Homestead mailing list

[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Leslie wrote:
  Regardless of whether
> I go on a scavager hunt, obtain at flea market, or drive 100 miles to
>  town and pay full price - I need to know WHAT is important to get, 
> and which are priorities.

In making your decisions, just think about sustainbility...

> I have ordered a couple of used books dedicated to organic gardening 
> in the desert, and they should be here soon. Any input is 
> appreciated, as books aren't necessarily written from the homestead 
> point of view.

Again, I think the homestead point of view is just common sense stuff
that looks long term...you want to set up practices that require little
input from the outside world.  You don't want to have to buy plastic
every year or get something that uses a lot of water or electricity or
gasoline.


> PLASTIC COVERED TUNNELS I've seen pictures over what appears to be 
> cement mesh wire.  Bev told me that plastic in the heat has a rather 
> short shelf.  It probably also has a short life in high wind.    It 
> also costs $ to replace.

Just to be clear, it is not the heat, but the UV rays from the sun that
does in plastic.  If you go this route, buy a good, thick mil, with UV
protectors...this is one area where money can reflect quality.  Gene has
good advice.
> Are homesteaders using plastic tunnels? What alternatives are there?

I don't know what you are using them for...

I originally made some little hot houses out of old windows..I think, if
you look at my early garden pics on myspace you might glimpse them.
I used them mostly to harden off things that I started from seed.

Now, I have made some hoops using black plastic pipe and I can move
these pipes from bed to bed as needed.  I have some sheets and thin
materials(it was once curtain material) that I use to cover my plants.
Right now, I have cabbage in a bed and I have it covered with the
material.  Light still passes through.  The material basically just
holds in a little bit of heat from the bed.  In my experience, it has
been enough heat to keep the plants growing, even when the temps are in
the 20's.

In early spring, I use a different method, as needed.  When I put my
plants out, I often use plastic pots(that plants and shrubs come in) as
a shield.  I will place the pots upside down over the plant.  This
protects them from weather extremes and allows them to harden off.  If
we get a late cold snap into the teens or low 20's, I will lay my sheets
and or material over the pots, too.  It all helps keep things alive.
If I know it is going to be above freezing and warm and sunny, I remove
the pots and allow the plants to soak up the sun.  This method has saved
my broccoli from a hailstorm, too, so if you live in any area where hail
is likely, start saving plastic pots.
> GREENHOUSE Any ideas to contruct an economical one so I can have a 
> place to start the liners for srping planting?

I built mine originally for $128...everything was recycled freecycled or
made from trees on the property.  I used sliding patio doors for the
windows.  You can see pics of it on myspace, and I have more detailed
construction pics if you are interested.  My expense came in the green
corrugated roofing, which was a mistake.  UV got it after about 5 years
and we replaced the roof of my greenhouse this year, this time with
metal tin roofing.  Here, it is so hot in the summer, that I only use
the greenhouse for storage during that time.  In the winter, spring and
fall, I start seeds in there and of course, house deck plants and
succulents like my aloes.  I also use my greenhouse to raise chicks in... :)
> RAISED BEDS Pros/cons.  I could stack cement blocks, depending on how
>  much $$$.

I can't think of any cons...

> For the raised beds, would I be just adding the local soil (of which 
> I have acres) plus manure/compost or what?

you could do that..or search lasagna gardening...or you could build your
beds like mine..I plant in beds where there is no soil at all, just
rocks in the bottom, sticks in the middle, and waste bedding hay on the
top.  It all composts in place, provides heat, holds moisture, and roots
have freedom to spread as they will.
There are no hard and fast rules...just try stuff and see what you like,
what works for you in your location and for what you grow may not work
for me, and visa versa.


> In the raised beds are you growing in rows?  or in something called a
>  X # of plants per square foot method.

I plant intensively ala John Jeavons or Mel Bartholemew.


> COMPOST PITS Any suggestions on the most economical? I'm in very dry 
> conditions, and I know watering will be necessary.

