 I started keeping goldfish in my water trough about five years ago. I was researching about permaculture and animal husbandry practices and came across the concept of introducing goldfish into the barnyard. It sounded off-the-wall at the time, but after some research I headed to the pet store and bought a small bag of fish. I decided on four for my 100-gallon tank. About five or so years in now, I can honestly say that they definitely make a difference. Why do I keep them? Mosquitos. Mosquitos are readily present here in central New Jersey, especially in our wooded and agricultural pocket. They eagerly populate in standing water—anything from standing puddles, to buckets, to still ponds and troughs… water that is not moving or flowing is fair game for egg laying. In just 24-48 hours mosquito eggs hatch into wiggly larvae. After only four days to a couple of weeks (species depending) mosquitos mature and are ready to put a damper on that summer evening magic I wait the rest of the year to experience. Here at the farm we use several practices to reduce our mosquito numbers and it shows; a walk across the street to chat with the neighbors leaves us covered in bites in mere minutes. On our own property, however, attacks are minimal. This is thanks to keeping guinea fowl, maintaining a healthy bat and frog population, and planting loads of fragrant companion plants in my food forest guilds that mosquitos supposedly despise. But every little bit helps and so enter the goldfish.  I currently have the same four fish who started out as quite small 9-cent babies in my 100-gallon stock tank. I have another two goldfish in my 35-gallon sheep stock tank. The fish overwinter well in the troughs, especially because they have the added comfort of a submerged trough heater in the winter time which I use for the horses (the troughs are not in the barn). That said, they live in the stock tanks year-round. Here’s a few answers to other commonly asked questions I receive: Do you feed the fish? The fish require no supplemental feed; they eat the mosquito larvae on the top of the water, and also eat the bits of hay and forage that fall from the horses’ mouths when they drink. What about aeration or a bubbler? Because my draft horses are so large and require 35 gallons of water each per day—and I also have five sheep to one 35-gallon tank—I’m refilling water troughs constantly. The continuous refilling generates clean water full of bubbles, and the animals only add more as they play with their water before they drink. The fish get the aeration they need without a pump, the food they require, and a large tank for swimming all while keeping our mosquito population down. Do the horses ever eat the fish? No—they swim to the bottom when the horses approach. Do any other animals or birds of prey hunt the fish? Nope—not once here on our farm. We have a healthy population of fisher cats, raccoons, heron, bear, etc. and haven’t had an issue. We also keep livestock guardian dogs to keep wildlife traffic away which helps. How do I know they’re healthy and thriving? My vet friend says as long as they’re eating, creating manure, growing, and swimming they’re doing great. He says their color is super vibrant and he thinks they’re very healthy and happy. Do they help with parasites? I’ve heard this theory but haven’t really looked into it. I undergo other efforts for natural parasite prevention, and the fish are just for mosquitos. Do they clean the trough and reduce algae? No, they don’t. They are purely for mosquito control. Do you use the fish manure? Fish manure is loaded with nutrients. These troughs are drained for the greenhouse on a gravity fed system when we want to fertilize crops. I simply outfitted my troughs with a spigot on the bottom. How do you clean the water trough? I scrub my troughs once a week. To do so, I dip a 2-gallon bucket into my trough and make sure it’s half-full of water. Then I carefully tip over the stock tank, allowing water to drain out slowly. When there’s about an inch of water left in the tank, I grab the fish. I use my hands or a small net can work too. I place the fish into the reserved water previously scooped from their trough. Once all fish are deposited I move forward with scrubbing the trough as usual. Lots of goldfish-rights activists out there believe this is a poor habitat. I firmly believe it’s much healthier than a glass bowl as they have daily water changes, loads of bubbles, no forgotten feedings, and 100 gallons to swim around in. You can find my full video with everything you want to know from my YouTube channel below:  Many of us growers are familiar with the concept of amending soil. Adding compost annually or even twice annually increases the amount of organic matter. In other words, it gives us new and more soil to work with. Added compost improves soil tilth, contributes nutrients (which eventually liquefy and become readily accessible to the plant over time), and increases all that good bacteria and protozoa which contributes to the greater mycorrhiza network. Good soil, in short, results in healthy plants. Strong, thriving plants are able to not only produce more nutrient-dense food but are also able to better protect themselves from pests and even some forms of disease. Did you know that a healthy tomato plant, for example, can release enzymes into its leaves when it detects caterpillars are eating its foliage? The enzymes are intense—they influence the caterpillars to eat their own kind, rather than feast on the tomato leaves. The caterpillars become cannibals and leave the plant alone. It’s true! Wild, right? But a tomato plant can’t perform this mind-blowing function if it’s not healthy enough to do so. And that’s where soil health comes in. I add compost to my growing spaces every year but I also started working with cover crops. Cover crops are the “green manures” of the plant world for the nutrients they add to the soil. Just like amendments, cover crops can contribute all sorts of benefits to the Earth. These crops aren’t grown for us to harvest and eat but rather they complete their entire lifecycle within the soil. They are planted for the sole benefit of soil enhancement. Some cover crops add nitrogen like vetch or clover. Other cover crops help to loosen compacted soils like field turnip or radish. Cover crops can be mixed to achieve multiple functions and reap maximum benefit like increasing nutrients, attracting or harboring beneficial insects, reducing erosion, making nutrients more soluble, and the list goes on.
