Reference Document Permaculture Report 131998 98121 5

Improving existing orchards

The pig and chicken tractor system as mentioned above will eliminate the need for
external inputs such as fertilizer etc. for the existing orchards. We also recommend other
species of productive trees to be added to that area to improve biodiversity. Persimmons,
custard apple, avocado, bananas, co ee, acerola cherries are some examples of added
biodiversity. We also recommend planting more perennial greens such as comfrey,
Surinam Spinach, Ceylon Spinach and Brazilian Spinach as understory in that area to
ensure a more diverse ground cover is created, as well as nitrogen xing plants like for
example pigeon pea and icecream bean. Icecream bean is also an amazing biomass
producer which will enable a continuing production of woodchip for use in the Syntropic
Market Garden and in the composting systems. A natural sub-tropical system functions
around the cycle of biomass.
Staple carbohydrates can also be planted in this area eg. Cassava, Pumpkin, Potato and
Sweet Potato, as well as a variety of Yam. This planting can occur in the tree rows and in
between the rows following the chopping and dropping of the green manure, which has
left enough time after the pigs and chickens have gone through to be able to plant into
that space.
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