Tag Archives: permaculture

Permaculture: Using Goats to clear Blackberry Patches

On our farm here in NSW, like many other farms in the region, we have a problem with Blackberry Bushes.

For anyone from the city who isn’t acquainted with them, Blackberry Bushes aren’t cute little shrubs that give you some delightful fruit.  No, they are a noxious weed that grows out of control.  There is virtually no limit to the size they grow, and they are covered in thorns ready to ensnare human and animal alike with even the slightest contact.

And that is just ONE patch!

We’ve got some whoppers of Blackberry Bushes on our land, some almost bigger than our house!  They have been very hard to get rid of for two reasons:

A: We don’t like to use poisons on our property

B: Even if we did use poisons, most of the bushes are located in the middle of our shallow creek, meaning that any use of herbicides could result in them entering the water, causing major damage to other plants and the ecosystem in general.

So what were we to do?

Well, we kinda lucked out.  Mick, who I buy nearly all my second-hand pots from in order to propagate plants for our Organic Plants & Produce business, runs a family business of his own.  He and his wife Billie run Dry Creek Farm, and they specialize in bringing out herds of goats in order to decimate Blackberry Patches, leaving nothing but stems and fertilizer in their wake.  After being impressed with the job they did on our farm, I couldn’t help but ask them for an interview and they kindly obliged:

Sustainable – and cute!

What first gave you the idea to use goats to clear huge blackberry patches?

Huge Blackberry patches on our own place and a strong desire not to spray. We have done a permaculture course and heard of people using goats for weed control. We were getting a fair bit of pressure from the weed inspectors to do something about our Blackberry so we decided we’d have to give it a go. 

What made you decide that using goats to clear blackberry was a viable business?

Mostly the fact that it worked so well on our place. We knew other people were also looking to an alternative to spraying. Also, we had the goats and were running out of feed for them! 

How much blackberry can a mob of your goats clear in a day?

We usually say a single car garage per day but we’ve recently experimented with using larger mobs and knocking them over a bit faster. We have found that it depends on the goats and what they’re used to eating, we’ve recently bought some goats and found they weren’t as keen on blackberry as our initial mob. Nothing a bit of competition and on the job training won’t fix. (after the goats moved from your place to join with the others they have started churning through the patches like there’s no tomorrow)

How is using goats to clear blackberry more sustainable and ecologically friendly than using traditional methods?

Spraying is very detrimental in the long run, it kills soil life and does not allow the weed to add fertility to the soil. The production and transportation of agricultural chemicals is a huge contributer to greenhouse gases and creates a cycle of chemical dependence on farms. Goats help to increase fertility by turning weeds into manure which makes it easier to break down. Treating weeds in this way also allows the plant to continue filling it’s niche in the ecosystem. For example, blackberry helps prevent erosion and having the goats treat a patch still leaves the canes and the roots to fulfill this function. 

I understand something rather odd (and amusing) happened when your goats were at our place.  Can you describe what happened?

We’ve well and truly learnt that not everything goes to plan when working with animals. We decided to swing via your place for an unscheduled check on the goats because we happened to be in the area. Lucky we did. When we arrived we noticed there were nine feral and stinky billygoats showing an interest in our girls. One was in the paddock with our goats and another had his horns completely tangled in the mobile fencing and was being humped from behind by another of the billies! It was not his lucky day. Mike had to get amongst it and wrestle him free of the fence then we had to draft them out of the paddock and chase them away to discourage them returning. It was all a bit dramatic but didn’t cause too much drama in the end and gives us something to have a laugh about. We were quite surprised as we had the goats working on our place for twelve months with feral goats always around and we have also done other jobs and seen billies about but never had this situation! 

 

I’d like to thank both Michael and Billie for both their time doing this interview and the wonderful job their goats did getting rid of our blackberries.  You can find the website for Dry Creek Farm HERE.

Before
After

Got any questions for Mick and Billie?  Pop it in the comments section below and I’m sure they will be happy to answer it.

 

Related Articles:

*Capturing Wild Animals: Feral Goats

*Interview: Greens Member – Natalie Abboud

*Raising Goats as Pets

*Permaculture: Building a No-Dig Garden

 

 

 

Ask Trev: Whats Trev’s Nuclear Armageddon survival plan?

Once again, we have a question from a long time reader – Madds in Melbourne.

When the polar ice caps melt, and release an apocalyptic gas cloud from the arctic tundra / or when Trumples and Kimbo wage nuclear Armageddon what is your post apocalyptic action plan?

I didn’t do it!

