Permaculture at Humble Garden: using chickens to trim public spaces

We dont have a lawn per se but open space that is shady and is an extremely prolific grower of plantain plants.

I dont like them to grow too large because snakes hide in them and this is where my kids run and play. Its my hope use the chickens in a controlled manner to begin to outcompete the plantains by over grazing and replanting with something less snake-harboring. The snakes have plenty of other habitats around here!

I will have to take a hoe to the remaining roots of the plantains once the chickens have eaten them.

Stay tuned!
Created on June 24, 2010 using FlipShare.

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• permaculture
• chicken
• yield
• humble garden
• tractor
• lawn
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[spastikman]

My goodness, it seems that would take those chickens years to eat that much! You could raise a couple goats there

[PhotoNika]

@spastikman no, chickens are voracious - they can eat this down in a day or two. goats are actually very picky about what they eat (unless its something you do DONT want them to eat - and then they will hork it down with glee - like your shorts for example)

[lifekreator]

They do look like an edible plant, i grew lettuce which looks very similar.

[02abbottracing]

@4GreenEarth2 harvest the young shoots and add then to a salad or add it to pesto's

[4GreenEarth2]

Hi, didn't know if you knew but Plantan are edible "weeds" - what part of Northeastern U.S do you live in since I also have the same climate. I love that you're using Permaculture methods.

[WorldofCornelius]

Cool garden!