Well, I have a million posts that I need to make. So many projects going on (too many that are only half complete, life keeps getting in the way). I want to make some detailed posts about each one - Building our hoop house that covers our 4x8 beds, the chicks (and some terrible things that happened with that this time around), the chicken coop, the revamped wonder rabbit house, on and on.
BUT today all I have to say is my dirt is beautiful. I was worried that I didn't get my soil built in the fall, which is what I prefer, I was starting from scratch in spring (well late winter actually). This changes things a bit, as to what is best to use for building the soil. For instance had I done this in fall I would have used a lot of uncomposted manure, but you don't want to do that in early spring. The manure won't have composted and cooled enough for your early spring plantings. SO, plan B. I also don't use "potting soil" in my raised beds. Mostly since the dry out too fast. What I used was a mix of soil (from site), compost, and composted manure. I also added amendments, rock dust, calcium, rabbit poo, alfalfa meal etc.
Results - I started planting a few weeks ago. Last night I was out plopping in a few starts I bought (weak retail moment, I usually start everything from seed)..........My dirt is absolutely THICK with worms. I rarely see worms in this density in my WORM bins. I started to feel bad since I couldn't dig a hole without squishing worms. THAT, in my opinion, is HAPPY dirt. Which makes me a HAPPY HAPPY gardener.
Here we are, here we go
I found a book years ago that put me on this path. I will have to find it now, but is was something along the lines of "control your food supply". Luckily I grew up canning food with my mother and grandmother so the seed was already planted, so to speak. I started doing other things to achieve a sustainable lifestyle, baking my own bread, growing more of my own food, raising chickens etc.
Most recently I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, which is Gluten Intolerance. This translates to no food with wheat, barley, rye and for the most part oats. It gets complicated to buy processed foods at the store or eat at restaurants. Life has given me some hurdles recently that put road bumps in my journey of food control, but after the diagnosis it hit home that now more then ever I need to control my food before it controls me.
There are so many things people can do, even in an urban environment, to achieve control of your food supply, from top to bottom. Do a little or go all the way, I promise all of it will be fulfilling and you will have a better connection with the foods you eat.
The topics near and dear to me, that will be discussed are - local, sustainable agriculture, vermicomposting, composting, growing food, edible gardening (gardens can be pretty), preserving the harvest, baking and cooking Gluten Free foods that taste like food, farmers markets, CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture)......I am sure I will add to this list over time.
Most recently I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, which is Gluten Intolerance. This translates to no food with wheat, barley, rye and for the most part oats. It gets complicated to buy processed foods at the store or eat at restaurants. Life has given me some hurdles recently that put road bumps in my journey of food control, but after the diagnosis it hit home that now more then ever I need to control my food before it controls me.
There are so many things people can do, even in an urban environment, to achieve control of your food supply, from top to bottom. Do a little or go all the way, I promise all of it will be fulfilling and you will have a better connection with the foods you eat.
The topics near and dear to me, that will be discussed are - local, sustainable agriculture, vermicomposting, composting, growing food, edible gardening (gardens can be pretty), preserving the harvest, baking and cooking Gluten Free foods that taste like food, farmers markets, CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture)......I am sure I will add to this list over time.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
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