Would Old McDonald really have a farm without animals? Who would cluck cluck here and cluck cluck there? All jokes aside, the chickens of Songaia play a vital role in their community. These birds can provide up to 3 dozen farm fresh eggs per week! All of the chickens are dual purpose breeds, meaning they can lay eggs but are still large enough to provide meat averaging about 5-7 pounds. The hens typically produce eggs well up until they are 5 years old. At that point, productivity declines. This would be the time to dispatch and butcher if you wish.
Other than meat and eggs, the chickens can also provide landscape services, though not as pristine as a human gardener can. The birds will scratch the ground to hunt for insects like aphids and mealy bugs, and as they dig and feed, they leave their droppings behind as fertilizer. Though it may seem odd to us, the chickens actually keep themselves clean by rolling in the dirt. All chickens have an oil gland at the base of their tail which helps them to waterproof their feathers. As time goes on the oil can go stale. The birds then spread dirt or other dusty materials over their feathers to carry away the old oil particles.
Chickens also have their own social hierarchy known as the pecking order. At the top of the tower sits Lucky, a beautiful and friendly spotted banty rooster. Lucky works hard to keep his ladies safe from flying predators such as hawks and eagles. He scans the sky as the hens peck away at the ground. Another key part of his job is maintaining law and order among the flock. If two hens are feuding, it is his job to break it up. The chickens have a complex communication pattern and can produce up to 30 different vocalizations to convey a wide variety of messages such as: food, danger, stress, mating, etc.
Other than meat and eggs, the chickens can also provide landscape services, though not as pristine as a human gardener can. The birds will scratch the ground to hunt for insects like aphids and mealy bugs, and as they dig and feed, they leave their droppings behind as fertilizer. Though it may seem odd to us, the chickens actually keep themselves clean by rolling in the dirt. All chickens have an oil gland at the base of their tail which helps them to waterproof their feathers. As time goes on the oil can go stale. The birds then spread dirt or other dusty materials over their feathers to carry away the old oil particles.
Chickens also have their own social hierarchy known as the pecking order. At the top of the tower sits Lucky, a beautiful and friendly spotted banty rooster. Lucky works hard to keep his ladies safe from flying predators such as hawks and eagles. He scans the sky as the hens peck away at the ground. Another key part of his job is maintaining law and order among the flock. If two hens are feuding, it is his job to break it up. The chickens have a complex communication pattern and can produce up to 30 different vocalizations to convey a wide variety of messages such as: food, danger, stress, mating, etc.
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The chickens aren’t the only players in this game though. Allow me to introduce the GOAT, the greatest of all time, the reigning champion, and destroyer of Himalayan blackberry…. Stormy!!! Who needs a landscaper when you got this guy? Stormy and his little buddy Snowflake are considered foragers, not grazers like sheep, though both animals are ruminants.
Goats have a four chambered stomach consisting of the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and the abomasum. The rumen plays an important role in breaking down cellulose from plant materials, and it acts as a giant fermentation vat. It is common after they have finished feeding to hear a chorus of loud belching. They frequently regurgitate their food, to chew the cud, which helps to break materials down further.
Goats have a four chambered stomach consisting of the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and the abomasum. The rumen plays an important role in breaking down cellulose from plant materials, and it acts as a giant fermentation vat. It is common after they have finished feeding to hear a chorus of loud belching. They frequently regurgitate their food, to chew the cud, which helps to break materials down further.
The thing that gives the goat the competitive edge versus sheep is the diversity of plant materials they can eat. They are not just limited to grass. All goat breeds are adapted to a mountainous landscape and are able to climb and reach the most tender leaves, while balancing on their dainty hooves. The goats are especially beneficial to humans in breaking down the invasive Himalayan blackberry.
Applying this to the fourth permaculture principle, the livestock at Songaia plays a vital role in the self-regulation of the ecosystem. The chickens work hard to eliminate pests of the insect variety while the goats tackle the weeds and invasive plants. Additionally, both disturb the soil and apply fertilizer. By relying on these natural methods for landscape services, the animals help to minimize the carbon output of gas-powered tools, reduce the risk of wildfires by clearing brush, and also reduce the cost in labor for clearing a blackberry patch.
But the fourth principle has two parts, we apply self-regulation, in this case we are using integrated pest management. With this method, we eliminate harmful pests but maintain beneficial species. A common example I see in the garden on a daily basis is the ladybug and the aphids. Because the ladybugs help to keep the aphid population in check, we don’t have to use harmful pesticides. This also helps to keep our pollinators safe, who then work hard to pollinate all of our flowers. This allows us to accept the feedback, in this case, an abundance of fruits and vegetables.
Applying this to the fourth permaculture principle, the livestock at Songaia plays a vital role in the self-regulation of the ecosystem. The chickens work hard to eliminate pests of the insect variety while the goats tackle the weeds and invasive plants. Additionally, both disturb the soil and apply fertilizer. By relying on these natural methods for landscape services, the animals help to minimize the carbon output of gas-powered tools, reduce the risk of wildfires by clearing brush, and also reduce the cost in labor for clearing a blackberry patch.
But the fourth principle has two parts, we apply self-regulation, in this case we are using integrated pest management. With this method, we eliminate harmful pests but maintain beneficial species. A common example I see in the garden on a daily basis is the ladybug and the aphids. Because the ladybugs help to keep the aphid population in check, we don’t have to use harmful pesticides. This also helps to keep our pollinators safe, who then work hard to pollinate all of our flowers. This allows us to accept the feedback, in this case, an abundance of fruits and vegetables.
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On a warm July Saturday afternoon, the interns gather under a plum tree for a final harvest. It is laden with reddish purple plums. These plums - like most stone fruits you may notice - have a dusky almost white wax when mature. This is known as “wax bloom.” It serves as a barrier to protect the fruit from insects and bacteria, and to minimize moisture loss from the surface of the fruit’s skin. As more and more plums fall into the “belly bucket” I carry, the weight of it causes the harness to dig into my shoulders. All together, we harvested an estimated 26 pounds of fruit. Reflecting on this reminds me to be grateful for the bees and to admire mother nature’s brilliance in creating her own self-regulatory systems.
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