Permaculture with Jack Spirko Part 14 - Easy Terrace Construction

Today we discuss how to use a simple a-frame level and some rocks and fill to create perfectly level and functional terraces. Doing so allows for a better harvest or water, the reduction of erosion, the building of top soil and this method can be acomplished with or with out machinery depending on the size of the system and the type of material you are working with.

[@agood1]

Great video thanks

[@anneg8319]

Thank you!

[@kathyreese4052]

I just found this video Jack and this will solve a problem area that I've been wanting to do some Terraces on a slope I have. Great big thank you!

[@gypsy2007]

This is so well explained that even a lay person like me gets it.I still need more understanding of the leveling wiht A-frame. EDIT: The comment from @solfeinberg437 did it for me!

[@rosekloeckner8459]

Yes, really really cool!! Ty!

[@solfeinberg437]

2:20, Jack, I guess you probably know, but this blows my mind. You don't need a level surface or a level to calibrate an A - frame. A roughly level surface would be useful. You note / mark the position of the feet. Mark where the string falls on the cross piece. Switch the feet, and mark where the string now falls. Perfectly level is exactly midway between these two marks. It's insane. The legs don't have to be the same length exactly. The cross piece doesn't have to be perfectly straight. You don't need perfectly level ground or anything to calibrate it!

[@mtoner100]

So glad you're putting out the permie videos again. Thanks!

[@paragonflux]

these videos have been so helpful, thank you so much for taking the time to do this! well done too!

[@ozarkswebdesign6366]

I'm in the ozarks and have plenty of rocks and slopes. We've just barely made a dent in this place but I've seen erosion already. I'll be working on clearing for a real house soon, as opposed to the cabin on poles that we've been living in. My neighbor's got a track loader aka high lift that I'll be using to knock down some trees and do earthworks for a foundation.
Before I do that though, I'll be building some rock walls as in the video. If I plan it right, I won't have to bring in any fill. It will simply collect behind the rocks as I disturb things uphill. Normally it would all wash down to the creek down the road. I'll be using a transit level instead of an A-frame level. That way I can stand back and get the big picture and scope things out to see exactly where I want my rock pile walls. I'm not taking every tree out so I want to go between all the big ones.

[@drawingcloser]

You have really helped me understand permaculture. Thank you so much

[@solfeinberg437]

Yeah, baby, turbo charge it, blow me away! Jack we just got a new home with over an acre sloping away from the house. Unfortunately a lot of that is a septic field (not sure exactly where it is.) But I'm planning on swaling or terracing a lot of it. I face down to the south, so my larger plants would have to be uphill of the smaller ones (and therefore in shallower fill, unfortunately. I have cheap finished leaf compost ($20 / yd^3) And I have free wood chips and logs from tree companies.

[@akbanhegyi]

What about a 45 degree slope?

[@godeshows]

UUUUUUUUU Grate