Last night a band of severe thunderstorms hit north central Texas. There were only supposed to be severe storms and risk of hail was only moderate and tornadoes was low. By the time the storms formed the weather service changed the risk for damaging winds, hail and tornadoes to high.
One tornado devastated parts of Grandbury Texas and at least 7 people lost there lives, about 6 or 7 are currently unaccounted for and 15 were admitted to the hospital. This area is about 25 miles south west of us. While I am not happy about the loss of my crops I know we got off easy and my thoughts and prayers are with my fellow Texans who have lost so much more right now. This is why we are preppers folks.
Toulouse Geese Arrive on the TSP Homestead and Meet Max the 150 LB German Shepperd
On a happier note we just received 8 adorable Toulouse Geese from Cackle Hatchery, they are really cool and Max the 150 pound German Shepperd has already decided they are to be defended at all cost. I wonder how he will feel when they imprint on him and 8 20 lb birds are following him around the property?
These are standard Toulouse not the giant dewlap or show versions. They are calm gentle geese that do very well on grass pasture.
Last night I said I would support the relaunch of SilverBulletSilverShield.com and that I would explain the how, the what and the why here. Quite a few people that sent me hate mail have already apologized for it and have a new perspective now. Some will cling to their leader Chris for all eternity in spite of the facts. Those people are not important to me, those with an open mind are.
I want this community to know why I am doing this, how I am doing it and I want all to know flatly it isn’t about money, I am not taking a thin dime. I am though doing what I can to right a wrong. Details below…
So like many of your I signed up for Geoff Lawton’s PDC online course. I am totally stoked about it and already though the first section waiting for the next block. Today I got an email and just said wow.
Jeff is adding a complete Earthworks Course to the members area of the PDC. The course isn’t there yet, frankly I think they are filming and editing right now for it. Anyway this isn’t just a video but a complete Earthworks course and frankly I think that such a course is more valuable then a PDC to many people.
I figured he would give PDC students some big discount on it or something but he is flat out giving it to us. As of right now the Online PDC registration is still open so this might be the time to sign up if you haven’t done so already.
I want to remind the audience here because some don’t seem to get this. I am not doing this for personal gain financially. I have agreed to take no commission on my referrals to Geoff in return for an MSB discount. If you do choose to sign up for this course (now courses) do so because it is right for you, not to support me. Also please make sure to go to the Members Area of your MSB first BEFORE you sign up for the special discount link. It will save you 150 bucks.
Here is a 2 minute teaser for the Earthworks Course, again all PDC students get it at no cost. I don’t know if he might sell this course as a stand alone, but I will ask.
Tonight is a big night, tonight at midnight we will open orders for 2 of the 3 versions of the Sentinel Silver rounds. Here is a video all about the new silver.
These rounds go live for sale tonight at 12 Midnight, you can get them at these links
We even have some really cool computer wall paper if you want to make it your desktop background or add it into your screen saver. You can find those at the links below.
As promised I took a trip down to Mulligan Mint before approving the launch of our new series of coins. I did this to ensure that the promised upgrades and investments were made and to be sure that my customers would have a much better customer service experience this time around. I was pretty happy with what I saw.
I am happy to announce that after this visit I am going forward full tilt bore with the new silver medallions. Three designs are coming very soon, all with the Sentinel on the front and some variations there of on the reverse. The first 1,000 will be a very limited run and we will only make 1,000 of them. They will have the ant reverse.
The next two will have a reverse that is going to be absolutely amazing. We will do an uncirculated and a proof version of this one. The new reverse design will be released next week, you can see the obverse in this video. So here you go guys this is what actually happens and what it takes to turn raw silver into minted medallions.
One common trap that I see play out over and over and over again with people new to permaculture is what I call an monocular view. Or a one dimensional view. They see a desert project and so permacultureis for deserts, or they see a project in the tropics and feel it is only for where bananas can be grown.
In the case of Geoff’s recent videos two views like this came to a head from this audience, they seem to be.
1. Permaculture and Geoff’s designs are only for large properties
2. All permaculture designs are based on large swales and multiple ponds
The problem with that view is it doesn’t really grasp that Permaculture is a design science, the techniques are more like paint, the land like canvas. Each artist must design his work based on the canvas he is given (land) and the paints he chooses and the final image he wishes to create within those limits.
Can this be scaled down to a suburban lot? You bet and in ways that almost make you want to live on a small land holding! Geoff’s newest video will focus on that, below is the trailer for it.
If you have seen the other videos you will get an email when this one goes live. If you have yet to see the others you can sign up for free access to them at this link, http://www.geofflawton.net/crisis/?10007
This will be the 4th video in the series and I have to say I continue to be blown away at the quality of production and information in all of them.
