Sunday, May 10, 2020

First chickens on the farm

First Eastern day chicken Kaatje was born. First time I used my new bought small breeding machine. Kaatje was born after I got the message from a friend to help her out of her egg. My heart never pounded more than during that egg pelling.





As a single chicken Kaatje of course had to be  fostered by me. So she got a special place on the kitchen table, in front of the window, with a nice view outside and on me working in the kitchen or behind the computer.




I learned her to behave as a chicken. Teached her to like yellow Dandelion flowers and more.




After using the breeding machine a second time, yesterday Anna was born. A strong girl, kicked off her eggshell as well as the top of the breeding machine. But Kaatje is not so much interested  in Anna. She would though have liked to eat Anna's egg meal, inside Anna's cage.




Anna wants so badly to join her big sister! She tells that very loud.
Kaatje is very upset by that little noisy thing besides her cage and did not want to go to sleep yesterday. Of course that little thing has stolen her warmplate. Now Kaatje has to do with a 50W black bulb during the night.




Anna reacts immediately on hearing her name and is a small ADHD chicky. She has difficulty in sitting still, but likes sitting along my warm neck, under my hair. Anna likes jumping from the table ...giving mum a heart attack.




Kaatje - 4 weeks old today - likes to mudbath outside in the second 'temporary' garden.


 Kaatje 4 weeks old.

A 'tree' over her cage to give her more space. I probably made a tree climber of her.

I have to say that I am not sure if I want to use this small breeding machine again. Maybe better to borrow a breedy chicken of someone to help to get baby chicks born.

Monday, May 4, 2020

Meal from the garden

This evening I enjoyed a very short travelled veggie omelet from the garden.




Omelet with tops of Ostrich fern from the wild and some veggies from the 'temporary' garden, like Hablitzia shoots and garlic leaves.




Served with a cup of Dandelion tea. Delicious and very healthy.

Saturday, April 25, 2020

My food forest plants, part 3

This page will be updated regularly with my newest plants (last update 250420):

Valeriana off., Valerian, Valeriaan, Legevendelrot.
Becoming 1 meter in  widt and 1.5 meters in height.
Perennial.
Stimulating growth when planted around vegatables.
Cats like the smell of the roots.

Use of Valerian:
https://www.herbrally.com/monographs/valerian?fbclid=IwAR2VkaNUmRcV4x8OGLSi9F6sje2lXtrioyqYwqHdQ8XFoLXBbCYCMgUe2ik



Mulberry
https://www.permaculturenews.org/2017/10/12/mo-mulberry-essential-guide-need-know-mulberry/
Growing Mulberry from seed needs 3 months stratification. Faster is rooting a branch of a tree you already have.
Can grow nearly everywhere and tolerates down to -36C.
10 high x12 wide in m.
Use as food, animal fodder, coppice. Rich in proteins.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Insulate my house, or otherwise?


The farm I bought has only 5 cm insulation in the walls. The wood covering the outside walls is from 2012, so still very new. If I would have owned the house in 2012 and had removed the old wood and nail new wood on the outside, I would have insulated at the same time with 30-40 cm in the outside walls and even more on the ceilings.

My idea up to now has been to maybe cover the house with a greenhouse, like the people in this video in Sweden did. Of course the municipality has to agree with the greenhouse cover, so far from sure if it will be possible... besides the costs, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30ghnDOFbNQ&t=606s



In the north of Norway a new house was build and covered by glass.

https://www.thelocal.no/20130827/norway-couple-build-arctic-hobbit-house-in-dome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=k0Mpu2Y0_U4&feature=emb_logo



In the Netherlands the following - temporarily - house was build according to the same system, but with a greenhouse on poles. I like the use of wood here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxbX87gxmXQ



Another idea I have and to explore more is if it would be possible to warm the house for most of the year by solar energy. The solar panels would then be placed on the south wall of the garage. The months without or little sun, should then be energized by wind energy. I will start trying this out in small, on the guest house and guest sailing boat.


Time will tell how my dream house will look like. Maybe you have some other good idea? Please, do let me know.

What IS a food forest?


