My dad came down to pick me up from the farm and asked about the neighbours tractor he was selling. A Kubota B7100. Dad saw it and started mucking around with it, proceeded to test it in every way and after being satisfied he had completely checked it out, offered $200 lower than asking price, the seller said no and dad promptly went to the car and gave him $1000. Now dad is the haggling type, and I quickly twigged that dad was onto a bargain because he didnt muck around paying him. The tractor is a bit rough looking, but its cosmetic, as it used to tow boats, the actual tractor itself is in great condition, and they go for over $4000.

I am grateful and surprised beyond words for what dad did, not to mention everything else he is doing, but to me the most important thing is his belief in me, it means a lot because he is a 5th generation farmer and a man of no nonsense. Im feeling really fortunate and humble

Muscovies, no doubt about them, amazing birds. Similar to ducks, but the differences are greater than the similarities in my opinion. This is dawn after the first night in their new home, with this girl perched on top of the mobile coop. At roosting time yesterday she decided this is where she sleeps, and sure enough she is still there, and again yesterday evening she roosted there, so it seems thats her spot. They seem to have these unique unpredictable personal traits, where using observation, one can splice them into biological farming in many ways - I have discovered a number of different 'guilds' in which i can use muscovy, but i havent even scratched the surface.

These animals have a lot to teach me

Where we're at now.

We have been busy studying, planning and gathering resources and materials to start at the farm in Chillingham. We are using Holistic management, keyline patterning, Korean natural farming, alley cropping and Permaculture design to put together and manage a fully stacked, productive, biologically driven food producing glom. This is the culmination of our experience with 3 years of of trials and learnings. We are also drawing on our common experience of being makers, repurposers, and people of the land - one of us being 5th gen farmer. With this back up, essentially no physical works or infrastructure creation has been an issue - we have very little cash so this has been critical.

We have pegged out and have started a 'mosaic of succession', which is the pattern and fertility engine of our polyculture of annuals. This will yield fresh cut produce, which we have worked out by using holistic financial planning, will give us our biggest and fastest returns (best gross profit analysis margin in HM speak), providing cash flow to further invest in layering and complexity.

So we plant tomorrow, pics to come.