 

Well, much as when Matt asked me about my plan for when we have a Zombie Apocalypse, this is already a subject I have given much thought to and yours truly is well prepared.

Like when planning against the Zombie Apocalypse, I live on a remote farm (not the same one) that is well inland hours away from the ocean.  Even with the ice caps melting the seas will not rise enough to cross the Blue Mountains to reach our local and since we are now much further north, the apocalyptic gas cloud should only affect the more southern part of this continent, thereby rendering us relatively safe from this eventuality.

However when Trumples and Kimbo wage Nuclear Armageddon is another matter.

‘Radiation Burns? Na na, it’s just an STD I swear!’

They’ve been having recent chats but  I am not hopeful.  Kimbo is likely to turn around and launch a missile on a whim and, given how rude he was recently to the Queen of England, Trumples is antagonistic enough that if he doesn’t start a Nuclear War with North Korea, he is going to eventually start a war with someone.

So what is my action plan then?

Well as I said we are well situated.  About half way between Sydney and Canberra we lie outside any blast zones or radiation fallout areas.  Whilst millions in the region will die, we will be fine.

We will look to our sustainability first off.  We have rainwater tanks as well as our own creek with a water purification system, so will maintain a reserve of clean water well after others have run out.  We have a solar panels and a diesel generator, so as long as the sun shines and we can scavenge fuel for a while we will have power.  We have goats, chooks and ducks so we will have access to eggs and meat on top of having fruit & nut trees and vegetable & herb gardens for sustenance.  We will be OK.  Worst comes to worst there are enough Kangaroos on our land to eat heartily for decades!

Which puts us in a position of power!

Like in the old world, in the new world order power will be paramount.  But now as a permacultralist who has fresh food, water and also electricity, we will have the power!  We will lord it over all the bankers, lawyers and politicians who currently earn 20 times more than I do.  And they will come begging.

Eating hearty while they all die of radiation poisoning – not that I’m smug about it or anything

I will strengthen the fences of our farm and patrol our lands.  Anyone looking for fresh food and water need to be able to negotiate for entry.  Either with resources of their own in tow, or useful skills such as medicine or mechanical repairs will be required to join us.  As our numbers grow, we will attract more people with a wider diversity of skills.  Carpenters, midwives, butchers, bakers, candlestick makers – all will wish to  join my our community and soon a working village will establish itself, with folks able to support each other with goods and services, even after all resources able to be scavenged from beyond our borders have been depleted.

 

But what of those that wish to undermine the new order?

Tracking the spoor of an intruder

Easily fixed.  All newcomers to our community, once properly vetted, will be branded with a hot iron on the back of their left shoulder blade with a mark resembling my benevolent visage and a hand giving the thumbs up underneath.  Any pretending to be part of our community who are not will be fed to the pigs – human flesh being of considerable dietary benefit to the porkers.  This ensures security and loyalty amongst my flock.

But what of raiders?

Whereas with the Zombie Apocalpse, where zombies will be the biggest worry regarding transgressors, it will be Mad Max-like bands of marauders roaming the land that will be of major concern.  These groups will have regressed back to the ‘might-makes-right’ mindset, with the biggest, burliest and nastiest forming gangs around themselves.  Though a mixture of violence and fear they will control their followers and scour the land, refusing to create but rather steal the toil of others.  Their main goals beyond destruction?  Obtaining fuel, food and women.

Luckily we also will be prepared for this.  Even man in my new order will be trained in marksmanship with a scoped rifle, able to knock the gnat off a rabbits dick from 500 yards.  All womenfolk will be trained extensively in hand-to-hand combat, as well as the proficient use handheld weapons – particularly knives.

Not only does this empower women within my new world order community to know that on a one-to-one basis they can beat the living crap out of or even kill any man who tries to get overly fresh with them, it will surprise the hell out of raiders!

Imagine a scavenging road gang, having breached our gates, coming into the main compound ready for combat.  Now any man they would see they would immediately kill on the spot.  Not women.  Women is what they are after.  They see a few dozen apparently unguarded ladies with smiling and somewhat lascivious smiles on the faces.  These raiders will think they have reached the promised land!

Leading by example, I will of course also offer myself as irresistible bait

Of course, as they dismount from their motorcycles and dune buggies and approach these fair maidens, hidden snipers from every conceivable angle will take them out.  Any left standing will be sliced from scrotum to sternum by the women of our clan, relishing the feeling of spilling the guts of their would-be aggressors onto the soil below.  These pricks wont stand  a chance!

