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Louis Bernier 's Profile
Louis Bernier
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Joined:
08/09/2014
Last Updated:
17/01/2015
Location:
Carriere, Mississippi, United States
Climate Zone:
Warm Temperate
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Male





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New Talavana Design Plan

New Talavana Design Plan

Carriere, US


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The Development of a Permaculture Food Forest Demonstration-site at New Talavana, MS

Posted by Louis Bernier over 5 years ago

It was a grueling day!
Suka showed up on time, and we set-out with determination at 10:30 am.
As we started out with the first hole we found that when the auger penetrated the soft mound, and reached the grass-covered land surface just below the turned soil, the auger tip would catch in the grass and suddenly jump sideways; twisting out of the intended location.
 
So, in this way it took the first few holes to get a 'system' figured-out that could compensate with this repeated problem. Then, we also encountered a similar problem when we drilled near any existing large trees due to their root systems.
 
But again this "learning-curve" was unable to slow us down by very much!
By 12:08 we had finished close to half of the field so we stopped for lunch prasadam.
Half of the entire field in 1.5 hours! We were elated, happy!
 
The afternoon segment went much better because we were already 'synchronized' as a team, and flowed to a completion of drilling at 2:30!
 
We said our thanks and goodbyes to Suka for the wonderful help, and me and John took the bundle of Apple trees to the top of the field to start the planting sequence.
 
Again, there was as learning curve to coordinating both of us into 'synchronized teamwork'...
As he would level the swale trench near the hole with a shovel, I would be on my knees in front of the hole, filling-in some of the hole with loose soil (the auger was deliberately drilling 2-feet to loosen the soil's compaction, giving the young plants room to grow a deep taproot). After bringing the hole back to a 1-foot depth I would throw in 2 double handfuls of earthworm castings, and stir it into the soil with my hand; then grab a tree (that had been placed by each hole) and position it in the hole while John shoveled-in the soil until the hole was full...
 
As he was compressing the loose soil with his foot, I would move to the next hole to prepare for the next tree.
 
We continued this from about 2:45 to about 6 pm -- pretty much non-stop!
When we quit, ALL of the trees were in their new home!!!
 
As John walked off into the sunset (literally), I went back to the beginning and started pulling up the flags, counting them as I did so. A total of 104 flags that used to mark the spot where a fruit tree will be planted, had been replaced by a fruit tree after months of "promising" them so; and they all looked so pleased in the twilight. I finally walked away with my collection of tools at about 6:40 - exhausted from head to toe, but also happy!
 
Back at home as I washed my hands (before I could touch anything else), I heard it starting: the rain clouds that had been threatening us all afternoon (sometimes even teasing us with occasional droplets) just let loose with light rain which is surely encouraging to our new fruit trees in their new happy homestead...
 
- END of Chapter 1 - 
 
For those of you who so generously donated to the purchase of these trees, please come and visit them in their new home-sites. 
They are already sprouting new growth even while they were bundled in their temporary barrels awaiting this gleeful permanent relocation!
(Louis S. Bernier, Jr.)

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Teacher: Geoff Lawton
Location: Online
Date: Apr 2014

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