Martin Crawford here shows you in a short National Geographic documentary what a Food Forest is.

https://www.ulule.com/edible-landscapes-food-forest-documentary/?fbclid=IwAR2J4eKVvZuojPamUSmtpQLL8oXC5xbJRDxnhn_oCPP6SyQFOhS1rgcmRGc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=203&v=Q_m_0UPOzuI&feature=emb_logo

He mentions that a diversity of plants makes you more resilient for the future climate. That is why I not only will grow Apples and Pears, but also Figs, Apricots, Grapes and Mulberries in Norway. With Grapes and Apricots I have experience from Norway before.

Planting your plants in their right micro climate is what is important. In another blog I will write about how to find or create warmer micro climates in your garden. So don't forget to take a free subscription on the top right here; just fill out your email address and you will receive an email every time I publish something new.

Saturday, February 29, 2020

Food forest plant overview, with some guilds

Plants do better in guilds together with specific other plants. In the plant overviews below for several of the trees and plants guild plants (gilde) will be specified.



Food forest plant overview of 449 different plants, in Latin and Dutch.
https://airtable.com/shrZx25ov9kIZ2KcW/tbly4BJKJbrI5h2yQ/viwEFY19kHvnG3TKz?blocks=hide

Food forest fruit overview, in Dutch:
https://airtable.com/shrZx25ov9kIZ2KcW/tbl8Q59oMYB7tlGI1/viw9OXCr3Fw8ltopD?blocks=hide

Vegetable garden plant overview, in Dutch:
https://airtable.com/shrZx25ov9kIZ2KcW/tblJvKCTLlCBk4fBn/viwGoSW2AjJTO8W03?blocks=hide

Invasive plant overview, in Dutch:
https://airtable.com/shrZx25ov9kIZ2KcW/tblwQgtUglBsioKRy/viwFZ2WGekEAmG83J?blocks=hide



These 'excel/airtable' lists have been made by Godelieve Huijs. The links can be copied as long as she has these plant overviews available on the internet.



An  article with more permaculture guilds, with Comfrey in all of them. Right now I have around 10 Comfrey plants. In the future I would like 80 of them. Good for stimulating fruit trees by mulching them with Comfrey.
https://treeyopermacultureedu.com/chapter-2-3-or-the-11-design-principles-from-the-intro-book/diversity-guilds/

My food forest plants, part 2

From spring 2020:

This page will be updated with more information continuously.


Fermenting Oats and Barley to feed the chickens with, at 12 minutes into this youtube about
Polar Temperate Permaculture from Alaska. Many interesting permaculture things used here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1zUGpT-wP0
http://bit.ly/2qm33Hs

Jesse Holms Homestead about his Plants in Cool Temperate Climate in Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzlR8aQ452k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_KnKONbiMo
Even Paw Paw, Pecan and Persimmon here. He uses human hair against Deer, and urine against Rabbits. I myself use just loose 'hvittløk' around my young fruit trees against Mice.


Source SB06:

3x Juglans Mandschurica, Manchurian walnut, Manchuriaanse walnoot, Mandsjurvalnøtt
https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/juglans-mandshurica
20x20 m. Stratification needed. Because of tap root plant as soon as possible on permanent spot. In full sun, in well drained soil, or moist well drained soil. No shade. A spreading suckering tree. The roots produce Juglon which inhibits some plants. Protect during first winters. Pruning in late summer.
Walnut does well in guild with Clematis, Campanula, Hosta, Jacobsladder, Kamvaren, Crocus, Ajuga Reptans, Pulmonaria and good together in guild with Daphne Mezereum and Astilbe and Sneeuwklokje and Hibiscus.


2x PHYTOLACCA AMERICANA, Pokeweed; Kermesbær
Likes wed environment. Not frost tender.
Eating of young leaves like spinach, before the leaves become poisonous.


2x RIBES DIVARICATUM, Jostabes/Worcesterbes, «Worcesterbær»
200x120 cm. In semi-shade or sun, dry to semi-moist soil. Not frost tender. Thorns. Can grow as a bush or tree. As tree besides a pawl.  Crossing of Kruisbes. Small aramatic blackred berries.


2x RUBUS PHOENICOLASIUS, Japanese wineberry, Japanse wijnbes; Vin-bringebær
Sunny, semi-shade. Moist, well drained soil.


2x VIBURNUM CASSINIOIDES; Nannyberry
9x5m. Prefers moist, acid soil. In semi-shade or no shade. In rich soil along woodland boarders or streams. Does not do well in poor soil or dryness. Shallow roots near the soil surface.
Fruit, raw or cooked, can be dried. Tastes best after a frost. Antispasmodic bark use.


