tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42866986203573957082024-03-05T01:04:41.074-08:00The Dirt I OccupyThis blog is about the patches of dirt that I adopted last year. The story begins with the decision that I would change the landscaping in our yard. My goal is to model sustainable gardening through research and practice. The project may take years but I’m excited to be started in the process. The initial idea was that the landscape would require less human attention as it approached the street. The design will evolve from there.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-67650054335742821722013-01-08T21:04:00.000-08:002013-01-09T08:30:12.595-08:00Still Life of a HarvestLate last summer, I realized that I had put all of my thoughts and energy into setting up the kitchen garden but I neglected to thoroughly consider what to do with the food that it produced. I didn’t imagine growing enough food beyond the amount needed to supplement our meals, share with our friends and to enrich the compost.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7758950880/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="9AugHarvest by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="9AugHarvest" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7247/7758950880_93ca8e067f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9 Aug 2012</td></tr>
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When the produce began to mature in August, I quickly understood that the two of us would never be able to consume it at the same rate that it was peaking. I started to address my dilemma by encouraging the curious people who stopped by to take a few tomatoes. Soon, no one left the garden without a bag of produce in hand. I had a couple of instances where people were bold enough to ask for some produce. They seemed a little embarrassed but I urged them to feel free to come back for more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8363074788/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="16Aug2012Harvest by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="16Aug2012Harvest" height="235" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8222/8363074788_26ac3e789b.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">16 Aug 2012</td></tr>
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Trading became another option to prevent waste. It started with a simple gesture to show my appreciation to my favorite vender at the Farmer’s Market. I offered them a gift bag of produce. They stubbornly insisted that I choose one of their native plants in trade. That transaction inspired me to venture into the trading business. I learned to bargain for my favorite locally baked bread and dairy products from the local goat farmer.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8363091354/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="20Aug2012Harvest by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="20Aug2012Harvest" height="251" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8378/8363091354_352d4f4a53.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20 Aug 2012</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I planned to use the pumpkins for the holidays thinking that they would remain on the vine until October. That assumption came from my memory of growing up in California. The problem of preserving the pumpkins until the fall season arose when I had to harvest my pumpkins early because the squash bugs and vine borers had their way with the squash plants. The challenge to store them for a few months led me to dive into the world of food storage and preservation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8363100292/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="24Aug2012Harvest by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="24Aug2012Harvest" height="267" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8071/8363100292_ec7ab39304.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">24 Aug 2012</td></tr>
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For someone like me, who grew up with food stored in refrigerators and canned food from the box grocery stores down the street, baby steps are required. I admit that I previously had an interest to learn about natural cold food storage. Our old mountain cabin in California has a cabinet in the kitchen that we believe was used for this purpose. I have a book about root cellaring but my brain begins to hurt when I attempt to think about applying the information to my home. The book did clue me in on the fact that the pumpkin’s stem should be left intact. From my research online, I learned to allow 3-6 inches of the stem to be attached to the fruit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8363107928/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="MooseSquirrelPie by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="MooseSquirrelPie" height="209" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8363107928_d61315b4f1_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moose & Squirrel Pumpkin Pie</td></tr>
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My attempt to put the pumpkins through a curing process and providing a storage environment wasn’t nearly as precise as suggested. I placed them on our slatted porch swing for ten days after washing the dirt off (I used soap but not the drop of chlorine as was suggested). When the pumpkins ripened and developed a tougher skin, I placed them in a kitchen cabinet being careful to space them so that they did not touch each other. I left the cabinet door cracked open for air circulation. The key to success is to allow for the air to circulate around the fruit and provide a storage condition that is 50-55F temperature and relative humidity of 50-70 percent.<br />
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Even with the lack of a controlled environment, I was able to preserve enough pumpkins to make several pies and loaves of bread in the late fall. The tougher skinned white pumpkins are still looking good in January. I added a better storage solution to my 2013 projects list in which I could set them on a rack and at least monitor, if not control, the temperature and humidity.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8362110237/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="13Sep2012Harvest by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="13Sep2012Harvest" height="208" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8077/8362110237_e2cdd693bb.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">13 Sep 2012</td></tr>
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I singled out the prettiest produce for trading purposes. That still left an abundant amount of crop that wasn’t picture perfect. Besides, I was not always in the frame of mind for doing the business of trading. It occurred to me that I should start thinking about ways to enjoy some of the produce during the off-season.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8363154830/" title="CannedTomatoJam by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="CannedTomatoJam" height="179" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8363154830_7e2cf99817_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Tomato Jam</td></tr>
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For some unknown reason, canning always seemed like a really scary prospect for me. I guess that the fact that a spoiled vegetable provides plenty of obvious clues verses the invisible bacteria growing in a sealed jar played a part in my fears. I started by reading the how-to websites online. I made a point to seek out the videos featuring the senior generation. The videos are really a hoot but seriously they gave me enough confidence to just do it. I set the rule that if the food in the jars looked or smelled suspicious or worse, exploded when I opened it, it would be disposed of immediately. I caught the warnings that if you are in doubt, never try tasting it.
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<br />
I never would have guessed that I would find everything that I needed to get started at the local hardware store but that is how easy it was. My first project involved making use of the, what seemed to be in the number of hundreds, yellow pear tomatoes. My foodie friend and acting editor for this blog, found the most interesting recipe for tomato jam. The trick is to find recipes which call for what you have in your garden. My garden had the tomatoes, basil and the chili peppers required. The jam is delicious on a cracker spread with brie, chevre or cream cheese. It also served as a fun gift during the holiday season.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8361987789/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="8Oct2012Harvest by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="8Oct2012Harvest" height="242" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8476/8361987789_95e8202160_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">8 Oct 2012</td></tr>
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In the process of learning ways to preserve my harvest I realized that I should be a little more serious about selecting the vegetables to grow so that they complement each other for the purpose of preparing meals or canning. I was experimenting this year but my plan, moving forward, is to use only what the garden produces with an exception for the ingredients that are not possible to grow in my limited space or geographical area. This experience has encouraged me to plant the onions, garlic and shallots this fall. I also know I can improve on my ability to coordinate the harvesting dates for the produce required to make a favorite dish.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8362128885/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="24Oct2012Harvest by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="24Oct2012Harvest" height="291" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8078/8362128885_3af55d1947.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">24 Oct 2012</td></tr>
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I cannot express the pleasure I feel to be able to go outside and choose what I’m going to use for a meal. Even browsing through the kitchen cupboards has become a little more exciting. I love staring at all of the pretty colors in the jars of the canned food. Each bite of food grown in the garden has the full flavor and nutrition nature intended. The fears of pesticides, genetic modifications using viruses or fish genes, BHA, BHT, BPA and who knows what else are put aside.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8363044742/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="1Nov2012Harvest by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="1Nov2012Harvest" height="238" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8491/8363044742_e73bf89da3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1 Nov 2012</td></tr>
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The kitchen garden project is continuing to push me to expand my knowledge and add an even greater appreciation for the cost of food. Raising and processing food is a slow and energy consuming activity. As a consumer, I'm suspicious of ridiculously low cost food and I avoid it.<br />
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I'm getting the impression that the kitchen garden is becoming more popular at the elementary schools. Both the local elementary school and my granddaughter’s school in California have raised beds to grow vegetables. I commend the teachers who I suspect take on additional hours to make the experience possible.<br />
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Has Michelle Obama’s kitchen garden project had any national effect? I had hoped that President Obama’s administration would have ushered in more improvements toward our food system before now. I wonder sometimes what his wife thinks about the situation. Given the fact that the current First Lady is a terrific speaker, educated, intelligent, a mother, attractive and has the media’s attention, I think that she would be a perfect spokesperson for progressive changes. She proved herself to be a powerful motivational force when she stepped out on the campaign trail. If I had a minute of Michelle Obama’s time I would say, “Come on Michelle, your girls are getting older. You’re a mother who understands the basic need to provide nourishing food for your family. Shame the industry for using suspect chemicals and questionable technology on our food and in its packaging. The young, the old and everyone in between are suffering from the direction our food system has headed. You want to support your husband in his effort to keeping the costs of health care down, right? A shift in the values within our current food system could address climate change, farm worker safety, and health care costs. Push the idea that the farming subsidies need to move away from the Wall Street investor mega-farms and be redirected to support the local organic farmers who have an invested interest in their community. There is also an opportunity to address the plight of the invisible migrant workers who endure near slavery conditions. Frankly, we all resent being used like guinea pigs. We need a 21st century version of Eleanor Roosevelt.”<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8254160461/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="RadishHarvest by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="RadishHarvest" height="218" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8496/8254160461_d307578642_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">28 Nov 2012</span></td></tr>
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Stepping away from my frustration with national politics, I take heart in the ways that I can personally influence change. My aspiration for this year is to get involved in the local school gardening project and to find an avenue to share healthy food with families struggling with poverty. I’m even considering applying for a seat on recently city council approved commission for Community Sustainability. Our new Mayor proposed the new commission as her first order of business after being sworn into office. 2013 is going to be a busy year.<br />
<br />
<i>Happy New Year.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
Additional Information & Recipes:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theplasticfreetimes.com/news/health%20Understanding%20Organic%20Food%20Labels,%20Benefits,%20and%20Claims%20http://www.helpguide.org/life/organic_foods_pesticides_gmo.htm" target="_blank">Plastic Free Times: Health News </a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.responsibletechnology.org/take-action/gm-free-schools" target="_blank">GM Free Schools</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://urbanext.illinois.edu/hortihints/0410c.html" target="_blank">Harvesting and Storing Pumpkins, Winter Squash, and Gourds</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/U32O39h2fRc" target="_blank">Theresa's Pickled Eggplant</a><br />
<br />
Fried Eggplant – My grandfather’s recipe and family tradition.<br />
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Peel and slice one large eggplant to make rounds roughly ¼ inch thick. You will develop your own preference for thickness in time.<br />
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Dip each slice of eggplant in a shallow bowl with 2 beaten eggs then in another shallow bowl with about a cup of fine ground cornmeal loosely mixed with a handful of flour and flip over to cover both sides of the slice. I keep the cornmeal and flour handy in case I need more as I proceed.<br />
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Fry the slices until golden brown in very hot but not smoking light vegetable oil (note that the cornmeal will start to cause smoke after the first batch so use your overhead fan or crack a window). My current favorite vegetable oil is sunflower and I use an iron skillet for frying. I put enough oil to brown the sides of the slices. You will know when it is time to turn them over when the sizzling action mellows and the edges turn golden. Once you turn them over and the vigorous sizzling has subsided it is about time to remove them from the oil. I lift the slice with a fork high enough to allow the excess oil to pour back into the pan and place it on a paper towel with the hottest side facing up. Salt to taste. Layer with another 2 sheets of paper towels and fry another pan full. Repeat. Eat the fried eggplant the moment the temperature becomes safe to do so.<br />
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<a href="http://www.tomatodirt.com/yellow-pear-tomato.html" target="_blank">The History of the Yellow Pear Tomato</a><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Yellow Pear is known to have been cultivated in Europe as far back as the 17th century. Renowned biologist and taxonomist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon first recorded it in his Synopsis plantarum in 1805.<br />
<br />
The variety spread to North American fairly quickly.<br />
<br />
1825: The Hudson Bay Company at Fort Vancouver, though the headquarters of the Northwest fur trade, also operated a farm with vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers and sold Yellow Pear Tomatoes. </blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<b>YELLOW PEAR TOMATO JAM</b><br />
From <i>The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest</i> by Carol W. Costenbader.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
4 c sugar<br />
3/4 c water<br />
6 c. yellow pear tomatoes<br />
3 jalapeno chilies, seeded and finely chopped<br />
3 T chopped fresh basil<br />
3 T fresh lemon juice<br />
2 T distilled white vinegar<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>In a 6-quart saucepan combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer until the syrup reaches 234 F on a cooking thermometer. </li>
<li>Remove from the heat and add the tomatoes, mixing well. The syrup may change consistency, but continue stirring and eventually the tomatoes will mix evenly. </li>
<li>Return to the heat and add the chilies, basil, lemon juice, and vinegar. Simmer, uncovered, on very low heat until the mixture thickens, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Stir often, being careful not to burn. The jam will darken.</li>
<li>Ladle into clean jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Cap and seal.</li>
<li>Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water-bath canner.
</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-59832025864201090352012-11-27T12:31:00.000-08:002013-01-08T14:35:06.197-08:00The Garden Tour<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">In September, we participated in the local Bisbee Bloomer’s garden tour. I admit that I have never attended an event like this before so I really didn’t know what to expect. I worried that my unfinished garden project would pale in comparison to the well-established gardens also included on the tour but I was in for a pleasant surprise.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The beauty of my community’s reputation is that we are an eclectic group. I pacified my insecurity by thinking about the opportunity to share my ideas behind the garden project. The tour was going to bring in a varied group of people, all whom have a common interest in gardens but who also might have different ideas about what an ideal use of a garden might mean. The event gave me another forum besides blogging to share my experiment with growing a kitchen garden and a water-wise flower garden in an area that has challenges with
climate, soil and insects.</span></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">After saying that, I confess that I did push the project to complete more than I intended for the first year. In the months leading up to the date, my partner was amazingly supportive to set aside his own projects to assist me on mine. We dug out two more areas of Bermuda grass and set down fresh straw bales since the original set of straw bales had pretty much composted down to the point of being unrecognizable. I started planting the
first of the winter crops for sake of illustration (I still had trouble
convincing some people that the soil that the summer vegetables are growing in
started off like the new straw bales). The task of re-painting the pergola, interrupted
by the monsoon season, was completed. Several more loads of rocks, bricks and
wood chips were gathered from our local resources and incorporated in our
garden space. We also hired our favorite local stonemason to create a new
mailbox. My partner installed a cement border that I jokingly refer to as the
China wall to create a barrier between my neighbors creeping Bermuda lawn and
our rock garden.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Finally, the time came to
put all of the garden tools away in the garage for the first time since I
started the project last year. We felt ready for the garden tour.</span> </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8224956346/" title="Ready for the Garden Tour by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Ready for the Garden Tour" height="332" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8477/8224956346_c874223739.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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</style> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Backing up a bit, the word spread about the straw bale kitchen garden. I was contacted by a reporter for the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson to explain more about it. Since Bisbee is a popular destination for Tucsonans and vice
versa, many events are shared between the two communities despite the 90 miles that
separate us. To my delight a picture and a quote about my humble straw bale garden
experiment was included in the article describing the garden tour event. The
curiosity about this relatively novel approach to gardening grew beyond the
notice of my immediate neighbors</span>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8223882453/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bloomers Garden Tour #10 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Bloomers Garden Tour #10" height="222" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8068/8223882453_12729ece42_n.jpg" valign="left" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">During the event, I fielded many questions about how straw bale gardening
works. We discussed the challenges of the insect pests, especially the
unusually high number of grasshoppers this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know why my garden was spared total decimation. I
did have plenty of grasshoppers happily feeding on my plants. I stressed the
fact that the garden was a product of organic gardening methods and I wouldn’t
think of using a pesticide to control them. I spoke about how the plant
grouping was designed to practice crop rotation next year, the advantages of
polycultures and the philosophy of permaculture. My guests were enthusiastic
listeners and not surprisingly some had more insight than I on these topics.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8223883601/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Bloomers Garden Tour #2 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Bloomers Garden Tour #2" height="213" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8204/8223883601_c596698781_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I will acknowledge that I felt slightly embarrassed when some
of the garden tourists looked to me for expert advise. I admitted that I am
just beginning to learn how to put some of these approaches into practice. But my
guests would have none of that talk and pointed to the health and the size of my
plants. They said that I was doing something right and they wanted in on it.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8223883215/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bloomers Garden Tour #5 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Bloomers Garden Tour #5" height="213" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8062/8223883215_9513d3b3db_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My impression during the garden tour event was that the
interest in straw bale vegetable gardening did not solely stem from the
seasoned gardeners but also from the people who do not identify themselves as such.
