Sustainable Orchard Management - Grass and Weed Control

The orchard is approximately 2/3 acre and the task of keeping it mowed, particularly between the trees, is an unenviable one to say the least.  Last year the riding lawnmower took out more trees than George Jones.  A more sustainable method of grass control in the orchard is in order.  Ruminants do a pretty good job at keeping grass in check but the fruit trees are still small enough so sheep and goats would not only eat the grass but the trees too.  Ruminants in an orchard can also cause E. coli problems.   Some people have had success with chickens.  In addition, studies have shown that raising hens on pasture reduces feed costs by up to 15% and provides better quality eggs with characteristic golden yolks rich in omega-3 fatty acids.  It made sense to give the chickens a go at being natural lawn mowers but first a couple of problems had to be overcome. 

First, the chickens in the orchard area are at risk from several dogs in the neighborhood.  After a recent attack that killed two hens, this flock is now kept in a run and free-ranged only when someone is present.  Second, it would be nice if the chickens would eat the grass in the orchard but they tend to spend more time out of the orchard than in it when they are let out of their run.  Building a fence around the orchard would thus kill the proverbial two birds with one stone.

In deciding on a fence, an electric wire fence was selected since it is quick to erect, easy to move, and is relatively inexpensive.  Wooden posts were used for the corners with metal T-posts every 16 feet.  The fence comprises of four strands of Aluminum wire.  The bottom wire is quite low at 6 inches off the ground to deter anything from going under the fence.  The top wire is at the height of a typical dog’s nose.  A Fi-Shock SS440 solar charger powers the fence. One of these units has been successfully used to control the pigs in the garden.

At first the chickens hopped through the fence since their feathers make them relatively immune to a shock if they are quick.  If they touch the fence for any length of time they eventually do get a shock causing the shocked bird to leap into the air and emitting some loud squawks.   Harold the rooster got a shock.  He was either upset with me laughing at him or he assumed I had caused him the shock since he attacked me for the first time and drew blood with his spurs.  When he came at me again I whacked him with the feed bucket and now we are back to being friends.

It is possible to step over the fence but there is not a lot of clearance.  Compared to a woven or welded wire fence this is quite a useful feature since it negates the need for building more gates.  The downside is that if you are not careful you experience a nasty shock as you straddle the fence – a definite “Don’t taze me bro” moment.   

Even though the hens could probably jump through the wires if they wanted to, the fence has so far been effective at confining them to the orchard.  Not sure yet of how effective the fence will be against the dogs.  In terms of grass control, already there are some areas where the grass is pretty close but a higher density of birds is needed to completely effective.  One source suggests that pasture continues to thrive at 50 hens per acre with a density of 200 hens per acre completely destroying it.  More chickens will be added to this area in due course as the chicks get bigger (hopefully before mowing season).

Compost, Manure and Shoveling S***

One thing that became apparent fairly quickly is that you can never have enough compost.  The modest compost heap began in earnest when first moving to the farm proved to be woefully inadequate.  The compost operation has since been significantly expanded and a number of key lessons learned.

Volume

The first realization was that kitchen waste alone could not provide all of the compost needed.  Fortunately chicken manure, pig manure, garden waste, and leaves were available in abundance.  In addition, a small rabbitry was established primarily for meat but the large amounts of manure were a welcome addition to the composting operation.

Multiple Composting Sites

While pushing a wheelbarrow full of pig manure up the steep hill from the pig paddock to the compost heap (and thinking of the line from the movie Patton: “...Well, I shoveled s*** in Louisiana”) I had a major aha moment.  It is far more preferable to push a wheelbarrow full of compost than a wheelbarrow full of manure.  Therefore, why not bring the mountain to Mohammed instead?  So, rather than maintaining a central compost heap, additional composting sites were established closer to the sources of material – particularly the manure.  Currently there are composting sites in the top field (the original), the orchard (close to the free-range chicken coop) and pig paddock (only a short distance to shovel the pig manure to the compost heap - bypassing the wheelbarrow).  

