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Rural/Farm Life

hedgehog

(36,286 posts)

19. You may want to check with the county health department to see

Reply to mopinko (Original post)

Mon Jan 16, 2012, 04:48 PM

Jan 2012

if you can get the soil tested for lead content. If you do have high lead, till it and plant sunflowers. They pick up the lead in their stalks. You have to bag the stalks and get them to the dump at the end of the season.

Caveat: my daughter had good results with this, others not so much:

http://thefoodproject.org/soil-testing-and-remediation

It may depend on your soil type.

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about to buy a "farm" [View all] mopinko Dec 2011 OP

I have 6 acres, but I don't have a garden any more. LWolf Dec 2011 #1

Your initial plan sounds good tech3149 Dec 2011 #2

the soil will definitely be the hardest part, but mopinko Dec 2011 #3

A Chicken Tractor formercia Dec 2011 #4

thank you. mopinko Dec 2011 #5

I keep my chickens in a converted dog run, but I live in NC. wildeyed Dec 2011 #6

There is the option of having rotating gardens. FedUpWithIt All Dec 2011 #7

that's pretty much how i saw it working. mopinko Dec 2011 #8

Build mobile rabbit warrens. Raise the rabbits and let them "amend" Vincardog Dec 2011 #14

there is a fine line about raising animals "for slaughter" mopinko Dec 2011 #15

Bunnies do a hell of a job on making the fertilizer. As do sheep and goats. Vincardog Dec 2011 #16

Cover crops/Green manure Agony Dec 2011 #18

We keep our chickens in an unheated coop - hedgehog Jan 2012 #20

I assume you know what the term "bought the farm" means in the aviation world... ProgressiveProfessor Dec 2011 #9

i do, but i didn't realize it was an aviation expression. mopinko Dec 2011 #10

Started with barnstormers... ProgressiveProfessor Dec 2011 #11

With a big hole to fill in the ground..... Gato Moteado Dec 2011 #12

that is a really interesting idea. mopinko Dec 2011 #13

i built a hugelkultur bed on one of my properties.... Gato Moteado Dec 2011 #17

well, i have a start on my bed. mopinko Jan 2012 #21

You may want to check with the county health department to see hedgehog Jan 2012 #19

did intend to get some soil samples done. mopinko Jan 2012 #22

pic mopinko Feb 2012 #23

Congratulations!!! bvar22 Feb 2012 #24