I would guess that several of the curious people were intrigue with the idea of
producing healthy food to put on their tables. I hope that my project made it
appear that it was possible for even the inexperienced gardeners to achieve a
level of success in growing their own food at home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I would like to think that the level of excitement over the
kitchen garden is reflected from the broadening public awareness of our food
system and how it is not working in our best interest. Is this a sign that
there are an ever growing number of people who no longer trust our government to
insure food safety? I live in a relatively conservative area. Is the shift
toward producing food at home becoming a less radical hippy thing to pursue in
suburbia? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The subject of food
security in the wake of climate change was brought up more than once in our
conversations. Remember, this event took place in September, before the
hurricane Sandy wake up call. I feel a food revolution coming on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">On that note, I kept a close watch on California’s
proposition 37 to label GMO food during this recent election and I was very
disappointed that it failed to pass. I understand that the corporate money
flooded into the media to discredit the merits of the proposition but all the
same I was hopeful that enough people would see past the food industry’s deliberate
obstructive tactics. Oh well, the fight to hold the food industry accountable
continues on. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://justlabelit.org/%22%3Ehttp://justlabelit.org/%3C/a%3E" target="_blank">Just Label It</a> is now refocusing on securing a Federal mandate and addressing the language in
the current draft of the Farm Bill that would strip the authority of federal
agencies to regulate GE crops. I’m not discrediting these important actions but in my mind it seems like a disproportionate struggle for such a small step forward within the big picture.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8223883383/" title="Bloomers Garden Tour #3 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Bloomers Garden Tour #3" height="246" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8340/8223883383_2b8be09998_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Although most of the visitors during
the garden tour were excited about the straw bale kitchen garden, I want to
point out that the native and water-wise plants outside the fence also played
an important role in the success of my experiment. They attracted the
pollinators after the sunflowers (leading attractors) faded. One fun instance
that I want to share was when a visitor was surprised to recognize a wild plant,
the red spiderling (Boerhavia coccinea), included in a formal rock garden
setting. She said that it was a weed that grows in the arroyos near her home. Beyond
attracting the pollinators, many of the wild plants are edible, medicinal or
both; for example, the “so called” weed plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
sprouting in my garden.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/8224958450/" title="Bloomers Garden Tour #1 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Bloomers Garden Tour #1" height="263" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8198/8224958450_81c19e64ef_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It is a rare occasion that I expose myself to public
comment. It did occur to me that placing the kitchen garden in the front yard
would attract some attention. The outpouring of positive responses during the
progress of my garden project was amazing and provided sustenance for my soul. The
crowning moment, as a follow-up for the garden tour event, a picture of my
garden was placed directly under the title of the community section in our
local newspaper. To be embraced in this way renewed my hope that the trend
toward sustainable food systems is spreading beyond the interest of the usual
suspects.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Links for further reading:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Forbes: <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywestervelt/2012/11/13/with-california-prop-defeated-gmo-labeling-proponents-look-to-farm-bill/" target="_blank">With California Prop Defeated, GMO Labeling Proponents Look to Farm Bill</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Praireland Herbs: <a href="http://www.prairielandherbs.com/plantain.htm" target="_blank">Plantain</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The Bisbee Chamber of Commerce: <a href="http://www.bisbeearizona.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=355:the-bisbee-bloomers&catid=125&Itemid=72" target="_blank">The Bisbee Bloomers </span></a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Arizona Daily Star: </span></span><a href="http://azstarnet.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/tours-may-spark-ideas-for-your-yard/article_fdeb322b-414f-5355-be4b-b3bc0f619f2b.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">3 tours may spark ideas for your yard</span></span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Sierra Vista Herald: <a href="http://svherald.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1535622&CategoryID=51478" target="_blank">Bisbee Bloomers Garden Tour</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-50062818811111538772012-09-13T06:58:00.000-07:002012-09-13T17:45:48.322-07:00The Amazing Straw Bale Garden<table>
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<td rowspan="3" valign="top"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">“That’s amazing”! The words I most often
hear when someone first walks through the gate. The interest in my straw bale
gardening project began in earnest in mid-June when the vegetables reached a
size that could be seen from the street. Countless visitors would start off
with the phrase “I just had to stop by and find out what you are doing” and then
they would repeat the comment “it’s amazing”.</span>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">I’ve been asked, “How did you do it?” by enough people to feel that it would be useful to chronicle my steps from the beginning in a single post with the benefit of the perspective that goes with having had the experience. Remember, I’m sharing what I did during my first experiment with straw bale gardening and what I learned along the way. This is by no means the best and only way to practice straw bale gardening. During my online research period, I discovered a variety of successful approaches and was forced to pick and choose ideas that seem to be aligned with my experience with gardening in the southwest high desert location.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">First, I want to encourage those who want to try growing in
straw bales to apply what you know about gardening in your area and your unique
location. If you think you don’t know enough, ask those you think who would. During
the course of setting up this project, I have been comparing notes with the
local farmers at the farmer’s market, picking the brains of the knowledgeable staff
at the local nurseries and listening to the old time gardeners who have knowledge
about gardening in my area.</span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">Since I was starting this garden on a property that was new
to me, I took the time to make mental notes about the course of the sun and the wind, the temperature and precipitation during the seasons, and the possible interference of the observed wild animals before I broke ground. I have always had the best results with locations that receive the early morning sun and in turn get the first afternoon
shade so I designated the location on the property (east), designed the
orientation of the straw bales (east to west) and the placement of the plants (east
shortest to tallest west) in the straw bales accordingly.</span>
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<td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7978343385/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Rainbow Swiss Chard by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Rainbow Swiss Chard" height="259" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8296/7978343385_4beed672c6_n.jpg" width="175" /></a>
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<td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7978342493/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Watermelon by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Watermelon" height="259" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7978342493_0885fb7ece_n.jpg" width="175" /></a>
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<td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7980508394/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Eggplant_2 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Eggplant_2" height="175" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8309/7980508394_ee825d0397_n.jpg" width="175" /></a>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/6931152746/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Straw Bale plot - 5 Jan 2012 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Straw Bale plot - 5 Jan 2012" height="332" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7228/6931152746_697ef95fb3.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">5 Jan 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">The way straw bale gardening works is that the straw composts at a fairly quick rate and in doing so the composting straw provides the necessary nutrients for the plants concurrently as the plants reach maturity and begin to go into production. Even though the straw bales will start to compost without any human intervention, for the purpose of starting a new garden, it is practical to help the process get a jump start. Nitrogen is a key ingredient for composting materials. The most accessible,
organic, and free source of water-soluble plant nutrients like nitrogen,
phosphorus, and potassium is in the urea from human urine. Adding a healthy donor’s
urea topped with compost (carbon) and keeping the straw bales moist for at
least 10 days is the basic method to activate the straw bales to compost. I
never found an exact formula for the amount of urine per bale. The first set of
straw bales received a splashing that covered the top surface. The second set
received a bit more measured amount, a half a gallon. After a few weeks, the strawberries in the second set of straw bales are already happily setting fruit.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><br />
A YouTube video uploaded by an experienced straw bale gardener described how he starts
conditioning the straw bales in the winter (he is in northern snow country). I
kicked it into high gear to dig out the Bermuda grass so I could allow more
time for the straw bales to start composting before the spring planting season
began.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/6931151438/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Straw Bales - 19 Jan 2012 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Straw Bales - 19 Jan 2012" height="332" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5337/6931151438_1156596b1b.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">19 Jan 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">There is a whole lot of discussion online about straw verses hay. Hay was $18 dollars a bale compared to straw at $7.50 so I opted out on trying hay in my first experiment. Online, there is the general opinion that a lot of unwanted seeds will sprout from the hay bales while others reported that hay bales, by far, produce the healthiest plants and largest produce imaginable. What was passed on to me from a local resident about straw bales is that the time of year the straw material is harvested and baled has something to do with the amount of seeds contained within the bale. Another tip about straw bales that I found interesting is that corn and linseed (flax) bales are not recommended. I ran across a person who reported that nothing grew in his straw bales and when he gave up and used the straw throughout his garden it in turn damaged the plants there. It was suggested to him that his straw bales was barley. I doubled checked online and I found that barley bales were suggested for gardening. Maybe the problem was his straw bales were made of flax, which has an oily residue. It might be a crapshoot with our supplier because they never suggested that we have a choice. So far I haven’t had a problem but I did noticed that the straw bales purchased in July were made with a much rougher straw, lighter in color and had less seed sprouting from them then the straw bales purchased in January. I couldn’t tell the difference between a rye and an oat straw bale if my life depended on it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">The orientation of the straw bales is another consideration. It is suggested to set the bales where the straw is oriented in a vertical direction. I experimented with the straw oriented in each direction and both directions gave the same final results. I noticed that the straw bales set with the straw in a vertical direction were easier to soak compared with the bales that were set with the straw in a horizontal direction. The water had the tendency to run off the sides of the bales set with the </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">straw in a </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">horizontal position rather than soaking in. That was when I was watering by hand. Once I installed the soaker hose system and the straw bales were well into composting mode, it really didn't make much of a difference.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><br />
I set the straw bales roughly 3 inches into the dirt for stabilization. The bricks were placed more for decoration at this point but they still provided additional stabilization for the tall straw bales. Their main purpose is to hold the remaining composted straw bales at the end of the season. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><br />
I tried an experiment with three straw bales in April, just before the 2 driest months of the year. I worried that it would be difficult to maintain enough moisture for the conditioning period this late in the season so I set them deeper (half way down) into the soil. That worked as well as setting them down 3 inches and they held enough moisture between the watering schedules to grow the plants. I noted that they composted down below the ground level within a couple of months. I added topsoil over them to bring up the soil level when it was necessary. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><br />
I was not aware until recently that our neighborhood has a burrowing animal problem. The culprit has not been identified yet but I have noticed about a month ago that it has discovered my garden. The holes look suspiciously like a mole’s handiwork but my neighbors report a ground squirrel infestation. Laying down wire screen or fencing before you set your straw bales is recommended as a preventative measure.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/6931153222/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Straw Bales - 19 Mar 2012 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Straw Bales - 19 Mar 2012" height="366" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7221/6931153222_13897d17ba.jpg" width="488" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">19 Mar 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">I was fortunate that the east location on the property was the second best side of the house for wind protection. Still, I invested in metal hoops and frost protecting covers in preparation for the wind and any possible unexpected lows in temperature that the local old-timers reported to be possible in April and May. The warm weather in late March led me to believe that the coldest part of the winter season was over. I sowed the seeds and sprinkled the appropriate amount of amended soil that was recommended in the instructions for seed planting depth. I had lovely seedlings by mid=April.</span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">I realized quickly that hand watering the seedlings became not only a chore (unclipping the covers sometimes twice a day) but the pressure was also disturbing the seeds and soil. The water spray, even at the lightest setting was washing away the little bit of soil on top and exposing the seedling’s roots. Since I noticed seeds from the inside ring of straw bales were sprouting in the outer ring and seedlings growing between the bricks and bales, I could only imagine that the water pressure must have caused the seeds to bounce off one straw bale onto another and rooted. My tip for you is to set up your automatic watering system before or immediately after you sow your seeds. I used a small diameter soaker hose system and set the schedule for twice a day. The key to success is to never let the straw bales dry out. I also recommend buying an extra straw bale. I used loose straw to fill in the gaps between the bales and to spread around the base of the plants as needed.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/6931153562/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Straw Bales Covered - 11 Apr 2012 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Straw Bales Covered - 11 Apr 2012" height="332" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7092/6931153562_9c581ae540.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">11 Apr 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">Another thing you will notice is mushrooms popping up all over the straw bales. This is a sign that your bales are composting nicely and providing fertile ground for your plants. At times I felt that they were getting out of hand, sprouting up at the base of my seedlings. The fact is I had more seedlings than I was going to keep so, in the end, it did not interfere with the final results of the project.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">I had my first minor setback in early May. I made the mistake of uncovering the straw bales for some anticipated rain but we received a freak hailstorm instead. The young plants were battle worn but all of them fully recovered to my great surprise.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7978434084/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Straw Bales with Hail - 9 May 2012 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Straw Bales with Hail - 9 May 2012" height="332" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8038/7978434084_d391ebd8aa.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">9 May 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">At the farmer’s market a local farmer expressed frustration with the evening temperatures averaging around 50F. I learned from him that the tomatoes and peppers prefer temperatures closer to 60F. The low temperatures may have explained why the growth rate came to a halt in May. Another explanation presented itself when I discovered that some of the straw bales were composting rapidly in the center as well as from the bottom like I had anticipated. When I dug a hole to place a tomato starter plant in the straw bale, I unexpectedly found a 6” deep empty cavern just below a couple of inches from the top. I imagined that the growth rate could be attributed to the plant roots receiving little nutrients beyond watering. I couldn’t find any discussion on this subject online. Out of desperation I first tried to fill in the caverns with dirt and straw from openings I made next to a plant. I was worried that this method was disturbing the roots too much. After noticing that the top of the straw bale would sink down if I put my weight on it, I decided to gently and as evenly as possible push the top of the straw bales down until I met resistance. This method worked best if I timed it just after watering.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7313951378/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Straw Bales with coffee Sacks by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Straw Bales with coffee Sacks" height="332" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7089/7313951378_b43466eddf.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">31 May 2012</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">In my opinion, growing plants from seed directly on the straw bales required more care and attention then placing young plants in the bales. At the end of the season both methods produced an abundance of produce so I can’t say one way is better than the other in that regard. Growing from seed provides more options for heirlooms and native varieties. Buying young plants from nurseries to get a jump start in the spring is convenient, especially when one doesn’t have a green house. But is it a sustainable system? I'll leave it there for a discussion in another post.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7978445169/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Straw Bales - 1 Jul 2012 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Straw Bales - 1 Jul 2012" height="336" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8173/7978445169_b8c188640c.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">1 Jul 2012</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">From seeds I planted the mustard, corn, swiss chard, basil, eggplant, sweet peppers, chili peppers, pumpkins, bush beans, a variety of lettuces and tomatoes. The bush beans withered once the heat of June arrived but just recently I discovered a young plant hidden under the basil. A couple of the sweet corn plants grew ears to a respectable size. Since I didn’t plant the corn in rows to promote wind pollination the product was inedible. I planted rainbow Swiss Chard, Pear and Better Boy tomatoes, yellow onions, Guajillo, Anaheim and Poblano peppers, desert king water melon, cilantro and parsley as young starter plants. All of them thrived in the straw bales. The cilantro immediately went to seed but new seedlings are sprouting back up from the straw bale.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">To plant a starter in the bales, create a hole using a spade. Sometimes a pruner is necessary if the straw is tough and you need to transfer a plant from a quart size pot. I pushed the straw down using my fist until I felt resistance. I made a hole at least 1" larger in diameter and 2" deeper than the pot that the starter plant came in. I poured 2" of enriched soil in the hole, nestled the plant in, added the soil to fill in the extra space and spread the straw I removed from the hole over the base. I used the soil from my garden mixed with organic compost. As a side note, I discovered later that this is not recommended as you run the risk of adding harmful viruses or plant-parasite nematodes from your garden’s soil. I didn’t have any problems that I’m aware of so use your best judgment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7978699275/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Straw Bales - 29 Jul 2012 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Straw Bales - 29 Jul 2012" height="332" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8443/7978699275_5e9427d332.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">29 Jul 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">I learned from the experience of one person in the area who had tried straw bale gardening before me that the straw bales need some type of support as they break down or they are likely to tip over with your plants. My solution was to tie used coffee sacks made of jute fibers together and secure them to the metal hoops that were used for the covers. The sacks contained the straw bales as needed and are composing along with the straw bales now that they are at a safe height. I noticed that the coffee sacks served more than its intended purpose in suppressing the sprouting grass and mushrooms on the sides of the straw bales and slowed the rate of evaporation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7758949932/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="August Rain Shower - 3 Aug 2012 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="August Rain Shower - 3 Aug 2012" height="332" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7758949932_afd4cc615a.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">3 Aug 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">Some gardeners report that they are able to use the straw bales for two years. By August, my straw bales composted down to 6 inches from the original height of 21 inches. I plan on using them for the winter crop but I think I may have to start with new straw bales for planting next spring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"> </span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">The challenges with nurturing the kitchen garden had more to do with the factors any gardener would face and were unrelated to the straw bale gardening method. The straw bales provided the necessary nutrients and then some. Although a variety of garden pests arrived; vine borers, squash bugs, flea beetles, locusts, hornworms and leaf-footed bugs, the plants held up against the onslaught remarkably well. I attribute this to the fact that the plants were strong and healthy, living in the rich environment that the composting straw bales provided. The swiss chard reached science fiction proportions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"> </span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">I feel a sense of validation when several visitors expressed the desire to try straw bale gardening after seeing my results. In fact, my partner was told, "You must have started something", from the feed store employee who remembered us buying straw bales for gardening earlier in the year because they were currently sold out of straw bales with the demand coming from other gardeners in the area.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7978376463/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Straw Bales - 11 Sep 2012 by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Straw Bales - 11 Sep 2012" height="332" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8454/7978376463_7746bf4811.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">11 Sep 2012</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">From my perspective, what is amazing is the excitement generated from my little straw bale garden experiment. Although there is no denying that I did put a lot of physical and mental energy into setting up this project, the rewards for my effort go beyond measure. Something as basic as a front yard kitchen garden provided me with the opportunity to share my ideas, to share my food and to share my love for this planet. In return my community has given me a definitive thumbs up. I haven’t felt this much joy in a long time.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;">Links for the straw bale gardener:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><a href="http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/straw-bale-gardening.html" target="_blank">No Dig Vegetable Garden</a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><a href="http://youtu.be/UXcA99xGHwQ" target="_blank">Straw Bale Gardening: Start to Finish</a> (YouTube Video)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: normal;"><a href="https://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/strawbale/all/" target="_blank">Daves Garden: Strawbale Gardening Forum</a> (subscriber membership fee)</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-54228363161165652162012-07-23T17:29:00.000-07:002012-07-24T09:27:21.196-07:00“Hey, what’s that bug?” - Children in the Garden<style>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7628055898/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Aiyana Wheelbarrel by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Aiyana Wheelbarrel" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8421/7628055898_c287b9b13f_n.jpg" width="229" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">In
the past month, my days have been filled with the awe and sensation that young
children naturally bring into every new situation. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Having a child playing in
the garden offers a refreshing perspective. Since young children are fascinated
with life and death, the garden sets the stage for exploring those events in
action. Scores of moths were rescued from the wading pool. Sunflower seeds were
planted in a clear container to provide a window to the underground activity of
plant life. Daily observations were noted in the sunflower journal to keep
record of the seeds progress. Since the hot and dry June days triggered the
spring flowers to produce their seeds, the hollyhock seeds was enthusiastically
harvested, bagged and labeled by my granddaughter.</span><br />
<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7628058854/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2012 Sunflower Journal by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="2012 Sunflower Journal" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8163/7628058854_158161ddc1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><style>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Pages from Aiyana’s sunflower journal</span>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7628054902/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Dominick Aiyana Wheelbarrel by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Dominick Aiyana Wheelbarrel" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8024/7628054902_85d9037231_z.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dominick & Aiyana</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: 12pt;">A few weeks later, <span style="color: black;">we had another young guest
for a week. Because I was told that
Dominick loves bugs</span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">, I knew that I should</span> </span>caution
him about handling unknown creatures. Arizona offers several stinging and
biting creatures that are not found in his neck of the woods.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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It rained on <a href="http://www.downtowntucson.org/2012/06/el-dia-de-san-juan-fiesta-returns-mercado-san-agustin/" target="_blank">Día de San Juan</a>,
which traditionally means we are going to have a good rain season this year. With
the rain, the monsoon season unleashes a battalion of insects. The beetles were
just making their debut and they drew the most excitement from Dominick. Before
long, our daily routine included looking for new insects. I tried to identify
them and learn what it was that attracted them to my garden. I collected the
images of the insects they discovered and compiled them into a book for the
children to take home as a souvenir. Since my interest has been piqued, I have
continued documenting the insects. The slideshow shows some of the creatures I
was able to capture with the camera. If you are interested reading more about
one of the insects you can hit the pause button and select “show info” at the
upper right menu.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"> </span>
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During their visit, teaching them to respect living
creatures became a personal challenge for me. For example, I expressed
disappointment when Dominick deliberately stomped on a stinkbug (Pinacate
beetle) after being told to let it be. Later that day, I realized that I’m a
hypocrite when I deliberately pinch the flea beetles from the eggplant leaves. In
my mind, I justify my actions because I want to defend the eggplant (that will
produce something I would like to eat) from a predator. I don’t think my
justification is all that more sophisticated than young Dominick testing his
power to be able to squash a bug. Although, I educated the kids about the
different helpful and destructive insects in the garden, I privately question the
ethics of selecting certain insects to be terminated. Oh well, at least the
subject of sex wasn’t brought up.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7628058426/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Aniversary by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Aniversary" height="289" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7276/7628058426_cdd48983a6_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In the midst of all of this activity, my partner and I celebrated our 5th year together. It just so happens that the lovely hand painted bug shirt by <a href="http://www.sampoegallery.com/" target="_blank">Poe Dismuke</a> fits perfectly with the theme of this post. </div>
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Just to show that we honor the inner child, here is a home video of our participation in the annual <i>Rolling Arts Transport Society</i> (B. R. A. T. S.) artist derby.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LQYLsZ1MOBQ" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you want broader overall experience of this event check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eIivbj7i9Y" target="_blank">Al Loneprotestor’s</a> movie.</div>
</blockquote>
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Now that I have highlighted my most recent experience with young children (or acting like one), I would like to remind everyone, especially the global leaders:
ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN. In <a href="http://www.robertfulghum.com/" target="_blank">Robert Fulghum</a> words:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.
