Friday, February 6, 2015

Now coming to you from ... Kansas!

Long time, no post. Sorry 'bout that. Life has been crazy as only life can be. At any rate, I thought that now would be a good time to inform my readers that I am no longer reside in Utah with a small suburban plot. I have relocated to a small (~11 acres) country farm in Kansas. I am more or less in the same hardiness zone, strangely enough, but the growing season is (according to what the locals tell me) much longer. And, being out in the country with eleven acres, I have a bit more space with which to play around and on. :-)

We are working to rehabilitate the farm: it was previously a private feedlot for beef cattle where synthetic, conventional and chemical means of "fixing" the problems were the standard operating procedures.

We have much to learn, as we have not had much experience with large poultry, large flocks, nor medium-sized mammals, all of which we are learning how to manage. And, as you may know, our main method for learning how to do something is to, first, read a bit about it in a book, and, second, go full steam ahead in trying it out. At this time we have goats, sheep, pigs, geese, ducks, guineas, turkeys, chickens, rabbits, dogs, cats, and hedge hogs. Phew!

I intend on planting a lot of things this spring, which, for this area, is right around the corner. I did dig up and bring with me from Utah many of the plants that were small enough, including the trees that I had just transplanted the previous spring. Here' to hoping that they take to their new environment.

And, just like anywhere else, there are new native/naturalized plants to appreciate. These include fruiting mulberry trees and wild plums.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know about my change of scenery and the opportunities that it is providing. I hope to continue to make posts along the lines of previous posts - specific species, plant use categories, permaculture practices, etc. - but I also expect to throw in things that may be pertinent to my region. Stay tuned and let's see where this ride takes us!