Desert Corn Permaculture Swale Rainwater Harvesting

[@65bellett]

Great update. I look forward to seeing your bounty.

[@homesteadonomics]

Thanks, but probably won't see much due to the fact that we ate most of them the last couple nights:) They are about half the size of a normal ear or corn but a few big ones are closer to 80% the size of common corn. You can see one in last years video i did.... i think it was part 5 or 6. Joe

[@ed9709]

Amazing how water runs from higher ground to a lower pond.

[@homesteadonomics]

Yeah, I love his work. I had wanted to take his most recent online course for his PDC but time and the wife put the squash on that:) Maybe later though. Have you seen the videos/trailers from the online course? They are pretty amazing!

[@automatewithrezwan]

can i get a link of the courses?

[@redwolf7929]

Good experiment - - but a big pumpkin patch would be a better idea and much more productive for a plot so far away from your house.Corn closer to home with a cover of netting would be more efficient in your situation. Ilike how you have directed water off the road but cucurbits would serve you better.

[@SCOTTBULGRIN]

Have you checked out info. on hugel culture or permaculture, and dry land farming. There is a guy in Australia named Jeff Lawton who uses swails to capture runoff to hold more water in the soil.

[@RFinkle2]

Such a cool thing you're doing here. Have you thought about doing three sisters in there? Thanks for sharing!

[@homesteadonomics]

RFinkle2 Thanks RF2, I kinda have a 'two sisters' with some native squash planted in an around the corn. But I think throwing some beans in there too would be great! I appreciate the comment and hopefully I'll be able to get an update of this years corn out soon too! Thanks for watching... and maybe look for next years corn to have one more 'sister' :)

[@dave-in-nj9393]

sweet !

[@euphony745]

Thanks joe. I've seen just about all of your videos including the one of your clever system during a rainfall. Very cool. Would be great to hear how you designed this system and how you exactly graded the land ( how much you dropped per foot etc. ) do you have a background in landscaping?

[@homesteadonomics]

+euphony745 Nope, no background in landscaping, unless you count working at a golf course grounds crew for a while in college;) As for drop/grading... this was pretty much an 'eyeballed' kinda project. I just saw that place in the road drained a pretty good amount of water during rains, so I took advantage of it. I put the berm in the road to make sure it left the road at that spot, then I just channeled the flow in the direction that it was already going. Just making sure that the level was dropping during the process:) I am planning on adding some more water catchment and planting area for this next year though... just gotta figure where to put everything:) So maybe I can cover some of those things in during that project... but right now I'm up to my ears in a sunken greenhouse project..lol... so it'll have to wait at least until I'm done with that:) Anyways, thanks for the question and for getting me thinking about rainwater project again! Joe

[@euphony745]

Great system. I would love to see a step by step process. Did you dig it all out by hand. Does not seem to be swales on contour, or are they?

[@homesteadonomics]

+euphony745 Yes, it's hand dug but it's not a swale system. More of a water diversion and collection system. The bermed up areas do act as in a sense as they catch water for the plants but not on contour:) I have a couple update videos on this project and the most recent one actually shows the system during a rain event! If you want to check it out just click on my videos tab and scroll down to around the Aug/Sept time frame:) Joe

[@mygardenofgrace]

Hello! We are in AZ as well, but further north than you. Will you reply with the name and source of the native squash seed? Thanks!

[@mygardenofgrace]

I just got to the point where you list the native seed site. Thanks!

[@homesteadonomics]

Glad you got to it Amber... btw.. I you look at the more recent rainwater garden project... it has footage of water flowing and is a bit more updated. Currently growing stuff in it this year and should have a new update video for 2016.. in September or so:)

[@SCOTTBULGRIN]

His name is spelled Geoff Lawton :-P