This is a story about an international couple raising and home educating three young boys on a small island in Japan, half living in buses, engaged in organic, self-sufficient farming in the middle of a mountain forest while dealing with climate, cultural, and personal challenges. These pages are about pretty much anything and everything all guided by our family motto, Taking Chances, Making Changes, Being Happy. Thank you very much for joining us on our ongoing crazy adventure.

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Home - Agroforest - Farming - Drains
Farm plan lower making perimeter drainageFarm Drains

Farm drains are extremely important. Without proper drains, rain can collect around your crops, eventually resulting in root rot, fungus, and unwanted bacteria, all of which can an entire farm full of food. A couple of our farms would occasionally get flooded, especially during the monsoon season. The solution was to make perimeter drains and channel the rain out of the farm and out into the adjacent jungle. The following are a few examples of drains I made, all of which worked out really well.

The lower farm was constantly flooded after heavy rains. The rain collected on the roof of the house and around the patio area and subsequently drained into the farm. Perimeter drainage solved the problem.

Picture - Farm from corner.
Farm plan lower making perimeter drainagePerimeter Drainage

The perimeter drain follows the wall next to the house and then the wall on the south side of the farm. The drain continues along the natural curve of the banana tree line and then next to the bamboo stand on the north side of the farm.

Picture - Farm perimeter drain.
Farm plan lower making perimeter drainageNorth Side Drain

This is a picture of the drain along the north side of the farm.

Picture - Farm perimeter drain.
Farm plan lower making perimeter drainageJungle Drain

Using roof tiles found around the farm a drain was made between a couple of boulders. The drain leads from the farm into the downward sloping jungle and eventually to the coast a few hundred meters away.

Picture - Drain outlet into jungle.
Farm plan upper upper making perimeter drainageUpper Upper Farm Perimeter Drainage

This farm was previously a jungle which was removed with hand tools. A perimeter drain was necessary to keep the heavy rains from draining into the adjacent farm below AKA the upper farm.

Picture - Farm drainage.
Farm plan upper upper making perimeter drainageAnother Picture

This picture shows the outline of the upper upper farm drain.

Picture - Farm drainage.