Is the tilled (bare) square of ground in the aerial photo on your property? Curious as to its purpose
The tilled sqaure is a sub-division. City dweller who eventually plans to use this a retirement/hobby farm. The land is tilled with bullocks by a local villager who sows beans or things and is rain-fed only. A lot of subsistence farming occurs all over this area in this manner accelerating soil erosion, loss of habitat and salt buildup. The more enterprising farmers take loans and subsidies for drip irrigation, tractors and even poly tunnel greenhouses.
I wonder what the purpose of the existing berms is.
Berms in the aerial photos? Those are what are called "bunds". They are build usually around small plots to control soil erosion and holding some water as well as serving as a pathway. I would think of it as the dryland version of a raised bed, instead these are sunken beds. Also this site is a combination of multiple smaller sub-divisions so there's a series of different features often also made to run water off the property!
Lots of rock - I hope your land is not just sitting on a big granite ledge.
I don't have the geological survey or evidence to back it up, however gut feel and observation tells us this won't be the case. The existing tree's on site and evidence of a settlement here indicates the fertility and potential of the site. General conversation with locals also indicate how the site is better than some of the neighbouring ones, i.e. probably not sitting on the ledge like some of them!
The soil grows grass and that is one of the most important factors in determining how much work will need to be done to increase fertility to adequate levels to support your intended crops.
The site has transformed since my last visit few months ago. There's little islands of colourful thorny rampant pioneering weeds (all friends in permaculture) that if unmanaged with a few years of rain like this would be a thorny brush lantana bush.
There's only a few inches of rain to be expected for the remainder of the year and then it's a harsh summer.
I estimate 3 years of reasonably active soil building will pave the way for a thriving forest garden.
The plan of action is 1) water infiltration 2) Native tree's nitrogen fixing trees that provide shade and gently fracture the soil. 3)Depending on how the initial phase goes we may proceed with a 3 month commitment to employ labour and turn piles and piles of compost and get prepared for the next monsoon while growing the mulch needed to dress every inch of the property
I hope that a design guru will jump in with input. I'm a construction guy and don't know much about pond design. I'll enjoy seeing the coming photos.
Hope so too! Work will commence in 2 weeks so I'd like someone to vet the pond site selection and accompanying earthwork to feed/drain the pond/dams
