Quote:
Originally Posted by gardengalrn
Hey Scott, thanks for the prompt reply. I was laughing at your "lazy" comments because I don't think any of us gardeners are lazy, per say, but I do admit to procrastinating. Many times the weather just doesn't cooperate so when there is a "nice" day, I end up putting in my garden under not very ideal conditions. Soil too wet, usually, and dear hubby has turned it as a surprise favor, knowing I'm itching to get into the dirt. Means well but it usually doesn't turn out the best.
But hey, I DO have chickens. Keep in mind that the wind blows here, esp in spring, at a scary speed so it would be hard to keep that type of paper mulch in place. I'm willing to try and I do have access to lots of newspapers (I work at a hospital). What size beds are you talking about? I would like to temper what I would love to grow vs what I can take care of and make look nice, be productive and weed-free.
Of course I would like to have a nice variety of tomatoes but we enjoy a lot of various vegetables. Potatoes, beets, onions, garlic, collards and various lettuces/greens, squash, you name it. Last year I did manage to have some of the BEST broccoli and cauliflower ever, but it was before the weeds in that area over-took everything. Onions did fairly well too. Where our garden was is where we keep pigs usually so the soil was rich and relatively well-worked but full full full of weeds. We have a (pet) cow, pigs, chickens and various other critters so I have access to manure and you are right, chickens are the best at turning over various scraps. I don't even worry about stepping into my cow's manure because usually the chickens have picked even that over for whatever grain they can find. All of our animals are pastured/free range but supplemented with grain.
My only quarrel with my chickens is that they don't discriminate when it comes to weeds and they certainly love all fruits and veggies. They are fairly destructive when it comes to areas you would like to keep green or have veggie plants. They will eat your final product for sure.
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OK first point. The animal technique that will be combined with the veggie growing technique is not "free range". It is called "managed intensive rotational grazing". It is a very precise grazing technique that increases the forage available from pasture by double the very first year, and up to 5 times or more within a few years. The key is that you control very precisely the time spent on any particular part of the pasture (paddock) with portable electric feathernet fencing and/or portable cages. For example, you would pasture your cow on a paddock size where she could eat all the grass available in 1 day. Then move her to a new paddock, letting that grass recover exactly 3 days (not 2, not 4), then moving your chickens on the paddock for a day to turn under the manure and eat the fly larvae and other pests before they pupate. This is called Pasture sanitation. Then that part of the pasture is "rested" from any animals being on it for weeks until the "blaze of growth" stage of the grass is over. Then you can either graze it again or make hay/grass clippings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managed...tional_grazing
So when you combine it with veggie growing you have to understand that you carefully and precisely control the areas the chickens are allowed to be, so they won't be able to eat your tomatoes because they will never be in direct contact with them. They will be confined to between the rows and only at specific times. Or before you plant/after you harvest. You can control chickens with either a "chicken tractor" or "feathernet electric fencing" depending on how many chickens we are talking about. Or both.
http://www.premier1supplies.com/vide...net&size=small
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Z2_xvvNXg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvj6i4QPXZM
There are a gazillion designs large and small. You simply need to figure out what scale or combination of scales works best for you.
As far as the paper goes, remember, we are covering the paper with mulch so it doesn't blow away. It helps to lightly water the mulch to settle it down to the ground.
So basically for the method I am working on you would start out grazing the whole area of your garden down low to start. Then 3 days later let the chickens in and have them spread manure and sanitize the area of bugs. Then to prepare the garden/field, lay paper (covered with mulch) on the rows you intend to plant with veggies ONLY, while leaving just enough room between rows to pull a chicken tractor through. In between rows won't have paper or mulch.
Since your hubby already turned the garden for you, I would also fence the chickens on it this fall to scratch it clean and fertilize it. Then scatter plant a winter cover crop like clover or alfalfa, winter rye etc... The same fence that keeps them inside the garden will also keep them out of the garden over fall, winter, early spring. Graze it once next spring with your cow, 3 days later with your chickens, then lay out your rows and paper mulch etc.... Things that are direct sowed you can prepare as normal and plant, and mulch it later after the seeds sprout. Weeds can't grow through the paper covered with mulch barrier, so you won't get over run with weeds ever again. The part not mulched between the rows, weeds or your alfalfa/ grass or whatever cover crop will grow, but when it gets too tall pull the chicken tractor over it and let your chickens weed it for you. (no need to get the soil bare, leave short cover to prevent erosion and help improve the soil)
Is that better clarified?