A CHICKEN-AND-GRAPE ""PERMACULTURE"" SYSTEM

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We weren't sure, at first, just how many chickens we should house in each row (we wanted them to have enough space and to provide our vines with neither too much nor too little fertilizer), but we've since determined that two chickens for every grapevine — 12 hens for each row — is about right for our soil. We've also noticed, however, that our healthiest vines are those closest to the coops, where the chickens spend most of their time. Therefore, if you want to make sure that the entire row is fertilized evenly, you could build a smaller chicken house at each end of every row . . . or put one in the middle . . . or construct shaded feeding stations at intervals in the run to encourage your birds to use the entire area and thus distribute their droppings more evenly.

AN ADDED BENEFIT

We've discovered that permaculture — establishing integrated natural systems that work together to mutual advantage — really does work. But we've done more than merely make sure our grapes and chickens thrive . . . we've made our lives a little easier and more enjoyable, too. We don't have to spend a lot of time weeding, fertilizing, or chicken-tending . . . yet we reap bountiful quantities of grapes and eggs.

Furthermore, the entire system — the straight rows and green-leaved vines, the tidy coops, and the colorful chickens and fruit — has added an extra measure of beauty to our place that makes being here just that much more pleasant.

What more could you ask?

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