These are the things I learned:
<br />
<ul>
<li>Share everything.</li>
<li>Play fair.</li>
<li>Don't hit people.</li>
<li>Put things back where you found them.</li>
<li>Clean up your own mess.</li>
<li>Don't take things that aren't yours.</li>
<li>Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.</li>
<li>Wash your hands before you eat.</li>
<li>Flush.</li>
<li>Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.</li>
<li>Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.</li>
<li>Take a nap every afternoon.</li>
<li>When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.</li>
<li>Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.</li>
<li>Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.</li>
<li>And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
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Finally, two more favorite quotes:<br />
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“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child”.<br />
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<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/p/pablo_picasso_2.html#i7K8XMmuwtVZwJ7x.99" target="_blank"><i>Pablo Picasso</i></a></div>
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“Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them”.<br />
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<a href="http://www.freewebs.com/shirtsleeves/quotes/littleprince.html" target="_blank"><i>The Little Prince</i> </a></div>
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Written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.</div>
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Translated by Katherine Woods.</div>
</div>
</blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-69918829899926917512012-06-01T07:28:00.000-07:002012-06-03T11:57:24.096-07:00Jute Sacks and Abandoned Kitten<div style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Are there times when you look at something that you use in your home and wonder about the people who labored to produce it and deliver it to you? I caught myself having that thought recently and decided to take it further.<br />
<br />
I have been collecting coffee sacks from <a href="http://www.oldbisbeeroasters.com/" target="_blank">Old Bisbee Roasters</a> to use around the house and garden. I use the sacks made of jute fiber to haul wood chips from the recycling center and to collect and move yard waste around. They do not easily tear like plastic bags and hold up for repeated use. In winter, I roll them up and place them at the base of our doors to block the drafts. Recently, I came up with another purpose. <br />
<br />
The weather temperature has been steadily in the 90s and is speeding up the decaying rate of the straw bales I’m using for my vegetable garden. You can read about that <a href="http://thedirtioccupy.blogspot.com/2012/04/dirt-i-occupy-straw-bale-gardening.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Some of the straw bales are beginning to lean significantly enough to prompt me to consider ways to prevent them from toppling over into the pathway. I needed to line them with something in addition to the adobe bricks. I thought that the natural fiber used for the coffee sacks, labeled food grade, would be a perfect material to line the straw bales.<br />
<br />
As I’m sitting on the porch unthreading the sacks by hand for this purpose, I wondered about the places the coffee came from and whose hands touched the sack before mine. Some clues are printed on the sacks marking the origination of the beans; Indonesia, Ethiopia, Honduras, Costa Rica, etc. Some labels tell me that they went through the port of Oakland, California before making their way to Bisbee, Arizona. Inside the jute sacks, I found the manufacturer labels telling me they were produced in India. Digging deeper on the Internet, I developed a better sense about the anonymous hands that touched the sack sitting on my lap.</span>
<br /><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I found the manufactures of the sacks that I was using on this site: <a href="http://textileland.blogspot.com/2012/04/jute-mills-in-bangladesh.html" target="_blank">Jute Mills in Bangladesh</a>. I learned that the mills are divided between government operated and privately owned companies. The government set the standards that both agencies have to abide by.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/fW8NhCAUgLA" target="_blank">Cultivation & Growing of Jute - Sowing to Fiber Extraction</a><br />
This short documentary shows how the jute is cultivated. The footage contains information of jute cultivation from sowing to fiber extraction. This low quality video is the best I could find but you can get the idea. Below is another video (from a manufacturing company) showing the process from harvest to manufacturing the jute twine.<br />
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</span>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Facts About Jute from <a href="http://www.victoriajutemill.com/" target="_blank">Victoria Jute Mill</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">
"India is the largest producer of raw jute and jute goods. This Golden Fibre is grown in the Gangetic Plain with alluvial soil, supported with adequate rainfall which are the ideal location for its growth. The major Raw Jute growing area in India are the states of West Bengal, Assam and Bihar.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">
This green plant is dipped in water, essentially in rivers, and allowed to be remained there for a period of 2 weeks to 3 weeks. The above soaking is necessary to loosen the fibre from the pitch and also to remove the skin from its surface. The fibre is then peeled out and cleaned. The peeled and cleaned fibre is dried in the sun. They are then segregated into ‘Top’ , ‘Middle’ & ‘Bottom’ portions and then graded according to quality. The quality-wise segregation is bundled into ‘Morahs’ and baled for transportation."</span></blockquote>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/y7LgQjKkOVo" width="480"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">"Victoria Jute Mill, Chandernagore, West bengal, India. Established in the 1880's by the English after the 1857 revolt as an economic measure for improving the economic condition of Bengal so that there is no repeat of the 1857 revolt against the British Empire."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
During my research, I found myself distracted with a folk song. I was fascinated by the woman who wrote it and the working conditions for the women (cheap labor) who worked in the jute mills in Dundee, Scotland. From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jute_trade">Wikipedia</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dundee Jute Barons<br />
The entrepreneurs of the Dundee jute Industry in Scotland were called The Jute Barons. They generally traded in finished products made from jute. The industry was the gateway for jute products in Europe for almost half a century, starting from the early 19th century to the middle of 19th century. The Dundee Jute Industry started to fall when the Jute Barons started to invest money in setting up jute mills in the Indian sub-continent, making the products cheaper by utilizing cheap labour of India.</span></blockquote>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iX-EKVTcrMs" width="480"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">
<br /><br />
An online collection about <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/an-amazing-woman-mary-brooksbank-1897-1978" target="_blank">An Amazing Woman: Mary Brookbank 1897-1978</a>
<br /><br />
<a href="http://unionsong.com/u313.html" target="_blank">From Union Songs</a> A song by Mary Brookbank
</span></div>
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<blockquote style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Chorus
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">O, dear me, the mill is running fast
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">And we poor shifters canna get nae rest </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Shifting bobbins coarse and fine </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">They fairly make you work for your ten and nine</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">O, dear me, I wish this day were done </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Running up and doon the </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Pass is nae fun </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Shiftin', piecin', spinning warp, weft and twine </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">To feed and clothe ma bairnie offa ten and nine</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">O, dear me, the world is ill-divided </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Them that works the hardest are the least provided </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">But I maun bide contented, dark days or fine </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">There's no much pleasure living offa ten and nine
</span></blockquote></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span></div>
<blockquote style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
Notes:<br />
First recorded by Ewan MacColl: Steam Whistle Ballads
<br /><br />
Mary Brookbank herself a jute worker wrote:
<br /><blockquote style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">"The life of the women workers of Dundee right up to the thirties was ... a living hell of hard work and poverty. It was a common sight to see women, after a long ten-hour-day in the mill, running to the stream wash-houses with the family washing. They worked up to the last few days before having their bairns. Often they would call in at the calenders from their work and carry home bundles of sacks to sew. These were paid for at the rate of 5 pence for 25, 6 pence for a coarser type of sack. Infant and maternal mortality in Dundee was the highest in the country."
</span></blockquote>
When folklorist Hamish Henderson asked Mary Brookbank how much of the song came from mill workers she replied:<br /><blockquote style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">"Only the ditty, 'Oh dear me, the mill's gaen fest, the puir wee shifters…' The verses are all mine. And that verse, 'to feed and cled my bairnie' was brought to me by a lassie who was worried. It wis hard lines if she, ye hid an illigitimate child and you had to pay for it aff that meagre wage, you know what I mean, and she used to say, oh I wish the day was done. And eh, tell me her troubles, her trackles, what she hid tae dae for her bairn and that, nae help that sort o' thing, and that brought that tae mind. And then I used to think on my own aboot how ill divided the world wis.</span></span></blockquote></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Getting back on track, I focused on the story of the jute sacks in connection with the coffee industry. I want to share with you part two of a three-part video series. You can find part one and three on the side bar at YouTube.</span></span></span>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zUbQ8LQ6tiw" width="640"></iframe></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span></span>
<blockquote style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">
The Mexican Coffee Company founder Rafael takes us to the streets of Yahalon to show us how he buys his coffee from independent farmers offering them a direct payment. He tells us about the delicate balance between wanting to improve the lives of the people here and maintaining perfect quality in his coffee at all times.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">
While I’m on the subject, I want to promote awareness about <a href="http://www.fairtradeusa.org/">Fair Trade USA</a> movement.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NhQJrz-aDfI">Fair Trade Story</a> video.</span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I have been concerned about product packaging for some time. The practice of using plastic for packaging must be addressed. The little knowledge I have gleaned from the Internet about the process of making a natural packaging product also gives me pause. Are today’s jute mill employee’s working conditions any better off than their predecessors’? Shouldn’t there be a system in place to reuse the coffee sacks since they usually have enough strength for more than its initial purpose? The balance between the resources used to produce a coffee sack and the life span of its intended use does not seem appropriate to me.</span><br style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;" />
<br style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;" /><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
My grandmother, who lived through the Great Depression, influenced me to reuse many things considered to be one-use products around the house. Just to give a couple of examples, she used coffee cans for storage, saved paper that had a blank side for notes, and pie pans to catch excess water from watering potted plants.</span><br style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;" />
<br style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;" /><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
Over 20 years ago, I made it my business to know how meat came to my plate. It didn’t take very long before I knew that I didn’t want to eat it any longer. I believe that if we all knew more about the process that brings to market the things we consume we would demand a more sustainable solution. I would also go so far as to suggest that this would be an appropriate subject to be included in the curriculum within the education system.</span><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7313951378/" title="Garden_coffeeSacks by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img alt="Garden with coffee Sacks" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7089/7313951378_b43466eddf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
While I was working on this project an unexpected event diverted my attention. It was on a blustery evening when I heard a kitten howling for help. I followed the sound of the desperate meowing to see what the problem was. At first I didn’t see anything, until what appeared to be a white rock in the road, darted directly toward me. Looking down at my feet, I realized it was a tiny kitten looking straight at me and pleading for assistance. I looked around for any sign of its mother or its siblings but neither was visible. I decided that I had better bring it inside and attempt to comfort it. The kitten was famished and I did the best I could with what I had on hand. Surprisingly, the kitten seemed to understand a human could be a friend and that solid cat food was to be eaten. The next morning, I walked around looking for any evidence that would explain its predicament. The only thing I found was a baby crib sheet in the water canal, not too far from the road. These facts put together lead me to question the idea that a feral momma cat lost or abandoned her baby.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61652224@N03/7313950714/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Yoda_1stMorning by sphinx moth, on Flickr"><img align="left" alt="Yoda_1stMorning" height="257" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7080/7313950714_ab04b1cf33.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Did someone wrap the kitten in swaddling clothes and abandon it in the ditch? The Internet can’t help me with that question. I will never know how the toddling kitten came to be in the street outside of my home.
<br /><br />
The kitten's eyes were caked with crusted dirt from an oozing eye infection that made it appear more like something the cat dragged in rather than a cat. We have determined that the kitten is a male so I call him Yoda, because he was the spitting image of the Star Wars character. Of course, I became attached to the little guy so my partner and I have accepted him into the family. Moonshadow, our one-year-old cat, acts anxious about Yoda’s cries but on the other hand is exhibiting signs of jealousy too. He will need more time to adjust to our decision. For now, we are keeping them separated until Yoda is infection free.
<br /><br />
We are fortunate that our community offers choices for folks who cannot care for an animal. The obvious choice would be the animal shelter but there is an even better option with the local volunteer operated <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/AZ36.html" target="_blank">Border Animal Rescue</a>. They publicize their services using all of the community avenues. I have noticed posters on the bulletin boards, notices in the local newspaper, and they are visible at the Farmer’s Market with their cages of animals ready for adoption. The dedicated volunteers provide an important service for our community so there is no excuse for someone not to take advantage of their services when the situation demands it. It is a shame that there are still uneducated people who think that their best option is to abandon their animals at roadsides, leaving them to their fate.
<br /><br />
We can take the responsibility for the hands and hearts of the workers living in poverty that produce the things we consume by striving to be ethical consumers through our purchases. We can also reuse and avoid waste whenever possible. We can also assume the responsibility for the care of a precious soul that the hands and mind of an anonymous person was capable of leaving behind in the dark of the night.
<br /><br />
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
— Dalai Lama XIV
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-44021053002581076372012-05-10T22:54:00.000-07:002012-05-11T09:23:02.399-07:00Spring Planting<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The spring season requires the art and/or experience of knowing when to sow the seeds or transplant the starter plants. I lack both when it comes to fruit and vegetables in southern Arizona so I let the growers at the Farmer’s Market indicate the timing. The fruit trees were set out for sale in mid-April so I interpreted that to be my cue.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGmt6talNyfprvx1aJoaqW-HWG6SjEEwiXi9ROgV0Pipod7gOCuKH2Fb9lhALCM4N2WmHLJLJmIVDfdT0dATKu7gXX0wNfElGONfp1xqnCNRAiPr6NoSNiMuDnd9s68vK2jQ87r-AWRQl/s1600/1969BirthdayParty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGmt6talNyfprvx1aJoaqW-HWG6SjEEwiXi9ROgV0Pipod7gOCuKH2Fb9lhALCM4N2WmHLJLJmIVDfdT0dATKu7gXX0wNfElGONfp1xqnCNRAiPr6NoSNiMuDnd9s68vK2jQ87r-AWRQl/s320/1969BirthdayParty.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Apple tree in the background <br /> I'm on the right</span></td></tr>
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</style><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I chose the apricot because I have noticed several mature trees around town. The local grower pointed out that the Royal varieties bloom late and have a better success rate in our climate. Bisbonian's heart was set on apple trees. We both have fond childhood memories related to apple trees. I hope my granddaughter will remember these trees with the same nostalgia that we have about our childhood apple trees.
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</style><span style="font-size: 12pt;">about our childhood apple trees</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Michael Pollen’s <i>Botany
of Desire </i>has a fascinating chapter about the history of the apple in
America. This video will give you a taste of his presentation.</span></div>
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Watch <a href="http://video.pbs.org/video/1283863020" style="color: #4eb2fe !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;" target="_blank">Apples - Web Extra with Michael Pollan</a> on PBS. See more from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/None" style="color: #4eb2fe !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;" target="_blank">Botany of Desire.</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The seasonal wind has increased since the fruit trees were transferred from the pot to the ground. The Granny Smith succeeded in producing a single apple and the Royal apricot is taking the transition in its stride. On the other hand, the Jonagold appears to be under a lot of stress.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I made a video to share our wind experience with you. My granddaughter and I spent part of her last visit learning the lyrics to <i>Listen to the Wind</i> <i>Blow</i>. I included it in the background since my simple camera can’t record the wind well. I’m likely breaking a copyright law so SesameStreet.org can have me arrested if they want to. Credit to Buffy Sainte-Marie is at the end of the video (at least I give her full name). Peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It so happened that I had three bales left over from the two trips to the feed store back in January. BTW, the answer to “how many bales can you fit in our 1971 VW bus” is nine. I decided to place the left-over straw bales around the Granny Smith apple tree. I divided them in half to create the flower design.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbmA9HUThyphenhyphenHKlhc0etByYB-t7O5P4RyLEkkzbWJClKCJ9lJnymkzgcmnPXQCSDGD4l8EAZHkOrCkkmrKWgM-3tqbV7l-Q556iyCnkfscUheHmhkOinzPOvdlv3A7DdmdHBfydxk58cfhJ/s1600/GrannyApplenBales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbmA9HUThyphenhyphenHKlhc0etByYB-t7O5P4RyLEkkzbWJClKCJ9lJnymkzgcmnPXQCSDGD4l8EAZHkOrCkkmrKWgM-3tqbV7l-Q556iyCnkfscUheHmhkOinzPOvdlv3A7DdmdHBfydxk58cfhJ/s640/GrannyApplenBales.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Granny Smith apple tree.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgXbBC67tVB3J3b3VZ9MS6t9zeT5rMH28Q8cm_WppM9z7ZLdDsTN9YK62iiv7pMjASt2LAL-4zQL62VORAIjHTrNBVMEZk3msr7JXU4N98_Dmc6QlgvI8bDTdecim3NlsQuoGwOkOEsYI/s1600/BaleNeedleThread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgXbBC67tVB3J3b3VZ9MS6t9zeT5rMH28Q8cm_WppM9z7ZLdDsTN9YK62iiv7pMjASt2LAL-4zQL62VORAIjHTrNBVMEZk3msr7JXU4N98_Dmc6QlgvI8bDTdecim3NlsQuoGwOkOEsYI/s320/BaleNeedleThread.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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</style> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: 12pt;">I improvised a needle and thread system as a way to divide the straw bales. The “needle” was a rubber-coated stake with picture hanging wire wrapped on one end to serve as the eye. The stake was driven through the center of the bale at the points just below the preexisting main line. Bisbonian, the knot maker extraordinaire, handled the task of tightly securing the six new lines. He cut the original binding string and the bale easily broke apart.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchMLtdwgw0gMfRCnIIn8C5BPPNDbu0CVbTzzA2MYPF3h1ej6gksjuVm5Z06zqBfOAsNDaqoKaOOhsUPieUsEOL_cD7cZU8lMTZzf3J1U-EMQ3GYXtOa8YrS5WrWG_7HsV3LZpjU5TSE__/s1600/StrawBaleDividing.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchMLtdwgw0gMfRCnIIn8C5BPPNDbu0CVbTzzA2MYPF3h1ej6gksjuVm5Z06zqBfOAsNDaqoKaOOhsUPieUsEOL_cD7cZU8lMTZzf3J1U-EMQ3GYXtOa8YrS5WrWG_7HsV3LZpjU5TSE__/s200/StrawBaleDividing.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: 12pt;">I also "sewed" the hoops to the bales at the end of the row. The strength of the wind was causing the hoops on the ends to lean.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMwOjgpqCI0Et8dgM8-2e2DRGyvzo1CthKknqSLiSdWXn2L7RL5EYLjMYDSzJdlOvz-FZpPJS-W8_dwVEi1M0eS2SzOxUT1DyMrnJvnuLgbC6VfDxoZCAnYUcS1YxdwYlkOgu6LWXyMbM/s1600/MoonshadowTent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMwOjgpqCI0Et8dgM8-2e2DRGyvzo1CthKknqSLiSdWXn2L7RL5EYLjMYDSzJdlOvz-FZpPJS-W8_dwVEi1M0eS2SzOxUT1DyMrnJvnuLgbC6VfDxoZCAnYUcS1YxdwYlkOgu6LWXyMbM/s320/MoonshadowTent.jpg" width="320" /></a>Moonshadow thinks this project is working out perfectly, but I’m not so sure. Let me bring you up to date about my experiment with growing from seed using the straw bale gardening technique.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The seedlings in the bales that I conditioned in February are giving me some concern. The fact is their growth rate has declined severely. Here are some of my observations:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hand watering, even using the finest spray setting is inefficient. If you direct the water in one area for any length of time the water rolls off the bales rather than soaking in. I discovered that not only the soil bounced off the straw bales from the pressure of the water hitting the surface, but some of the seeds as well. Moving the water spray back and forth to prevent the water from running off the sides added to the problem. I now have lettuce growing between the bales and the adobe bricks. That’s cool but mysteriously, there are eggplant seedlings growing in the adjacent row of straw bales from where they were placed. It became apparent that I needed to install a watering system.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWyQeVejmghr6bOhN6i3hjhc4l_f0GdUvRcJKliI_2_5xQFWr4O3_fTFO17DuBWlgiXYMyGrPE_ziujcfTtTIoCzFBuGKVGYGBxdDPPpD_q2zNulLlKUXd0t7T7TjFuXT50pMsHFbuMTC/s1600/WaterPipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWyQeVejmghr6bOhN6i3hjhc4l_f0GdUvRcJKliI_2_5xQFWr4O3_fTFO17DuBWlgiXYMyGrPE_ziujcfTtTIoCzFBuGKVGYGBxdDPPpD_q2zNulLlKUXd0t7T7TjFuXT50pMsHFbuMTC/s320/WaterPipe.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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If you live in a historical home you can bet that when you embark on an improvement project there will be unexpected obstacles. This is a perfect example.</div>
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I was determined to place the hose lines under the ground at least a few inches to eliminate the aggravation of trying to prevent tripping over hose lines. To do this successfully, the hose needed to be threaded under the cement pathway in two places. Bisbonian immediately voiced concern and tried to discourage me.</div>
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Well then, you can imagine my excitement when I discovered a garden tool, an auger that fits onto a hand drill, designed for the purpose of tunneling under sidewalks. I merrily returned home thinking I found a way to do it all by myself. I was feeling like a kid about to do something that my parent thought I shouldn’t do. I started to dig a trench, assuming that the cement would be about 5” thick. We all know where assumptions get us.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbPOC62S3D3np2kgxAR1f0K7-3pCUyjNutoZFTegOB4Gmt65iL9aMtpqMfTiRqTGPw_8qGPu8ngR3DHJ8N-aYKM6MQ0MQwAvLH3Zt0qVsSCGfbDq65grv-ybRayXf3FTK3pBc6cQNYDZT/s1600/DripTubingIN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbPOC62S3D3np2kgxAR1f0K7-3pCUyjNutoZFTegOB4Gmt65iL9aMtpqMfTiRqTGPw_8qGPu8ngR3DHJ8N-aYKM6MQ0MQwAvLH3Zt0qVsSCGfbDq65grv-ybRayXf3FTK3pBc6cQNYDZT/s320/DripTubingIN.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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The cement pathway was four times deeper than I expected. This is where the phrase “welcome to Bisbee” comes into play. At this point, Bisbonian took pity on me and offered to relieve me from the heavy work necessary for the project to proceed. I swallowed my pride and welcomed his participation. I also think that trying out the new auger got his interest.
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The auger tool worked as advertised and Bisbonian was able to drill under the walkway near the faucet after digging a 20”D x 1’W x 3’L trench.</div>
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The walkway in front of the house added another level of
complexity. This time the phrase “welcome to Warren” was more appropriate. After
digging further down than the other site, we discovered plumbing embedded in
the cement. I convinced Bisbonian that
this plumbing is probably historical from the time when the Warren suburb was developed. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqndC1OWbHjS2hvdFcyLWzegk_pkPlx3Knhc5hCs8Hu4kFrfStZfgxsk4JU9dsVBc4GnbdSencYLflZiStI5VZAp2DmhFp3IjHWNzAM9-U2kFTKISaKFW8bT6KFUNi45hzm_H1VXU0USBs/s1600/DripTubingOUT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqndC1OWbHjS2hvdFcyLWzegk_pkPlx3Knhc5hCs8Hu4kFrfStZfgxsk4JU9dsVBc4GnbdSencYLflZiStI5VZAp2DmhFp3IjHWNzAM9-U2kFTKISaKFW8bT6KFUNi45hzm_H1VXU0USBs/s320/DripTubingOUT.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Calumet & Arizona Mining Company piped in water from their mining
operations to provide water for the landscape, without charge, to the residences
within the Warren town site. I believe that it was part of the strategy to sell
the company owned town lots. Old-timers remember when Warren was lush with
vegetation before the water was cut off from the mine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I reminded Bisbonian that he had sawn off some of that historical plumbing sticking above ground just another 5 feet along the walkway. To be absolutely certain, he continued digging the trench until we could see the plumbing under the path connected to the plumbing he cut previously. Bisbonian removed a section of the pipe on both sides of the walkway to allow the hose to be threaded through. Time for a beer, eh?</span></div>
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I
installed a 1/4 in. porous soaker hose on top of the row of straw bales. I
hadn’t used this product before but it seemed perfect for my project. It comes
in a 50’ role and connects to ½ inch tubing by a barbed connector. I learned
that using all 50’ didn’t work well. After adjusting the system by shortening the
hose to 25’ and running two separate lines off the mainline it worked well enough.
