Natural farming

I have been doing natural farming since years. I have been spreading seeds of different plants around my land. After some time I encounter in these already forgotten places herbs, fruit trees, fruit bushes, flowers and other interesting plants. Besides, my land have for me its own suprises. Sometimes I find forgotten plants which probably ex owner of my land planted. So I find flowers, bushes and even wild vegetables or beer plant :)))

Here I have found interesting link about natural farming:
http://www.naturalfarming.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=53&lang=en

My natural farming is different, because the climate is here different than this one in Japan. We don't have here between autumn and spring wet season but frosty dead season usually with lots of snow.


Also making clay balls  here is no use, especially if big part of my land is already made of clay which is not good soil for growing any plants. So, in order to make sure, that the seeds which I spread can have chance to grow - I choose places with uncover soil - prefarably black, fertile soil.

Such places are made by wild pigs and moles. Often also by my farm animals - with their legs.

If I want to grow a fruit tree in the place where is clay - I make a whole in the clay and put there seeds and cover them with fertile soil or old weathered manure in order to make this spot better place for easy growth of the young plant.

Today I planted some very sweet and tasty fruit trees - apple trees. Tomorrow I am going to plant some seeds of pears and maybe other fruit trees. At first I intended to grow these trees in home in small pots, but I think it would be easier for me to plant them directly into the soil, because the seeds need to undergo frost in order to be ready start growing in the spring. Besides working at my farm lonely - I need to save my forces and do minimal work as possible, because I have a lot of tasks in front of me. So for me it is easier to plant the seeds directly into the soil than into small pots in the house and then to replant them into the soil, because replanting takes more time.

The method of small steps

When enormous amount of work in front of you – the most important is high morale, good spirit and perfect organisation of your work.

In order to break through a psychological barrier – the best is to start  your work with small tasks easy to be done. Each step which is completed is good reason for being proud and building your high morale.

Today is 11.11.11. At 11.11 I started renovation of my old village settlement. First I am taming myself with that great challenge. So I am cleaning court around the house, watch at stables and house carefully and I am making projects and plans in my head.

There are things which I could do on my own without a professionalist. I intend to start with them slowly.

ANIMAL HEATING

In the old times people used to share their houses with animals. It was mainly for the heating reasons. The animals bodies were producing warmth and also people in the house were producing warmth by using ovens. So, when they were gathered closely together - both people and animals used to benefit in winters from that common warmth.

Once, some time ago - I went to my neighbour who has a lot of cows. They were all in their stable. The door were widely open. From the opening was coming a lot of heat. It was winter and outside was really cold. Around minus 30 C. So I was suprised that in the stable was so warm especially if the door were opened and frost could come inside. But it didn’t!

I was curious about it and ask my neighbour if he has a heating installed there. He said "No." So why here is so warm inside? He said "its because animals." “What because of animals? Their bodies warmth? Their breath?” The man wasn’t sure, but eventually confirmed.
“Wow!” I have thought then: “This is unusual thing...” And I went home thinking about it.

Then I have learned something new and it was amazing for me. It was free energy! Free warmth! It should be used in some way!

People usually spend a lot of money for heating in cold countries like Poland in winter.
Especially now, when energy is so expensive - each way of saving some energy and money is worth of trying.

So I came up with new way of heating green houses. I would like to share with you my genious idea :)

How to make a cheap and constant heating for a greenhouse in the winter? Well, its incredibly easy. The best way is to situate the green house between two stables with cows or horses or other animals. But I think cows are the best, because you can gather closely to each other many cows at one place  - the cows produce in a stable warmth of 20 C and even higher.

So in order to grow vegetables in the winter you need to situate the green house between the two stables with open walls so the warm air can move easily between two stables across the  greenhouse.

The green house should be built from thick glass blocks. Under the soil on which you plant your vegetables - should be put manure - the best is horse manure because is warmest, but cows manure also may be used. Manure produces warmth as well. So beds will be warmed up from the bottom additionally.

Thick glass blocks (luksfers) will stop looses of warmth and besides are strong enough to keep up an accidental collision with a cow. Walls made from thick glass blocks are necessary because the plants need light!
So the green house needs warmth from animals and manure and light in order to be effective growing place for vegetables in winter.

I want to build prototype of such green house with its own natural animal heating produced by cows bodies. Who would like to take part in this amazing project? :)

I have come up with new idea of adaptating existing stables. My old stables are two level buildings. Downstairs usually I keep animals and upstairs I usually keep hay for the animals.
Since I buy already make haylage which do not need the roof, I can use the second floor for the making there the greenhouse. It would be even better idea than this first above one, since the warm air always go upstairs.
So, downstairs I will still keep  my animals and upstairs I will build green  house for my vegetable.