On Tuesday, I stopped by the Song House Sanctuary and we had a fun time walking around the land, talking about what we'll be up to during the June 7-8 weekend. Long-term water management with catchment, ponds, and swales are also being considered for the future.
For the workshop, we'll be building one or two hugelkultur beds, depending on how far we get with the biggest one.
Song House Sanctuary hosts outdoor gatherings at their fire pit regularly, and they're hoping to shield the light from their neighbor's house (behind me as I'm taking the photo below) so it doesn't interfere with the darkness at the fire. There are already young slow-growing cedar trees planted just south of where the hugel will go. The purpose of this hugel is to give us a head-start on height for blocking the light, with some quick-growing succession plants that will die off relatively quickly and make room for the more slow growing and long lasting forest trees.
For the workshop, we'll be building one or two hugelkultur beds, depending on how far we get with the biggest one.
Song House Sanctuary hosts outdoor gatherings at their fire pit regularly, and they're hoping to shield the light from their neighbor's house (behind me as I'm taking the photo below) so it doesn't interfere with the darkness at the fire. There are already young slow-growing cedar trees planted just south of where the hugel will go. The purpose of this hugel is to give us a head-start on height for blocking the light, with some quick-growing succession plants that will die off relatively quickly and make room for the more slow growing and long lasting forest trees.
The next hugel is the start of a deer fencing experiment. For some parts of the property, they're going to use regular fencing in order to protect the garden and orchard areas from deer, and for others we want to try a living fence. Again, the hugel is designed to give a little more height quickly, and in both cases we're building rich soil for these mounds to provide nutrient-rich environment for roots, worms, micro- and macro-organisms. As the logs break down inside the hugelkultur, they create a spongey humus that also eliminates the need for watering.
This hugel will be planted with more densely growing shrubby plants - things that will get thick and tall so the deer cannot get through. We may also try a little woven willow fencing.
Aimée Kelley poses for us to show where the hugel will go:
This hugel will be planted with more densely growing shrubby plants - things that will get thick and tall so the deer cannot get through. We may also try a little woven willow fencing.
Aimée Kelley poses for us to show where the hugel will go:
Below is an example of a willow fence I visited on my travels earlier this month:
Hugelkultur Workshop Sign Up (also more info found on Hugelkultur in general on this page)
We're doing a PREP PARTY May 16, 5:45PM, Free & Dinner Provided.
We'll be doing a lot of hauling logs and possibly digging some holes. Bring a chainsaw or handsaws if you have them.
We've enjoyed every step of the way so far, we're bound to keep having fun.
We're doing a PREP PARTY May 16, 5:45PM, Free & Dinner Provided.
We'll be doing a lot of hauling logs and possibly digging some holes. Bring a chainsaw or handsaws if you have them.
We've enjoyed every step of the way so far, we're bound to keep having fun.
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