Cover Crops in the Pasture When I learned about all of these efficient perks I asked myself, “Why grow grass in my grazing pastures when all that really does is prevent erosion? Why not gain more function and try forageable cover crops?” I started researching cover crops that could feed my animals and my soil at the same time. This became my introduction to sowing green manures. My plot of land is rich in weeds, clay soil, is prone to horrible erosion, and lacks nutrients. I also keep horses, sheep, and a flock of ducks, geese, and guinea fowl. I decided to research and cross-reference those findings to find a cover crop mix that would solve both my soil challenges and meet the nutritional needs of my animals. It sounded like a tall order but I was surprised to learn it wasn’t all that difficult to achieve. I found this table by the Rodale Institute to be a total game changer and I still reference it regularly.  After selecting which cover crops I wanted to grow based on their soil contributions, I started research on animal compatibility. I learned quickly that some cover crops are suitable for grazing specific species while others aren’t. Piper Sudan Grass is a great option but contains high amounts of Prussic Acid, specifically in the morning, which can be detrimental to the health of horses. Certain types of clover are more prone to hosting a mycotoxin that causes salivation in horses. Finally I decided on a mix of triticale, annual rye, forage turnip, and Berseem clover for my fields. All would help my soil and feed my animals. For a few years I sowed my cover crops in early spring and late summer. Soil health does not improve instantaneously but rather takes years. My animals happily grazed the crops, and the soil little by little visibly seems darker, richer, and able to hold more water. If I could escalate the health and porosity of my compacted pastures, surely I could use them in my vegetable garden as well?  Cover Crops in the Garden
Permaculture and sustainable growers recognize the importance of keeping soils covered all the time, all year long. Mulches come in many forms such as tree leaves, straw, woodchips, chopped hemp, and more. These coverings help to retain moisture, suppress weeds, reduce erosion, keep absorbed carbon within the soil, and prevent the nutrients and beneficial bacteria that reside there from being cooked off by the sun. Cover crops not only perform all of these but as living mulches they attract beneficial insects, maintain the mycorrhiza fungi network during the off-season with their living roots, and add even more nutrients to the soil. Just like I did with my pasture spaces, I chose to focus on specific challenges and use cover crops to address those. I now sow a blend that I created which contains hairy vetch, field pea, crimson clover, and triticale. This mix is suitable for my central New Jersey zone 7a climate, stays green during our cold winters, and performs the following:
To summarize, cover crops are plants we grow for the soil. A wide variety of cover crops can be chosen to perform a wide variety of tasks. There’s an excellent book by Gabe Brown called Dirt to Soil, and he’s a huge proponent of growing as many cover crops in once area as possible. I highly recommend this book along with the research and easy-to-use chart published by Rodale Institute if you’re hoping to improve your soil quality. I also have a chapter in my book, The Sustainable Homestead, dedicated to pastures which references cover crop-animal species compatibility. It may sound intimidating at first but just like we select crops to grow for their yields or flavor, we can select green manure for their individual functions too. Thanks for reading! Note: If you’re unsure about where to gather data from, check out my class on Substack.