SAPONARIA OFFICINALIS “Rosa”; Soapwort, Såpeurt (do you know that you can wash with leaves of Hedera (Klimop) too?)

SECALE CEREALE «Mountaineer»; Flerårig rug

ZEA MAYS «Indian Pink and Purple Popcorn»; Mais



Allium Victorialis, Victory onion, Victoria ui, Seiersløk/Alpeløkk
https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Allium+victorialis
http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=1738
Stratification required, so when you are too late in the season use your refridgerator. No deep sowing. It can take 1 year to spear and several years before you can harvest.


Carum carvi, Careaway/Persian cumin, Kervel?, Karve 
60x30 cm. Well drained moist soil. In semi- or no shade.
Biannual. Not frost tender. Pink flowers in June July.
Young leaves good in salad. Older leaves cooked as spinach.
Seed, raw or cooked; spicy, 20% protein.
Root, cooked. Eating too much of it, can give kidney liver damage.
Soothes the digestive tract when dyspepsi (syreoppstøt). Seeds against bronchitis.



'Monastery' Beans, Kloosterbonen, Klosterbønner
Sowing outside from May 17. 15 cm apart. Can become 3 m high.
Harvest from august until november.



PISUM SATIVUM, «Robinsons Pea» ; Robinson Erwt, Robinson Ert
PISUM SATIVUM «Salmon flowered»; Laks fargede blomster Ert
https://www.quora.com/What-vitamins-are-in-raw-peas
http://www.veggingoutwithadam.com/a-plethora-of-peas-2/
Mr. Robinson got them from Scotland. Over 2 m high. Long purple pods up to 11 peas, long growing season.
Very sweet and flavorous, even after having been frozen.
Sowing peas in the UK, by Charles Dowding, and then giving them a lot of water.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRVSNYTVLRs
https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/




Chenopodium quinoa, Taiwan quinoa, Taiwaneesche quinoa, Taiwanske quinoa
1.20 (dry climate) - 2.40 m (wet climate) high.
Sow indoors in April, or on direct spot after danger of frost. Low tolerance for cold.
Thin plants until 46 cm apart. Single plant spacing, 60 cm each way. Ripens late, but can be cut and covered to after ripen.
14% protein and  rich in Calcium (23 times as much as in Oats).
You can eat the leaves, as salad or cooked, as well as the seeds.
Also great cut flowers.
Good as dietary food in fighting early colon cancer.



http://www.efferus.no/Helianthus%20tuberosus.html
2.4x0.6 m. Perennial. Invasive and allelopathic (inhibiting) to other plants. Sow in spring i a cold frame. Overwinter the first winter in greenhouseIn dry or moist soil. Well drained soil. Not in shade. Can be divided in spring or autumn.  Long time flowering. Seeds in November.
Rich in inulin, which many people have problems to digest. Can be used roasted as a substitute for coffee. 
Great food for chickens and pigs, so great around the chicken area and as fantastic summertime barrieres.
Helps against diabetis and rheumatism.



SIDERITIS SYRIACA, Ironwort/Greek mountain tea, Griekse bergthee, Gresk Fjellte



Source AMM14:

Amaranthus retroflexus, Pigweed, Amarant, Amarant/Majer Kleine
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Amaranthus+retroflexus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth_grain
90 cm high. Annual. In moist, well drained fertile soil, not in shade. Sunny. Tolerates drought. A deep rooted plant bringing up minerals from below.
Young leaves, raw or cooked as spinach. Seeds,  can be grounded into a powder or cooked, behaves as Chia becoming gelatinous. Seeds great for chickens.
Leaves tea used against diarrhea. 


NORWEGIAN PENCIL Beans, NORWEGIAN PENCIL BØNNER, Noorse potlood bonen
http://blog.seedsavers.org/blog/norwegian-pencil-bean
Originally from Norway, came back after emigration to the USA. Tigerprint pots.


