Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

homestead - Re: [Homestead] Solar and wind

homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Homestead mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Solar and wind
  • Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 10:34:31 -0700


On Mar 31, 2007, at 9:51 AM, VAN DELL JORDAN wrote:

Does anyone else subscribe to "Small Farm Today",
www.smallfarmtoday.com? It is a bimonthly magazine
oriented more to the farmer than the self sufficient
homesteader, but has much of interest.

My recollection is that Ron Macher was the editor/publisher. He seemed a sound and useful fellow.

They sponsor a Small Farm Trade Show & Conference in
Columbia, Missouri each November, 1st-3rd this year.
Features in this issue include. How to build a straw
bale chicken house, A cornucopia of catalogs, and the
Lazy man's garden.
That last one refers to a book: "The Ruth Stout No
Work Garden Book". Is any one familiar with that?
Recommended?

Stout's book is a classic. Basically, you plant stuff and then cover it with a thick layer of straw. Voila!, no weed germination, soil retains moisture, straw rots down to humus. Many of us here use a variation of her method, essentially just a lot of mulch.

This does lead to a couple of specific questions.
We are wanting to start a garden on our farmland.
Since we are not able to be there ever day the thing
that comes to mind is potatoes because they take a
minimum of attention. Any other suggestions.
I am attracted to the idea of a low till garden with a
lot of mulch, but any land available is covered with
grass. I'm sure that we will need to plow and disc
this at least the first year.

I once wrote a pamphlet that included beginning a new garden. I joked that if I were as rich as my brother I would select a good garden spot with good sun exposure and good drainage, would till the ground, then cover it with a foot or more of mixed mulch and manure-- essentially sheet composting--add the various minerals and lime suggested by a soil report, then would take a trip around the world for a year and when I came back to begin gardening the soil would be ready.





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page