Why pits?  Is that common in the desert?
Compose needs ground contact, air, and moisture.  There are a million
ways to compost, from doing nothing(leaving leaves in a pile), to
elaborate composters.  I use my box beds and compost in place AND I have
made a 3 sided enclosure with pallets for larger tasks...easy to turn
the compost.

> TOOLS About how many years do they last, and would it be a worthwhile
>  investment to buy extras (i.e. picks, shovels, hoes, machete, etc.) 
> and/or extra handles.
>
> What tools would be a priority.

My favorite tool is a 3-pronged hoe.  It probably has a proper name...I
dunno.  I use it to cultivate around plants, I use it to move and pick
up things(looking for snakes), I use it for all kinds of stuff.

What tools you buy will depend on what you are doing and the nature of
your soil, but buying good quality tools is important.  Store them out
of the wet and sun, and keep them from rusting-keep them sharp.  You can
take a bit of fine sand, put it in a bucket, add some spent motor oil,
and use this to clean and sharpen your tools....just hit the hoe in the
sand a few times..the abrasiveness of the sand cleans and sharpens,
while the oil prevents rust.  You can do this with shovels, hoes, picks,
forks, anything...

> PLOW I'm currently using a gas engined rotor tiller, which I know is 
> not sustainable in worst case scenario, but it was a b-day gift from 
> dad.

Nice gift..if you go to raised beds, you won't need it, though.

> Where does one even get an old fashioned plow and harness system 
> these days?

Talk to James.  He plows that way.

> BTW the neighbor keeps a mule in with her 2 cows and sheep and 
> chickens.  I asked why, she said the mule protects the other animals 
> from predators (I assume she means the coyote).  True?  and is anyone
>  using a mule for plowing?

Mules are good for plowing and other work.  I've heard of using donkeys
for guard animals, but did not realize that mules would work like that,
too.  Donkeys/burros/llamas really dislike canines.

> I'm thinking the biggest problem I would find would be obtaining 
> enough water to grow enough alfalfa for larger animals, so that isn't
>  a first choice.  But any ideas on how to plow the gardens up without
>  a gas powered engine would be VERY much appreciated.

Raised bed.

> POTATOES GROWN IN HAY? Has anyone tried that? I did find out tire 
> method ok in the desert too, I was worried about heat from black 
> tires cooking the spuds...

Like I said before, my potatoes are grown in hay, in tires..  I also
have some growing in hay in my garden beds.

> FIELD CORN Is anyone growing their own as feed for chickens?  There 
> is limited vegetation and bugs here, and I know chickens eat grass, 
> bugs, etc..  What else can I feed (grow myself) to feed the chickens.
>  I can grow alfalfa here.  Anything else?

I have grown sunflowers, corn, and sorghum as feed for my chickens,
rabbits, and goats.  Chickens like buckwheat, too.  Forgot about that...
You can probably grow millet, too...

> One thing I haven't figured out is field corn sweet corn grown to the
>  dried stage? Or it is a different variety altogether.
 What kind of
> corn becomes corn meal?

Sweet corn is different from field corn/dent/flint    The later types
are used for feed(and don't forget that the whole plant can be feed)and
for corn meal and corn flour, masa, etc.

> WHEAT Is anyone growing?  Anyone converting it into flour for bread? 
> And is anyone making their own yeast?

I have experimented with yeasts...had decent results from juniper
berries and grapes and potatoes..
If yeast is a problem, learn to make sourdough starter from potatoes

> HONEY Anyone raising bees?  There seem to be plenty around here 
> naturally, but I' thinking in terms of honey for the yeast in bread.
That's one thing I could never do---very allergic..James has them tho..

Bev

PS..Les...please break down the long posts into smaller posts...you will
probably get more responses...a lot of people are ADD on this list..LOL
They jump on me about my long posts, too...



--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to
hate. Hate leads to suffering.”        Yoda