There is still a problem with an inconsistent dripping rate along the lines. Nevertheless,
the seedlings seem to be satisfied because their growth rate has dramatically improved.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Another discovery about
straw bale gardening is that the straw bales’ (my bales anyway) density is not
consistent and therefore the composting action is inconsistent as well. In the
process of carving out holes for the starters, each hole revealed varied degrees
of straw decomposition. The most troubling fact is that some of the bales have completely
hollowed out from the process of composting within the center of the straw
bales. Three inches under the mixture of soil, compost and straw, the young plant’s
roots are encountering empty air pockets. Ugh. Maybe that would explain the
decrease in plant growth as well. I discovered this phenomenon while thinning
out the pumpkin mound so I carefully filled the empty pockets with straw and
conditioned soil. The singled out pumpkin is showing more life now.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is always difficult for me to choose the healthiest seedling and
sacrifice the others. I tend to side with the underdogs in life. In this case I
decided to move the other pumpkin seedlings to the new straw bales around the
apple tree and see how they do.</span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">As I was working on this post, an expected thunderstorm rolled in. What was unexpected was the hail that came with it. I'm afraid that I intentionally left the plants exposed to receive rainwater. Once I realized the extent of the storm, I was not willing to try to replace the soggy covers that would require extensive clipping to secure them when the lightning flashed overhead. So I captured the event on video and let nature take its course.</span><br />
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Here is a slideshow showing the
plant's progress from April to May (includes the damage from the hail storm).</div>
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Even though I have some setbacks, the project offers me a great deal of satisfaction. As far as predicting the weather and the seasons, I think we are entering into an era where everything that has been known up to now will be invalid. We are living in interesting times. In the midst of all the greed, politics and denials, I will continue to strive to be a good steward for the dirt I occupy.</span></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-5054716428707692592012-04-27T13:36:00.000-07:002012-04-27T16:38:05.270-07:00In The Moment<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
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We are enjoying an
extended spring season this year, not the usual weeks of endless dry 50+ mph
wind gusts that cause you to contemplate suicide. For example, last year both
of our screen doors were blown off of their hinges. In the past, I wondered if
Bisbee even had a spring season since usually the dry-gusting-wind-filled days
roll seamlessly into the egg-frying-on-the-cement days.</div>
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For too many days to
count, I have been waking up to discover the fine weather beckoning me to play
outside. While I’m pleased with the unusually mild weather, I am feeling the
effects of the obligation to make some progress on the garden. The odds that
the next day or coming weeks might prove to be impossible to work outside are
high. Today is a one of those gusty days so I’m listening to the wind blow instead
of digging and sifting.</div>
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Dig, sift, and dump. The
repetition of the movements allows my mind to shift between various states of
mind.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHMfApm1at_pltGQDfNQ2VQUm6Av72dM4LAiZrTwhjF4SSWgqIkadLBxR6vHNVlYkHUtoumO6johmpRDncooOH-PRFwxUKuTcvDFKHfEqUAieu2Q_utQQLnXsCfyeJE8fBlVzWZ9-81sm/s1600/movement_Dig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHMfApm1at_pltGQDfNQ2VQUm6Av72dM4LAiZrTwhjF4SSWgqIkadLBxR6vHNVlYkHUtoumO6johmpRDncooOH-PRFwxUKuTcvDFKHfEqUAieu2Q_utQQLnXsCfyeJE8fBlVzWZ9-81sm/s640/movement_Dig.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Digging Pictogram</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
Pick up shovel, place
it down, rest
foot on top, shove
my weight down, bend
knees & swing up, turn
the dirt on the screen, roll
the dirt with my gloved hand, pushing harder on the clay balls until they
crumble & fall through. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
Continue
with the circular rolling motion over the rocks until the pieces of grass & roots forms into a
ball, toss
it out, tilt
screen rolling rocks to one side, rubbing
the screen to catch the remaining roots and finally plucking
out the remaining Bermuda grass stolons tangled in the rocks. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Repeat until the screen is half full with rocks.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYa1f0YSuaw9ZbaPJzF214nKHDPcEpplUmnFJvLTSdl_ySlw7xYZjwl6MYP_gE4oLcXHAmBiLc1wW255qSJmZbpl7a05nDtqVxGtgScgmk0_osRqMdZyOznJYMOrXGoki4Lr_wWUl4dX0j/s1600/movement_DumpRock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYa1f0YSuaw9ZbaPJzF214nKHDPcEpplUmnFJvLTSdl_ySlw7xYZjwl6MYP_gE4oLcXHAmBiLc1wW255qSJmZbpl7a05nDtqVxGtgScgmk0_osRqMdZyOznJYMOrXGoki4Lr_wWUl4dX0j/s640/movement_DumpRock.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lift the screen to give a final shaking and pluck
out the last unwanted bits and walk it over to the designated rock filled
areas. Return to the wheelbarrow and replace the screen. Repeat this rhythm
until the wheelbarrow is filled with dirt.</span> </div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mvA4-9Zkn0bAMPLfBAGNaKpXkC9-qiYfnYDovJ-8EcQHW8D5wpPaxw9RwyYuT1lM_9TKG7ZQy5VmXL2vUjIW8vKsG6ePoqJgkoxlc-2bSXQdtvc6Wf3PHPRdUaJrZBLcCc6SYOy2RwUC/s1600/movement_DumpDirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mvA4-9Zkn0bAMPLfBAGNaKpXkC9-qiYfnYDovJ-8EcQHW8D5wpPaxw9RwyYuT1lM_9TKG7ZQy5VmXL2vUjIW8vKsG6ePoqJgkoxlc-2bSXQdtvc6Wf3PHPRdUaJrZBLcCc6SYOy2RwUC/s640/movement_DumpDirt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Remove the dirt by returning it back into the hole or carry
it over to another area in the yard.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Repeat. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinCDwPpyIhTIUD3mbA846nUmUwiglxq1rYx2Z2OEjhI7SB7tc-dnmcTG_k57NvKuqXgeoaVsDb1Ks2ON8mBuTr3J91ybSLP9xazgfemvnOo9FxiRZuN8BVOxcNHqYbe7sSwCd48270CvA/s1600/movement_All.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="635" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinCDwPpyIhTIUD3mbA846nUmUwiglxq1rYx2Z2OEjhI7SB7tc-dnmcTG_k57NvKuqXgeoaVsDb1Ks2ON8mBuTr3J91ybSLP9xazgfemvnOo9FxiRZuN8BVOxcNHqYbe7sSwCd48270CvA/s640/movement_All.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rhythm of digging, sifting and dumping pictogram</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
From the task at hand . .
. to meandering thoughts... to simple observations . . . to abstract
impressions. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
The action becomes a
dance, the mind lulls into meditation and the essence of life and death is
acknowledged.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
Being so intently focused
upon the task of removing the Bermuda grass from the yard, I realized that a
healthy balance to this activity was in order. I started to take longer breaks
to take the time to notice the life that the spring season offers. The
following photographs were taken when I put the shovel down. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTBpwvEa4FqYYEYZPPAB8qtaN9Iemkopcmc4-a3uQjeu0ey-eLPZWFkUuoHRL5SSHPryX49qA7YIpHnOzbJwLE9uyGdFo1UvCN1OGJ67TnvcuZlHHstFls-5LoaectBOK8pkUSRSwDrUG/s1600/MoonshadowBirdwatching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTBpwvEa4FqYYEYZPPAB8qtaN9Iemkopcmc4-a3uQjeu0ey-eLPZWFkUuoHRL5SSHPryX49qA7YIpHnOzbJwLE9uyGdFo1UvCN1OGJ67TnvcuZlHHstFls-5LoaectBOK8pkUSRSwDrUG/s640/MoonshadowBirdwatching.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Moonshadow birding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZzKRLstjSjJtFtVSyRVmMkrhxnEbOyfpSIZIQE7nm8zXOHdZ-QW2VUIOsPha0H2ztz-MQSTdiVtSsD2tbEMApeomA03lgV-f-8qzX8RXpy8S-xRyJBrBeNzzhPMGWEQqwP2KYFP6tLHh/s1600/BeeApachePlume2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZzKRLstjSjJtFtVSyRVmMkrhxnEbOyfpSIZIQE7nm8zXOHdZ-QW2VUIOsPha0H2ztz-MQSTdiVtSsD2tbEMApeomA03lgV-f-8qzX8RXpy8S-xRyJBrBeNzzhPMGWEQqwP2KYFP6tLHh/s640/BeeApachePlume2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apache Plume in bloom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Iu9knKqxF14Jbk-JHXFBJ-YtoxPsHSDXll5aVDafzgJf90ZVcst0kwTln1sUy1BMqXIjc9UXBABFjNHeFPT-GoQRuu9xhBtv3HINlzfGLDjbyi39QI3dBF1_WaI-wHllVW0WUJwfpCym/s1600/PipevineSwallowtailApachePlume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Iu9knKqxF14Jbk-JHXFBJ-YtoxPsHSDXll5aVDafzgJf90ZVcst0kwTln1sUy1BMqXIjc9UXBABFjNHeFPT-GoQRuu9xhBtv3HINlzfGLDjbyi39QI3dBF1_WaI-wHllVW0WUJwfpCym/s640/PipevineSwallowtailApachePlume.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pipevine Swallowtail - Battus Philenor (identified @ <a href="http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/arthropoda/lepidoptera.html" target="_blank">www.arizonensis.org</a>)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tK55Sw8qkJzhZV5eTcWhAcS-1tpCIDlZqAQ3BY7CHJXIl80wCn3I6nvKu3pR4jVWhvlQGekLjQmfn9j-IbTlu9uwcwVWQ0Z4L3zdBELydxCCYZPDSeA0rkMQSYOnVEtxehOou0ULI99D/s1600/LadyBugMullein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tK55Sw8qkJzhZV5eTcWhAcS-1tpCIDlZqAQ3BY7CHJXIl80wCn3I6nvKu3pR4jVWhvlQGekLjQmfn9j-IbTlu9uwcwVWQ0Z4L3zdBELydxCCYZPDSeA0rkMQSYOnVEtxehOou0ULI99D/s640/LadyBugMullein.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladybug on Mullein</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AJDu1vgC2YbMniu4WYYIS5Wsre48iJYVgYHM1B9FZmP2vJ1b6pgaAsfzdEsRDeya9xV_XYt-jvZ30SVAO4vR99EsEGGzoGRdjvD9Svk-yHIqZKKGxzqOwa4l1OvwewwANm_7csdPUPdt/s1600/CoprinopsisAtramentariaStageI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AJDu1vgC2YbMniu4WYYIS5Wsre48iJYVgYHM1B9FZmP2vJ1b6pgaAsfzdEsRDeya9xV_XYt-jvZ30SVAO4vR99EsEGGzoGRdjvD9Svk-yHIqZKKGxzqOwa4l1OvwewwANm_7csdPUPdt/s640/CoprinopsisAtramentariaStageI.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clusters of mushrooms sprouting in the straw bales</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEre2cqZUX6JF3Wc4NEIfPtM1Htl9G6_8TgSnqrzwiTUnWsr2-54c50CsGoIXL9IsE8YtkoFjzLElVyItA_2GA60qDSawe_zDWQ4YBLTxzz5TgywxwJ2oUoLebkcDA66eE7qPxALAq9y4F/s1600/CoprinopsisAtramentariaStageII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEre2cqZUX6JF3Wc4NEIfPtM1Htl9G6_8TgSnqrzwiTUnWsr2-54c50CsGoIXL9IsE8YtkoFjzLElVyItA_2GA60qDSawe_zDWQ4YBLTxzz5TgywxwJ2oUoLebkcDA66eE7qPxALAq9y4F/s640/CoprinopsisAtramentariaStageII.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KqAplp19VuEVf3_YXYuyRO54WXJBxOn2zfK-g5Ijp9itONE8pnvmct4xrwXiipXI7XAOEyWekXTCTmcsQC-R99KHPMnwE8J_ljjEHYSEVirRYylqe9NMyx6T-ue7spgIZx0BeTQiGhTp/s1600/CoprinopsisAtramentariaStageIII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KqAplp19VuEVf3_YXYuyRO54WXJBxOn2zfK-g5Ijp9itONE8pnvmct4xrwXiipXI7XAOEyWekXTCTmcsQC-R99KHPMnwE8J_ljjEHYSEVirRYylqe9NMyx6T-ue7spgIZx0BeTQiGhTp/s640/CoprinopsisAtramentariaStageIII.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New mushrooms sprouting through the blackened remains of their predecessors.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Coprinopsis
atramentaria</b> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">from Wikipedia</i></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Coprinopsis atramentaria, commonly known as the common ink cap or inky
cap, is an edible (but sometimes poisonous, see below) mushroom found in Europe
and North America. Clumps of mushrooms arise after rain from spring to autumn,
commonly in urban and disturbed habitats such as vacant lots and lawns, as well
as grassy areas. The grey-brown cap is initially bell-shaped before opening,
after which, it flattens and disintegrates. The flesh is thin and the taste
mild. It can be eaten but is poisonous when consumed with alcohol – hence
another common name, tippler's bane.</span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8hyphenhyphenlI0dRAe5pwh4EcOKzQqCyUYQraBsAJy9riHfiS6TqPz-NV90NUVKbWj4yZEdgVmg9-FTWfVCQ94zgcYewEPImGyikKFsqYufvXFeIWHYxJJtEc_6rKH0HrswBYoJQqPwMy8bO-dVy/s1600/MothSwissChard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8hyphenhyphenlI0dRAe5pwh4EcOKzQqCyUYQraBsAJy9riHfiS6TqPz-NV90NUVKbWj4yZEdgVmg9-FTWfVCQ94zgcYewEPImGyikKFsqYufvXFeIWHYxJJtEc_6rKH0HrswBYoJQqPwMy8bO-dVy/s640/MothSwissChard.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Ash Sphinx, Sphinx chersis, resting near the Swiss chard. (identified @ <a href="http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Sphinx-chersis" target="_blank">www.butterfliesandmoths.org</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
passing of the Sphinx Moth within hours of the first photograph was
disheartening. I buried it under the bale that will house the King of the
Desert Watermelon.</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXUS9SVhkTAeksCyY-qB59jB0Ew4Y0ZAt7n1tlcS0w6F8hLszD7KgJ08Odj8yFCrfjiYpxbD3qTSsQRjId7Pi80DSaOCbkCNR_2AvVWyWbaeoNzQ_56qU0QXPqXWfJv5pa11q1nYfmVmt/s1600/Columbine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXUS9SVhkTAeksCyY-qB59jB0Ew4Y0ZAt7n1tlcS0w6F8hLszD7KgJ08Odj8yFCrfjiYpxbD3qTSsQRjId7Pi80DSaOCbkCNR_2AvVWyWbaeoNzQ_56qU0QXPqXWfJv5pa11q1nYfmVmt/s640/Columbine.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Columbine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyD3rn66ze6Ksno1VJnoTl5COdjqzMuTuFxCH-OypVD1vy8ae8LRhv5_nMZmTCm5L7BdKF7fDOLGA07iOF5GK1LbQDfiYvdRTm1GH_CoSEplXvJBszRdHOHrS1Gs5WlCZ-gbrV4cAyMjjE/s1600/AmaryllisBuds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyD3rn66ze6Ksno1VJnoTl5COdjqzMuTuFxCH-OypVD1vy8ae8LRhv5_nMZmTCm5L7BdKF7fDOLGA07iOF5GK1LbQDfiYvdRTm1GH_CoSEplXvJBszRdHOHrS1Gs5WlCZ-gbrV4cAyMjjE/s640/AmaryllisBuds.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amaryllis Buds</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amaryllis blooms</td></tr>
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Thank you for taking the
time to stop and <s>smell the roses</s> for being <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in the moment</i> and touring through the garden with me. </div>
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<i> </i>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-59986087291657486302012-04-14T10:23:00.000-07:002012-04-14T14:09:56.259-07:00Straw Bale Gardening<div style="color: black;">
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Many years ago, I heard that straw bales could be used as
planting beds to grow vegetables. My first initial reaction was filled with
skepticism but the reported successes made the idea intriguing. This year I’ll try my own experiment
with type of gardening for the reasons that will be detailed below. I'll admit upfront
that it has been great fun from the start and I can’t help myself from having great hopes for the outcome.</div>
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The ultimate goal is to begin producing my own food. This is a big
step outside of my comfort zone. I have tended to favor low maintenance and drought tolerant species like herbs, succulents, and
cactus. Caretaking plants that produce food requires more time,
understanding and consistency. I have collected heaps of literature, a little
know how and a lot of motivation through out the years.</div>
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The motivation comes from the lack of trust and my disgust toward
our food system. Growing some of my own food is my way of rejecting the system
and offers me the chance to take some responsibility. Compromises are a reality
but they will lessen in time. It is about educating myself and for those
who I’m in contact with. It’s about the food that nature intended for us. It’s
about the earth, the soul and the spirit of life.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Typically, the vegetable
garden is relegated to the back yard. Who made that rule? Why is it considered
a rebellious act to grow veggies in the front yard? The fact is the majority of
the dirt I occupy is situated in the front yard and that is where it makes
sense for me to place the vegetables. While I’m being a bit rebellious, I
might as well organize the beds in an unconventional way. Front yard
landscaping is generally treated as an ornament to enhance the appearance of
the home. I decided to view the placement of the veggie beds with the same attitude
as I would toward the arrangement of trees, shrubs or flowers. To date, only
one observer sounded surprised about growing veggies in the front yard. The
others who chose to make a comment seemed to be pleased and didn’t appear to be
shocked.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqIxDz9xYD5dorR6yFlIqDEfuq9uRKwNhi3F8yfPVFgYgi9QtyFsi54aAk9cT_VsczgA3FMpyMqEonztRwB4IIcdG09rxLMBrE6Ao8B82QkhCykLQqOcQe2qG-Ii7vdJICwANXa5n5xLz/s1600/Design_FencedProperty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="505" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqIxDz9xYD5dorR6yFlIqDEfuq9uRKwNhi3F8yfPVFgYgi9QtyFsi54aAk9cT_VsczgA3FMpyMqEonztRwB4IIcdG09rxLMBrE6Ao8B82QkhCykLQqOcQe2qG-Ii7vdJICwANXa5n5xLz/s640/Design_FencedProperty.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here is an updated version of my landscape design with the
added vegetable sections included. The Bow and Hairpin fence lines are
abstractly repeated in the rows of straw bales.<br />
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<b>Why straw bales?</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghtSkG2N034hHznQC_HJbHbtytasBTzpIoAtgRN3YvaJXy98-HJHDfTGUneYtphi-gn-NtRRrz679CjRr3jHjTPDu4sMZJQNWbshq-lH-OpaVZC9gbP1yhNwbW8yUeCPVqM6gNmN-djPT/s1600/2012_VistaSoil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghtSkG2N034hHznQC_HJbHbtytasBTzpIoAtgRN3YvaJXy98-HJHDfTGUneYtphi-gn-NtRRrz679CjRr3jHjTPDu4sMZJQNWbshq-lH-OpaVZC9gbP1yhNwbW8yUeCPVqM6gNmN-djPT/s320/2012_VistaSoil.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The soil has been
supporting Bermuda grass for decades but it doesn’t offer enough life to
support a thriving vegetable garden. My best analysis, is the following: 1 1/2”
topsoil (grass mulch) followed by a mix of sandy and iron rich soil above a
mixture of iron rich clay and rocks ending with a layer (not shown in the
photograph because the shovel stops there) of what I would assume is partly
caliche.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: 12pt;">My first thoughts about installing a vegetable
garden were to incorporate raised beds in the yard. That led to my thoughts
about the source of the soil to put in the beds. In the past, I have always
been disappointed with the quality of commercially packaged soil from local
home improvement or even nursery supply stores, especially for gardening in an
arid location. My experience has proven that commercial soil is completely
useless since it doesn’t hold moisture well. Looking at the quality of my soil,
organic matter needed to be added. Also, even after digging and
sifting through a screen, it is still going to be compromised with Bermuda
grass seeds, rhizomes and stolons. The most practical organic solution to
discourage Bermuda grass from returning was to prevent it from having access to
the sunlight. After some research on straw bale gardening, I was sold on the
idea that the composting bales would enrich the soil for the future. In the
meantime, I’m predicting that they will conveniently block the light from the remnants
of the Bermuda grass where they stand.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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I decided to devote one maybe
two years to this type of gardening. There
was a lot of information online, some which contradicts each other; hay vs.
straw, bale position, soil vs. no soil, methods of bale preparation, etc. From
the abundant amount of information I followed my best judgment for my situation.
