Earthworks (& Poems!)
THE POND
The pond and the windmill seemed a long time coming. The ducks would be looking in longingly as we were slowly filling the pond. They really wanted to get in there!
WAITING
For a while they’ve had to hope and await
The time when they’d see the sails rotate
Turning the Compressor for the creation
Of bubbles for the pond aeration
The pieces were laid out on the Verandah
Waiting for attention from Fred and Sandra
They were too busy to get it made
So there sat the pieces, the tail and the blade.
At last the windmill was put together
Then they had to wait for the weather
A gentle breeze at last did arrive
Thousands of bubbles to keep the pond alive
For some, the waiting goes on I’m afraid
They gaze through the fence and long to wade
When the digging is done and pond full to the brim
At last those ducks will enjoy a swim
BERM CREATION
| This is the pile of bricks and rubble from the old chimney, plus some sandstones from another part of the yard. It will form a shelter for the Mandala garden on its NW side. It will therefore create a warm SE facing slope, drier and damper areas and a shady NW facing slope. It will protect the asparagus growing area which got damaged by winds this year. The stone an rubble will add thermal mass. |  |
Here’s the same pile of bricks covered with composting vegetation. That's it for 2008. We will leave if to overwinter and rot down a bit an then we'll construct a rockery around it. It is not a symmetrical shape. It will be steep on the right sie of the picture an more gently sloping on the left side. | Here's the bern in early Spring 2009. The vegetation partly rotted down over winter and now we've covered it with some spruce clippings. We are adding to it all the time. 
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SWALE CONSTRUCTION
 | The swales follow the contours that Douglas Barnes marked out for us |
A finished swale, planted with strawberries and mulched in readiness for the winter. |  |
I’m following the suggestion by Toby Hemenway in “Gaia’s Garden” for a 6″ deep swale with a flat 1 meter wide bottom because this is the easiest to start with. Douglas has suggested a 6′ compacted spillway in each of the longer swales to prevent collapse during potential flooding.
Swale digging by hand is extremely hard work!
THE SWALE DIGGERS
There once was a couple from Wales
Who had since left the hills and the vales
On their 5 acre plot
They were planting the lot
So they read about digging some swales
They did some research on the “Net”
And learned how to keep the soil wet
“A good thing” they deducted
If swales were constructed
These ditches could be our ‘best bet’
The swales would collect mulch and rain
And be worth all the toil and the pain
The system should flourish
As trees it would nourish
And never need watering again
A meter wide and six inches deep
On the downside they made a big heap
So that each shallow trough
stops erosion and run-off
And all the soil nutrients they’d keep!
Digging with pickaxe and spade
Their energy sadly did fade
The pair must relax
Rest their poor aching backs
They’re all done for now, I’m afraid!
DOUBLE HERB SPIRAL
 | This is the start of a double herb spiral we are making April 2009, using spare earth from the pond dig. |
Each spiral is 2m diameter and will be 1m high in the centre. The total space taken up by the two spirals is approximately 4m x 2m, and yet there should be an 18m of growing space because of the coiling and rising of the spiral. 
There is a very small pond at the base of the spirals along with a small boggy area. | 
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Fabulous Permaculture Diary & Calendar 2010 | Details! |
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