 2009 11:42 am

thank you Ian for your advice. yes I was amazed the top soil was removed too....but I will move forward! since we are in the process of building a house on the block as well I might refer to our architect sketches as I believe he did a topography chart in order to place our house in the best position. so I'm sure he can help me with the surface gradients angle you suggested and prevent the water running onto the road which is what it currently does.

I'm very happy I've chosen to install a worm farm as our sewage system so there will be no introduced chemicals through any septic system (this system also produces lots of 'worm juice' which is excellent nutrients for the soil) This is in preparation to help my organic produce hopefully do well.

I have noticed that wattle trees do self seed alot and when choosing indigenous plants in my research I noted they were on the list. Plus they're bringing beautiful native birds which I figure is a good thing. Although I saw a bunch of them picking on a wedge tail eagle the other day. nature is amazing - I'd be running the other way from a wedge tail!

duane
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Location: Central Coast, NSW
Contact:

Post by duane » Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:08 pm

Ashlee

Its a little hard to give specific advice but generally here is what you should be aiming at:

*you can build soil using water and plants
*pioneer plants first such as wattles
*avoid planting Eucalypts as they dry out the soil and environment
*build Peter's contours so as they follow the Australian sysyem of spreading water and fertility
*mulch farm to build ferility and put the mulch in contours across the farm and in a contour in front of any that you build.
*Use Nature and Gravity as tools to do a lot of the work
*bring in agisted stock for a few days to feed on hay etc and drop seeds into the hay so the animals can deposit and build fertility.
*recycle anything by way of weeds to build fertility
*don't poison anything with chemicals

Ashlee
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Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:15 pm

Post by Ashlee » Thu Jun 18, 2009 8:24 pm

thank you duane. I have a bit of homework to do but this is a great start for me now :)

Ashlee
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:15 pm

Post by Ashlee » Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:10 pm

just a little update on our progress. it's only been a month but we've planted out all our tube stock consisting mostly of different varieties of grasses and shrubs. our lawn mulch is also compostiing away and underneath it's moist and big earth worms are wriggling around which is only a good thing! we've purchased lots of different seeds for shrubs etc to diversify more and most importantly havve thrown out the weed killers!

duane
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Location: Central Coast, NSW
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Post by duane » Sat Jul 11, 2009 3:17 pm

Ash

whenever you apply grass clipping or any mulch there is an upset in the C/N balance.

the breakdown processes releases the carbon but the soil and soil organisms and microorganism require Nitrogen and the mulch deletes N from the soil and so plants can suffer.

Always add some chook poo to keep the c/n balance ok.

its an old gardeners tip.

Ashlee
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:15 pm

Post by Ashlee » Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:45 pm

thanks for chook poo tip Duane.

two more questions for forum users. At the moment we have hay growing on our property but after that's harvested we were thinking of sowing pasture. What is the best way to do this without having to plough, spray etc ie can we just sow the seeds??

question two. our dam is attracting mountain ducks which are beautiful to look at however the duck poo, feathers etc they are leaving around our dam are making the water green! we have planted around the perimeter of the dam with sedge, kangaroo grass and mative shrubs but is there maybe something I can plant in the dam to help it filter /break down the duck poo and maybe give oxygen to the water?? Anything else I should be thinking of??

duane
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Location: Central Coast, NSW
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Post by duane » Sun Aug 02, 2009 10:39 am

Plant Phragmites in the dam....then run a contour from the high water mark of the dam out aross your landscape.

At the momemnt the dam is attracting and keeping all the fertility in it....its needs to be over the farm NOT in the dam!!!

Ashlee
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Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:15 pm

Post by Ashlee » Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:20 am

thanks again Duane, yes I would love the water and fertility over the farm as well! the dam is at the very bottom corner of the hill on my property so I guess it's catching all the run off untill I can set up some contours once the crop is off. now that we have a tractor to do that type of work we can get started.

any advice out there on creating a pasture without spraying, ploughing etc??

Stringybark
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 10:24 am
Location: Wagga Wagga. NSW

Planting a pasture.

Post by Stringybark » Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:48 am

Ashlee,
You can walk into your local rural supplies store (Elders, Landmark, CRT, etc) and ask to talk to a pasture agronomist. They provide this service to their customers for free, to ensure they are giving the correct information.
Tell the agronomist what you have and what you would like to do. They will generally like to come out, even to small blocks, to establish what is already growing there (grass species) and what soil types you have.
Be aware, they may suggest spraying out the current grasses to eliminate competition against you new pasture seeds. I doubt any agronomist in Australia will suggest ploughing. More likely suggest a direct drilling technique. This is sowing the seed into the soil using tynes or discs that provide minimal soil disturbance.
I can bet you a years wages the agronomist will tell you that you will need to apply superphosphate when you sow. I am guessing that is not your intention. Watch for the look on their face when you say you might plant some weeds to boost fertility.
The other way you could takle you pasture establishment, would be to broadcast your seed. Either by hand or with the use of a mechanical spreader. I am pretty confident that clover seed will grow from broadcast seed. Phalaris or Rye grass perenials I am not so sure, but may. This method is used in nature all the time, as Peter Andrews has written. Once again, talk to an agronomist.
A simple way of looking at growing any plant would be that if suitable conditions are provided, anything can grow. Find out what you want to plant and what it requires (temperature, moisture, fertility)
If there is beer and cake, you can coax me into an area and I will stay. Remove the enticements for sustenance and i will wither or leave.
Hope some of this is useful to you.
Scott.

Ashlee
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:15 pm

planting pasture

Post by Ashlee » Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:58 pm

thank you stringy bark.

I like the sound of the direct drilling technique. I'll chat to a few people including my current sharefarmer (don't know his views on NSF) and an agronomist to see what the best approach is. as we don't have much farming machinery yet that in itself presents a bit of a challenge but not one which is too big I don't think....... nothing compared to the challenges Peter Andrews has faced anyway!!

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