</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXUpzmBmWB1jIxsWcooja6I1r3Pc4alq_8nqGTeYT9k56S9FVGqGEJIPTb7wt4SHW-F-tFR0Uks0hhS8cyJxItGuzGL72amF2QyYKDrUwKGaYsslDq1OY0ZQXoGeDFlxUo6HR_h7b7S7R/s1600/Strawbale_5Jan2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXUpzmBmWB1jIxsWcooja6I1r3Pc4alq_8nqGTeYT9k56S9FVGqGEJIPTb7wt4SHW-F-tFR0Uks0hhS8cyJxItGuzGL72amF2QyYKDrUwKGaYsslDq1OY0ZQXoGeDFlxUo6HR_h7b7S7R/s320/Strawbale_5Jan2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier;">5 Jan 2012</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The goal for this year is to make the center plot productive. The space is
approx. 17’ X 17’ (289 sq. ft.). I began by carving out the Bermuda grass to
mimic the outside rows in order to get a visual image for how the design would
work in the designated space. Converting a design from 2D to 3D could have
unexpected results so this method was used to reassure myself before moving
forward and installing the first load of straw bales.</span>
<br />
<br />
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A call was made to a friend
who lives with horses. I asked about purchasing
organically grown bales in the area but she said, “Forget
it”. She did have a reference to whom to buy straw
bales from though. Here is the beginning of the ethical compromises. The
average cost for straw bales in the area was $7.50 and hay $18.00. I was
expecting a price closer to $5.00 for the straw. We paid with cash in exchange for the discounted price of $7.00
a bale. Somewhere online the bale price increase was explained by the loss incurred in last year’s
fires but I can’t seem to relocate that source now.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">
How many bales can you fit in a VW bus?</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVL2IbRk7ThGg9mMpYKCb0gO0mDveaRjh-IUwQwFG8JObBzkF2fp0_dvlXIxeSJWHtDj7ghkKCM6_Q2w5sZFdnM2ik_LbAc60fomFr4S7s384j7H_MVi0WjwkhdH8CRb0qpA8W5aCNammb/s1600/NineBalesMabel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVL2IbRk7ThGg9mMpYKCb0gO0mDveaRjh-IUwQwFG8JObBzkF2fp0_dvlXIxeSJWHtDj7ghkKCM6_Q2w5sZFdnM2ik_LbAc60fomFr4S7s384j7H_MVi0WjwkhdH8CRb0qpA8W5aCNammb/s320/NineBalesMabel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI8uAADqF0beycLKkaHzjuDru1JaUoAZ8HHFS0oXDHanVSHi2Xu6XLbHUwwfmA2Eqn-cWxR9z98nZFxlfrt1RtL8xsGY17T8qvI8ZGf-vKNH8GNR4bxuUs907-MVphfQbxF_aeTG0Wis5/s1600/LoadingBalesMabel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI8uAADqF0beycLKkaHzjuDru1JaUoAZ8HHFS0oXDHanVSHi2Xu6XLbHUwwfmA2Eqn-cWxR9z98nZFxlfrt1RtL8xsGY17T8qvI8ZGf-vKNH8GNR4bxuUs907-MVphfQbxF_aeTG0Wis5/s320/LoadingBalesMabel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>1st Load</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>2nd Load</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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More to keep me motivated
than anything else, I’m digging in stages. At this point a curious neighbor inquired if I was digging a grave for my partner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQb4KIAmEUlYoL87WDCJoHvC5Avebu8GT-R7RE3hnV9AMzL-C8qjJApeg2VeKDLklHHZPVH5D2MxERmEhXsEE8CkFeAXJzxE_n0eINZZePqftAtCzlhb76u9cESuemLt8ZxmDaG2HmYEr/s1600/Strawbale_19Jan2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQb4KIAmEUlYoL87WDCJoHvC5Avebu8GT-R7RE3hnV9AMzL-C8qjJApeg2VeKDLklHHZPVH5D2MxERmEhXsEE8CkFeAXJzxE_n0eINZZePqftAtCzlhb76u9cESuemLt8ZxmDaG2HmYEr/s320/Strawbale_19Jan2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Courier;">19 Jan 2012</span></b></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
The bales were prepared with
a dose of human urine and soaked daily for a week. Winter doesn’t typically bring
Arizona much precipitation so I had to use city water. During the bale
preparation process, the grass seeds, possibly oats, which
were lodged in the bales, began to
sprout. Ironically, I was complemented on my success but it was not what I
intended to grow. My bales looked like giant <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chia Pets</i>. After spreading a layer of compost on top, I covered the
bales with plastic before going out of town for nearly two weeks. The intended result was that the
bales would get hot enough to kill the seeds. Using plastic in the process was
my second ethical compromise but for my consolation its use was for a very
short period of time and it was reused from the packaging of our mattress.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
Note: Buying a commercial gardening
product was a huge disappointment. The ORGANIC compost was laced with plastic
trash, painted wood chips and about a third of the weight was made up of
stones. Ugh! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Forest Magic</i> is a product
by <a href="http://gro-well.com/" target="_blank">Gro-Well</a>. Their stated mission “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is to
provide the North American Marketplace with environmentally friendly, natural
and organic garden products which promote the sustainability of our planet.”</i>.
From the looks of their product, they scooped up the floor of a picnic area in
a public park. I’ve got to get a serious composting system put on place this
year. Obviously, simply composting my table scraps is not going cover projects
like this.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7bTcD3e4YJ0hQbBEaQzWTyH6_H3ot7Nqn16bAC-3l4V9sDW2tgGFjZMmJ4rS_UhYNVP5GRtSCG3lLIrslw2QUvIp2FnKVk4UPGgTFtr6uDNRWry-IUN9LnkUE2jpo3wgwP6LU3ZuyOQq/s1600/Strawbale_19Mar2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7bTcD3e4YJ0hQbBEaQzWTyH6_H3ot7Nqn16bAC-3l4V9sDW2tgGFjZMmJ4rS_UhYNVP5GRtSCG3lLIrslw2QUvIp2FnKVk4UPGgTFtr6uDNRWry-IUN9LnkUE2jpo3wgwP6LU3ZuyOQq/s320/Strawbale_19Mar2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>19 Mar 2012</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: 12pt;">Southern Arizona had significant winds while we were gone. We drove up
to our home with the image of the plastic sheets loosely flapping in the
breeze. At least it was not in my neighbors yard. The plastic wrapping procedure
worked well enough because the grass sprouts were
effectively dead. Since the bales had dried out while I was out of town, I went
ahead and watered them daily for another week. After that, I thought I was prepared
to sow the seeds when suddenly the weather changed. We
experienced a day filled with snow flurries and a couple of nights of
near freezing level temperatures. That significantly cooled the bales down.</span></div>
</div>
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I promptly ordered hoops
and covers to protect the bales from future freezing temperatures, wind,
evaporation, and the pesky birds. The Gardenquilt cover advertised that it
allows 60% of the sunlight to filter through and it protects plants as low as
24 degrees. The quilt is made of polypropylene so I made another compromise. Alternatives will present themselves in time. Are you getting my point with these
compromises? I’ll go insane keeping track of them all. Suffice it to say that I have a greater appreciation for the organic farmers. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubBEDOtUn8J_0MoI4R6Ztj9TbiP1qB2085Cl4GrBhUF7A72h9oE610X7gL2ehXhxQLAy-K2rPFbz5hFSe6yjduhZJ_xRV8dyS80BP4Ibno120X55x_i50Y8RBbk_kmKgPq4tjyWNVophi/s1600/Strawbale_11Apr2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubBEDOtUn8J_0MoI4R6Ztj9TbiP1qB2085Cl4GrBhUF7A72h9oE610X7gL2ehXhxQLAy-K2rPFbz5hFSe6yjduhZJ_xRV8dyS80BP4Ibno120X55x_i50Y8RBbk_kmKgPq4tjyWNVophi/s320/Strawbale_11Apr2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>11 Apr 2012: April & the Suicidal Winds</b></td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALZrci7_aGdwPWk-wSgqRijSgbWv6CuIYw66tinPcWcDPLDDWnVCxS49Yi84UjzfOJy6xCj4UoZ8_ZdsehQ8LbN-dV2fWKGN7buiJxquAV6CwXbaP5cJFW6PYLdO3F20tfmpbnzo5oov1/s1600/MoonshadowRolling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALZrci7_aGdwPWk-wSgqRijSgbWv6CuIYw66tinPcWcDPLDDWnVCxS49Yi84UjzfOJy6xCj4UoZ8_ZdsehQ8LbN-dV2fWKGN7buiJxquAV6CwXbaP5cJFW6PYLdO3F20tfmpbnzo5oov1/s320/MoonshadowRolling.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Moonshadow rolling in the morning sunshine</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: 12pt;">The environmentally nasty yet protective cover was installed. I think
they look like covered wagons but that fits in with the territory.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: 12pt;"> </span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
So far, the set up is working out as planned except for one overlooked possibility of destruction.
That would be my overgrown kitten. He gets filled with that crazy kitty energy
now that my morning routine has changed to tending the bales. He has chosen to
express his utter delight by tearing through the tents. Early on he attempted
to jump on one of the covers but he was startled by it collapsing under his
weight. Best laid plans, etc. Since cursing isn’t effective in the moment, I
have found what works in my favor is keeping him inside until the water for the hose is turned on. A quick squirt does the trick. The rest of the day, thankfully, he seems to be less interested in
playing in the tents.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: 12pt;">A thin layer of the sifted dirt was spread over the
compost and I followed the package instructions. The certified organic seeds
came from a donation basket at the <b><a href="http://www.scbs.org/2011/07/17/johnson-farm-pickin-party-is-set-for-august-27-in-boulder-creek/" target="_blank">Johnson Farm Pickin’ Party</a></b> last August.
Although they are 2010-2011 seeds, I decided to give them a try. I knew I was limiting myself to what was available in
the basket but I’m a sucker for using something that would probably be
discarded. There is always next year to buy local AZ seeds. The backup plan is to
buy starters to fill in the areas where the seeds fail
to root. On the top of my list are poblano
peppers. Captured below are some of the seedlings at about 2 weeks after sowing.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cC6y43q-Wp8upMdZ4E7NIV7dxPsf7ZFO1n5X_-D4tYr-2I0-l6X4cEgfYbM98pZMrKioIlR0AdDdfRFm-HXEy9mvB1M_Z73WlvkXuDBdJkk5BLL50Hh6GQ2pLCYcY336MtjOgKmvdCFj/s1600/beenSeedling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cC6y43q-Wp8upMdZ4E7NIV7dxPsf7ZFO1n5X_-D4tYr-2I0-l6X4cEgfYbM98pZMrKioIlR0AdDdfRFm-HXEy9mvB1M_Z73WlvkXuDBdJkk5BLL50Hh6GQ2pLCYcY336MtjOgKmvdCFj/s640/beenSeedling.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bean Bush Royal Burgandy</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Lv_icRhn75OsfKBxK94SERsryhEVGPjgjUr23NKmQL0fH1mgaha_22wPPBsNd54rft-kFaTqlvurOWoScq-NUXY4nsK0fXuj0WK3_ZzYURai0WO-Ek_4E8GEamU69ope6xISCpdafuy2/s1600/PumpkinSeedlings2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Lv_icRhn75OsfKBxK94SERsryhEVGPjgjUr23NKmQL0fH1mgaha_22wPPBsNd54rft-kFaTqlvurOWoScq-NUXY4nsK0fXuj0WK3_ZzYURai0WO-Ek_4E8GEamU69ope6xISCpdafuy2/s640/PumpkinSeedlings2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pumpkin Lumina</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMpSfZG4sTL9smxeG-GYwSRFL5ox49PENSkdpm3aJX8ogp4Vp9k_ufUSliwJahWDhaIHXrUofCkw4MpidivHdHZg8jyvM0Rs_jyWuVC2yJG-sgywrbgz4l8XrCiWbRfxtC442ohPssAlV/s1600/NasturtiumSeedling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMpSfZG4sTL9smxeG-GYwSRFL5ox49PENSkdpm3aJX8ogp4Vp9k_ufUSliwJahWDhaIHXrUofCkw4MpidivHdHZg8jyvM0Rs_jyWuVC2yJG-sgywrbgz4l8XrCiWbRfxtC442ohPssAlV/s640/NasturtiumSeedling.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nasturtium Peach Melba</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbGZqzffd_T4NGcXGbMXkqTJXWfghwXn68nX8fs6hNsGOAvZyaNxttZIMBa_-jq6EY-GimkEqY8zj0Nvkt-gNyFyFK5WCpmTSIBCZU-KaI7LeyEiRjETOV3D-oINf_l6uap8QhBqbojmw/s1600/Tomatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbGZqzffd_T4NGcXGbMXkqTJXWfghwXn68nX8fs6hNsGOAvZyaNxttZIMBa_-jq6EY-GimkEqY8zj0Nvkt-gNyFyFK5WCpmTSIBCZU-KaI7LeyEiRjETOV3D-oINf_l6uap8QhBqbojmw/s640/Tomatoes.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tomato Italian Roma</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNTrZJscZxtV70E6W57yZK_6pvmqbw53FoOQDN6sw7s3mZuUSzZLOl8UXHArM9fbVZIYP1aVX3zrijYRvo7Fe8zXG0iglajPUQV426sblVU6z0TdDG_7PfY3XaufIbV_vDeybYwuwvaZr/s1600/cornSeedling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNTrZJscZxtV70E6W57yZK_6pvmqbw53FoOQDN6sw7s3mZuUSzZLOl8UXHArM9fbVZIYP1aVX3zrijYRvo7Fe8zXG0iglajPUQV426sblVU6z0TdDG_7PfY3XaufIbV_vDeybYwuwvaZr/s640/cornSeedling.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Corn Sweet Argent</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOBErRudouOJroTxUvgH5SV8iu4u9SDVx2LOMImH6lNnpfz0xyV8m-JvHri185urvsfoIWzuL0ZGQfHiG85mrMCLCELbaE-5LwtyNkvB9dp4WW8IXmLECNM2_-CWD5faEiyoFM56SiZJR/s1600/lettaceSeedlings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOBErRudouOJroTxUvgH5SV8iu4u9SDVx2LOMImH6lNnpfz0xyV8m-JvHri185urvsfoIWzuL0ZGQfHiG85mrMCLCELbaE-5LwtyNkvB9dp4WW8IXmLECNM2_-CWD5faEiyoFM56SiZJR/s640/lettaceSeedlings.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mustard Greens Ruby Streaks (I think)</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Needless to say, the
project is drawing attention from the locals. More than one person asked if I
was building walls as in straw bale construction. People visiting from out of
town and even a member from the Daily Kos have introduced themselves. If you
want to get to know your neighbors, start a project in your front yard. In my
case, it has been only pleasant, usually educational and rapidly becoming a
community builder. The garden has been recommended to be included on the Bisbee
garden tour in September. If that actually happens, I’ve got some serious work
to do before then. Cheers.<br />
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Video links:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
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<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOCDk7AVTBw" target="_blank">Strawbale Gardening Intro</a></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXcA99xGHwQ&feature=relmfu" target="_blank">Straw Bale Gardening: Start to Finish</a></b><br />
</div>
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<br />
Some related links:</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<b><a href="http://victory%20garden%20foundation/" target="_blank">Victory Garden Foundation</a></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<b><a href="http://arizonavictorygarden.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>Arizona Victory Garden</b></a></b></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</div>
<b>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<b><a href="http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/straw-bale-gardening.html" target="_blank">No Dig Vegetable Garden</a></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<b><a href="http://www.gmofreetucson.org/">GMO Free Project of Tucson</a></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<b><a href="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/products/index/category:vegetables/filter:14" target="_blank">Botanical Interests</a></b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: 12pt;"> (The company associated with the donated seeds) </span>
</div>
</b></div>
<b>
</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-23273163956466568222012-03-20T19:50:00.001-07:002012-04-14T14:01:44.811-07:00Stonemasonry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJWZCa3qqnJo1Fl1aCFnQuSSZud3vRzujDZHNrTcBgf5ML99QiaZxYgpL9oGCeUzyaM6Qs0Xq4stYNBtXyTQUgrZYa4ptMQ7Qqec37QTHjvpIUFKxGom9iE9p-k5e2y_kMye35nUI64BM/s1600/VistaBackyard_ironFence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJWZCa3qqnJo1Fl1aCFnQuSSZud3vRzujDZHNrTcBgf5ML99QiaZxYgpL9oGCeUzyaM6Qs0Xq4stYNBtXyTQUgrZYa4ptMQ7Qqec37QTHjvpIUFKxGom9iE9p-k5e2y_kMye35nUI64BM/s400/VistaBackyard_ironFence.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I’m totally excited about our new wall. The experience was positive from start to finish. Here is a picture of our backyard before the project began.<br />
<br />
The wrought iron fence in our backyard matched the fencing in front but it wasn’t practical in terms of affording us any privacy nor did it provide an adequate barrier against the pesky critters. We decided to replace the iron fence with a stone wall instead. The historical fence would be moved to the front on the side where the wrought iron fence was incomplete.
<br />
<br />
First of all, we were fortunate to have one of Bisbee’s master stonemasons on the job. Years ago, I observed Matt’s first major project in town located on Brewery Gulch. I was a renter then but I made a mental note that if I were ever a homeowner and needed a wall on the property, he would be the person I would employ to do it. Not only does he produce beautiful walls, he is also active in the Bisbee artist community through his poetry. How can you not feel good about hiring a local independent craftsman with the added bonus of supporting a local artist?
<br />
<br />
Matt’s reputation has increased in time and his work is in high demand. The challenge was to fit into Matt’s schedule. Knowing this, we proposed our project to him with the understanding that he would contact us when his schedule opened up. Once he contacted us a whirlwind of activity commenced. My partner immediately set to the task of releasing the iron fence from its cement footing. Then he busted out the remaining foundation and dug a trench for the footings of the new stonewall. While he was focused on removing things, he also tackled the task of eliminating the rusty poles that functioned as a clothesline. He had been putting this job off for years yet he cursed about bashing his head on the poles. I’m sure his immediate concern was to protect Matt and his assistant Matt from injury.
<br />
<br />
At the same time, we were required to make decisions about the materials and the arrangement for delivery to be set for the next work week. The materials were a point of serious consideration. I originally wanted local rocks to be used for the project. Not only because I absolutely love our local rocks but also the use of local materials for construction was a tenet of the Arts and Crafts movement. Although our environment is made up of more rocks than anything else, there were several issues to be considered. One was the question as to where to harvest the appropriate sized rocks. We mentioned a friend on the outskirts of town who had offered us as many rocks we needed from her property. He knew the location and felt that there wouldn’t be enough rocks large enough for the job. He knew of an old quarry further out but again, he couldn’t be sure that there was enough material. I asked about our local mining company, Freeport-McMoRan, as a possible resource. Their employees were moving a lot of earth around lately. Matt responded that he had already tried that resource. Years ago, he had made an inquiry at the local Freeport-McMoRan office about the possibility of buying the stones displaced on the company’s property but was curtly turned down with the response “we are not in the rock selling business”. This attitude is utterly absurd. Especially since they are currently paying people to bulldoze huge amounts of earth through a canyon not more than a 5 minutes drive away and dumping the earth that contains very beautiful stones in a rock crushing machine. The crushed stones are then funneled onto some large sort of conveyer machine to transfer it under highway 80 only to be spilled into the Lavender mining pit. What a waste. If they need to fill the pit then I would prefer that they use the dirt that originally came from the pit piled near Warren.
<br />
<br />
Matt then discussed the time and cost added to the project if we were to pay him to load and unload his truck the several times it would require to amass the right amount of material. It didn’t take long for me to perceive that he would prefer us to choose the option to purchase the stone directly from a rock and sand company and have the materials delivered.
