The Land, The Plot, The Bed and The Plan A four part series on land development - Part 4 - The Plan

torquewrench1969 (54)in #gardening • 7 years ago (edited)

The Land, The Plot, The Bed and The Plan
A four part series on land development

In July of 2017, I took out a long term lease on a piece of land which needs some prudent management. It has been in my family for over 60 years, during which little care was taken into account for the long term development.

I have already started some work on restoration, reclamation and development of access ways, gardens, grazing areas and hydrologics.

This is a four part blog on the development plan and techniques I am using for the improvement of the property.

Some parts will be dry and technical, but a basic understanding of the process for is necessary a person to apply or modify such techniques on their own property.

If you haven't read them already:

Part 1-https://steemit.com/permaculture/@torquewrench1969/the-land-the-plot-the-bed-and-the-plan-a-four-part-series-on-land-development

Part 2-https://steemit.com/gardening/@torquewrench1969/the-land-the-plot-the-bed-and-the-plan-a-four-part-series-on-land-development-part-2-the-plot

Part 3-https://steemit.com/gardening/@torquewrench1969/the-land-the-plot-the-bed-and-the-plan-a-four-part-series-on-land-development-part-3-the-bed

Part
4: The Plan

Due to weather ananomolies in my part of the world, I believe it is advantageous to spread crop production over the largest area feasible.

My farming is currently done in four locations spread over a 17 mile drive.

**Site 1-The Bad Lands - 2.2 Acres ** *

Site 1 Before.JPG

Unfortunately, this site has the lowest quality soil ( And happens to be the nearest to my home).

Exposure to direct sunlight starts at sunrise and lasts for 80% of the day at a minimum.

The soil is on a predominately clay terrace which was manually formed just after the dust bowl era. Due to the clay hardpan, water infiltration is extremely slow and water can stand in the primary planting areas for over two weeks in wet years.

To help remedy these harsh conditions several steps have been taken. I have run chickens over the area for two years. This has helped to reduce weed seed load and aided in adding fertility to the soil. Weed germination is now much lower.

I have added multiple tons of mulch and manure to the soil over the past three years. This has aided in water infiltration and has increased soil biology as indicated by increased aramadillo diggins in the area.

Two seasons age, I discover a cut through the existing terrace. I assume this terrace was cut to increase surface water flow to a new pond. This has been largely unsuccessful.

To help remedy this situation, I have dug a silt catchment basin at the cut and installed a 4" PVC over flow line on the the basin dam. Soil and nutrients are retained in the basin, rather than allowing them to be washed down slope. The soil and nutrient can be dug out at the end of season for garden bed utilization. Also, the land at the PVC over flow is planted with wheat, sorghum and turnips to utilize excess nutrient and improve soil quality.

The catch basin is covered with dead tree limbs. The area surrounding the silt catch pond is planted with willow and cottonwood whips. This should help to minimize evaporation from the wind and sun, while helping to provide habitat for insects, toads, frogs and birds.

Stones, rocks and bricks have been piled at the edge of the silt catch pond to provide a rookery for lizards and snakes.

I dug a 70 foot drainage ditch to feed the silt catch basin and packed it with mulch. The mulch assists in slowing the water flow and also feeds black locust and willow whips. These trees, of which less than 10% I expect to live should provide biomass and nitrogen to use in the garden, shade to cool the garden and provide windbreak to protect the garden. This should definately aid in crop viability during the harsh Oklahoma summers.

Three raised beds have been installed in the manner shown in Part 3. The longest bed is 110 feet long and the remaining two beds are 85 feet long. Beds are approximately 12 feet apart, allowing me to bring additional truckloads of biomass fof soil fertility.

While this site has the lowest soil quality, it does have acceptable production levels of new potatoes and lettuce, both of which are comparativily light feeders as compared with many of my other crops.

These beds are cover cropped with wheat, sorghum and turnips in the fall, then planted with potatoes and interspersed with lettuce.

As soil quality improves, other crops will be brought into production/rotation.