 

As the years progress, I will retire slowly from the community, becoming more of a holy figure amongst the people as my offspring continue to command the rabble and expand our territory, annexing new towns and hamlets by the score.  By the time some of the radiation from the capital cities has receded, I will be lying on my death bed, surrounded by my loved ones with the palace-like-homestead I inhabit beset by thousands of worshipers crying in lament, me content in the knowledge that I have set humanity upon a path to redemption and that statues in my likeness proclaiming me as the true messiah will stand for generations to come, my will controlling the fate of the human race long after my passing.

‘The Church of Trev’ – as long as ya worship me ya can sin as much as ya friggin like!

Of course, humanity one day will recover enough to bring back the sciences of the past and improve upon them.  It is with a satisfied certainty I know that when, in about a thousand years when humanity gets close to destroying itself for a second time, these technologies will be used to revive me to the land of the living to save civilization once again, and thus take my rightful place as overlord of the new age of man, extending my influence to the stars and beyond.  I will through inspiration, charisma and my natural musky scent, lead us all to conquer the heavens above and I will live forever as Big Angry Trev the 1st – Grand Space Emperor Supreme!  All will love me and despair – or I’ll have their balls chopped off!

 

Well, that’s my plan anyway.

Hope this answers your question Madds.

 

 

Related Articles:

Ask Trev: How would Trev protect his family from Zombies?

 

Sustainability Tip – Don’t let your green waste go to waste!

Some Councils are looking at introducing green bins for their residents.  These bins will serve the purpose the same way your current recycle ones do – separating items that can be reused in some fashion rather than it going into the landfill.  In this case, green waste.

That might be fine and dandy if you live in an inner suburb in a major metropolis.  If you live in a house that has a big garden or like me, you have a hobby farm – then why pay to have this valuable stuff to be taken away?  You can use it all yourself – and I do mean all!

 

On my farm I get five main kinds of green waste:

  • Kitchen scraps: Fruit peels, old bread, vegetables my children once again refused to eat at dinner.
  • Garden waste: Plant and bush pruning’s, mowed grass clippings.
  • Wood waste: Fallen branches, tree pruning’s.
  • Weeds: Milk thistle etc from garden beds, bindi-eye and so forth on bare ground.
  • Animal Waste: Not their actual waste, more used straw from bedding.

 

Well all of this can be reused and put to use on your property, so much so that it will can reduce your costs in other areas such as buying compost or animal feed.  Here are the various ways I use all of the above in a Permaculture fashion.

 

Use 1: Compost

mmmm…. composty goodness!

Every good gardener should have some compost heaps.  I will be doing an in-depth look at composting on my blog soon but until then here is a rough guide to what you can and can’t put of your green waste in there.

Yes to:

  • Fruit peelings
  • Vegetable peelings
  • Grass clippings
  • Egg shells
  • Small twigs
  • Soiled straw animal bedding (including all poop, feathers and hair)

No to:

  • Citric fruit (oranges, lemons etc – put them at the base of your trees)
  • Weeds
  • Grass with root systems

 

Use 2: Animal tucker

We don’t need lucerne today – we be fed already!

Different animals will like different foods and what you can reuse depends on the animals you have.  If you own omnivores like pigs you can give them most anything.  Sadly I don’t but here are the animals I do have and what green waste I give them

  • Chickens: My chickens will happily gnaw down on kitchen waste that hasn’t fully been used up. This means things like corn cobs with some kernals still on them, watermelon rinds with some fruit left, half eaten stone fruit and any and all bread scraps.
  • Ducks: My ducks love leafy food so wilted spinach leaves, old silverbeet plants, browning lettuce and so on go to them to fill their tums.
  • Goats: Goats aren’t omnivores but when it comes to plants they are close. To my goats go things like grass (not mowed, it can knot in their stomachs), leafy tree branch pruning’s, most weeds (prickly is fine – ones with actual prickles such as bindi eye and three-corner jacks no) and clippings from bushes such as roses.

 

Use 3: Firewood

I got wood

Those big trees you cut down?  Chop’em up!  Those big branches you cut down?  Strip the smaller stuff off them and cut into the sizes you need.  Come next winter you wont by buying a single bag of kindling because you will have all you need!  Of course, if you own a woodchipper (which sadly I don’t) you can always turn your wood into mulch.