<br />
<br />
We chose to give up on the idea of using local rocks and allowed Matt to take us on a tour around Old Bisbee to look at his previous work and see the examples of the stone that he knew were available at Cochise Stone in Sierra Vista. The relaxed tour provided us the scope of his workmanship. Unexpectedly, one stop just so happened to be at the home of one of our acquaintances. We took the time to appreciate their home improvement projects while we were there. How would you like to stay in a guesthouse that has a door that opens into an old mine shaft entrance? Returning to our task at hand we reached the final destination where the stone resembled our local rocks. Hey, we found the winner!
<br />
<br />
Before I continue on about our project, Bisbonian and I would like to take you on a photo tour of Old Bisbee. We'll include a bit of history to give you a better appreciation for our project.
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-7sGCZSGy4HzEWJrnjivgcbdhxyQJsKLtLsdsIyaW6xa97OWP9ogtQWjF2jaroUnUi_c3x_CxgdY7mZNODg9sa1wupy916grqC4ktWUGDpNSxuzWnRVccjb6S6Gd_S2dHA7GFWymVj-y/s1600/BisbonianStoneWallTour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-7sGCZSGy4HzEWJrnjivgcbdhxyQJsKLtLsdsIyaW6xa97OWP9ogtQWjF2jaroUnUi_c3x_CxgdY7mZNODg9sa1wupy916grqC4ktWUGDpNSxuzWnRVccjb6S6Gd_S2dHA7GFWymVj-y/s400/BisbonianStoneWallTour.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRVpjDqRLRgryVAUMcgHweCQiCoXadl1Pa1fuT2y7sx1O1bqcLwmFNwYMg1mLn7Tx6f1gteoMS8R9Lm1O-OyJUiwDz0aZTbByKMsRu8PuO7TwdBk74mY9g4PEhnSoIxbRasyYSqXCx8G_/s1600/Stonewalls_OKstreet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRVpjDqRLRgryVAUMcgHweCQiCoXadl1Pa1fuT2y7sx1O1bqcLwmFNwYMg1mLn7Tx6f1gteoMS8R9Lm1O-OyJUiwDz0aZTbByKMsRu8PuO7TwdBk74mY9g4PEhnSoIxbRasyYSqXCx8G_/s400/Stonewalls_OKstreet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Most of the walls serve as retaining walls to prevent the homes from sliding down on the neighbor below.
<br />
<br />
Who or which ethnic group created the oldest remaining walls in Bisbee is not exactly known. Some think that since the Mexicans were not allowed to work in the mines until the 1920's, they could have been employed as stonemasons.
<br />
<br />
Another obvious group would be the Cornish miners or Cousin Jacks who where imported for their superior mining skills.
<br />
<br />
Bisbee was a multicultural town. Mostly the citizenry comprised of European immigrants of British, Scottish, Irish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finish, Croatian, Serbian, Italian, Czech, and Austrian descent. Long ago a small Chinese community once lived here although like the Mexicans they were not allowed to work in the mines either. Their community quickly disappeared after 1908 when a law was passed to prevent them from staying overnight in town. Although racism is an ugly part of our town's history, we shouldn't ignore it. Who ever the stone masons were, the beauty and endurance of the product of their labor remains with us today.
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSmPsavWOvnXW0Lstht9QYkV6YMXvrfJ-Z_0WM6sWpSF7-gfsSKD2yvr4yzMS39MS5JubkpoqDF9etTwuyZgiI5uu3pD1OC96qE8BkspXXZIS7aB2BuxNmAnPmV4QNpQOuMM4ztunm06Q/s1600/Stonewalls_OperaSt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSmPsavWOvnXW0Lstht9QYkV6YMXvrfJ-Z_0WM6sWpSF7-gfsSKD2yvr4yzMS39MS5JubkpoqDF9etTwuyZgiI5uu3pD1OC96qE8BkspXXZIS7aB2BuxNmAnPmV4QNpQOuMM4ztunm06Q/s640/Stonewalls_OperaSt.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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This wall appears to have been repaired with different materials and techniques<br />throughout the decades. See the bricks on the upper right. The stones on the<br />left could be one example of the dry stonewall found throughout town.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwoMm54Y6pyyMzn1kfK_3_EDdc_jkpCsEDel48-B668ADyTQFYwBQ8fcjQJ3ift93kfRmF3i1ML3yGln3MYQ13vLoszsf0Qe4wPrxGtLPMRrdYuKhl4gW-eucYGAKcxOXnlYqL781n6BZ/s1600/Stonewalls_Tembyst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwoMm54Y6pyyMzn1kfK_3_EDdc_jkpCsEDel48-B668ADyTQFYwBQ8fcjQJ3ift93kfRmF3i1ML3yGln3MYQ13vLoszsf0Qe4wPrxGtLPMRrdYuKhl4gW-eucYGAKcxOXnlYqL781n6BZ/s640/Stonewalls_Tembyst.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Walls that incorporate existing stones.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLGsLAV1HvvD-_ef3d4Ijh8-fRQp4ik8QNQnaRTImlEpADWsLLnJAcPojhrKRGmJ9iDlxqjlKzX827_GCOkCgdw9RL7sZLxRXeauFfX0Wezm9JroEOLNy3bzEmvCWgnXv15ZGlFTak0Mk/s1600/Stonewalls_Clawson2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLGsLAV1HvvD-_ef3d4Ijh8-fRQp4ik8QNQnaRTImlEpADWsLLnJAcPojhrKRGmJ9iDlxqjlKzX827_GCOkCgdw9RL7sZLxRXeauFfX0Wezm9JroEOLNy3bzEmvCWgnXv15ZGlFTak0Mk/s640/Stonewalls_Clawson2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Metal braces and openings for drainage.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkuV1cX7JRLTGmUiFWne5m2WLXVstE4aKiSfwAk6YY4PuBnPwMOSAnWSJzoZfXCC7t512iiHni_erciyJSuuU8nxxlb2WnMxVZE8RzNIdKZsBDndfN-tLAbUprx1fbC3AfFRRshw8d8SV/s1600/Stonewalls_ClawsonSt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkuV1cX7JRLTGmUiFWne5m2WLXVstE4aKiSfwAk6YY4PuBnPwMOSAnWSJzoZfXCC7t512iiHni_erciyJSuuU8nxxlb2WnMxVZE8RzNIdKZsBDndfN-tLAbUprx1fbC3AfFRRshw8d8SV/s640/Stonewalls_ClawsonSt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hand drawn borders etched in the cement around the stones.
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Work Projects Administration USA-WPA stamps in concrete are found all over town.
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Peace Wall mural by Rose Johnson (1960-2009).
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You would think that after all this time, I would have had a clear picture of a design in mind but I didn’t. The only detail I had set upon was to include a niche. In the many years of studying, practicing and teaching art, I felt reluctant to develop a clear idea for the finished product in fear that I might stifle creativity. I wanted to allow Matt the absolute freedom to approach this project with fresh ideas. Hence we would become the benefactors of that spirit. In this case, Matt wanted some suggestions so I decided to cruise the Internet to gather ideas. Not surprisingly, I was attracted to the walls that had bricks mixed in with the stone. You see, in the last few years, I have developed a love for old bricks and their history. I showed Matt several different examples and that succeeded to spark the inspiration he needed. As it so happens, we had access to a large amount of Mexican bricks offered by a friend who lost her beautiful home last year in the Monument Fire. Although at times it feels eerily opportunistic, I remind myself of the reason she offered us all the bricks that we could use. The quoted cost to haul the debris away was beyond reasonable. Here is the <b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monument-Fire-AZ/110151369079361" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b> page that supports the community affected by the fire. Sadly, it is a much slower process to rebuild their lives in contrast to how fast everything is lost. When I look at the relocated adobe bricks at my home I’m reminded of the power held within the survivor.
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On delivery day, I learned from the driver that the stones were probably taken from a quarry near Texas Canyon. At least they came from within our county. Texas Canyon is so awesome that I have mixed feelings that a quarry is operating somewhere in the vicinity. A sampling of the magical rock formations can be viewed from a rest stop on Hwy 10 near the Dragoon Mountains, home of Cochise Stronghold, and final resting place of the Chiricahua Apache chief, Cochise.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zA5gnfnbJrJFjophdLDl75fihU5QM0hGTohcJmHlLazNHzFOQCTP8psIHpBnCM8s7C91oinDO0SBp0eDQMgURJVFR70Tg8cfC1AWP5RFkWb6h3YnBpVBNCw1HAIV2uebg7cNHl8ZPfB3/s1600/Stonewall_Week2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zA5gnfnbJrJFjophdLDl75fihU5QM0hGTohcJmHlLazNHzFOQCTP8psIHpBnCM8s7C91oinDO0SBp0eDQMgURJVFR70Tg8cfC1AWP5RFkWb6h3YnBpVBNCw1HAIV2uebg7cNHl8ZPfB3/s640/Stonewall_Week2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The canal was originally Hovland Street. Notice that the far end of the wall is<br />attached to a garage. Since vehicles no longer has access to it, it will<br />be a cozy workshop for the production of Mule Mountain Banjos.</div>
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Completed in two weeks.
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<div style="text-align: center;">The final act of winter. Quan Yin pouring the soothing<br />waters of mercy during a snow flurry.
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-52255755811765288872012-02-20T10:11:00.000-08:002012-02-21T13:22:37.526-08:00The Bow and Hairpin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QSWtHTWKb_FcVUllxUACdnHdb3AlvDTea1QuUaEsM22tJOWnCh7dPQOyf9tEdQoIVCKfCuzyBGJXI8Pr6ju1DsP8csU4WLpbcHIbklqUbIPyowRqDArtdpwVP8u1KviMo0SyZNJ5qlzu/s1600/TheVista.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QSWtHTWKb_FcVUllxUACdnHdb3AlvDTea1QuUaEsM22tJOWnCh7dPQOyf9tEdQoIVCKfCuzyBGJXI8Pr6ju1DsP8csU4WLpbcHIbklqUbIPyowRqDArtdpwVP8u1KviMo0SyZNJ5qlzu/s400/TheVista.jpg" width="211" /></a></span></div>
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The Vista in Warren has a distinctive quality that the local population holds in reverence. In contrast to Old Bisbee’s steep narrow winding roads lined by Victorian homes and miner’s shacks, The Vista is a sweeping wide avenue showcasing California style bungalows. The Lavender Jeep’s “<b><a href="http://www.lavenderjeeptours.com/lavender-jeep-greater-bisbee-tour.aspx" target="_blank">Greater Bisbee Tour</a></b>” passes our home on their way to the grander historical registered homes in the neighborhood.
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My first visit to The Vista was on a self-guided tour. The Craftsman homes in various states of preservation, the tree lined avenue and the central park gave me the impression that something grand was once attempted in what was then nearly a ghost town. I have since lovingly coined a nickname for The Vista as the “faded diva”. Nonetheless, The Vista is a highly regarded location for real estate. In recent years, it has been experiencing a revival of sorts and is returning back to its original function as a popular destination for community activities such as the <b><a href="http://www.bisbeefarmersmarket.org/" target="_blank">farmer’s market</a></b> and the <b><a href="http://www.friendsofwarrenballpark.com/" target="_blank">ballpark</a></b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Before I knew anything about the Arts and Crafts movement, I sensed that there was something magical about the Craftsman home. I had always dreamed of calling one my home. I came upon this list of Arts & Crafts values by Ken Lonsinger that explains concisely the philosophy of the movement and the influence behind the designs of the Craftsman bungalow.</span></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.craftsmanperspective.com/" target="_blank">craftsmanperspective.com</a></b>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">A&C (Arts & Crafts) philosophy focused on "revolution through art," its principles were formed by a set a great overarching values:
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<li><span style="font-size: medium;"> Find joy in work
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<li><span style="font-size: medium;"> Create objects that are not only well-designed, but affordable to everyone
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<li><span style="font-size: medium;"> Live simply
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<li><span style="font-size: medium;"> Stay connected to nature
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<li><span style="font-size: medium;"> Maintain integrity of "place"</span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbUeob3tRjOjiRzcDmcBfRKDynrZcMkw0hY6HC8bBeDzo578mdSxiwfezpVszMA_Nb6zBHG_QIe-I2Wi7yOjxsyc6XvTdvrXRzoENZGjxlR1zFqsALzk20Yw0XSZzBPJYEQcg1BR4SUb0/s1600/SeyforthCrawfordhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbUeob3tRjOjiRzcDmcBfRKDynrZcMkw0hY6HC8bBeDzo578mdSxiwfezpVszMA_Nb6zBHG_QIe-I2Wi7yOjxsyc6XvTdvrXRzoENZGjxlR1zFqsALzk20Yw0XSZzBPJYEQcg1BR4SUb0/s640/SeyforthCrawfordhouse.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">1913 Spokane, Washington</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The Craftsman bungalow was specifically designed to realize the American dream. The architects provided a design to be affordable for the working class. The story of my great-grandfather, the son of German/Alsace immigrants is a good example. This 1913 photograph shows the Craftsman home where my grandmother was born. Her father, George Washington Seyforth, suffered the loss of his father at the age of 4 and then his mother by the age of 8. Although the oldest brothers and sisters took care of the youngest children, all of the children were expected to work on the family farm. This responsibility limited George’s education. Although farmers were seriously struggling in the 1890s, the oldest brother in the family was able to purchase the family farm from his 9 younger siblings. Later, the 5 youngest members of the family, including George, used their small inheritance to go west to take advantage of the job opportunities resulting from the Klondike gold rush. No doubt, George’s experience on the family farm helped him secure employment as a teamster for one of the many hardware stores in Spokane. George eventually moved into a clerk position at one of the largest hardware businesses. At the age of 36, after saving his earnings and making incremental investments in real estate, George Seyforth, along with a new family was able to be the proud homeowner of this beautiful Craftsman bungalow located in a newly created suburb.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">It is now 2012 and I’m in the process of redesigning the landscape for a 1920 Craftsman duplex turned single family home. Given that I was unable to nail down any particular style of landscaping connected with the Arts & Crafts movement, my attention turned to the landscape philosophy and the trends set by homeowners during the period. I discovered that the early 20th century landscape designers introduced the idea of incorporating native species within natural arrangements in reaction to the Victorian formal designs that symbolized their wealth. These progressive landscape designers felt it was important to restore nature back into the city and to provide the residents a relief from the stress of the industrial culture. It is humbling to realize that the idea of getting back to nature is not as recent as I thought. Referring to my memory of Craftsman homes in California, it was common practice to have an ample lawn, sculpted hedges and at least one signature tree. Does this mean that the average homeowner dismissed the progressive native landscape idea and preferred a simplified version of the Victorian design instead? Although I don’t know why homeowners tended to not follow the wisdom of using native species in landscaping, I have noticed that in more recent times, landscapes for California bungalows are moving toward the earlier progressive idea. One example is the practice of <b><a href="http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/gardening/what-is-xeriscape/" target="_blank">xeriscaping</a></b>. During my visits to San Diego I have observed the popularity of lovely xeriscape designs. In fact, I discovered another person who is working on a similar landscaping project in San Diego. Amy Burkhart's blog post Jan. 2011 "<a href="http://finderskeepers-designs.blogspot.com/2011/01/xeriscape-idea-gathering.html" target="_blank"><b>Xeriscape Idea Gathering</b></a>" illustrates examples where xeriscaping is used for Craftsman homes in North Park, San Diego.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">With the basic Arts & Crafts principles in mind, I set out to analyze the character of our home and the land on which it resides. The straight lines that dominate the property divide our yard into sections. Those lines continue by following up the large posts supporting the roof, and then run across the roofline. In contrast, sweeping curved arches connecting each post (hidden behind the slope of the roof) and curved lines in the wrought iron fence soften the linear design.
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAivU1ODxtJMZGXc94qIUUIjffoM2xa9hLaN1HEna24JcCAqhJWrK092WU8ZMAZZT9r0xV6o1faF69N3gaHbv6SLcc7oz2OOQz-JOcd_FVU3tOKZsSFuI4r4sFLpAWHdTl3lZ9o0kszaIU/s1600/2011Dec19_CambellShaft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAivU1ODxtJMZGXc94qIUUIjffoM2xa9hLaN1HEna24JcCAqhJWrK092WU8ZMAZZT9r0xV6o1faF69N3gaHbv6SLcc7oz2OOQz-JOcd_FVU3tOKZsSFuI4r4sFLpAWHdTl3lZ9o0kszaIU/s400/2011Dec19_CambellShaft.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The property is located at the basin at the end of the Mule Mountains. The Mule Tails skyline cuts diagonally transitioning into gentle rolling hills. Closer to the ground, lines and shapes can be found in the Asparagaceae, Cactaceae and Fouquieriaceae.
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLSS5V5_p7mx9XGlKV3mPFJfsvju3zd7eL2J1FzRXWSeZk8lq1d5vUgteHYhpuYYq_pFVPhmS-ZQ_L7eklRglPPjyvedaT2vBGgggoojSx0CyoKPifu54kCCjVp7eNDgTC_Ew7OUVMRNK/s1600/cactus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLSS5V5_p7mx9XGlKV3mPFJfsvju3zd7eL2J1FzRXWSeZk8lq1d5vUgteHYhpuYYq_pFVPhmS-ZQ_L7eklRglPPjyvedaT2vBGgggoojSx0CyoKPifu54kCCjVp7eNDgTC_Ew7OUVMRNK/s320/cactus.jpg" width="258" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvkJkX6Agd_nH07fiD65RvOGYI2Jc4YKYd0RWcdjwkOaxQfcb4CWPBO5qg3_6YpSAh_ppfArdfUKI6q_GLXyHWbUipyxKeBeocNjD0Kpvs9nnK4uZTY3R5H0874USR3FQ2WuYGArpM6eb/s1600/centuryPlant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvkJkX6Agd_nH07fiD65RvOGYI2Jc4YKYd0RWcdjwkOaxQfcb4CWPBO5qg3_6YpSAh_ppfArdfUKI6q_GLXyHWbUipyxKeBeocNjD0Kpvs9nnK4uZTY3R5H0874USR3FQ2WuYGArpM6eb/s400/centuryPlant.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Returning to my yard, I want to point out our beautiful wrought iron fence. Yes, it shows the passing of time but I love it all the more that aged appearance. Below is my granddaughter standing in front of one of the gates. Originally, the picture’s purpose was to capture her in the pre-storm light but I think you can get an idea of the design of the fence anyway. Wrought iron fences in various styles are found at several homes in town and around several of the plots in the <b><a href="http://www.bisbeecemetery.com/" target="_blank">Evergreen cemetery</a></b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx68Knv10ZB_ePTWRwwNb32U5z0j56zz3KC_ImeMC-kruqQA0Js1GncBZlCPXAjEqceMp0SXlQlv4ZMyZQcBChu76uX4YrTSyfrDnPKDCmzxJSidG4HLb8liJ-5bJz0E9RNXiME1GNURhd/s1600/AiyanaGate.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx68Knv10ZB_ePTWRwwNb32U5z0j56zz3KC_ImeMC-kruqQA0Js1GncBZlCPXAjEqceMp0SXlQlv4ZMyZQcBChu76uX4YrTSyfrDnPKDCmzxJSidG4HLb8liJ-5bJz0E9RNXiME1GNURhd/s400/AiyanaGate.jpg" width="295" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2G7KVgWfOj948d_htJNzRtMY_YDiWRVi6P_sVB0im6QDhyawLnjOayvBr6yuCqYJTCGe3LveMmoUhQR9pOPzsNjqxU6vJ-OA8MBPbuO37EqiwtcMGiEYtsUgbX2kXXyXaWv6t_PjzU_1/s1600/StewartIronWorksGatePlate.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2G7KVgWfOj948d_htJNzRtMY_YDiWRVi6P_sVB0im6QDhyawLnjOayvBr6yuCqYJTCGe3LveMmoUhQR9pOPzsNjqxU6vJ-OA8MBPbuO37EqiwtcMGiEYtsUgbX2kXXyXaWv6t_PjzU_1/s400/StewartIronWorksGatePlate.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Amazingly, the Stewart Iron Works Co. has been in business since 1862 and is still operating in Covington, KY. From their catalog I identified our fence design as the bow and hairpin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="http://www.stewartironworks.com/" target="_blank">stewartironworks.com</a></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxx3xedVZ7q-Y90nNe5MY7BaYcS1tZda_Q9v4jeN3-Idfzo8sLMbaoTdfZ-y3hmthevk0n1h7Vlp0rdpEVQ8NBiSRehnmD4wnU_fKZ2ggIhFybq9k8uGfwLCTNcr5uHOdK5z0VGECoVJO/s1600/BowAndHairpin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxx3xedVZ7q-Y90nNe5MY7BaYcS1tZda_Q9v4jeN3-Idfzo8sLMbaoTdfZ-y3hmthevk0n1h7Vlp0rdpEVQ8NBiSRehnmD4wnU_fKZ2ggIhFybq9k8uGfwLCTNcr5uHOdK5z0VGECoVJO/s400/BowAndHairpin.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bow and Hairpin</span></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Although I love the idea of mirroring the natural arrangements found in our landscape, it seemed to me that the grid created by the straight walkways and the fence’s border of our property divided the space too many times to achieve a natural setting. Therefore, I made the decision to strike a balance between the Victorian and Progressive landscaping designs. Ultimately, I choose the shape of the gate and the bow and hairpin fence for my inspiration. The illustration below shows the design from an aerial perspective.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLka3uxHmj0ART6yJDcNE6_vnKnlZARUZn95ukrsCKolgvIYRHv7e9PGHTz5xEbJvgPAxDYVn9HwlSkakuauGz5kbjsm5HbPe_-dssSovwbIJwVdyTKbynYSmHFMJqw7kvEcmHoCvaXL0y/s1600/Design_CityProperty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="507" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLka3uxHmj0ART6yJDcNE6_vnKnlZARUZn95ukrsCKolgvIYRHv7e9PGHTz5xEbJvgPAxDYVn9HwlSkakuauGz5kbjsm5HbPe_-dssSovwbIJwVdyTKbynYSmHFMJqw7kvEcmHoCvaXL0y/s640/Design_CityProperty.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">For another view, below is a close-up of the center plot taken in September. The raised bed supported by the large stones and the gravel filled edges are engineered to protect the soil from washing away during the monsoon season. Hopefully the edges will act like a shallow moat and will allow greater water absorption. During the dry season we can walk on the gravel to cut the corners to reach the cement path guilt free. The ring of rocks around the plants will encourage water to pool because the plants are recessed in the raised bed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvyYdtoR7pXgbXvntmrdlEPujdt0VHIvgqqK1_SUbWvZMuie_rzlhFgGXT_NYc-EZphPfZfKQE4DngK4maCX0_HGojik3cWAz7gWuA0wrbbx5DHLOzDwZKvmzWmIlb_zrDyxvBTU2Fcca/s1600/Sep2011_garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvyYdtoR7pXgbXvntmrdlEPujdt0VHIvgqqK1_SUbWvZMuie_rzlhFgGXT_NYc-EZphPfZfKQE4DngK4maCX0_HGojik3cWAz7gWuA0wrbbx5DHLOzDwZKvmzWmIlb_zrDyxvBTU2Fcca/s640/Sep2011_garden.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">In October, my partner and I were taking a walk. The Bisbee Public Works supervisor drove by and turned around to inform us that there was a huge pile of mulch available at the recycling center. It just so happened that I needed mulch to finish filling in the raised bed. I told the supervisor that I appreciated the information. Thanks to the city of Bisbee, the dirt in the beds are protected during the winter months.