Site 1 After.jpg

Site 2: Eden - 0.13 Acres *

Eden is the best piece of land I have worked in years. The soil organic matter is over 4% and had successfully grown tomatoes, summer squach, winter squash, cucumbers, green beans, cantalopes and pumpkins.

There are currently six beds, 50 feet long on 48" centers.

The existing trees provide ample windbreak and shade from the brutal Oklahoma sun. I believe that almost any crop desired can be successfully grown.

Other than adding six more beds, little work needs to be done on this site.

Fall garlic and carrots are currently planted, interspersed with leaf lettuce. Heavier feeding crops are planted in the spring.

Eden has few negataive aspects, the worst of which is produce theft, as it is not viable to fence the garden and it is located in the middle of town.

Luckily it is directly across the street from a church, which may help minimize people absconding with veggies.

The one good aspect of the garden being located in the middle of town is that it has the potential to serve as a good sales location.

Site 3 - Fishing Hole - 20 Acres *

Site 3 Before.jpg

While not a great piece of ground, Fishing Hole has access to ample water for irrigation and animals. Currently two plots of 6, 50 foot beds have been established and cover cropped for winter. A single bed of nitrogen fixing trees has also been started to aid in nutrient replenishment.

Over the next two seasons, a minimum of four additional plots will be established in varoius locations, leveraging existing shade and water flows to improve soil hydration and water quality in the existing pond, catment and gully pond.

Hugelkulture beds and hugel-swales will also be established as time and manpower become available.

Early spring plantings of light feeding lettuce, spinach and kale will be made in in the majority of beds, replaced in late spring with summer squash, winter squash, okra, green beans, pinto beans and corn.

Site 3 After.jpg

Site 4 - Liberty Field - 2.5 acres *

Site 4 Before.jpg

Liberty Field is probably the most complicated of the four sites, having a large range in soil types, problems with standing water in some areas, excessive run-off in other areas, lots of pecan trees, persimmon trees, blackberries, raspberries, horses, chickens, dogs and an existing homestead.

Currently, one plot of 4 fifty foot beds have been established, with at least six more plots, a main catchment pond, two silt catch ponds, four plunge pools and several hundred feet of swales, hugel-swales and drainage runs planned over the next 3 years.

As this is an existing homestead, a wider variety of crops will be grown, including herbs and essential oil producing plants.

Site 4 After.jpg

Economics Over-view *

When all aspects have been completed, I expect to have approximately 11,000 square feet of cultivated beds. This should take approximately 3 years.

Because of multi-season plantings, irrigation, natural fertilization and bed/plot layouts, I should be able to sell $2.60 of produce per square foot with an annual maintainance cost of 60 cents per square foot (after initial installation).

This could yield $22,000 per year in potential profit.

Annual labor should be less than 750 hours in field work and sales work. At this rate, it should be able to provide an hourly income of over $29.

** PHASE II ** *

Animals and production of value added products

As naturally maintaining land fertility without animals is difficult at best, animals will be integrated into all locations with the exception of Eden, as it is extremely small and located in the middle of town.

I have had a lot of experience raising laying hens and meat rabbits on open pasture and have been fairly successful at it. These are fairly easy to integrate into the existing farm sites.

I have had some experience raising hogs and sheep, but have never attempted to make them an integral part of a farm. Luckily many people who have successfully integrated these animals have produced books and Youtube videos from which I can learn fairly quickly.

Animal integration will begin in the spring and summer of 2018.

I have had experience producing moonshine, beer, wine, vinegar, kombucha, dried herbs, dehydrated vegetables, jerky, biochar, compost, soap and all sorts of canning and butchery.

Unfortunately * having experience * and * being good * are two completely different critters. I'm hoping to bring in people more experienced than I to provide examples and instruction on many of these things.

End of Part 4

Note: All proceeds from this blog go to land restoration and agricultural development!

All Images have been acquired from Google Earth

#homesteading #permaculture #bcs #oklahoma