On The Duck Chronicles Episode Twenty Five – The Food Forest is about to Thrive
On The Duck Chronicles Episode Twenty Five – The Food Forest is about to Thrive today we start out by checking the progress of my baby ducklings who are doing just great. One little girl still is dealing with a limp but she appears to be getting along okay.
I have also filmed Adjunct Five, to explain why we are not forcing the Muscovy Duck out to pasture just yet
I also take you on a tour of a couple areas of the property showing you some of the plantings we have put in and are waiting on to come around this spring.
A full print with the initial design plan (lot of updates not included) can be found here. https://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/docs/3-4-acre-ff.pdf
Some of the plants I show you today include
- Methany Plum
- Bruce Plum
- Shipova
- Fruiting Rose
- Rosa Rugosa
- Hansons Bush Cherry
- Elderberry
- Spring Satin Plumcot
- Apricot
- Autumn Olives
- Currants
- And more
A full print with the initial design plan (lot of updates not included) can be found here. https://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/docs/3-4-acre-ff.pdf
I have also filmed Adjunct Five, to explain why we are not forcing the Muscovy Duck out to pasture just yet
Your video and audio quality BEFORE the camera mount and new mic is GOOD. Its very acceptable and it communicates knowledge just fine. You’ve done it better than what most people could of done. With the mount and new Mic its VERY GOOD. I think its the content that you have made that is KING.
Steve
Jack
I have a question that I think is very important. Jack, I think I’m finally getting it. I did not understand how you could grow crops without weed killers and pesticides. You said the ducks were eating weed seeds. ARE Ducks, Chickens etc the Permaculture way of controlling the vast number of your weeds and pests that you will encounter on your farm ?? How big of a role do they play, what else will you have to do to control weeds and pests.
Steve
Hi Jack and fellow TSP-ers, Lovin’ the “Duck Chronicles”. Just a suggestion; I have had lots of ducks also and found that when they limp, they have almost always done better (quickly) after a bath in very warm water with a bit of epsom salts. I also have a mantis tiller and use it to dig trenches and such, works very well. Thanks so much for all you do, Jack. Love the sponsors, guests, and the wonderful informative work you do.
What kind of doormats to you use to avoid tracking feces into the house?
Or do you use the Asian system and take your boots off and put on slippers before entering your house?
Steve,
I Know you are asking Jack specifically about the weed issue and I don’t want to step on any toes here. I would like to offer my take on weeds and how I have overcome the fear of those pesky plants.
1. Let go. There’s billions of seeds laying dormant in your soil, each one needs specific conditions to germinate. There is only so much you can do to alter those conditions.
2. Understand that most weeds are either delicious, nutritious or healing. Sometimes they are all three of those things AND they will always provide a yield as long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
3. Native pollinators love weed flowers. We forget that bees aren’t the only critters that help our gardens flourish.
4. Invasives are natures way of saying “Take this space and make it better for me. I have bigger fish to fry.”
I hope this helps any one that is “losing” a battle with weeds. Ducks, chickens, pigs, chemicals or machines are only the tools we use to place controls on the landscape. The real change needs to happen in our hearts and minds before the work can begin.
Thanks for letting me chime in. 😉
Russ
I do plan to answer Steve and his question is likely more for the benefit of others than for himself.
Now on your response I largely agree but I also agree with something Nick Burtner said.
“In permaculture there is no such thing as a weed, but there are things that if you don’t manage them right will choke out and kill the things you want to grow.”
Totally. I am trying out some methods of management of a big patch of Japanese Knotweed. I will be updating the outcomes on my FB page.
The camera/phone mount that the lav mic are a great addition, keep using them. I’m really enjoying The Duck Chronicles (TDC). I miss the MSB only videos, but these are almost as good. I have 28 laying hens, and we are seriously thinking of moving more to a duck operation in the future as the girls graduate to the stock pot 1/2 late this year, and the rest about a year after that. It will take me awhile to get fencing in place (budget). Thanks for all you do, we all appreciate it.
Jason (aka ChainsawGuy)
I know nothing about ducks but I feel sorry for the little limping ducky. Did Daddy checked her foote? What if there is something stuck there that could be easily removed or some other simple solution one could try like what Ginger suggested. Thank you
I used to raise ducks and chickens and have also rehab animals. Every so often one of the ducklings would get a decent limp like your poor duckling. The best thing to do for the poor duckling is put it into its own container so it can rest the sprained limb. It will take at most 5 days of rest before it is better, as ducklings heal quickly. As Ginger has stated, a warm Epsom salt bath will help soothe the sore muscles in the leg. Just make sure she doesn’t drink too much of the water as Epsom salts will cause a even more loose stool in the duckling.
Hope she gets better soon!
We are going to see how she is today, we have already planned to do a hospital stay for here (with a couple friends) if she isn’t better. The thing is I have seen so many ducks get a limp and just be fine in a day or two
Jack,
Mic works much better! Now if you can just quit moving around so quickly. If I had a couple beers and watch I would get sick. Slow movements are best when filming.