Hi All,
Hope this was the right area. Bill Mollison talks about it in his permaculture design manual so thought it would be the right place.
Ive been doing a decent amount of reading on this topic for a awhile now as we have a farm and would like to try this on the property. Ive read a whole heap of stuff from the late P.A Yeomans who invented the concept and his sons that continue it. Plus several revisons to the concept through some of the permaculture sites. It sounds great and I understand how it works.
[url]https://www.keyline.com.au/[/url]
[url]https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5415701832677827929#[/url]
[url]https://permaculture.org.au/2009/03/16/keyline-design-mark-iv/[/url]
I suppose what my question is, has anyone here tried it and or regulary uses it on there land? HAve you seen improvements etc? And do you have any comments or additonal info for me ?
- rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
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- Location: TN/GA 7b
My first impulse looking at your post and the first link was that maybe you are a spammer (of whom we get many around here). But I looked at your other posts and decided you look like a legitimate member with real interest.
But the first link is just one of the many sites set up to sell e-books, most of which are worthless. I skimmed through the pdf you can get to from the third link. This system seems to be all about conserving water/ managing water flows, a good thing, but it looks to be only useful in agriculture for some one who has not just acres, but MANY acres. He's paying attention to land contours, valleys, rises, lake edges, etc.
Doesn't seem to have any relevance to most of us backyard gardeners.
But the first link is just one of the many sites set up to sell e-books, most of which are worthless. I skimmed through the pdf you can get to from the third link. This system seems to be all about conserving water/ managing water flows, a good thing, but it looks to be only useful in agriculture for some one who has not just acres, but MANY acres. He's paying attention to land contours, valleys, rises, lake edges, etc.
Doesn't seem to have any relevance to most of us backyard gardeners.
sorry if it came across that way ....
Keyline design cultivating is for farms. When I did a search it had come up previously on the forum so really I was just seeing if other posters have had any involvement in it.
The links were just there for reference so other posters who didnt know much about it understood what I was talking about.
thanks
Keyline design cultivating is for farms. When I did a search it had come up previously on the forum so really I was just seeing if other posters have had any involvement in it.
The links were just there for reference so other posters who didnt know much about it understood what I was talking about.
thanks
Rainbowgardener,
Just to add, yes it is about conserving water / managing water flows which yes is a very good thing esp in dryer climates. The idea is redirect water to the ridges from the valleys and get the water into the soil faster. This allows for more even water infiltration into the soil and therefore better crops across the whole area of land. It supposedly starts to make the hilly areas close to or just as fertile as the flat areas.
Its like running multiple rippers lightly over the soil not going too deep to break the subsoil too much. Allows more oxygen and water into the soil and organic matter, without turning the soil over and which can cause soil erosion etc.
My parents have a farm so this is why I'm doing the research on it. Its easier to ask a few questions first but no doubt I will just go and try it out as I find you learn a heck of alot more doing it that way !
Just to add, yes it is about conserving water / managing water flows which yes is a very good thing esp in dryer climates. The idea is redirect water to the ridges from the valleys and get the water into the soil faster. This allows for more even water infiltration into the soil and therefore better crops across the whole area of land. It supposedly starts to make the hilly areas close to or just as fertile as the flat areas.
Its like running multiple rippers lightly over the soil not going too deep to break the subsoil too much. Allows more oxygen and water into the soil and organic matter, without turning the soil over and which can cause soil erosion etc.
My parents have a farm so this is why I'm doing the research on it. Its easier to ask a few questions first but no doubt I will just go and try it out as I find you learn a heck of alot more doing it that way !
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- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm
This maybe true, but we are in the permaculture forum and one should look at the bigger picture.Doesn't seem to have any relevance to most of us backyard gardeners
On a small scale my orchard has berms and swales on contour and artificial seasonal streams and ponds.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=165288#165288
Eric