I believe wally world has natural light bulbs you could use for your seedlings. I would suggest chickens for meat, eggs and the fertilizer they produce. Not to mention pest control of ticks, grasshoppers and others during the warner months.
Not sure how it will work for potatoes in the first year, you might want to plant some nitrogen fixing plants with the potatoes since the wood will be a nitrogen sink. Note as the wood decays away, the absorbed nitrogen will slowly be released into the soil. When I made a small 4x8 bed into a hugelkultur bed (dug down, added wood and back filled. The first year I had planted many cowpeas and clover. The next year was tomatoes and they did wonderful. Short list of nitrogen fixers (there are many more) Dandelion Nettles, stinging Bracken, eastern Coltsfoot Meadow sweet Comfrey Kelp Dulse Horsetails Lamb’s quarters Dock, broad leaved Mullein, common Watercress Parsley Plantains Salad burnet Bladder wrack Chamomile, German Chickweed Also look at this link Temperate Climate Permaculture: Plants: Nitrogen Fixers for Temperate Climate Permaculture Forest Gardens
hugelkulture there are a few threads there on SM about it, along with google. In a nutshell. Put a pile of wood on the ground, cover with soil, plant.
as the wood decays it becomes a sponge and retains water. Additionally the wood will initially absorb nitrogen to break down, then slowly release it. To keep from derailing this thread review the one I linked to above and comment there.
I transplanted the seedlings from the starter trays into 4" pots a couple of days ago and I'll be starting more seeds in the next day or two. It was a beautiful day, so I started my Hugelkultur bed. There were quite a few rotted logs on the site, so those became the base. There also was a lot of oak branches and twigs left over from firewood cutting, so they went on next. Then I dumped a bunch of semi composted leaves on top. That's as far as I got today. Tomorrow I have to finish getting the leaf compost on and will then add some brush. There's also some left over straw that will go on after that. Then after the first, I'm going to have some planter mix delivered for the top layer. I'll take a few pics and get them up later. Pics show the beginnings of the bed. The bed will be about three or four more feet longer on the left and will curve slightly about another fifteen feet on the right.
It's been raining for quite some time, so there was a break this morning and I finally got the T-posts in the ground. I also got the deer mesh up although I still have to stretch it tighter and wire it up. Right now it's pouring rain again, but at least I got something productive done. I've also been hardening the plants off.
Gog, I had to use electric heat the first year at our BOL as well. I share your pain as ours was 560.00 in one month. Never again. Went straight wood heat. Check out your state and federal permits for cutting wood on public lands. You need to save the wood on your property. Here is why. If and when shtf you will not want to travel for wood. It may also not be possible due to lack of fuel. SAVE YOUR LOCAL WOOD for when you need it most. I am cutting on Federal forest lands in Michigan . Each permit cost 20.00 and is good for 5 CORDS (15 ricks) The wood must be standing dead or down to be legal. I have been cutting this wood now for 5 years and it is an awesome deal. Two permits and gas and oil for one year? under 100 dollars. I am always looking for loggers cutting oak as well so I can stock pile green wood to season. I have noticed that 3 and 4 year seasoned Oak gives me the most heat per log. Greener burns longer but does not produce as much heat unless you open the damper which burns it faster. Standing dead and dry burns the hottest and fastest and allows me to shut the dampers down to almost closed and it really cooks nice and hot. A mix of dead and 4 year seasoned really is a joy to heat with. This year will see us really stocking up as I see Gas prices going through the roof. I am stock piling gas in an old well pit (keeps it cool and a constant temp) I use Marine Gas because it has no alcohol in it. Stabilize with marine Stabil. so far 4 years and counting on using old gas. Kept cool at a stabil temp. Oak is by far in my area the best fire wood. I hope some of this helps your long term plan for having enough good wood on hand when you need it. To me the biggest fear is running out of chain oil, 2 stoke oil and chainsaw parts. I will not go to axe and hand saw and hand cart until I absolutely have to. Then Ill want that wood on property see my point? Good luck. KF.
One other piece of advice. Stay away from hydrolic log splitters. . I know guys they work. On Knarly crap they really work good. I just dont want to get used to relying on one. I use several good Mauls and a wedge. I I cut the wood to length and split the wood in the woods so When I get home I just have to stack it. I find this saves all that extra lifting and moving large chunks. Splitting by hand is much easier on my back and also uses less gas. I drop a tree, cut it in 18 inch lengths and stand the bigger ones up right where they are. Start at one end and split the row then go back and stand up any that need it again. I normally don't cut big stuff over 16 inches in diameter. Most standing dead here in Michigans Federal lands are 3 to 9 inches. One in a while there are bigger trees. My father in law has a 22 ton gas powered splitter and that thing works me twice as hard as using a maul. Just sayin
So its nearly April now... almost time for most of us to plant! How are things going at your place? My living room is full of shelves, lights and overflowing plants! Supposed to be warm here all week finally. What growing zone are you in?
We're in 8b in Southern Oregon. I've been hardening off the plants. We have a bunch more rain coming this week, but the first sunny day I'm going to set the plants out in the garden in their 4" pots. I'll cluster them under translucent plastic sheeting and let them finish hardening off. The natural light even in overcast will do them good. As soon as we have a day or two of consistent sun, they'll go into the ground.
I don't know what zone but we are in (west Michigan) starting some plants in the living room in front of the slider. Trying some heirlooms.
I know this tread is not about firewood but 1 thing I've noticed about splitting wood is if I stand the pieces up side down they seem to split easier. What I mean by up side down is reverse of how it was when the tree was standing.
