Vermont Site

[CJ in VT]

Location: Vermont.

Land:
Many acres, mostly ledge & brambles, forested (maples, beach, ash, a few oaks)
Nice east-facing slop.
Mostly open to the South.
Big pond near house, creek through pasture.
Not much pasture.
Zone 4-5

Animals:
5 Cows (mini Belted Galloways)
7 Sheep (Black Welsh Mountain)
4 Turkeys (Royal Palm)
2 Pigs seasonally (Tamworth)
Chickens (Chantecler)
Tilapia (overwintering inside)
Catfish (hiding in the pond)
Bees (I'm just the landlord)
3 Livestock Guard Dogs (Great Pyrenees, Maremma, Pyr x Kuvatz
1 Australian Shepherd

Flora/mushroom:
Garden
Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries
A few fruit trees
Shiitake
Morels (wild only)

Goals for 2012:
Reduce feed costs by 10%.
More storage to take advantage of hay buying opportunities
Plant productive trees (Honey locust, nuts, apples)
Start a few different living fences (Honey locust, Hawthorn).
Open more land.
Further divide pasture
Broaden varieties of berries.
More swales
Hugelkulture/terrace in sheep paddock

Solve cow muck problem !!!

[CJ in VT]

How do I attach pics?

[matt walker]

All right CJ, your site sounds awesome! It sounds like we have similar challenges, namely winter cow muck, feed costs, fencing, pasture development...well, most of 'em actually. :) I'm excited to learn more about your Tilapia operation, and really happy to have another shepherd here. I'm enthusiastic about rotational grazing to help minimize feed costs, and had small success last year with a fledgling program. Unfortunately is seems like the lambs are determined to not be fenced by anything short of fort knox, so I'm back to large pastures this year. Anyway, glad to have you here.

[matt walker]

I've set it up so pics have to be hosted somewhere else, like photobucket or flickr or the like. If you have the pics online somewhere, you can use the img button above the post window to attach the pics.

Here, check out this thread, we go through the process. If you need help, feel free to pm me...

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7

[CJ in VT]

OK, here's the layout:

by , on Flickr

and a lovely view of the pond:

by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/74339555@N02/]CJ in VT[/u

[CJ in VT]

[matt walker]

Do I see "mud oven?" Oh, I'm gonna drive you crazy with questions, but I'll let you get settled in and then pump you for info later!

I'm really excited to hear that you are just getting started with the AP. I'm going to be watching closely, as I'm really hoping to set up something similar in one of my hoophouses, or greenhouse if I get it done this spring.

Beautiful picture of the pond. What a lovely site!

[CJ in VT]

[pa_friendly_guy]

I have read several books by an author that lived in vermont and farmed. First Person Rural was the 1st one. It was a Great book and I truely enjoyed it. He said that Vermont has more than 4 seasons. There is spring, summer, fall, then there is Locking, then you are in winter, then you have unlocking. Locking is where everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING freezes solid and locks up. Unlocking is a muddy mess as the surface starts to thaw but everything is still frozen undernath. Do you feel that his discription is pretty close to what you acually get there. He also said that one of his good friends moved 200 miles south because he couldn't stand the cold winters, he moved to Canada, lol. Very cold in New England, that is why people are harty and self reliant up that way. I like the living fence idea. how does Osay orange [ Not sure about the spelling ] grow up your way. Grows thick, has thorns, you can trim it when young to branch out alot. Its pretty common down here in Pa. I loved the pond, that is a Great picture. It looks like you truely have a wonderful place to live and raise a family. Since you have some woods do you plan on using trees that you cut off the place to build your barn? You have alot on your plate, don't let it overwelm you, just do a little bit at a time and you will be amazed at how it all adds up over time.

[CJ in VT]

I've never hear of Osage Orange this far north. I've heard it can be hard to work with, like barbed wire.

Vermont has 2 seasons, 8 months of winter and 4 of poor sledding.