Hi Folks!!

[Green_eddie]

Hi, I am in Adelaide, SA and have my own small(ish) plot. I have been wondering what to do with it for a few years now and have cleaned up the rubbish on it (what a shite job...). I am struggling to find any true inspiration here in Adelaide to follow a good path in becoming self sufficient(at least). Now the big questions I am pondering at the moment is where do we draw the line in the sand when small plot personal horticulture becomes Efficient Agriculture/permaculture?

I define "small plot personal horticulture" as those who thry to convey a "green and organic" message but is this really true? Where do modern day efficiencies come in? I have seen all too often the "permaculture specialists" on 50 acres or less attempting to make good needy plantations at the expense of the broader environment... Therefore, why do they continue their practices with 30 year old greasy tractors that drop half a pint of crusty diesel oil over their "certified organic crops" before they have finished with the first acre annually???? Know where I am coming from?? Modern techniques and technology need to play a part in our credibility to be truly viable.

I define "efficient agriculture" as that used by indusrty today where the direction of machinery is controlled by GPS navigation to avoid "over tilling(fuel consumption) using modern machinery that has a true advantage environmentally(Catalytic converters, particulate filters and modern gaskets to hold the petroleum products in!!). Methane/heavy gas capture from waste water/composting systems, Energy used in manufacture of solar panels vs energy saved over their life... etc,etc.

As I said, there is no inspiration for me in Adelaide(even from the "supposed best"), so can anybody offer any guidance here?

[Michaelangelica]

first welcome Adelaide the perfect climate?
second what a great question!
thirdly great comment; normally you should get a good response from that taunt; but everyone has been too polite, considerate and helpful of late. Makes me feel redundant.

How much land do you have now?
What's on it?
What problems do you have with it?
What do you want to achieve?

[Grahame]

Hello Green_eddie and welcome to the forum.

You ask the question "where do we draw the line in the sand when small plot personal horticulture becomes Efficient Agriculture/permaculture?" My personal thoughts on this is that it becomes permaculture when it is sustainable and when it is based on the permaculture ethics. People Care, Earth Care and Return the Surplus to the first two, among others. It is more difficult to work with the term "Efficient Agriculture" as it is a bit ambiguous, however I don't see how small plot personal horticulture needs to be inefficient or unsustainable.

Some folks who have personal plots are more clean and green than others. Some organic farmers ore 'more organic' that others. Some permies are more permie than others. I agree there is a fundamental problem with certification in the name of profiteering; in the name of continuing with the same outdated economic model for agriculture. I think it is much more important that there is a close grower/consumer relationship, cutting out middlemen of all sorts (resellers, certifiers etc). This model is more closely aligned with the ideas of permaculture.

As for 'modern day efficiencies' (possibly an oxymoron, but I understand where you are coming from), personally, I think most of the real efficiencies of permaculture come from good design. Far less telling efficiencies will come from technology.

Your definition of Efficient agriculture is a bit confusing to me, but I think what you are saying is that it is 'more' efficient' use of modern technologies? My question is why use machinery at all (especially on a small plot) if you can use animals?

I think in a permaculture world there would be communal machinery available for important and initial Earthworks, failing that hiring it would seem wise for once off use.

I think for people to offer advice and direction we will need to know what is it you want from your property? What are your aims?

[Green_eddie]

Well, to answer a few of your questions, I have grown up here in a form of self sufficiency I wish to re-establish without question. We had ducks, turkeys, geese and chooks in real numbers for many years(30+) until my Grandparents fell away, my father became sick and passed on and mum moved away to simplify her life. We also had sheep and pigs in small nummbers(1-3 of each max, rotated for the dinner plate!!;-) annually), so a little bit of hard work is not foreign to me.

I guess I take a particular distate in those who endeavuor to portray their commercial operations as "green", when they are really not(and I am not talking about the commercial farmers either here).

Anyway, my gripe aside and working within my means......

