The goal is to keep the homestead’s fertility cycling within the property and rely on materials produced there. Outside inputs are not part of the plan unless they become absolutely necessary. I also do not plan to routinely test the soil.
Current plan
- Use one shared composting system for suitable organic material, including humanure.
- Use bins with a 4 ft Ă— 4 ft footprint.
- For planning, assume a bin fills during Year 1. Once full, it receives no new material for a full year; compost from that bin becomes available in Year 3.
- Plant a field pea and barley cover crop across the annual crop-growing area after harvest, then incorporate it in spring.
- Return suitable crop residues and other on-property organic material to the field or shared compost system.
What remains to be learned
Because the property is still in the future, we cannot yet determine how much compost the system will produce, how the soil will respond, or how well the property’s materials will meet the homestead’s needs.
Once a property is selected, we can adapt the plan to its soil, water, available plant material, and local requirements. Until then, this is the working framework for building a fertility cycle from resources produced on the homestead.
