Permaculture Living

An Australian native tree named after the aboriginal Jagera tribe who lived in South Brisbane.

The starfruit, otherwise known as the carambola. If you’re going to plant one of these trees, be prepared for mountains and mountains of fruit.

Ostensibly named mustard greens, this broad-leafed green tastes a lot like wasabi to me. It has the same mild initial taste then a sinus-clearing kick, and is strangely addictive.

Red amaranth is not bad chicken fodder, can be used as mulch, and the seeds are edible (if you have plenty of spare hours on hand to collect and winnow it). It’s also unbelievably prolific and if one plant goes to seed, you’ll never be short of amaranth again.

An animal research assignment from 2007.

Geese Family: Anatidae (includes ducks and swans)

Subfamily: Anserinae

Main Varieties: Embden, Toulouse and Chinese.

Lifespan: Longer lived than other poultry, 20 – 22 years is the average and there are many stories of them living up to 80 years.

Eats: Geese are mostly grass grazers but will happily eat insects and small creatures like snails, mice, snails, etc, as well as vegetable waste (no citrus), small amounts of bread, and soft or soggy fruit. They prefer grass 10cm or shorter, rather than long or tough grass, and are selective feeders, picking out preferred forages. They need grit to digest their food.

Needs: Geese are hardy and don’t mind the cold (though they need shade in hot weather) and are not susceptible to most poultry diseases. They like occasional swimming which helps prevent sore feet, though a water trough is sufficient as they don’t need as much water as ducks do.

Features: Geese are territorial and will hiss at intruders and attack foxes or small dogs if threatened. They can also be very noisy, so they’re not recommended for small blocks or acreages. Geese also like routine and familiar keepers. Said to be good companions with horses, as they don’t share intestinal flora (i.e. worms).

Uses: Eggs, meat, feathers and down, liquid fertiliser, grass grazing, weed and pest control, and as a guard animal. They are very good for orchards as they eat grass, weeds and small pests and turn them into high volumes of liquid fertiliser for the trees. “Geese have been used to weed a variety of crops (for example, cotton and strawberries) and to keep fence rows, irrigation ditches and other inaccessible areas, clean. They are also considered to be effective in controlling the pond weeds, para grass, water-lily and water hyacinth. Raising geese in orchards may be a profitable method of controlling grass growth.”

Egg-laying Capabilities: Will usually lay 30 – 50 eggs a year (or less) and are seasonal. In the southern hemisphere usually start to lay in July or August, for about four months. Eggs are bigger, have higher fat content and richer yolks than chicken eggs.

Breeding: Geese will choose a partner and stay with them for years unless broken up or death occurs. Most breeds of geese can hatch their eggs successfully though they don’t often go broody. Incubation of the eggs takes 29 – 31 days.

Housing Requirements: While geese are large birds, they should be kept in a shed at night for protection from dogs, foxes and feral cats. A shed should be 1m2 per bird, and the yard at least 2m2 per bird. Sheds need frequent cleaning as geese foul their sleeping quarters. Sheds should have nesting boxes, though geese often just lay on the floor anyway. Fencing one metre high (or two strand electric fencing at 10cm and 30cm) is sufficient to keep them in an outdoor yard or pasture.

Stocking Rate: An acre of pasture will support 20 – 40 birds (depending on the size of the geese and pasture quality).

And some borage flowers in the foreground.

A type of silverbeet. I love the colour, if not the taste.

The pigeon pea pods are dried and ready for harvest.

I’m used to sharing Queenslander-style houses with a variety of wildlife, but snakes are new. Last night I was surprised by a two-metre long python on the back veranda, which hung around for a few minutes then disappeared back into the roof cavity.

I’m guessing this is why the possums have not been bothering us for the last week.