getting our ducks in a row

In light of working towards getting our ducks in a row this year, we've extended our flock!
We are raising 10 Khaki Campbell and 4 Muscovy ducklings. They are so cute when they're small!

4 Khaki Campbell and 3 Muscovy ducks about 5 days old.

We have discovered more and more benefits that raising fowl can provide. They forage and graze, eat lots of bugs and pests, and based on the amazing fertilizer the geese gave us last year, we are betting on ducks blessing us too. 

Compost: a hot party!

Did you know that you can make a good compost in as little as 18 days? Okay, maybe not during the winter time here in Montana, but it is possible.

Our pile was rockin' at our first "turn" about 15 days ago.

Just getting in to the pile.

Hugelkultur!!

Our new mantra and exciting project: Hugelkultur! We recently discovered the idea of Hugelkultur as part of Permaculture.

Hugelkultur is a process using woody material, usually at the base of a raised garden bed, to improve soil drainage, hold moisture, and use up woody materials. The wood will break down and rot over extended periods of time, which creates a great home for fungi and bacteria to live in while they break down the organic matter in the soil, and leave behind their nutrients and blessing. The wood also acts like a sponge, soaking up tons of water. This is most beneficial, because in theory, you can drastically reduce the effort and resources associated with irrigating!

Cleaning up scrap wood from the log yard.

A clean slate

So here we are, in the beginning stages of our rEvolution.

The blog is a clean slate for us, which is a new concept since we are in the reclaiming business.

We have spent the last year doing a ton of research, which has involved scales of productivity, work input/output, etc., and we've been saying lately that it seems like we are starting in the negative. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just means that we have a long way to go before we get to the point where most people start. A major plus is that we are not too established in our ways or methods to be open to change and experimenting. And let me say that every day is an adventure!