Mandan squash, Mandan courgette
Heritage native American. Perfect for short growing season in the north.
Thicker skin, can be stored at room temp for months.
Growing squash and pumpkins verticallyhttps://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/growing-pumpkins-squashes-vertically


Beta Vulgaris, Mangold, Swiss Chart, Bladbete, Mangelwurzel
https://morningchores.com/growing-mangold/
Sow 10x15 cm wide. Høyt 20cm. Sow outside after last frost. Biennual.
In Guild with Chard, Brussel
Sprouts, Kohlrabi, Onions, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Lettuce, Potato, Tomato, Corn, Eggplant, Pepper. Not with beans.
Moist soil. Rots in wet soil. It will become damaged when the soil dries out. Best with drip irrigation.
In full sun, but not extremely hot at the peak of the day. Use shade cloth if needed.
Fertilise by spraying the leaves weekly with fish or seaweed base spray.
Mulch 2 cm strawor similar around.
Yellow leaves means Potassium deficiency.
Harvest after 4-5 months. Eats like spinach.


2x Shetland kale, kool, kål.
Can get sunburn in spring. Maybe use a cover in spring. Perennial.
Must overwinter inside a glass house.
A vegetable and winter feed for sheep and cattle.


Chenopodium capitatumstrawberry spinach, jordbærspinat
30 cm wide and high.
Has a taproot, which does not like transplanting. So best to sow directly in place. Sowing and harvesting in waves during the whole season, from march until december. This first time I sowed them indoors, so have to see how the transplanting will go.
Alle amarant planter høstes etter «cut and come again» prinsippet. Eat young leaves in salad and cook old leaves. Berries for colorfull salads.
Oxalate.
Spreading, but easy to get rid off if you want.


PHASEOLUS VULGARIS «Blauhilde», Snap bean, Blauwe boon, Blå brekkbønne
2 m. Annual. Nitrogen fixer. In moist, well drained soil. Not in shade. Pods up to 27 cm, purple in color. Blue kidney bean.
Seedpods can be eaten raw or cooked. People with autoimmune diseases should not eat them raw. Can be dried and stored for winter use. Can be powered into a protein rich flour. Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.
Herbally used against rheumatism, arthritis and more.



PHASEOLUS COCCINEUS «Prizewinner»; Praalbonen, Pralbønner, Runner Beans
Biannual.


2x Asparagus officinalis, Asparge, Aspargus VERDENS ENDE
In guild together with Grape. Grape guild together with Basil.




Source HMT09:

3x Ribes nigrum, Black currant, Zwarte bessen, Solbær


3x Ribes rubrum, Red currant, Aalbes, Rips
1.3x2m.Partial until full sunlight.
In gilde met de Appel. En de Appel weer in een gilde met Bieslook (Allium schoenapra).


3x Ribus uva crispa, Gooseberry, Kruisbes, Stikkelsbær


3x Cherry, Kers, Kirsebær
Does well in guild with Medicago Sativa and Vinca and Asclepias Syriaca/Syrian Milkweed. You can make baby cherry trees from small root peaces.




Source KAA14
Flerårig korn:

BYGG, Hordeum vulgare 'Domen', Barley, 
100x20cm. Monocots. Perennial. Seeding in early spring. Fodder crop. Feed Barley can be seeded later, but will have a lower yield. The minimum soil temperature for seeding Barley is 5 C, but is best between 10 and 20C. Soil with good drainage. Seeding at 4 cm depth. Best Barley with 300 seeds per m2.
Low gluten. Can be fermented into sourdough. 


HAVRE, Avena sativa, Black Oats, Zwarte Haver, Svart havre (fra Toten)
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Avena+sativa
90x10cm. Can be grown as a grain or forage crop. Not highly shade tolerant, but tolerates drought. Not cold hardy.  Seeding in early spring. Seeding depth at 3 cm. No-tillers high biomass as a cover crop during winter, improving soil structure. Highest Nitrogen cereal. Oats for hay. Can become invasive in some areas.
Low gluten. Rich in iron, zinc and manganese. Good for the brain, against reumatism and good for sex.


RUG, Secale cereale, Rey, WinterRogge, Svedjerug
https://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/winterrye.html
180x10cm.  Perennial. Nursing crop for LEGUMES during fall and winter.
During spring Rey provides support for climbing LEGUMES. Cross pollinates. Not in shade. Best in well drained and sunny soil. Seeding in June, at less then 4-5 cm depth. 
Planted in the fall, providing a cover crop during winter, still growing with some sunshine. Inhibits Poppies.
A cereal grain. Low in glutenCan be sprouted for salads. Animal fodder.  


New animals on the farm

Last week Bo, from Bonanza, or just Beau, came to the farm. He will be catching many mice coming winters and is already exercising taking fa...