Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Marty Kraft <martyk@allspecies.org>]

Paul

Watching your progress can instruct us all. Got a digital camera? Tell 
the story.

Marty Kraft
On Jul 29, 2006, at 10:49 PM, TradingPostPaul wrote:

> My situation is I'm having to start from scratch this year, having
> relocated recently. Not even planting this year, just building soil and
> beds. After this, no-till. And all the compost and mulch are coming 
> from
> this property, no bought inputs.  I'm 62 and if I can do it, not being 
> an
> expert or as widely experienced as some on this list, then almost 
> anybody
> can.
>
>
> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
>
> Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes.
> --Henry David Thoreau
> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>
> On 7/29/2006 at 9:39 PM TradingPostPaul wrote:
>
> > As it is I'm working without any powered machinery. The day will come 
> > when
> > we need to do without, and plenty of people now need to grow who can't
> > afford a thousand dollars here and a thousand dollars there.  We have 
> > a
> > tremendous advatage with the knowledge from so many sources, so we 
> > should
> > be able to do much better than our forebears, shouldn't we? Shouldn't 
> > we
> be
> > able to feed ourselves on an acre or less, without power tools?
> >
> > paul tradingpost@lobo.net
> >
> > Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes.
> > --Henry David Thoreau
> > *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
> >
> > On 7/29/2006 at 2:47 PM Art Corbit wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Paul,
> > >
> > > A good riding lawn mower with a grass catcher on it and a large 
> > > compost
> > > pile
> > > are worth their weight in gold. It is really good for the raised bed
> > > gardens.
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>
> > > To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
> > > Sent: Saturday, July 29, 2006 2:29 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Wheat is the new oil
> > >
> > >
> > > > Think that needs to be stressed. You can't make two and two equal 
> > > > five.
> > > > Returning all available organic waste to the soil was the prime
> > directive
> > > > Sir Albert laid out back in the '40s. It was his demonstrations and
> > > > lectures that prompted J.I. Rodale to start pushing organic growing.
> > > >
> > > > We were scouting around the other day looking for sources of soil
> > > > amendments when it dawned on me (or was it the sunrise), we have 
> > > > half
> an
> > > > acre of green weeds growing on our new place. If I cut all that and
> > > compost
> > > > it before it goes to seed, we'll have more than enough to loosen the
> > clay
> > > > and cover the beds. Also found plenty of native clump grass to dig 
> > > > up
> > and
> > > > add to growing beds. Unless I heard wrong, that's a lot of root 
> > > > mass,
> > > green
> > > > growth on top, and mycorrhizae-formed humus underneath. It's virgin
> > soil,
> > > > grows a lot of rabbit brush and when monsoon comes, a lot of native
> > > grass.
> > > > I figure the trick is to avoid working it anymore after placing it 
> > > > in
> > the
> > > > beds, so as to keep it from the air as much as possible. Starting
> over's
> > > no
> > > > picnic, but the best possible growing soil is the only way I know to
> the
> > > > best production - and the only way to make it worth doing at all.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > paul tradingpost@lobo.net
>
>
>
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