It’s time to start gathering your data so you can make appropriate and informed decisions. The cool thing about permaculture is that the answers are already there. We just need to know how to read nature’s information. The biggest thing that turns off folks about practicing permaculture? It’s not easy. There’s not a one-size fits all solution about anything. That’s the kicker about this practice—you have to do the work and know your land in order to implement solutions designed specifically for it. Every idea, intention, and execution is totally customized and 100% created to suit the exact site you’re working on. But this is also why it works. You’re not retrofitting someone else’s solutions and trying to mold or shape them to suit your needs. So with all that said, it’s time to start gathering your data so you can make appropriate and informed decisions. We’re going to dive right into collecting information for your site in this video. A Brief Intro to Phenology Are you familiar with the concept of Phenology? Phenology is the study of patterns in nature regarding weather and its relationship to plants, animals and insects. For generations folks have taken note of recurring, cyclical behavior between our seasons and plant and animal life. For example, did you know that Japanese beetles tend to arrive annually just as the Morning Glories (Ipomoea purpurea) begin to open? Another adage is that a prolific berry season in the summer means a rough winter ahead. Frogs are said to call louder right before a storm thanks to the change in barometric pressure, while bats are said to fly during the day right before a hurricane. I am absolutely fascinated and enthralled with the connectivity of nature’s elements and I’ve been studying them for quite some time. Rather than focus on a month or even a specific week of a calendar year for planting, students of phenology tap into the natural world right in their own backyards, observing the events taking shape in their very microclimate. It may surprise you that the daffodils which are blooming in your yard or growing space may not yet be appearing in the next town over. Shouldn’t we be planting crops based on the behavior of our own growing spaces? Phenology relationships initiated planting times before seed packets and weather forecasts were prevalent and readily accessible. While seed packets certainly offer a general idea as to your planting times (typically in spring we are told to start many crop seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before our last date of frost), you can get hyperlocal, microclimate-specific planting cues by watching what’s blooming outside your front door. Watch bulbs as they emerge, trees as their buds swell, migratory birds as they reappear, and when insects re-emerge from their overwintering nests. This is the language Mother Nature speaks to tell us when to plant our crops.  Snowdrops emerge in late winter, a much needed first food source for native pollinators and honeybees. Personally, I mark the appearance of snowdrops (Galanthus) as the inception of my annual phenology calendar. I know that shortly thereafter showy crocus will sprout and bloom, which tells me it’s time to plant spinach and radish. Glorious, bouncing daffodils follow the crocus signaling the time is right for direct sowing beets, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. I’ve listed more planting relationships for you below. A quick note, that tender annuals are certainly more fragile than our native, perennial plantings so practice caution and patience if you feel Mother Nature’s signals are too early to act upon just yet. While these guides have served growers and farmers for years and years, they are just that—guides. They are not hard and fast rules to follow. When Crocus Bloom Direct sow radish, kale, chard, and peas Upon Daffodils Blossoming Direct sow beets, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage As Forsythia Flowers Direct sow onion sets and lettuce When Dandelions Bloom Sow potatoes As Maple Tree Leaves Unfurl Plant out new perennials When Apple Trees Blossom Plant out cucumbers, bush beans, and squash When Lily of the Valley Blooms Plant out tomatoes As Apple Blossoms Fall Plant pole beans, corn, second succession of cucumbers, basil and marigold Upon Iris and Peony Bloom Plant out eggplant, peppers, and melon Creating a Phenology Wheel If you are a student of Phenology, you are likely already familiar with the concept of the Phenology Wheel. These circular diagrams contain notations on relationships between plants, animals, insects, and weather. Journaling these observations is an excellent way to document and keep record of the events occurring in your microclimate as a reference for following seasons to come. I personally keep two Phenology Wheel systems; a month-by-month wheel, and a daily wheel. The daily wheel allows me to record anything I find relevant to that particular day and what’s happening within my surroundings. Let’s take this month of February as a demonstration. I’ve made notations for when I started seeds, when I tapped trees for sap (late this winter), the high and low temperatures for each day, the phases of the moon—and the appearance of snowdrops should be within this month too! Then there’s the month-by-month wheel which is a place for me to summarize the events throughout the year. This visual is simply an overview of natural occurances. Above: My personal Phenology Wheel journal. The left image is the month-long wheel where I make daily notations. Other observations and markings are on the margin. The yearly wheel (right side image) allows me to add events month-by-month in a summarized fashion. I add events as we go throughout the month.
I am a graphic designer by trade and love to use visuals, drawings, and journaling as a means of record keeping. If you’re a creative soul like myself, I encourage you to make your own Phenology Wheel. You can download my free printable I’ve uploaded on my website. Please share your wheels in progress with me as you get going—I’d love to see! I wish you happy planting, and a growing season full of abundance. 
While there is nothing wrong with using bamboo for trellises and stakes in the garden, I’m a big believer in using what you have. Today I am harvesting the stalks from my sunchoke plants to use as a support for next year‘s crops.