The multi-composting site strategy appears to be working well with just the one drawback.  In winter a compost pile needs to have a volume of approximately 3 foot x 3 foot x 3 foot to maintain the necessary “cooking” temperature.  The more heaps that are built the longer it takes for each heap to reach this critical mass and thus the overall decomposition may take longer during cold weather.

Efficient Processes and Developing Good Habits

Kitchen waste is still an important source of Nitrogen for the compost and while much kitchen waste was captured, some was still being thrown away.   There were several challenges: First, keeping kitchen waste in the kitchen quickly attracted hundreds of small fruit flies so that the kitchen resembled a biology experiment that had gone wrong.  Second, taking the waste to the heap frequently enough to avoid the Drosophila invasion was a pain.   A three-step system was established to overcome the above challenges.   

First, a container with a lid was used to hold small amounts of waste in the kitchen.  The lid is easy to remove but also keeps away the fruit flies.  When this container is full the contents are transferred to a covered plastic 5 gallon bucket immediately outside of the kitchen door (outside of the house).  This further minimizes the fly problem yet avoids frequent trips to the heap.  Once the 5 gallon container is full the contents are then transferred to the compost heap and turned in.  In a nutshell, the easier it is to collect and move the kitchen waste the more likely it will end up on the heap versus in the trash.

Keep it Moist

Perhaps the single most common problem with composting is allowing the heap to dry out.  Each site is therefore located close to a water source.

Compost Heap Design

At any composting site there are three basic stages of compost: compost that is ready for use, a completed compost heap that is being cooked, and a new compost heap still being built.  This means that at every site there are three phases present.  While there are many ways to achieve this, nothing more elaborate than wooden pallets were used to frame and partition the heaps due to their low cost, ease of use, and versatility.  Large plastic ties were used to attach the pallets together.  This is simple but effective and the ties can be undone and re-used.  

The picture below shows a three-stage set up used at the original site in the top field.  The relative short distance of the compost heap from the kitchen door can also be seen – closer the better but not too close!

Composting is a key process for improving the soil and fertilizing the plants.  Experience to date suggests applying some thought to the design and location of the compost heaps can make the process more effective and more efficient.

New Additions

Recent new additions to the farm include four American Guinea Hogs purchased from Sleaux Greaux Farm in Bush, LA.  The “herd” comprised of a breeding pair and two siblings from the last litter (a gilt and a boar).  The sow is with pig and expected to farrow at the end of May.  American Guinea Hogs are a critically rare breed of pig that is unique to North America. The original stock for the breed developed through adaptation and crossbreeding with Appalachian English pigs to create an American original. They were commonly found on homesteads in the southeastern US.

I drove down to Louisiana on Superbowl Sunday to pick up the hogs.  For transportation I built a wooden cage out of studs and 4x2 welded wire to fit on the back of the Tacoma with the tailgate acting as the door.  The drive time was expected to be around 9 to 10 hours so I considered taking the youngest son to help me stay awake (the fear of him driving my truck would keep me alert enough to drive).  That didn't work out so I took Twix (one of the dogs) for company.  She slept all the way down, woke up just in time to bark at Ed (the man selling the AHGs), and then slept all the way back.  So much for the company!  All four hogs fit in the cage on the back of my truck.  

Despite a few strange looks while stopping for gas, the trip went smoothly.  By the time I arrived back at Hereward the hogs were sound asleep and did not want to leave their cage.  They were enticed down a makeshift ramp and led into a stable for the night.

The Four Guinea Hogs 

The babies are buried in the hay and apologies to all the drivers on I59 on Sunday, February 5th who may have had hay coated in porcine feces blown onto their windshields.

The “babies” are being kept in a wired off section of the garden where they have been rooting things up nicely.  The cover crop and remnants of last season’s garden still need tilling into the soil and these little helpers are doing their thing.  So far the chickens in the top field have been keeping their distance. When finished with the main garden they will be placed in a mobile grazing area built out of four hog panels and moved around every few days.   

