Celia Revel

To my knowledge you can dry farm wheat in the winter in the Central Valley because we get our rain during the winter. I dry farmed fava beans during the winter for the same reason, but that was only because we had El Nino to help. During a drought year, not too sure. All best are off after May.

All by hand

One more thing. See where the fenceline is? There used to be big puddle holes along the roadway, but I filled them in, and regraded the gravel area, and dug a trench along the fenceline, and now when it rains the fence line gets crazy amounts of water run off from the road. Between the basin and the road, I had a little trench filled swimming pool for a few heavy rain days. I planted sage bushes in the trench line along the fence and covered with wood chips. They got a little waterlogged and didn't like it, but during the summer I will have trapped all that moisture in.

Oh, wow, I haven't been on in a while. Actually the infiltration basin is the best thing that's going for me know. The tiny california rose in the middle of the basin is spreading like crazy. Half the house's 1,000 sq ft water base goes into it, and since we actually got rain this year, the bushes are doing great. The California poppies spread quite nicely as well.

I have an assortment of high quality fragrance oils and essential oils I need to dispose of because they have expired. Will they kill my compost pile? Anyone know about this?

Soilborn Farms is bringing Toby Hemingway to Sacramento. I signed up, but they need 25 minimum and they are at 14. If you are interested in getting a certificate in permaculture, you might want to sign up, especially since it is local, a weekend a month for about eight or so months, I think, and only $1,000. I really want to go. Please sign up! There are only a few days for the deadline, but they may extend it for another month if not enough sigh ups.
Soilborn Farms

Thanks Kelly, especially on the herd size.

Thats a good start. I really like the title of the book, and I hope there is information that translates to beef cows. Thank You Miles.

A neighbor threw out the idea that it might be cost effective to raise our own beef between our two pastures. Following the basic axiom of celia revel that nothing is ever JUST.... as in we will JUST put a cow out there and let him have at it. My plea is for help by any knowledgeable about cattle to recommend a book that would get us in the right direction and keep the cow as comfortable and happy as possible. Books on doing this naturally and with heritage stock would be more than welcome. I am keenly interested in planting Native grasses and wonder which ones would be good in California. Im also interested in nutritional quality, and I know that some breeds have been tinkered with over the years and have lost various qualities in the process. Oh, and also, would the cow get lonely if it were the only one? Dumb questions, but maybe I need some information about that. I know goats will die of loneliness if left day on end by themselves. Thank You in advance.