Sunchokes reach somewhere between 10 to 12 feet tall, so I will be cutting off the top half of the stalk where the blossom, foliage, and skinnier/weaker stem portion reside. I am cutting the base of the stalk at the soil line above the tuber. Discarded plant material like the tops or stalks that are deemed too slender/weak to use can be composted. To store my sunchoke stalks, I will be keeping them inside of my barn throughout the winter. Though as an experiment I left a couple of stalks outdoors throughout last winter and—still—they did not rot, I recommend storing in a dry place for longevity. ABOUT SUNCHOKES
If you are interested in growing your own sunchokes I have tubers available on my website. Creating a Sustainable Garden with Rotting Logs and Woodchips on the Permaculture Homestead10/29/2024
In nature we see rotting logs on every forest floor. These fallen trees provide shelter and food to insects, small critters, and mushrooms. They contribute to the greater mycorrhizal network, add nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to soil, and provide a place to grow a mushroom crop. Rotting logs and large wood chunks can be a great addition to growing spaces and fruit tree guilds. There needs to be a Nitrogen to Carbon balance in any natural decomposition cycle. Carbon items like logs need nitrogen to break down. But already rotting logs requires less nitrogen and, therefore, will soak up less from tree soil. Add compost around trees in addition to green guild members to balance out nitrogen. Video Time Stamps: 0:00 The role of logs in nature 0:56 How logs decompose 1:52 Using rotted stumps on our homestead 2:37 Using Black Walnut wood (juglone concerns) 3:22 Spreading rotted log mulch in fruit tree guilds 4:40 Why I prefer rotted chips and wood for tree mulch 4:59 Moisture control with larger chunks of rotting wood 5:37 Maintaining soil nitrogen levels with guild member growth 6:18 Garden pro-tip Relevant sources and information:
Ecosystem Processes Related to Wood Decay Can I use woodchips from walnut as mulch in my landscape? Hot composting and cold composting. Totally different processes and end products. One kills weed seeds, pathogens and parasites. One does not. The product you are looking for and how you intend to use it will determine the process.
Video Timestamps: 0:20 Compost heap ingredients 0:46 Carbon to Nitrogen (brown to green) ingredient rations for composting 1:04 Cold composting 2:02 Hot composting 3:25 Finished hot and cold compost comparison 3:36 Which compost system is right for you? HOT COMPOSTING OVERVIEW
Sources: “Within a week, temperatures in a properly constructed compost pile will reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit. That quickly kills many seeds and stabilizes the composted material. But it takes 30 days of exposure to temperatures of 145 degrees or more to kill seeds from tougher weed species.” wssa.net “Most species of microorganisms cannot survive at temperatures above 60-65°C, (140-150°F).” Cornell Composting COLD COMPOSTING OVERVIEW
The intention for using your finished compost will determine the process. If you would like to use the product in animal grazing spaces or vegetable gardens, hot composting is highly recommended as when desired temperatures are reached, pathogens and weeds are killed off within the heap. However, if you intend to use compost as a soil conditioner in your orchards or non grazing spaces where weeds are not problematic, cold composting may be a good fit for you. Growing the world’s most expensive spice is easy and feasible in many climates. I’ve had great success with saffron here in NJ, zone 7, and am actually planting more today. I got mine from Tara at She’s Rooted Home: https://shesrootedhome.com
Saffron is grown by way of a corm. I have grown this without issue in one portion of my yard for three seasons. This year I’m planting more in an area with vole activity. I’m making and will be using a cage for protection. Here's the video time stamps if you're looking for a short cut in this tutorial: 0:00 Introduction to Saffron 1:12 Harvesting saffron 1:32 Growing saffron corms 1:58 Companion planting for saffron 2:45 Making a vole-proof crop cage for saffron A few years back we had a drought here in central New Jersey. While I have rain barrels, this made me realize I'd like to have another source of water to rely on for crops, if needed. Thereafter, I started researching and build three ponds here on the farm. Two are retention ponds, one is a catchment pond. Learn the difference, how I use these ponds, how I installed them, and how I keep the water algae and mosquito free without pumps.  Calendula is well known within the homesteading community for its medicinal properties. While beautiful and certainly a staple for many home apothecaries, this plant pulls its weight in the garden too. It's not traditionally considered a permaculture powerhouse, however, calendula definitely has much to offer.
Varieties shown: Ivory Princess, Bronzed Beauty, Sunset Buff
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Angela is the farmer and content creator behind Axe & Root Homestead® LLC. This historic six-acre permaculture farm is home to two Clydesdale horses, ten honeybee hives, five sheep, two guardian dogs, barn cats and a flock of 40 geese and ducks. The farm produces maple syrup, fruit from a small orchard and loads of garden produce for consumption, preservation and donation to the local food pantry.
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