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Mulch in Abundance

We use a lot of mulch on our property to take advantage of the many benefits that mulch provides. The mulch we use is grass (that I now cut with the scythe) that grows in areas around the property that doesn’t get grazed and also on the road verge for maintenance so the council doesn’t spray chemicals.

Collecting the road verge mulch. ( this was cut with the neighbors mower before we got the scythe)
Collecting the road verge mulch. ( this was cut with the neighbors mower before we got the scythe)

One of the terms you hear in permaculture circles is “abundance”. At times we might comment “yeh right, wheres my share of abundance” but then all of a sudden you will find you are getting a more than expected supply of a resource. This has happened with the mulch. In hindsight I am getting much more material than before and this is great because each year we have several lean months of mulch due to the grass growth slowing in the winter and early spring. So this year I am stockpiling a reserve of mulch to use through that time.

The little stack of mulch stored until the leaner months.
The little stack of mulch stored until the leaner months.

The week has been put to good use on some more zone four timber maintenance and completing the chicken cell planting. I also have finished tidying up under the main house and now starting to prepare a part of this space for productive use. Now I am not sure if the previous photos of under the house could show the lack of height there is under there, but this is an issue as we keep bumping our heads. So solution to the problem…. start digging!!!

Hoping to gain an extra 200 mm (8 inches) of head room.
Hoping to gain an extra 200 mm (8 inches) of head room.

I am trying to allocate one to two hours most days to tackle this task so it doesn’t become too burdensome (and so I don’t get too sore!) Probably more than some people might not understand this but I actually enjoy it. Nothing like a sense of achievement to make my day!

Tom

For a wealth of great material, please head over to Toms and Zaias’ website https://diyfoodandhealth.com

Or to Toms and Zaias’ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/permaculturesunshinecoast

Originally published: https://diyfoodandhealth.com/2016/05/20/mulch-in-abundance/

Tom Kendall

Tom Kendall is a permaculture farmer with a lifelong broad acre agricultural background. He is co-founder of the PRI Sunshine Coast Inc and PRI Luganville, Vanuatu and runs PDC and Practical Life Skills training courses on his Permaculture Demonstration Site “Maungaraeeda”. He is part of the Permaculture Sustainable Consulting team and does regular personal consultations. He has extensive experience in tropical, sub tropical and dry land climates and has the ability to read large scale as well as smaller scale landscapes. With his farming background, Tom is a very hands on and practical man and is solution focused. He has extensive travel experience, integrates easily with local cultures and people and enjoys studying landscapes, buildings and the effects of climate on structures, flora and fauna.

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