permaculture

["Michelle Maggiore" <mmaggior@mindspring.com>]

Yes, bentonite can be used for pond walls or a more natural alternative to a
liner. It should be almost raked in and then smoothed with water as you
apply it. It puffs up and seals when it gets wet, so I am not sure about its
application for swales.. That sounds like a promising approach.

A note of caution: we did not know until we received our order of bentonite
(available thru most farm stores, where it is sold as a "feed binder") that
most pelletized sodium bentonite is mined by Halliburton. So, if anyone
knows of an alternate source or a more reputable company dealing in
bentonite, I would love to know where I can find them. Our pond is not
beautiful (yet) but the bentonite does do the trick for keeping water in.

On a different note, my friend bought some borage from me yesterday to put
the little blue flowers in her client's ice cubes.....probably not the most
nutritious use, but one of the more creative ways to use those little blue
flowers....