[EcoboyMember]

Have you considered some terracing, perhaps using old railway sleepers or dry-stone walling? the flat terraces slow down and catch the run-off of rainwater allowing the water to filter down to the roots. They also make it easier to plant beds.

Our local electricity company last year renewed some poles and (kindly?) left the old one lying on my land. They’ll be cut to length and used as step fronts or terrace walls (2 deep) this year! it’s an ill wind…!

There’s lots of useful stuff on YouTube about making & using charcoal. Leave the coal-ash to your local council!

[EcoboyMember]

Brilliant gentlemen. what a great lot of information. Thank you all.
If I’m seeing it right, one decent compost heap, of a pallet sized cube (about 1 metre cube) gives me a ton of compost, enough to cover about 75 sq metres on maintenence each year i.e. about one inch cover. or about 25 sq metres the first year at 3-4 inches … ok, so I need to budget for a big importation the first year or two, as I start modestly, and gradually expand into the 2/3rds of an acre. I have cattle farmers near me and the sea not too far away, so plenty of variety for the heaps! lots of planning to do and lots to look forward to. And, yes, I do hope to sell some produce!
Ecoboy

[EcoboyMember]

Hi there everyone. I’m about to retire and am planning to take over 2 thirds of an acre lying fallow for years. I’m wondering what proportion of compost needed for no-dig approach can be produced on site? I’m an enthusiastic composter in my current city garden with lots of grass to keep things warm. I have three bins: one taking stuff in, one maturing and one being used. I turn 2 into three, then one into two, then start again filling number one… if that makes sense to anyone. It’s a great system.
Ecoboy, dublin

[EcoboyMember]

Thank you, all three, for your input. In my head, I’m gradually seeing what’s required. One thing is Pete’s suggestion of gradually scraping away the existing growth and building up a couple of compost bins. I also reckon, with the size of the plot, I’ll have to buy in a few loads of manure and compost to get me going. One thing I will have to do is use a pick to lever out the larger stones, as Donegal can be quite rocky and there are quite a lot of stones (football size +/-) on the site. Then there’s a good bit of bramble, which I reckon, need to be cut down and the roots dug out. But the weeds are the usual suspects, with dock being particularly well represented. Finally, the assumption of level ground is definitely not it … slopes from both ends (east and west) to a low middle, which is wet. water feature anyone?

I will keep on reading and getting a plan in place. Thanks again for your help.
Ecoboy

p.s. charles,I’m reading a book “The Garden Organic book of Compost” I bought last week. After that, I’ll be on to you about your course book! rj

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