[RUSTYME]

The weather has been so wet that i have been unable to dig the grain bed , only 60'x30' or so, to grow the wheat, barley , oats and rye . This means i will have to try to dig it as soon as the weather allows , and grow sping varieties of wheat and barley.  Still got loads of digging to do on the veggie plot , so the grain bed way have to wait till later and then sow winter grains later on.
 The small grain beds will only supply about 50 lbs of each , wheat , barley etc . But that would give 1 lb per week for food or, enough seed to sow half an acre or so . 
 The aim is to grow a quarter of an acre of each , to supply my food and that of any animals i keep , growing more if needed. 

[Lesley Silvester]

Sounds like a plan.

[RUSTYME]

Well sort of mgm , but the best laid plans of mice and men , and so on (squeak squeak) .
One thing i want to do this year though is rear some silk worms . I did this when i was a kid and have wanted to have another go for years .
Domesticated ones to start with , then have a go at tussar silk (i think thats what it is called) .
Ordinary silk worms only eat mullbery leaves , where as the silk worms that make tussar silk eat hawthorn and oak (i think ?)  leaves .
 Why i want to do this i have no idea ! lol , but i think it would be nice to be able to make my own silk !
I made a very small handkerchief when i was about 9 . Might try for a shirt now ? (Lots of silk worms ! ) .

[deepinthewoods]

trouble is, youll start with these silk worms, theyll be a success, youll make too many homegrown and made, organic, free range, local handkerchiefs and end up selling 'em, before you know it your a rich man and buying a seafront pad in tenby.....

[Anke]

Got lots of Mulberry trees on your holding then??

Are you hand digging all your grain fields and vegetable beds? What does your back say to all this digging??!!!

[princesspiggy]

nothing wrong with cloud cuckoo land at all 

[Bright Raven]

Russ, big respect for what you are achieving and dreaming to become. IMHO Russ fully supports society. He is supportive consciousness who minimises his impact on his environment, supports others by providing links, engenders questioning, provides practical knowledge and encouragement to all without discrimination. Helping to awaken others is crucial work at this time . Debt paid. There is more to life than acquisition and taxes.  If this does not fit your perception then I advise a perceptual shift. 

[RUSTYME]

Yes , sell silk hankies to the Japanese , radiation free hankies , or is that a tad cruel ? 'Oh no it snot !'
there are other things that would make more money i think mate !

 Not got any mulberry growing yet , but i have some seeds !
Was it James 1 or 2 , that planted loads of black mulberry to feed silk worms , only to discover that they only eat white mulberry !  (sounds like one of my plans !) .
You can buy dried mulberry leaf to feed them on , not too dear , but that is why i got the seeds !
The other sort of silk moth that produces tussar ? silk , eats hawthorn and oak leaf , which is why i will have a go with them , plenty of that where i am .
As for the grain bed and the veggie plot , all hand dug sadly !, and my back , (unlike the man from Delmonte ), say NO !
The grain bed is 60'x30' and the veggie plot is just under 90'x30' . They are enough for me to dig by hand . Any bigger areas will be ploughed , to old to dig an acre by hand lol , come to think of it , just to old !!

Cheers Russ

[Plantoid]

Hitch up a cow to a single furrow  plough and do the lot in a day or so , same with harrows to  make the tilth.
 
If your lucky you'll also get  instant  manure N % of 0.4 , P % of 0.1 & K % of 0.4 % just make the reins long enough so you dont get it as well .

[SmallTimeSmallholder]

Hats off to you Russ! I think you could be my hero 
I try to manage without having to buy more than I need in everyday life. I have kept chickens for eggs and grown our own vegetables for years & am just starting a new fruit garden & orchard. I make my own bread and within the last 6 months have started producing our own meat. I'm planning on planting willow for coppicing this year and strive in more ways than anyone I know to make as little impact on the environment as possible. Oh boy, are you an inspiration! I feel quite lazy in comparison! 
My only defence maybe also having 3 children under 5. Who would want to make them live in a caravan (or me, for that matter!) Seriously though, it takes all sorts, and your the sort I aspire to!
Many thanks and good luck! 

[Lesley Silvester]

Hitch up a cow to a single furrow  plough and do the lot in a day or so , same with harrows to  make the tilth.
 
If your lucky you'll also get  instant  manure N % of 0.4 , P % of 0.1 & K % of 0.4 % just make the reins long enough so you dont get it as well .

 

Good luck, Russ.  I'll look forward to meting the silk worms when I visit.  as a former weaver, I think silk is lovely to work with.

[Sylvia]

Plantoid has a good point there.  I wonder how difficult it would be to train a bullock to harness I've trained a pony and a goat (though not to the plough) so I reckon a bullock wouldn't be difficult, though you would probably need two to plough with.

[RUSTYME]

I have thought about using oxen, a couple of dairy short horn bullocks , which i can get cheap .
As with horses , it is just time and gear that are the obstacles.
The young oxen need to be as even in size and build as poss, and then they are kept most of the time in yokes , which have to be made to fit them as they grow .
 Lots of work just making them alone .
I have 3 horses already . 1 welsh mountain pony ,11 hands , her son 13 hands ish , and then the big lump , Josie , about 16 hands . So no pairing there !
But no shortage of manure for the veggie plot .
Sadly the possibility of just hitching a cow is not likely , or even something i would like to try plantoid lol . Wouldn't life be easy if it were that simple ?
Digging the veggie plot just has to be done by hand , space being one of the main problems . The headland each end , would be about 20' or so for horses or oxen , not poss .
I do have the backup of owning an Ursus 100 hp 4x4 tractor and a 3 furrow plough and disc harrow , for larger areas though ! No manure from that monster though , just fumes !

[deepinthewoods]

Russ, big respect for what you are achieving and dreaming to become. IMHO Russ fully supports society. He is supportive consciousness who minimises his impact on his environment, supports others by providing links, engenders questioning, provides practical knowledge and encouragement to all without discrimination. Helping to awaken others is crucial work at this time . Debt paid. There is more to life than acquisition and taxes.  If this does not fit your perception then I advise a perceptual shift.

very well said julia.
there is a consciousness evolution happening across populations and generations. keep up the good work all.

[RUSTYME]

Among those that really want something different , each will do as much as they can .
Some will do more than others , but individual circumstances will dictate what can or can't be achieved .
   The mock , ridicule , attack brigade  share little time in my life these days . Live and let live should be the way to go , but they seem to think that everyone has to do as they do .
I accept that not everyone wants what i want , and i try not to interfere with others way of life .
I still think things are going wrong and that we are only at the begging , but even if things carry on as 'normal' , i will plod on as i am now .
I don't think that i can 'save the world ', but i can at least try not to kill it !   
The end of the world must be close now though , i actually saw the sun today and it didn't rain ! lol.