Late last year we had the pleasure of having Geoff Lawton on the show a few times and he asked me to help spread the word about his initiative and the free online videos he is releasing. The first one blew us away but waiting on video two was nerve racking, the wait is ALMOST over. The new video will be out this weekend. I have embedded a trailer below. As you can see the production quality is amazing and I can’t wait to see the content.
Many of you who watched the first video will soon get an email from me on Geoff’s behalf. That email will go out as soon as this second video is available and you don’t really have to do anything but wait and perhaps watch the trailer below to see how fricken awesome this is going to be.
Many of you perhaps though never saw the first video. Well, if you want to watch it now just go to this link http://www.geofflawton.net/crisis/?10007 and sign up for updates, soon as you do that you can watch video number one and as soon as video number two is online you will get an email letting you know.
There is something else very cool, at 3PM on Sunday I have an interview scheduled with Geoff, that interview will run on Monday the 15th. When you get the email about the new video there will be instructions in it on how to ask questions about the new video for the interview. I will have to have them by 2PM central to be prepared for the interview with Geoff. That is why I am making sure you guys know about all of this today, so that everyone that wants to can send in questions.
This is pretty amazing access to the mind of the man I consider personally to be the very best of the best in the Permaculture world. Hope you guys enjoy the trailer below! Again if you haven’t seen the first video yet sign up for that and get updates automatically for new videos at http://www.geofflawton.net/crisis/?10007
I Our 17 chicks are currently to young to be out of the brooder over night but we have great warm temps so we are now putting them in a tractor during the day and returning them to the brooder at night.
The tractor is framed form 7.5 foot stud lumber and covered with 1/4 inch hardware cloth. The birds are two different types of red sex link hens, a male sex link (we think but it was labled a pullet by Tractor Supply but was in with all clearly sex linked pullets) and 8 Egyptian Fayoumi. There are 4 standard Fayoumis and 4 that were marked as “cinnamon silver”.
We really don’t have a clue what a “cinnamon silver” is, we are not even 100% sure it is a Fayoumi cross or color phase as I can’t find any info on them. The do appear a lot like the other Fayoumis in growth rate, size and other characteristics, so we shall see in time.
The dimensions of the tractor are 7.5 feet long, 24 inches high and 44 inches wide which leaves 2 inches of over hang on both sides for the oak pallets. This works great for day time use by small chickens that can easily get though 2 inch chicken wire and might strangle themselves with one inch wire. Later it will be converted to my “Quail Mansion” tractors which I have long term plans for.
Note – I stated a 50 foot roll of hardware cloth in the video, what I meant to say was a 25 foot roll.
As many of you know I have suggested that we call what most (not all) people are doing in America woody beds vs hugulkultur. I suggest this for two reasons.
1. People who don’t know about it already understand “woody bed” but look at you like you have a snake crawling out of your ear when you say hugulkultur.
2. It is more accurate, hugul in the term hugulkultur pretty much means high as in high bed. As in 1.5-2 yards high. This is simply not what we are doing in America in most instances.
Since first learning about the entire concept from Paul Wheaton (as practiced by Sepp Holzer) I have worked with it in many different formats, from 6 foot high true huguls to in ground versions that appear like any typical framed in raised bed. I have also studied the work of Permaculture visionary Geoff Lawton and become a huge fan of his swale based design systems.
As I continued both studying the work of others and putting it into actual field level work (I can’t stress how important that is) I have also learned how Geoff takes “swale like design” into raised bed gardening. I have now found that taking the disciplines of swale style raised beds and adding wood core design to the mix is an incredibly efficient design structure.
Today I discuss the primary design structures of this type of system, why they work and what limitations each has. From there we can see how a proper integration of all of them makes up a great deal for where each has certain weaknesses.
Join Me Today As I Discuss…
What is a swale and why does it work
What is the difference between a “swale like” structure and a true swale
How can contour paths act like swales when they are not below grade
Does it make sense to cut paths below grade (may be, it depends)
What is traditional hugulkultur
Why did Sepp Holzer and other actually bury wood in the first place
The limits of a “spongy core” based on mathematics as a simply reservior
What are mycelium and what role do they play in permaculture
How does the internal composting action protect roots in cold weather
Why isn’t the heat a danger in hot weather
Why deep mulching is a must
How you can practice polyculture, clumpy polyculture or even row mono culture
How does a contour based wood core system function end to end
Info on the upcoming workshop that will teach these techniques
Videos Of the Described Project – Direct Links to Youtube in the Resource List Below
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.
I am very impressed with this product and think it will be serve high volume preppers that like to buy in bulk and still eat what you store and store what you eat. Specifically to take large bulk items like dehydrated veggies from Harmony House and #10 cans like Mountain House and process them into usable sizes without sacrificing long term storage life.