The parents are being kept in the free paddock which I reinforced with field fence.  This will only be for a couple of weeks or so.  I am fencing in some of the wilder and wooded sections of the property to give the AGHs a large permanent area to roam and forage.  They will also continue to be used strategically  for tilling.  Their paddock does not have any shelter so a temporary and makeshift shelter was constructed (very makeshift).  I got the design idea from a picture of Haiti after the recent earthquake.  This shelter may be a rare example of one that actually violates the Appalachian Building Code and Standards

Temporary Hog Shelter

Note the strategic use of a hotel towel that must have accidentally ended up in my luggage [along with the matching robe and slippers]).

The Boar Asleep Outside of the Shelter - Clearly he has some standards!

Compared to the commercial breed pigs, the AGHs are exceptionally well-behaved and a real joy to spend time with.  These are very docile and slow growing pigs.  The siblings are nearly 6 months old yet are only the size the commercial breed piglets were when they were shoats (just weaned).  Adults are typically only 150-250 lbs.  The small size and docile disposition make the AGH an ideal homestead pig.  They can also forage for their own food, eating such things as snakes, nuts, rodents, grass and roots.  I hope they eat a lot of snakes!

Hereward Farm is now a member of the American Guinea Hog Association (www.guineahogs.org).

Get your foot out of the trough!

I am still amazed at how many expressions found in conversational English are derived from the farmyard.  Examples include pecking order, rule the roost, hen-pecked, greedy as a pig, etc.   One expression I heard growing up was “Get your foot out of the trough!”  Typically this was used to call out some vulgar eating habits.   

So speaking of troughs and pigs, I felt it was time to build the pigs a new trough.  Initially the pigs had two shallow wooden troughs the size of a typical drawer.  These worked for a while but now they are nosed all around the run and it became a frustrating matter of hunting the trough at feeding time.  Walking through the pig run carrying food can be a dangerous experience – the pigs like to nibble on extremities such as boots, jacket, pants, etc.  At best, the pigs’ snouts splatter you in mud so you end up looking like you were a front row spectator at a mud wrasslin’ event.  At worst, the pigs might connect with a sensitive appendage.  I haven’t done the research but I am confident that pig farmers prefer briefs over boxers.

Minimizing injury and to speed up the feeding process the pigs were graduated to a large galvanized steel tub.  This did not work too well.  The pigs hard time reaching the bottom.  When a pig would step into it the whole thing would go arse-over-tit smacking the pig in the face sending the food all over the place making it look like a pig sty.  It was clearly time to build a real trough.

Staying with a traditional “V” shape design, a simple 12 foot x 12 inch x 2 inch plank of untreated wood was purchased at Lowes which they very nicely cut it into two 4 foot pieces and two 2 foot pieces.  At the checkout I got a hard stare when presenting 1 bar code for 4 pieces of wood.  This has given me some ideas.  All that was left to do was screw the two 4 foot pieces together in a “V” using 3 inch galvanized wood screws and then adding on the 2 ends so that the “V” was held a couple of inches off the ground.  The whole thing cost around $12 and took about 5 minutes to assemble (assuming you had the foresight to charge up the drill).

The trough was the perfect size so that four pigs could line up next to each other in an orderly fashion and chomp away.  Yeah, right!  The photos below show what actually happened - some interesting defensive eating tactics.

The first pic shows a foot in the trough maneuver by Hambone (left) is countered by two front feet and a left cheek by Thing 1 (right).

The next pic shows the progression of Thing 1's technique resulting in complete trough domination.

The trough worked well with the only annoyance being the pigs occasionally push it over (it is much heavier than one would think and has a low center of gravity).  One improvement on the next one will be to add another wall so instead of a “V” it will look like a “W” without the last “/”.  This will mean that if the pigs nose it upside down it will be useable from the other side too.  Until then it means donning a pair of Kevlar briefs and weaving through hungry pigs to right the trough.