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| We are in the depths of winter here in North Florida, which means temperatures dip slightly below freezing a couple of times a month. The Big Project has gotten, well, even bigger.
I had fenced about ten acres for my Pineywoods cattle and Gulf Coast Native sheep, but essentially all the solar benefit was being absorbed by the volunteer pine trees and wasn't being converted into food for the livestock. So, a logging company paid me to come and harvest the pines and leave the native hardwoods in place. The logging operation is about to be done this week, then I'm going to convert most of the logged area into pasture but also extend my orchard and plant some more vegetable gardens. Yesterday we had a Gulf Coast Native lamb born on the coldest and rainiest day of the year. But he/she seems to be doing fine:
The cattle are enjoying a rest in woods:
And I continue to build raised beds, composting with cow and chicken manure from the farm's livestock. Some lettuce and strawberries:
And now for the devastation of the pines. Fear not: They will soon be replaced when I plant native nut-bearing trees and other more productive tree species.
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Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by buckeye_brian 6 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 18, 08 at 15:10
| WOW...stoneunhenged...how did this post go so long without one single comment? I have zero idea how I have missed it for over a month now myself... You have a beautiful place and animals. My wife would love to have those raised beds. What native nut trees are you planting where the pines used to be? Brian |
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- Posted by jessieinmo (My Page) on Thu, Mar 27, 08 at 18:50
| Wow, looks like you have lots of work ahead of you. Do you still have Red wattle pigs? If so I am very interested in breeding stock. I need to increase my herd as well as get some new bloodlines. Jessie |
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- Posted by stoneunhenged (My Page) on Fri, Apr 11, 08 at 20:31
| Yes, I still have red wattles. Where do you live? |
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| Your raised beds are beautiful, I just wonder, why you made them so deep? Those types of bricks are very expensive here, about $5 each. I need to replace my rotting wood on a couple of raised beds but the cost of brick was just too much even for 8" deep. |
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