Here’s the video update from the GROWING DOME, as of a few days ago. An update on the FOOD FOREST is coming soon…
The chard plants are getting enormous..as you’ll see. I’m waiting for the seeds to mature…before I collect them. Have you read this book?? It’s such a great tool, if… you want to learn to save your own seeds or just for a good read..!! It’s packed with great historical references and useful info. Great book!
It says…that… “SWISS CHARD (Beta vulgaris) stalks can grow a seed stalk 4′ tall and are usually harvested when the majority of the seed clusters have turned light brown. These seeds have a different structure from other gardens seeds. Each seed is actually a group of flowers that is fused together by the flower petals. This forms a multigerm cluster which usually contains two to five seeds.” – Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth
Here’s the cool thing. The chards in the Dome, are all heirloom varieties, which should have just pollinated each other…. because of the fans…and isolated environment…. resulting in some very cool new strains of
Here’s a few video updates from the backyard..FOOD FOREST.
Much has changed.. even in the last two weeks…since these were filmed. The BIG..project this week..is building new supports for hardy kiwis…which will be vining up the east and west sides of the house….providing food…and hopefully shading the house a bit…helping with the A.C. bill, this summer!!!
Maybe we won’t even need the A.C…if we can get the house covered in VINES!!!!
Ok…so had to throw this video in here…because these RED WIGGLERS and their other worm buddies, bacteria, and micro-organisms….are the TRUE KEEPERS…of this garden!! BIG PROPS..to them..and my gratitude!!!
“TEND TO YOUR MICRO-HERDS”….this is a wonderful saying…I picked up while reading “Gaia’s Garden.” An extremely insightful chapter titled: CHAPTER 4 – BRINGING THE SOIL TO LIFE!
Makes sense to me..and feels right!!
THANKS…TOBY HEMENWAY…for writing this work of art!!
It snowed this week…it’s seldom when this happens (not enough moisture in these parts)…so I took a few pics of the white splashes around the garden…and decided to make a GREEN JUICE…while I was at it. There’s a video at the end…of this post…ENJOY!
It’s also been a week of spreading compost around EVERYTHING! Found a great local source for fresh cow manure and composted cow manure. So I LOADED up on the composted material..and started spreading. Took me two days…to get it all spread, but with the new swales on contour…these nutrients and topsoil will now be staying on the property..instead of running down to the gutter!
Garlic..no problem with the snow..melted the next day anyway.
brassicas…kale, chard, broccoli…I think they actually enjoyed the hit of snow!
Lacinato(Dino) Kale..what a hardy plant.
Looking down the east side of the lower yard..peas will be planted..and growing up the vertical beds soon.. this week.
Looking west..down the lower yard..toward the dome and terraced beds. Honeysuckle is the snow covered vine you can see a long the borders.
Inside the dome…snow melting off. Calendula in the foreground…with Mango and Avocado nearby.
The BIGGEST load of compost..I’ve ever moved around..cow manure/wood shavings/straw..composted for 1.5 years..great stuff!
Black GOLD!
A view from the swale..on the second day of the GREAT-compost spreading…Zion National Park..in the distance. Might turn that into a SONG….
Post compost spreading..and mulching. I also gave the trees some Azomite with the compost. Mulched the swales and the trees..you can see clover coming up all around.
ahhh….GREENING UP…clover coming up everywhere…and the swales..(dug one more in the front right corner)… are catching all the runoff…such JOY! More joy can be seen in the driveway..in the form of fresh horse manure, a friend just dumped. Will be adding it to the compost pile..for nitrogen…dose it with some ROCK DUST and compost it for a few more months.
All in One Almond…starting to bud up…can’t wait…this could be the year…went to buy another one the other day…and they were out…so I scooped a Santa Rosa plum tree instead…planted her nearby…yikes…running out of room here!!
Here’s a look at the property..before beginning the food forest and dome build..this was about 2 years ago. Glad I caught the satellite before and after…thanks for the idea Anthony Anderson!
Here’s what it looked like..about.. 6 months later…before fruit trees…. much has changed since this last shot taken from the eye in the sky…it will be fun to watch it continue..to change!!
Been enjoying fresh juice out of the garden lately..mixing it up with green smoothies. LOVE mixing it up with different greens…SO FRESH! You can feel the LIVING LOVE…oh how I love chlorophyll! Doing a few juices a week right now…it goes really well… in combination with SUPERFOOD ELIXIRS!
The end accidentally got cut off to the video..whoops..but the juice was very TASTY…quite a zing with the lemon and ginger in there. Have fun designing and creating your own food forest!
We don’t have our own water source here..we’re reliant on city water..and we aren’t allowed farm animals like chickens or goats…arghhh…I’d love to close the loop on self reliance. We’ll get there..soon..very soon!
For now…I’m importing fresh cow and horse manure, to supplement the nitrogen component of my own compost. Just not creating my own fast enough..for my current needs. If I had a few chickens or a goat…this would be great…but I’ve contacted the city…and there’s LAWS against small farm animals around here…but they’re reviewing it…until then…just doing the BEST with what I have. GREEN MANURES ..will work great too..but mid winter..hard to come by.
Bees are the next step…as they don’t make noise …just quietly go about their beautiful business!
The “purple asparagus” we planted last week has started to sprout! This is all so new to us! All these new signs of life are very exciting! This variety of asparagus is just eaten raw, off the stalk! We’re growing it this first year until it goes to seed, then letting it grow again next year and will harvest at the end of the next growing season. Guess that’s the way of the Asparagus. Ahhhh the genesis of life……!
(click on pictures for larger view)
One of the goals we’ve envisioned…..is to be able to walk around the dome eating as you walk…eating a plant leaf here….or a flower there…or maybe just eat a whole tomato and add some fresh herbs like basil or cilantro for flavor combo fun! By the time you get around the dome….you might be too full to keep eating….sounds nice to me!
There couldn’t be a more peaceful place to enjoy a fine meal off the vine!
Here’s a quick tour as of this morning, outside temp is around 32F. Inside temp at 78F and 60 percent humidity.
East side of the Dome, capturing early morning sunlight
Little tomato plants – “Early Girl” hybrids. We’re seeing if we can produce a bunch of fruit early…then transplant with heirloom varieties in a couple months…..we’ll see!
Close up of tomato plant
I think I’ve found a new love in tomatoes….they’re awesome plants….a lot to learn about! I’ll be doing a post very soon on local tomato growers. Including soil and hydroponics! Not wanting to re-invent the wheel, we’re asking around about local methods and varieties used in growing these amazing plants….more to come!
Splash of color for the beneficial insects and ME!
"Parrot Feather" floating pond plant
Little LemmonsViolas! Love the color. Hopefully the good bugs will also! Spinach is growing behind them.
This is a little tour of the Dome. We put it up in November of 08′ and have been working on the garden beds and planting a few things…..more to come! It’s from growingspaces.com ….this company was great to work with and definitely know’s their stuff! We love the Dome!
