Hello from Healesville

[RussHealesville]

Hi
I'm Russ and along with my partner Claire and kids Ingo and Pema we have just moved from,Fairfield to 2 acres in Healesville. We are just beginning our permaculture journey and will be reading and asking many questions from all of you. Our land is an east facing hillside and we plan to run chickens in a moveable coop and over the next 3 or 4 years plant around half an acre of vegies,, herbs and fruit trees.
Speak soon
Russ

[Michaelangelica]

Welcome Russ and Claire

[cottager]

Welcome from me too!

You would be just down the mountain from the fella that featured on Gardening Australia this week (the Gerbera farm) ... the same mountain that grows the most AMAZING potatoes in Vic (the Toolangi Delight ... yum!)

First bit of advice - test your soil PH. Healesville usually has quite poor soils, but your aspect sounds good and a lot can be done with terracing and soil improvement on a hill like yours (count me jealous lol). Oh, and watch out for the frosts - they are doozies where you are (year before last there was snow on Mt Toolebewong - might be some this year, it's getting a bit cold already).

[RussHealesville]

I've lined up a friend who owns a holistically run cattle farm in the Otways. He's bringing up his laser level in July to help mark out the contours so I can start planning a garden. Will be testing the soil once I know what and where I will be planting. Does anyone in the area have a tractor and Yeomans plough they want to drive over,

[cottager]

I've lined up a friend who owns a holistically run cattle farm in the Otways. He's bringing up his laser level in July to help mark out the contours so I can start planning a garden. Will be testing the soil once I know what and where I will be planting. Does anyone in the area have a tractor and Yeomans plough they want to drive over,

Hey again Russ. If you don't have any luck on this board, ... have a chat with the local farmers around you, and ask to borrow a chisel plow (for shallow), or ripper (for deep) ... you'll get a better turnout of equipment than you would if you ask for a yeoman's plow (same concept, except those two names have been used in the area for decades, so are familiar and will get you a borrow, if you're lucky ).

[eco4560]

Hi Russ. Have you sorted your chicken tractor yet? Google Purple Pear and take a look at the dome and the mandala gardens. Mr Purple Pear is one of the regulars here too so he can answer your design questions.

[RussHealesville]

Thanks folks,
Linda Woodrow's book has plans for w hat looks like the coops at Purple Pear.
Does anyone know ehere to get some cow horns in the area? I've never made any BD preps
But I reckon it's time to startThanks again
Russ

[eco4560]

Is there a local abattoir or home kill butcher near you?

[RussHealesville]

I've got 2 big old radiata pines that are coming down in the spring. I'm wondering if I can use the chips to spread on my garden. I'm in Healesville with fairly clay soils. I'd also like to use a mix of chips, branches and logs to create a Hugelkultur. Is this possible or is pine good for nothing!!
Russ

[Grahame]

Nothing wrong with pine mulch Russ. Just don't go digging it in. If you leave it on top it can make a good weed suppressing barrier. That is until it breaks down.

I have used it on the paths between our mandala beds. It disappears pretty quickly.

The needles are good for mulching strawbs.