I am on a small acreage( 1Ha), the house is double brick and my father had a few "special features" built in back in 1970. Ie, concrete where it needed to be, double depth foundations(the soil demands it, but nobody else worries about the extra cost here).... I have a Woodlot of redgums for firewood(slow combustion stove, double chambered for efficiency and clean burn). I established the trees with Dad when I was an ankle biter and rotate them out(chop a few yearly, then plant 150% more the same year, try to cut them so they regenerate into more branches of woodly growth!! so I have lots more to play with a few years on... That is a given, right here and now.

I have a solar hot water system(Old Beasley "silver Bullet") with a 2mm marine grade stainless steel tank which is about 25 years old now. I keep the element maintained for "emergencies" during winter where I can switch on the "off peak" meter if I need to... failing that, It is off electrically for daily temps over 25C and the "winter burner" I have co-built(certified to boiler specs+ a bit more for longevity) takes care of winter hot water and bathroom warmth during the colder months. This system is not new, innovative etc, with the winter heater going for close to 2 decades now.

My big let down now is the waste water system. I have an old septic tank I would like to harvest without spending $10K to fuel the orchard/ food plantation I re-planted 6 years ago to complement the existing food trees here.

Do you guys have a good set of plans for a waste water system which will spit out relatively clean water for the orchard and vegie patch?

I have come up with the following;

Shoot a crossbow arrow with string attached over a 20m high tree here and winch up some flexible ag pipe for an "aerobic vent". Then use several Pallecons(1000L each and cheap) to stage the aerobic bacterial processing of the waste water. Then store the product in a large rainwater tank to be pumped under pressure or irrigated by gravity-most likely... into the garden(via 3mm outlets...no fuss and they don't block up... no need for a sand trap filter). I will utilise a conventional irrigation controller/timer with a solid state relay for the pump motor. I am not kidding you here, this is the current plan and I have most of the parts already(pulled out of old process machinery). I will use a sump pump in the existing septic tank to pump into the pallecons during the day and use a solar powered air pump to aerate the sealed pallecons internally and then vent up the tree. The finished product in the final tank will be dosed to 6ppm of chlorine(using process electronics-very efficient and easy for somebody like me to setup) to kill any bugs before it leaves... I might even just use an ultra-violet light to do the job too. I haven't made my mind up on that yet.

My question is... Am I on the right path here as the budget for it is favourable and are there any other implications I need to look out for(ie authorities.... I am trying to be proactive here, but local govt isd a pain in the ar*e sometimes and after all... it is just sh*t..!!).

I currently have a decent 30+ tree orchard with citrus, Avocadoes, stone fruit, almonds, apples... yes they grow here, family tips are golden!!, cherries and the vegie patch in a semi shaded and protected area(summers are a bitch out here). I grow pumpkins under the citrus during summer(ground cover), harvest free horse crap from surrounding properties. The old glass house is gone and am in the middle of welding up another... My garden machines are all "vintage" so nothing has gone to the chinese manufacturing effort and I am sure they are carbon neutral by now!!;-) I am mechanically minded and maintain them too, so no issue there.

I have sheep roaming at the moment(to help with weeding;-)) but want the poultry back, so will be going for combined meat/egg birds ultimately.

[Green_eddie]

PS, does anybody have a communal excavator(smallish type) they wish to lend out??? must be a capable unit(not stuffed!!) ... I will not break it and they will get it back serviced(mutual respect here!!).I am in Metro Adelaide..

[eco4560]

I am mechanically minded

Sigh.... my perfect man and you are on the other side of the country..... Sigh....

[eco4560]

Try here to see if there is anything suitable. I'm sure there are other online resources out there that describe how to make a waste water treatment system.

[Green_eddie]

Sigh.... my perfect man and you are on the other side of the country..... Sigh....

And that stops me???!! LOL!!

If you are 25-35, cute, single and female!!(LOL!!) lets meet up!! Most ladies don't like my "bipolar" ideas and don't seem to hang around for some reason!! I end up listening to the constant cliches such as their "travel", "wine/coffee", cafe exploits...city dwellers....boooorrrriinng!!

[eco4560]

Does 45, single and female and good looking enough not to scare small children get me on the list?

[Green_eddie]

Does 45, single and female and good looking enough not to scare small children get me on the list?

Cougar??(roar!!!...LOL...;-))