 

Step 4: Bonfire

Great for both your garden and to drink beer around

All other green waste that you can’t use in the previous three ways put on your bonfire pit.  Whats that you say?  Burning them is bad?!  It releases smoke into the atmosphere?  Well it’s a trade off.  Yes you are releasing a bit of smoke but its smoke from plants, not harsh chemical smoke.  And instead of all that otherwise unusable green waste going into landfill you are burning it off and getting something great in return – ash!  Ash is awesome stuff! All compost heaps love a bit of ash!  You can brush ash onto your plants to get rid of small bugs and onto your chooks to get rid of mites.  And all that leftover ash can go around the bases of your trees – they will love you for it!

 

So don’t let your green waste go to waste.  It’s just too useful in too many ways.  Do yourself and the environment a favor. It’s truly a case of – if done correctly – everyone wins!

Permaculture – treating mite infestations in chickens

Some of you may have read in the ‘Ask Trev’ section some tips I gave long-time reader Maddy in regards to caring for her new chickens.  Some of these tips revolved around stopping her chickens getting mites.

Well it shows that one must have constant vigilance as I had not recently enacted some of my own advice and two of my chickens got infested with mites.  This combined with a 45+ degree day lead to the demise of one of our dear chookies.

Since then I have been on the mite-attack!  Getting rid of them and making sure they do not return.  So today’s advice is on how to get rid of mites once you have them and how to do it without resorting to harmful chemicals.  Everything you need you can make at home the permaculture way!

Signs of mites

 

Getting rid of the mites

Step 1: Cleaning the coops

Get rid of all straw and bedding.  Then spray the coops out with White Oil thereby suffocating the mites.  I make this in the following way:

  • 2 cups of vegetable oil
  • Half a cup of dishwashing liquid
Homemade white oil – do NOT mix up with the coconut milk when making a curry

Simply pour these into a sealable jar and give them a good shake!  The resulting liquid should indeed be white.  Now add 10ml of your elixir to one liter of water in a spray bottle, shake again and spray out your coops, killing the mites.  Note, I also use method to get rids of the aphids that occasionally infest my curry tree.  Now replace their bedding with fresh straw and you are set to go!

 

Step 2: Cleaning your chickens

Mites can show up in different ways on your chooks.  On my Frizzles they turn up on their bellies and the backs of their heads.  Only about half my chickens developed these symptoms but after losing a chook I decided to treat my entire flock.   I do this making up some Garlic Juice Spray.  For this you need:

  • 30ml of garlic juice
  • 300ml of water
  • 1 teaspoon of lavender oil

Now garlic juice can be hard to come by and what I found works just as well is to dump a bunch of juicy crushed garlic into your mixture then put it through a strainer before you pour it into your spray bottle.  Mix up the above ingredients, give it a good shake and then spray directly onto your chickens, avoiding their faces as best you can.  Spray your chickens all over, paying special attention to the backs of their head, their bellies and under their wings.  For chickens with no symptoms just a light spray should suffice. For my chook who did survive the hot day but was showing mite symptoms, we sprayed her until she dripped and smelled like an Italian restaurant!

What you can also do is provide an Ash Bath.

A bath where your chooks come out filthier yet healthier

Some people actually recommend rubbing your chickens down with ash but I find this works just as well.  Make a little hollow in the dirt somewhere in your chook yard and fill it with ash from  your fire (if you don’t have a fire, just watch the news for arson reports then do a quick drive by with a bucket and spade).  The chickens will pop themselves in of their own accord and ruffle their feathers, giving themselves a little coating of ash which drives away mites.  Note your chooks probably do this anyway in the dirt and dust, but ash is much more effective at getting rid of the creepy crawlies.  If you keep your ash bath topped up the chooks will use it as needed.

 

Keeping the mites away

Now that you’ve treated your coop and your chickens you want to stop the mites coming back and here is how:

Step One: Your coops

  • Gather up a few fistfuls of fresh wormwood plant and throw them into your coops amongst their bedding and laying boxes. This should drive away any mites that may have survived your white oil purge. If you suspect they may be returning, change their straw and give a white oil spray to the coops.
Wormwood – not just for magic spells anymore

 

Step Two: Your chickens

  • Drop a couple of cloves of garlic into their water and replace when necessary. Live by this saying: A bit of garlic a day keeps the mites away.
Not as refreshing as a twist of lemon but more effective

 

And that’s pretty much it.  But I must stress vigilance.  I had been doing the ‘garlic in the water’ and ‘wormwood in their nests’ thing for the past year and had nary a problem.  Due to being so busy around the farm keeping everything alive in summer I had become lax and as a result I learned my lesson the hard way by losing one of our dear chookies; it’s a lesson I don’t wish to learn a second time.

 

Got any permaculture tips for treating mites in chickens you would like to add?  Would love to read them in the comments section below!