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<br />
I intended to be historically correct but finally chose to integrate many approaches instead. The fact that I’m enjoying the process, using available materials and honoring the character of the place, all of which are defined as Arts and Crafts values, makes me feel good about the project all the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you ever are in Florence, Italy I highly recommend visiting the <b><a href="http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/boboli_garden.html" target="_blank">Boboli Gardens</a></b>. This is what showing off your wealth looks like.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiot2KfdTcoVxcDmXxe053HldgkpMA7c9LwSTxzJvdWBnNTd3DV1549NRtpLdWTzd-kRWwrciw6vSi8L5ABOyJgst9vuqnRkTV5e9pLWKOK8wsuMe8AfgslSeBCaMMgGtfDr29GspI1hesC/s1600/2001_BoboliGardenFlorence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiot2KfdTcoVxcDmXxe053HldgkpMA7c9LwSTxzJvdWBnNTd3DV1549NRtpLdWTzd-kRWwrciw6vSi8L5ABOyJgst9vuqnRkTV5e9pLWKOK8wsuMe8AfgslSeBCaMMgGtfDr29GspI1hesC/s400/2001_BoboliGardenFlorence.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cypress Lane in Boboli Gardens, Florence, Italy 2001</td></tr>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-23402886351423176582012-02-01T12:07:00.000-08:002012-02-01T12:07:12.995-08:00Go With The Flow<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-bottom: 10pt;">When I decided to remove the Bermuda lawn from
our front yard, I was also considering how I would redesign the space. With the
exception of a few legacy plants, I essentially, for the first time, had a
blank canvas to work with. A way for me to get started on the design was to
begin observing some key elements of the space: sun, wind, water and traffic.</div>
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Since the house faces east, the front yard
catches the first rays of the sun once it crests the hill beyond.
This is an asset during the temperate months but it can cause some problems in
the cooler season. For example, last winter, the area experienced below
freezing temperatures. The potted cactus that I had placed on the front porch
didn’t survive. The sun blasting over the hill first thing in the morning
caused their demise instead of the freezing temperature. Their systems were not able to adjust to the sudden switch between extreme temperatures. This year, I moved every potted plant indoors.</div>
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In the winter months, the sun hangs low to the south. The north
side of the house receives very little sun and is sheltered
between the two houses so it offers the most stable temperature. This year, I started an
experiment with this area. I have encouraged succulents and cactus to root
in the ground and so far the pioneers appear to be thriving in the area. Fortunately, they haven’t experienced the same level of extreme temperatures as last year. Last year’s cold snap was notably unusual. We still have a few months ahead that could bring freezing
temperatures. Time will tell.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIe5iWDaGAexSOi9VQtSSPhEvVn08UZFrp-YFMTN_Okh9AXbf8TZRlPgPK3PkJFFS0JMu9vRWFgUhQo69yEXGY-ZXvsvcKERnUJPotZsPF5rdgWas423cTghjI59w5ZCWipwqIpsdhx1gf/s1600/WesternTanager.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIe5iWDaGAexSOi9VQtSSPhEvVn08UZFrp-YFMTN_Okh9AXbf8TZRlPgPK3PkJFFS0JMu9vRWFgUhQo69yEXGY-ZXvsvcKERnUJPotZsPF5rdgWas423cTghjI59w5ZCWipwqIpsdhx1gf/s320/WesternTanager.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western Tanager</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Pyracantha shrub on our south side
provides filtered shade and our two-story house creates shade that begins to
creep eastward after the peak of the day. Pyracantha is an attractive evergreen shrub.
The delicate white flowers lure the pollinators and the local birds enjoy the
red berries. Depending on the season, sparrows, thrashers, doves, cardinals and
tanagers congregate to sing and play in the protective shrub. While these
little birds might appreciate the lethal thorns, I can’t seem to avoid drawing
blood when I get in contact with them. The shrub has been allowed to become quite large throughout the years, even to the point where the trunks have swallowed the iron fencing in some places. My partner and I have been removing the dead branches and pruning it back in stages. Our goal is to encourage the Pyracantha to provide shade and, more importantly, wind shelter without damaging the fence or passing pedestrians. I planted a few passionflower vines in open spaces underneath the Pyracantha hoping that they can use it’s branches for a trellis and provide more wind protection during the windiest months. I can think of reasons why this may not be wise but I have passionflower starters from a previous garden and I’m willing to experiment with the idea.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegEVxrJQ3g9udJ10ZqBluNenK1xVdVoYVlByP8MsN7CsqwvRE6-HjIAltdEDr2KqYZY0qQNRi1G5unEqGMT_1hHLN00iFT7owb56jkV7EVWhQVljrHmoRqnJPSg1fFO5CdzC7b1ajqrcR/s1600/TanagerFence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegEVxrJQ3g9udJ10ZqBluNenK1xVdVoYVlByP8MsN7CsqwvRE6-HjIAltdEDr2KqYZY0qQNRi1G5unEqGMT_1hHLN00iFT7owb56jkV7EVWhQVljrHmoRqnJPSg1fFO5CdzC7b1ajqrcR/s320/TanagerFence.jpg" width="320" /></a><style>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The yard outside of our fenced in area is exposed to
the sun for the most hours and it doesn’t have protection from the wind
or the animals. Rocks and wood chips are freely available in the area and will be an easy solution to protect the soil. Selecting Plants suited for the arid climate will be necessary and I plan to incorporate the local species as well. I do not plan on designing a drip system in the areas east of the sidewalk so those plants will need to be satisfied with what
nature brings them especially during the time I travel away from home.</span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EBa9jiJ9EOjr-W_UADQtsONETwKC-10iDEuLgLI4NZ620_nKpZAayNe9yMNRYyV7uf1rTOsQIDhpYQF4sUtRgNN7nsM1WkaoU93clHVXNVqHcERF16FDJX9v-meDoJYT39-0_wBi6P3v/s1600/Javalina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EBa9jiJ9EOjr-W_UADQtsONETwKC-10iDEuLgLI4NZ620_nKpZAayNe9yMNRYyV7uf1rTOsQIDhpYQF4sUtRgNN7nsM1WkaoU93clHVXNVqHcERF16FDJX9v-meDoJYT39-0_wBi6P3v/s320/Javalina.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Javalina</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have been observing the wild animal population in
the surrounding area that might endanger the health of the garden. Unfortunately a herd of javalinas makes daily forays in the neighborhood. These herbivores can be massively destructive to gardens. We are practicing being diligent in locking our gates to the fenced in area. The
challenge is in the plant selection for the unprotected areas. I have seen deer
in the nearby hills but not in the neighborhood. They might pose as a problem
under the right circumstances. The Bendire’s Thrasher, which lives in the area
year round, can also be quite a nuisance although on a smaller
scale. Their habit is to fling the dirt around to scare up insects, often
leaving uprooted seedlings or groundcover lying in its wake. It can drive me
crazy. We have a young cat (with bell attached) that might be helpful in
discouraging the Thrashers but I’m not counting on that as a solution. With the
amount of birds that live in the area, protecting freshly sown seeds and the
subsequent seedlings will have to be cleverly thought out.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-bottom: 10pt;">
In regards to the human activity in the yard, it
only took a few months to notice that our foot traffic wore a pattern in the
lawn. It became apparent that frequently we were not observing the historical
sidewalk’s 90-degree angles. Since our natural impulse was to cut the corners
to reach the gates and the entrance doors, I decided that adding alternative
pathways would be an important element in the landscape design.</div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</span><br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Southern
Arizona receives most of its rainfall during the monsoon season, which
typically begins near the 4<sup>th</sup> of July and usually ends in mid
September. The daily storms can dump up to 2 inches of water in a few hours.
The risk of flooding is added to the fact that the clay and caliche soil in the
area slows the absorption of the rainwater.</span> </div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">
In 1906, the town of Warren was deliberately
designed to address the risk of flooding, which had historically plagued Old
Bisbee. The canals were engineered to channel the potential floodwater away
from the streets and homes during the monsoon season. Canals constructed in
various proportions lines several streets throughout town for this purpose.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /><br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: center; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioT6lyBWYdTP8K3QVwtgnACBxn94aRPXrGK3i5XLFjzuNT3z9BuJuiC5o2l46jP4oAFwcAaSlpGS_H1rZ-ykENFAgadhbBY4ad374asW8T7dhL90ubkBMdFN0IkVMBEm4HBW7TQB0LFcB2/s1600/westCanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioT6lyBWYdTP8K3QVwtgnACBxn94aRPXrGK3i5XLFjzuNT3z9BuJuiC5o2l46jP4oAFwcAaSlpGS_H1rZ-ykENFAgadhbBY4ad374asW8T7dhL90ubkBMdFN0IkVMBEm4HBW7TQB0LFcB2/s320/westCanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"> </td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqNnFUzRT8m0EzjTsx0P9vC90QL003wC0eloSfSgtxbQI8zNaKxrNS_lO81b1MkvbrspoWY2z-H3Qblyz7by6qFd6StlmAWeoaL6fwtwCbzh5YnEHA_3r1CoxmCsisPeqshzsglKEMYcB/s1600/southCanalwest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqNnFUzRT8m0EzjTsx0P9vC90QL003wC0eloSfSgtxbQI8zNaKxrNS_lO81b1MkvbrspoWY2z-H3Qblyz7by6qFd6StlmAWeoaL6fwtwCbzh5YnEHA_3r1CoxmCsisPeqshzsglKEMYcB/s320/southCanalwest.jpg" width="367" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Canal facing north</td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Canal facing east</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our property just so happens to be positioned
where several channels converge before the water is sent under the road along a
natural wash heading south. Canals line three sides of our home, so we probably
see half of Warren’s floodwater pass by. The west canal is located behind our home. The right picture above shows our
bridge/driveway to the garage and is a view of the canal on the south side of our house.</span><br />
</div>
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</span><br />
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Last year, during an exceptionally heavy
downpour, organic debris blocked the flow of the street canal at the house up
from us. The dam diverted the mini river up my neighbor’s driveway where it
followed the sidewalk downhill, continuing into our yard and completely flooded
it. Later, I was discussing this phenomenon to a neighbor’s house sitter
who was chatty and knew the area well. She was convinced that the water could
be intentionally diverted into a private watering system. We couldn’t come up
with a solution at that point but I took note of idea for future reference.</div>
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</span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghFAg81X90u4tAPAUNHmgHjzMdTaVy3gpQiWV8x9to_EO2n8u8lXs12TWlbALkk3mrtFxFK-YtM3mbaVXePqsprXDwWuK1i6Hv99SM218Uv8wQcVk0YQNoJ_AlZhHsSlDAlqTBAiApttk/s1600/southCanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghFAg81X90u4tAPAUNHmgHjzMdTaVy3gpQiWV8x9to_EO2n8u8lXs12TWlbALkk3mrtFxFK-YtM3mbaVXePqsprXDwWuK1i6Hv99SM218Uv8wQcVk0YQNoJ_AlZhHsSlDAlqTBAiApttk/s400/southCanal.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Canal facing west</td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Notice the south canal is filled with dirt.
The town’s topsoil that has settled into the canal is now being manually
diverted into our yard. The canal topsoil holds a fair amount of small stones
that I can utilize in the yard as well. It takes a good deal of sweat and sore
muscles to shovel, screen, and then wheel the dirt up into the yard. The dirt
is probably better than what I can buy at the local garden center (I’m never
happy with store bought soil) plus the canals will work more efficiently
without the soil buildup. The best part is the dirt is readily available for
the price of the labor. I would prefer working out in the vitamin D rich sun to
workouts in the gym any day. In that vein, moving rocks has been my weight
lifting program. I want to point out that my partner deserves credit in his
assistance in both of these activities. I recognize that the dirt may have the
harmful metals found in mining towns so it will be placed in areas that are not
going to be used for edible vegetation and I will practice the use of
phytoremediation.</span> </div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDnW_Vlcs3KTS0ykYXYCIeHIPBjKWpxKVoaoSAYOTZjeW291_dTfVm96q-G7pAJyh0MPg51SYpGfEIulxZNHNMCPZtzy48jblJlrOg8N9JbIiNyBwvVoSq92HqQCUaGldhBe_UxTRDJgn/s1600/riverbed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDnW_Vlcs3KTS0ykYXYCIeHIPBjKWpxKVoaoSAYOTZjeW291_dTfVm96q-G7pAJyh0MPg51SYpGfEIulxZNHNMCPZtzy48jblJlrOg8N9JbIiNyBwvVoSq92HqQCUaGldhBe_UxTRDJgn/s200/riverbed.jpg" width="185" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riverbed</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The photo on the right is a rock bed that I
created to lead water through a run-off opening into the canal. Previously,
wild grasses had established themselves in front of the hole. They would catch
debris<span style="color: black;">,</span> causing a dam, which would effectively
slow the water’s progress and cause flooding onto the pedestrian bridge seen in
the above photo center. The dirt is mainly clay because the topsoil has been
washed away. It requires a good soak and a crow bar to dig a deep hole.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Below is an illustrated map of an aerial view
of our yard. The arrows and paths in black illustrate the pedestrian movement.
