What are some ways to conserve water in a changing environment on a ranch?
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Dalam perjalanan dari Viet Tri – Hanoi – Lang Son.
Question by Jezebel: What are some ways to conserve water in a changing environment on a ranch?
I need ways to conserve water on a ranch.
(Given the geography and climate of the Blue Mountains, come up with strategies to preserve water when the climate is getting hotter and drier.)
What do you think? Answer below!
4 Responses to What are some ways to conserve water in a changing environment on a ranch?
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What about plants and trees that store water in them…like some of the cactus’s?
Ölrún
August 24, 2013 at 10:04 pm
You can catch and store rain water. Animals can use it for drinking water, or it can be used for irrigation.
knowmeansknow
August 24, 2013 at 10:53 pm
Check Permaculture, a designers manual, or anything by Bill Mollison and david holmgren. For more more temperate climes see the Earth Care manual by Patrick Whitefield
where are your blue mountains? Australia has well developed examples, see Crystal waters
fred
August 24, 2013 at 11:04 pm
PERMACULTURE byderule
a couple of points that may interest you on sustainable farming and water conservation
WATER HARVESTING
,dig small dams every where to cath the rain water, and you can archieve that all of the rain water is absorbed by the land ,it will seep slowly into the ground to add to subteranean water suplies ,make sure that all the dams are interconnected by slow gradient ditches .just because you dont see water ,does not mean that it is not there .
Normally a land repels water and with the rains it runs over ground into the rivers and awy.
think now that you want to make the land receptive or absorbent of all the water that falls on it.
MULCH
cut down the weeds before they produce seeds and leave them where they fall,they will cover the ground and put even more organic matter on top,you can use saw dust,leaves green or dry,and when you plant make a little space and plant in the mulch.this is the easiest quickest and by far most benificial way(for the quality of you soul)to prepare the land for planting
to prevent weeds from coming all you have to do it turn out the lights,you can even use cardboard or black plastic(this is good for strawberries because they will rot if they touch humid ground,and the bugs can get to them).
what you do is to cover the ground with mulch which is the same principal as compost but it includes the whole garden surface
the top part of the soil where the topsoil is being produced houses a world or microbiotic life.
Mulch is organic material green or dry that covers the ground,the thicker the better the composting process will turn it in to black topsoil
the humidity is preserved underneath and promotes the devellopment of worms(their exists no better compost than their excrements)and a variety of micro biotic life which together with the mulch produce more topsoil.
the mulch also keeps the ground temperature even and guards against the impact of the rain ,which would other wise brings salt to the surfave if on unprotected land
Mulch also prevents the soil from drying out because of the sun and, lay it open to wind erosian.
and it turn out the lights for any weeds that want to come up
do not use chemicals because the water will wash them into the ground and if enough people did that, you would be guilty of helping to contaminate subteranean water suplies that other people could be pumping up to drink
SUSTAINABLE FARMING
the best examples on this Earth of sustainable agriculture,
are the chinampas of central Mexico ,the surviving ones(that have not been consumed by urban devellopment)have been going for more than 800 years ,that is sustainability.
the are built from the mud of the lakes and enriched with compost ,in the old days with the toilet contents of the outhouses that were on the bridges going into town,which the indians collected with a canoo.
Another example are the traced gardens of the Inca which have been going for more than a thousand years,there success is also because of the principle of using compost and their form which id a receptive concave absorb the rain waters and collect the dust from the wind (for hundreds of years and so increase in quality instead of the oposite.
in the Ukraine are also examples of ancient agriculture due to no till farming and mulching(green organic matter that is added)
in Mexico today are still examples from old Indian agricultural practises of diversity or companion planting.
where by a series of 7 or 8 species of plants are put together or one folows the other.to create biodiversity ,and utilisation of space.
Corn is planted for example ,wich is followed 4 weeks later by a bean that climbs it.
and agavi and edible cactus is on the sides to protect these plants from foraging animals and add chemicals to the soil by their secretions.and others are in between to provide groundcover
there are many forms of sustainable farming in the past,and today those who follow the principles of permaculture,no till farming,organic or sustainable farming are the new generation of agriculturists who have seen the light.
Many farmers who live with the results of their bad agricultural practises are now eager to join the ranks.
and their work cqn be seen in Vietnam,Australia,America,rare cases in Mexico,Africa,Europe.etc.
i sell the idea of permaculture,which means getting along with nature as an associate rather as conquest,
i talk to a lot of agronomic engineers,farmers,school kids and rural comunities and most of my life i have been develloping people grounds to make them ,self sustainable and self suficient,which means using the land in such a way that it improves with time,and that it produces as many of the needs as is possible,for the people who ocupy it.and i design parks or make gardens
the designers manual by Bil Mollison cost about 40 dollars.
and is the best all round book you can get.(tagiari publishing)
Permaculture means permanent agriculture
a concept put forward by Bill Mollisson in the 60`s
which is a complete hand book for environmental design.
for those who seek an ambiotic relationship with our planet
With practical solutions for energy systems ,infratructure ,housing,
animal shelter ,water systems and sustainable agricultural practises.
With the world and it`s history as it`s source
From the chinampas of Mexico to the teraced gardens of the Andes.
From the dessert whadis to the steppes of Russia.
Covering all climatic conditions temporal, dessert, humid and dry tropics.
with chapters on soil ,Water harvesting and land design,
Earth working ,Spirals in nature,Trees and water ,utilising energy flows,
Strategy for an alternative nation
this book also has many gardening tips,bio-gas,companion planting and ideas for structures ,how to cool down houses in hot climates ,how to warm up houses in cold climates with out using technology but rather by design.
always aiming at autosuficiency and sustainability .
this can all be found in the designers manual by Bill Mollisson
Collectively portraying an ancient and natural philosiphy
With the Laws of Nature as its base
coupled to the present day level of scientific knowledge.
Permaculture is well known and you can find many references on the web.
there is a University of Permaculture in Australia
and poverty is not the target but quality of life is
and since permaculture is extremly compact form of growing things.utilising all space and utilising all resource ,it is productive and economic.
some other writers that are on the internet are
david Holmgren
Larry Santoyo
Kirk Hanson
Masanobu Fukuaka has written ,
One-Straw Revolution
The Road Back to Nature
The Natural Way of Farming
http://www.context.org/iclib/ic14/fukuok…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/masanobu_fu…
Simon Henderson
and Bill Molisson.
a representitive of the concept in USA is
Dan Hemenway at YankeePerm@aol.com
I am a permaculture consultant for the department of Ecology for the regional government of Guerrero in Mexico
byderule
August 24, 2013 at 11:43 pm