Vanessa Smoak

The aluminum is highly conductive of temperatures. I would use wood to train the espalier trees as whatever you use will make physical contact with the tree.

Another thought is to consider the lay of your land. Valleys collect colder air and take longer to warm up in the daytime. On my property I’m fortunate to have the western border adjacent to a logged tract of land, so I get a good amount of afternoon sun. The eastern side adjoining property is wooded and also a valley, so that stays cooler. I’m doing my gardening on the western side.

In my professional horticulture studies I’ve come to understand the power of afternoon sun can double the milder power of morning sun. In the morning the sun’s rays run parallel to the earth’s surface. In the afternoon the suns rays are perpendicular. We all feel the difference between morning sun and afternoon sun.


Edit: Meant to also suggest to buy from local stock or a similar climate. The study of epigenetics suggests that plants (and animals as well) carry a genetic history that is unlocked at seed germination and improves local environmental adaptations.

Christopher Weeks wrote:When I have to wear shoes, I wear thick wool socks 3/4 of the year and thin cotton/synthetic socks the other 1/4 of the time. I vastly prefer the buffer and cushion that the thick wool socks provide, but there's no getting around them being too warm in summer.

I second this. I had Wigwams but they wore out super-fast (less than a year). Totally not worth the expense! I think my current wool socks are boot socks I got from Duluth Trading Company. They’ve lasted 2-3 years so far and I’ve never had socks so cushiony!

When the weather is warm I avoid socks as much as possible and wear flip flops. I have chronic cold feet and when I wear flip flops my entire body cools off.

I imagine bunion-sufferers would enjoy a lot of relief with the openness of flip flops. Crocs are another shoe with great ergonomics. Walmart has knockoffs in their work shoe section. I definitely recommend them.

Pointed toes are promoted as fashionable but they mangle the natural footshape just like the Chinese footbinding that I learned about very early in school. Who benefits from supporting the practice? Has the original poster benefitted from wearing pointy toed shoes?

Timothy Norton wrote:I don't like planting right up against my chicken run for two reasons. I use a anti-predator skirt of hardware cloth flat against the ground outside the run that sticks out about two feet. This is 'buried' with wood chips to disguise it and allow me to notice if anything starts digging. I don't put plants near it so it can be inspected/repaired if the time comes. A kind of perimeter maintenance.

Exactly why I asked, thanks! If I plant raspberries on the *inside* of the perimeter would it be any better?

Timothy Norton wrote:How many chickens are you hoping to have? (Beware of chicken math! It is real!!!)

I’ve worked out on paper that I need to maintain 50 to feed my mother and myself; but I’m going to have to start small as I plan to produce most of my own fodder and supply as little commercial feed as possible.

You can all just shut up. My nightmares are about college violin recitals that I didn’t know I had to practice for 😂😭

William Bronson wrote: I wouldn't plant thorny plants most places.
Raspberry also come in thornless varieties, I would go with those instead.
The feed/fodder value of fruiting plants alongside a chicken run is probably minimal.
I would still do it , for their comfort.

I was thinking that the thorns would impede predators considering breaking and entering. And there is long-standing precedent of raspberry leaves’ medicinal value for reproductive-aged women. Some think raspberry leaves benefit reproduction in other species as well - including laying hens.

https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/blogs/herb-library/raspberry-leaf

Timothy Norton wrote:Do you happen to have a picture of the area you have in mind?

I think you MAY be okay, depending on if the raspberry brambles can be grabbed by one of the chickens. My chickens enjoy playing the game of "What can I yank through the hardware cloth" with anything that comes up against their fences in run.

They are little terrors and I love them however haha.

I don’t have the coop up yet, but it will be going around this fig tree and native sedge. I sprinkled seeds around the fig (alpine strawberry, fava beans, and allysum) and I am building a hugelculture for more fodder.

I’m planning to get chickens and will be establishing a garden for them for several reasons. On a neighboring property there is a huge thicket of raspberry brambles. I have thought considerably how that would make a fantastic chicken habitat.

If I plant some raspberries to grow and intertwine on one side of my coop, will I regret it? How likely would it be that I need to repair that side of the coop and have to fight thorny canes?