This document describes the water systems and drainage patterns on a farm property. It notes that the farm receives around 46 inches of annual precipitation, with more rain in the winter. It identifies the watershed that the farm is located in. It then describes how water enters and flows across the property, noting high point and low point areas, as well as existing gutters, wells, septic systems, and natural water sources. Areas of poor drainage and flooding are also identified.

1. ol’ dirty farm
 Noise – My front side property butts up to a road so we’ve started
transplanting cedar seedlings that sprout naturally on the
property to build a hedge barrier between us and the road.
sun– Being in the South we have very hot summers and our house
sits out in the open absorbing it all. We plan to plant Fruit Tree
Guilds in our most open areas to provide shade in front of our
House. We also will plant Corn and Sunflowers on both sides of the
house to help with early morning and late evening sun that the
house receives. We also want to add Windows and sunroofs to barn
to provide natural lighting
 Water– with our flood areas in the front yard we are going to build
up the area with mulchy absorbent organic matter along with a fruit
tree guild. We also plan to add more rain barrels with gutter systems
and to have the well repaired to working order
 Wind– During the Summer months it can get extremely hot and
having a draft for the herd in the barn is essential. We have in the
past left all doors open to create a breeze but we would like to add
windows that will allow more air flow through the barn
“The Key to any design
process is observation,
complemented by forms of
data gathering”
Permaculture Handbook by Peter
Bane, chapter 5,page 41 “Learning
the Language of Design”

2. ol’ dirty farm
Use and value nature’s gift
 Our Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goat herd is
the cornerstone in our pursuit of self-
reliance living. Through breeding they
provide us with added numbers to
help with browsing the brush on site
& also the potential to sell or trade
kids to other interested herdsman
 We have been able to incubate our
own crossbreed (New Hampshire Red/
Leghorn) to make a chicken that is
unique to our homestead.
Get a yield (or harvest)
 Our vegetable gardens are grown in
varying ways all year through our
Aquaponics, raised beds and seasonal
veggie patches
 Our Goat herd provides us milk to drink
as well as the ability to make many by-
products like cheese & soaps. Their
Manure’s & old bedding are worked
back into our compost & soil providing
needed nutrients for our vegetable
gardens to grow in abundance
 Our pastured poultry provides us eggs &
meat. Their bedding has also been
enriched in their manure’s which is
returned to our compost & soil
Permaculture Handbook by Peter
Bane, chapter 4,page 31-32
Permaculture Principles

3. ol’ dirty farm
 Annual precipitation – 46.8 inches, 1187mm
 During the Summer months we tend to go through a small dry spell but in Winter we
usually see a spurt of Rainfall. Usually a lot of rain many days in a row then drought
like conditions follow
 The ol’ dirty farm is located in the:
“Middle-Chattahoochee- Lake Harding" Watershed
 The soil on the land is a mixture of clay, sand & loam

4.  Water enters our land from the rotational paddock’s, barn area & from my parents
driveway area that is paved
 Water runs Northeast by my house, Northwest by my parents house & North of barn
where it collects in a lower land area in the back of the property (Northern point).
It was an area where a small stream was before a 100+ acre organic meat farm cut
the woods down for their rotational paddock areas. It now is where everything is
washed down & collects
 The high point areas are the rotational paddocks by my house & the wooded area
next to my Parents house because these areas are on sloped ground.
 The Low point areas are next to my house in between the barn and at the Northern
point where the water collects and everything washes off to
Permaculture Handbook by Peter
Bane, chapter 10, page 153
Water from another time
ol’ dirty farm

5.  Gutters & downspouts – 1x gutter at the barn with rain barrel 50ft from house
 Wells – 1x 50ft east from my house
 Septic Systems – 1x backyard my house & 1x backyard parents house (inside fences)
 Hose Hook-ups - 1x front porch at my house, 1x at the barn & 2x at parents house
(front & back of house)
 Nearby natural water sources – Ossahatchee Creek
 Areas of poor drainage – Side of my house in between barn
 Areas of flooding – Front yard and side of yard
 Potential Pollution exposure – The front of the property is all road so there could
be chemical runoff such as oil, gas, brake pad dust or even coolant. (no salt only
sand for frozen roads)
ol’ dirty farm

9. - Septic