Permaculture Patterning With Animal Systems – Part 1
Animal systems can be used to clear gardens for permanent systems, or they can be used as part of system cycles to rip up organic matter, eat insects, eat weed seeds, and increase fertility. All the while the animals are doing what they love to do while also providing eggs and meat.
Here, at Zaytuna Farm, we are cell grazing with cattle inside of swale trenches and Muscovy ducks on top of swale mounds.
Ducks, chickens, geese, and turkeys can all be used similarly to the Muscovies. Larger animals like cattle need to be very carefully managed with rotational grazing to prevent damaging the system.
To learn more, explore the new Permaculture Masterclass series, here, https://www.discoverpermaculture.com/… or join my Online Permaculture Design course here , https://www.discoverpermaculture.com/pdc-2019
It seems to me that the tragedy of floor destruction to the Midwest U.S. farmers presents a perfect opportunity to begin again under a whole new paradigm of farming. Agroforestry as practiced by Mark Shepherd, restorative agriculture, the changing of focus from Monsanto GMO seeds and chemical control methods to sustainable farming with lots of diversity and perennials. Perhaps the farmers would be glad to be able to grow food that is not poisoning all of us.
Blue skies of Central Texas, USA:
My beloved father, now late & missed, 1899-1989, was a gardener from the mystical horticulturists of early 1900s. He talked to his plants, petted them, did all the practices of permaculture, and felt gardening was a sacred practice. He especially like to enjoy his (mostly pet) chickens having a “ladies in the garden day”–your post brings back splendid memories–Papa, in a Sunday suit & Fedora, opening the chicken yard gate into his 1/4 acre of vegetables, calling out, Ladies, ladies! How they’d bustle in with him, racing about, Papa steadily walking among them. Sure enough, bugs & weeds would disappear in a flash. Like ducks in vineyards. Thank you for prompting this sweetest of memories. Martha
Thank you for showing us your wonderful area of Australia.We have only been able to cell graze a couple of times in the last few years as it has been a lot drier and feed is limited each year, We have destocked sheep to just 1 ram and 5 ewes for hopefully some rain this year.
We have maintained or Chooks and veggie garden with the help of underground water.
Our rainwater is the lowest in our tanks for many many years we collect off every roof area on our property as we are not connected to any reticulated system
Thanks for showing us that wonderful property of yours