The access to water is located toward the back end of the house on the left and
the hose is dragged along the left side following the black pathway to have
access to the front of the yard. The blues areas show the flow of water
run-off.</span> </div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3TTOUI6Rl0BCoPAw_xiFLrZlXRLIFWuuHTQlHE-CM_9NKSMBW9xBohSVctEguG5u97DpLgGQEB4o00pVS4Rjk8KnqcQaROxFXaTcosElA-V7dHEtE_3kdRtojZHKYoZezGyRYgrgChd2/s1600/WaterTrafficFlow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="493" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3TTOUI6Rl0BCoPAw_xiFLrZlXRLIFWuuHTQlHE-CM_9NKSMBW9xBohSVctEguG5u97DpLgGQEB4o00pVS4Rjk8KnqcQaROxFXaTcosElA-V7dHEtE_3kdRtojZHKYoZezGyRYgrgChd2/s640/WaterTrafficFlow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>
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<br />
In the past, I practiced T’ai Chi and Qigong. My
teacher often reminded me of the lesson of the pine tree and willow. </div>
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<a href="http://www.taoisminfo.com/wuwei.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.taoisminfo.com/wuwei.html</span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin: 0.1pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>...wu-wei, meaning not to force, refers to what we understand of one's
acting accordingly to the nature, of one's moving in order to avoid a stroke,
of one's swimming downstream, sailing before the wind, rolling like the waves
or one's bending in order to win. </i>(From Alan Watts - "Tao: the
Watercourse Way"). </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The well-known parable about the pine
and the willow tree perfectly illustrates the concept of <i>nondoing </i>in Taoism. Being covered with snow, the pine falls down as
it is rigid and resisting, whereas the willow, being pliant, bends to the
ground and this way, the snow falls down from it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">But <i>nondoing</i>
is not pure absence or refrain from interfering with things, it is also a way
of acting in accord with the very course of the things. In other words, we have
here what was called the <i>line of minimal
resistance</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-bottom: 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; margin-bottom: 10pt;">
The exercise of studying the property’s flow
systems before digging in helped me understand what is naturally occurring in
the space and it inspired me to invent ways to work with the systems. The line
of minimal resistance is a difficult practice for me but I’m truly grateful for
my teacher’s voice replaying in my head. For me, both idioms “bend like a
willow” and “go with the flow” serve as reminders during the process of
designing a sustainable garden.</div>
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Just for fun, here is a video I made that
captures the lightning during the monsoon season in southeast Arizona.</div>
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</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</div>
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</div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/smYryJvYpE4" width="640"></iframe>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-20914492203347944512012-01-16T10:36:00.000-08:002012-01-16T16:19:27.485-08:00Mining Town Dirt<style>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">In respect to
gardening, “your garden is as good as your soil”, has become my mantra. While my first post speaks about my attempts
toward removing a Bermuda grass lawn from the yard, this post will
describe the dirt under the grass. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The
town of Bisbee, founded in 1880, originally served those who were interested in
mining gold and silver, but copper proved to be the most abundant and lucrative
metal found in the area. The demand and price for copper soared with the event
of WWI & implementing Edison’s inventions. The mining operations and
population exploded, enough for Bisbee to claim to be “</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">once the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco”</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mining operations switched to open pit mining starting with the
Sacramento Pit opening in 1917 and later with the Lavender Pit (opened 1951 and
closed in 1974).</span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warren, Arizona</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Our
home in Warren, a satellite of Bisbee, is positioned between two mountains of waste
tailings; one is currently being leached for copper, using sulfuric acid
(foreground) and the other is currently being capped with soil, to prevent the
sulfates from leaching into our water supply (yellow patch middle ground). I’m aware
that I need to be thoughtful about the dirt’s history in evaluating its purpose
and the practical actions I need to take to create the healthiest garden
possible.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q0mGn0WMTtqtXDfU3LrPZFsCnIHcuxedIu1EsiGDsqwm0zjDV78nrkMtDct79agqKTcQ9gv2vnPBRPCISFEIZpj9bUYcTUZSOdHN0aD0tk12aZbtHztLAHtsZhyfU6QL1olM_vt77qvE/s1600/2011MiningActivityBehindBHill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q0mGn0WMTtqtXDfU3LrPZFsCnIHcuxedIu1EsiGDsqwm0zjDV78nrkMtDct79agqKTcQ9gv2vnPBRPCISFEIZpj9bUYcTUZSOdHN0aD0tk12aZbtHztLAHtsZhyfU6QL1olM_vt77qvE/s320/2011MiningActivityBehindBHill.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mining activity east of Chihuahua "B" Hill</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Before
Freeport-McMoRan bought the mine in 2007 from Phelps Dodge, Bisbee hasn’t seen
mining operations since 1974. Although we are aware that Freeport-McMoRan is
conducting exploratory operations, the increasing activity behind the “B” hill (a
prominent landmark in Historic Old Bisbee) has not gone unnoticed by the locals.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">In
2008, Freeport-McMoRan set up a soil remediation program called the Bisbee Soil
Program. In their literature it states that Freeport-McMoRan “is committed to
address potential residential soil-related environmental issues in the greater
Bisbee area associated with historical operations”. Also, </span>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">I
noticed The Shaw Group logo </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">prominently
displayed</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">on a fleet of shiny new trucks so they must be
participating in some way </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">as well</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Homeowners
are encouraged to sign up for their soil to be tested and in the event that the
tests prove levels of arsenic, copper, lead, and/or manganese beyond what is
accepted then the company will remove and replace the soil for FREE. Initially,
everyone I came across who was a property owner was excited about having his or
her soil tested and replaced if needed. They all claimed, “It would increase
the property value”. With the housing market the way it is, especially in
southern Arizona, there is no wonder for their concern.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_S5hGNjfOIXDpvmkY6igoO3Y7rew_N4nNoAEY6i_00iNQOqse6HeOEHPRlaMBrl69Fx-vKgq2-qZ8Q8cMrL6ndB18zuK1aOMYpouD2ZYCWYUqN_Ha63NawJXBQFhScqI5jwPJ0HP5C9NL/s1600/BisbeeSoilProgram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_S5hGNjfOIXDpvmkY6igoO3Y7rew_N4nNoAEY6i_00iNQOqse6HeOEHPRlaMBrl69Fx-vKgq2-qZ8Q8cMrL6ndB18zuK1aOMYpouD2ZYCWYUqN_Ha63NawJXBQFhScqI5jwPJ0HP5C9NL/s320/BisbeeSoilProgram.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;">Diagram showing tested areas.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Since my partner was
putting his house on the market, he signed up for the soil to be tested. The B01
section of dirt in the back of the house had qualified for cleanup with the
results of 554 ppm of lead, while the side and front yard tested within
acceptable levels. The F01 sections test results proved to be well below the
cleanup levels with the exception of arsenic at the level 26.3 ppm, which is
just under the 30 ppm requiring cleanup. Should I be concerned?</span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Here is a case where the
resident is expected to understand the science to able to make sense of the
results to make a critical decision about participating in the program. I’m
guessing a high percentage of our community members (including myself) are not
educated in this field of science and I suspect that many find it easier to
place their trust with the experts and believe in the explanations presented by
Freeport-McMoRan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Activists have been
speaking about the discrepancies of data interpretation between the scientists
paid by the vested corporation verses the results by independent research
companies. I’m naturally concerned. It is difficult not to be skeptical of
recommendations made by large corporations or government agencies. Lawrence
Lessig <b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/coffeepartyusa#p/u/77/fiu5aZn9GC4" target="_blank">Keynote on Citizens United Decision</a></b> at For the People Summit touches on this
trend during the first 6 minutes into his presentation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">I decided
to ask those who have had their soil replaced about how they feel toward Freeport-McMoRan’s
soil program. Everyone seemed to be very pleased with the outcome. I asked them
specifically where is the replacement soil is coming from. They didn’t know and didn’t
think to ask. The reason I felt that is was an important question is that the
smelter operations in Bisbee eventually relocated to Douglas in </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">1904</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">,
just 23 miles away, and operated until 1987. At one time, tons</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"> of sulfur dioxide was released into the atmosphere daily, a primary
cause of acid rain.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"> I
am skeptical that the soil within trucking distance is any healthier than what we
have. My partner had a conversation with the folks at the Remediation Program
office but the office </span>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">staff
didn’t <span style="color: black;">seem to know anything
about</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">that</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"> aspect of the program. They did
know that we couldn’t count on our soil being replaced within the next year and
it may be two more years (note: notification about the test results was received in
Mar. 2010)</span>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">before that takes place</span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">The
2010 the Bisbee soil program update literature, supplied plenty of photos of
happy, young, and hard working team members in the field. The EPA was mentioned
in one section because they indicated that there could be natural occurring radon
in the area. Soil samples were collected and analyzed to determine the
background levels. The evaluation of the data found that “none of the 261
properties had radionuclide levels in soils that exceed levels that the Arizona
Department of Radiation Control has determined to be <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">protective</b> of human health (my bold). Freeport-McMoRan’s programs
are conducted under the oversight of the Arizona Department of Environmental
Quality (ADEQ). I’m supposed to feel assured, right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">I admit I didn’t
immediately associate Freeport-McMoRan or The Shaw Group with any bad press. I
did know that mining companies are in the same class as oil companies, so I
took a look on the Internet. It didn’t take long to find some very disturbing
news about the environmental history and practices attached to these two
companies. The actions described are not fostering my trust. Check out the
links at the end of diary for more information.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Taking a step back, our
1920s house probably has lead paint buried under several layers of acrylic
based paint. Being nearly 90 years old, the layers of paint have built up over time.
This means that the first coats of paint are old and brittle and the paint
randomly chips free. Another consideration is that the troubled patch of dirt in
the back yard is a prime spot for dumping household chemicals, historically a
popular practice among many people. Since lead levels are their only concern
here, I’m not inclined to solely put the blame on the mining operations. The stated F</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">reeport-McMoRan cleanup level for lead is 425 ppm. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">The new <b><a href="http://epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadhaz.htm" target="_blank">EPA standards</a></b> states lead is considered a hazard when equal to
or exceeding . . . 400 parts per million (ppm) of lead in bare soil in
children's play areas or 1200 ppm average for bare soil in the rest of the yard
(Last updated on 11/08/2010).</span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"></span>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">After
serious consideration, I’m thinking that I do not want to participate in the
soil remediation program but my partner is concerned about the property value. The
test levels for our backyard seem not high enough for us to be overly concerned
about our health and we don’t have young children living with us to worry about.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfu4FrEL0jrUv9bKuTDa1aGy24jqkRMNHRK2t_ZF7BHeT0hNovu7Io_-TaRmVx4VLC9HgzghrLiGN_KXePjRsSRBpap3Iji6y_UgsQK4CnSO6lvFcE3MUusUhHTAyniOR6ALQ_aehfL6Cf/s1600/2012WildMustard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfu4FrEL0jrUv9bKuTDa1aGy24jqkRMNHRK2t_ZF7BHeT0hNovu7Io_-TaRmVx4VLC9HgzghrLiGN_KXePjRsSRBpap3Iji6y_UgsQK4CnSO6lvFcE3MUusUhHTAyniOR6ALQ_aehfL6Cf/s320/2012WildMustard.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Mustard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</style><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">In respect to our property value, I plan
to use an alternative clean up solution called</span><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.aspb.org/publicaffairs/briefing/phytoremediation.cfm" target="_blank"><b>Phytoremediation</b></a>.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"> Phytoremediation is the practice of using
plants to remove pollutants from the environment. Studies have shown that
sunflowers pull arsenic and lead out of soil. Brassicas, particularly Indian
mustard, are also hyper accumulators of arsenic and other metals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Research
data is sketchy, but I did learn that it is important that the expired plants, full
of toxic waste, are removed and safely disposed of. I haven’t found anything
about the best type of sunflowers to use nor if the seeds hold pollutants. Pictured
above is a type of mustard that grows wild in the yard. I’m trying to identify
it to know if it should be pulled up and disposed of because of our arsenic
levels or should I use it to amend the soil. My best guess in identification is
</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Sisymbrium irio<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">, </b>London
Rocket. </span><span style="color: black;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Perhaps one of my readers can offer their insight on these questions.</span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">I intend to have the soil tested next
winter, after a season of sunflower treatment. The data Freeport-McMoRan
provided to us will be useful because it gives us a baseline for my experiment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">I couldn’t ask for a more beautiful possible solution
to the lead and arsenic problem. The real problem is the possibility that
mining on a large scale will return to the area and how that will affect our
unique community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">The Bermuda Lawn</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"> update:</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpcgflU-N4gKyS77iqEhALVzPAX5NazBdO54s0e7DOUiCv5vtfnoiq6a4Oddzrw2is8LQRfVqFZHarGZEfw-jjyxa-pH7TlQFr-ib1wS94026aY0E1LmkdTp_Qe9FtNTjjoG6_aRmRZ03/s1600/Feb2011_Snow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpcgflU-N4gKyS77iqEhALVzPAX5NazBdO54s0e7DOUiCv5vtfnoiq6a4Oddzrw2is8LQRfVqFZHarGZEfw-jjyxa-pH7TlQFr-ib1wS94026aY0E1LmkdTp_Qe9FtNTjjoG6_aRmRZ03/s320/Feb2011_Snow.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning Snow, February 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Freeport-McMoRan’s soil program crew picked up some dirt samples on the city’s
land in front where the Public Works crew removed the grass and soil. I have to
wait and see what that means for my plans. I have already landscaped part of
it. In vacant areas, the Bermuda grass appears to be dormant and although it
has been sunny, it is very chilly. I’ll take this as a sign for me to give my
project a rest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">More Reading:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Phytoremediation:</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/keepwesternnybeautiful/what-we-do/green-to-clean/phytoremediation-field-testing"></a></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Keep Western New York Beautiful (KWNYB):</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> Programs > Green-to-Clean > </span></div>
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<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/keepwesternnybeautiful/what-we-do/green-to-clean/phytoremediation-field-testing" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Phytoremediation Field Testing</span></b></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-weight: normal;">Our Garden Gang: Organic
Ade > </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><b><a href="http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/whsuckitup.htm" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-weight: normal;">Suck It Up!</span></b></a></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Freeport-McMoRan:</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<a href="http://londonminingnetwork.org/2010/04/rio-tinto-a-shameful-history-of-human-and-labour-rights-abuses-and-environmental-degradation-around-the-globe/" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Grasberg Mine, West Papua, Indonesia</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Freeport-McMoRan,
a U.S. corporation headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, the Grasberg Mine is one
of the world’s largest single producers of both copper and gold, and contains
the largest recoverable reserves of copper and the largest single gold reserve
in the world, according to Freeport-McMoRan.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Massive environmental destruction: the mine
has already disposed of one billion tons of tailings into the local river
system</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Significant support to the Indonesian
government and military ($20 million 1998 through 2004)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-weight: normal;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Serious
human rights violations: indiscriminate killings, torture and disappearances of
local people in their safeguarding of the mine operations and their campaigns
against West Papuan secessionists</span><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/27/international/asia/27gold.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></a></span><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">New York Times: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/27/international/asia/27gold.html" target="_blank"><b>Below a Mountain of Wealth, a River of Waste</b></a></span></b></div>
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<span class="name"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">DailyKos.com: By Heathlander</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/07/08/355304/-Free-West-Papuans" target="_blank"><span class="name"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;">Free West Papuans</span></span></a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/03/04/308103/-Supporting-Genocide-In-West-Papua" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Supporting Genocide In West Papua</span></a></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">The Shaw Group:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Wikipedia.org: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shaw_Group" target="_blank"><b>The Shaw Group</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Shaw has over 30 years of experience in managing wastes of all types,
including radioactive, mixed, hazardous, and sanitary. They work closely with
federal, state, and local regulators to ensure safety and compliance in the
handling, processing, treating, transporting, and disposal of these wastes.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-weight: normal;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">In 2010 Shaw was ordered by The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission to improve the way it responds to safety complaints from employees,
following the firing of an employee who felt substandard protective paint
coatings were being applied to critical parts of a nuclear plant's cooling
systems.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-weight: normal;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">As part of Shaw's work providing 24,000 FEMA trailers (to
Katrina victims), the company was cited after explosions for failing to follow
proper safety standards.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Douglas Smelter Environmental History:</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.pollutionissues.com/Re-Sy/Smelting.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Environmentalists Seek Smelter Cleanup : Suit Adds to Copper Firms' Woes</span></b></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">January 07, 1985|United Press International</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Much
of the railroad is now torn up, but the mining and smelter towns it served near
Mexico remain--part of the so-called Gray Triangle where pilots must plow their
crafts through tons of airborne sulfur dioxide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">By
next year, two smelters in northern Mexico and a Phelps Dodge facility in
Douglas could pour 2,700 tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere daily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">That
would be equal to 80% of all the sulfur dioxide produced in the West, including
that from coal-fired power plants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Smelting:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">In older smelters,
air emissions contained elevated levels of various metals. Copper and selenium,
for example, which can be released from copper smelters, are essential to
organisms as trace elements, but they are toxic if they are overabundant. These
metals can contaminate<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>the soil in
the vicinity of smelters, destroying much of the vegetation. In addition, particulate<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>matter emitted from
smelters may include oxides of such toxic metals as arsenic (cumulative
poison), cadmium (heart disease), and mercury (nerve damage). </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality</span></b><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><a href="http://www.azpm.org/business/story/2012/1/13/937-copper-at-the-crossroads-part-5-arizonas-toxic-town/" target="_blank"><b>Copper at the Crossroads Part 5: Arizona's Toxic Town</b></a> (Hayden)</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New";">The Arizona Republic: <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2012/01/08/20120108clean-cars-editorial.html" target="_blank"><b>Abandoning Clean Cars Program not fair for Ariz.</b></a></span></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286698620357395708.post-70933307597803412262012-01-11T20:45:00.000-08:002012-01-11T20:45:57.532-08:00The Bermuda Grass Lawn<br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Our home before we moved in.</span></span>
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The soil located on the property has been used for years as a lawn. Now, I am not a fan of lawns. In fact, I have a strong opinion against lawns because they usually require chemical treatment and water piped in from outside of the area. I loathe golf courses. I think it is obscene and a crime to lavish water on lawns and to build golf courses in the desert.<br />
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The majority of the property’s lawn is occupied by Bermuda grass. Some people, like me, prefer the name “Devil Grass”. The Bermuda grass was surviving without any extra care except grooming during the monsoon season. I couldn’t find fault in it in that way. It is a plant after all and I admire survivalists. For half of the year it looks dead but once the rain hits in July it jumps back to life. If you were to offer it some chemicals and water it would be green year round. <br />
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At first I assumed that the Bermuda grass was put in place by a previous homeowner for the sake of convenience or in an attempt to recreate a lush lawn like those that are popular in other parts of the country. Then it came to my attention that Bermuda grass is used in ballparks in warm climates. The historical Warren Ballpark sits across the street from our home so maybe the seeds migrated and took over the space with no encouragement from the occupants. <br />
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The Warren Ballpark is the site where the historically unjust <a href="http://www.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/bisbee/">Bisbee deportation</a> took place. As I gaze to the south, I sometimes reflect on the fact that in 1917 a crime was committed against the population of Bisbee right there on the site that is in front of me. Let me share with you an excerpt from an overview of the historical event provided by <a href="http://www.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/bisbee/history/overview.html">University of Arizona</a>:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
On June 24, 1917, the I.W.W. presented the Bisbee mining companies with a list of demands. These demands included improvements to safety and working conditions, such as requiring two men on each machine and an end to blasting in the mines during shifts. Demands were also made to end discrimination against members of labor organizations and the unequal treatment of foreign and minority workers. Furthermore, the unions wanted a flat wage system to replace sliding scales tied to the market price of copper.<br />
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Snip - July 12, 1917<br />
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The vigilantes rounded up over 1,000 men, many of whom were not strikers -- or even miners -- and marched them two miles to the Warren Ballpark. There they were surrounded by armed Loyalty Leaguers and urged to quit the strike. Anyone willing to put on a white armband was released. At 11:00 a. m. a train arrived, and 1,186 men were loaded aboard boxcars inches deep in manure. Also boarding were 186 armed guards; a machine gun was mounted on the top of the train. The train traveled from Bisbee to Columbus, New Mexico, where it was turned back because there were no accommodations for so many men. On its return trip the train stopped at Hermanas, New Mexico, where the men were abandoned. A later train brought water and food rations, but the men were left without shelter until July 14th when U. S. troops arrived. The troops escorted the men to facilities in Columbus. Many were detained for several months. (Sheila Bonnand, 1997)</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train Leaving for New Mexico. Deportation of I.W.W.s July 12, 1917</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">To this day, there remains a hard feeling within the Bisbee community over the event. To illustrate this fact, several years ago a member of the community proposed a memorial for the deportation event. The proposal went through a long and contested battle before gaining approval. While the placement for the memorial was intended to be by the ballpark, eventually it found a home in the cemetery next to James Brew. James Brew had shot a Loyalty Leaguer (vigilante), after giving a warning that he would shoot anyone who tried to take him. In return, James Brew was shot on the spot. The fight for justice carries on. Solidarity forever. Occupy Everywhere! In my case it is my little piece of dirt. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">How do you deal with the problem of removing Bermuda grass? I have had previous battles with Bermuda grass on a smaller scale before, so I knew that it was unlikely that I would ever be able to completely eradicate it. Some people use Monsanto’s Roundup as a solution. In fact, I had a confrontation a few months after I moved into the home. A well-meaning neighbor was spraying Roundup on the grass that was thriving in the cracks in the road in front of her house and she decided to continue on to the front of my home. I was dismayed because I had observed her frequently tending her yard and I thought we might share the love of plants. Although, I was looking forward to having a neighbor to share gardening experiences with, I had to introduce myself to her by requesting that she discontinue spraying the grass in front of our home. She was very apologetic and expressed that she thought I would like to have the grass eradicated. I very carefully explained that I appreciated her intentions but that I aim to be an organic gardener and I was concerned about the health of our wildlife and watersheds. She quickly said that the label stated that product was safe for the watersheds. I looked at her, took a breath, and pointed out that the company that makes that claim is </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundup_%28herbicide%29" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Monsanto</a><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">. Based on what I know about Monsanto, the company cannot be trusted. Next, I suggested that she should research the company’s practices online. I didn’t want to go on a long rant because I had hoped to build a relationship. She admitted that her husband hates her using Roundup and that he shared my views about the chemical. Whew. She understood where I was coming from but I wonder why she is still using the damn product. Thankfully, we maintain a friendly relationship even though it had a slightly rough beginning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I decided that I would take a multistep approach. First, I waited until July for the rains to soften the dirt to make the digging process easier (I’m 50 yrs. and feeling it lately). Round 1 - dig down the depth of my shovel and turn the soil over. Rake and pick out the grass and roots as much as possible. Let the hot summer sun roast the disturbed earth and burn the grass debris that I missed. Round 2 – allow enough time for the survivors to begin to recover and then repeat digging process in just those spots. Round 3 – begin adding topsoil because I have hit the layer of clay soil at this point. Continue to be diligent in removing any survivors. I’m hopeful that the amount of surviving grass will be less in time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Several folks had noticed me digging the grass up and made the suggestion that I throw down an old carpet over it instead. I gave the response that I’m concerned about the fact that most carpet materials are made from synthetic fibers (polyamides (nylons) and polypropylene) and that it would most likely be toxic for the soil and plants that I want to use in place of the grass. Many people pass by and voice admiration for my efforts but I get the feeling that the quiet ones think I’m crazy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">In late July, the operations manager from the city’s Public Works department took an interest in my activity. He was leading a team to improve the ground levels to promote the flow of the torrential rains to the drains to prevent flooding. I explained to him that the grass had built up in the years (2 inches) and that the water wasn’t being allowed to sink in the soil but flowed instead on the sidewalk. Then he noticed that I had placed some rocks in front of a drainage outlet to appear like a riverbed. I explained that I was attempting to subdue the grasses that promoted soil and debris blockage to the opening and to encourage the monsoon water to flow into the canal as intended. He was impressed with the functionality and decorative effect. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">He then pointed out that I was digging on city property and he asked me about my plans. I explained that I wanted to lower the level of the soil to below the sidewalk so that the water would puddle and sink in instead of it flowing down the sidewalk. He liked that idea. Then I went on to say that I wanted to plant local flora, aka cactus and wild flowers in the plots closest to the street and a mixture of plants that are drought tolerant in the plots toward our fence. He didn’t feel that the city would approve of the cactus. It would be a liability for the city if someone were injured from brushing up against a cactus. I wondered if he had noticed the century plants, barrel cactus, yucca, ocotillo etc. decoratively placed around town. Since I had pointed to the closest hill to illustrate the landscaping idea, he also sternly warned me not to take anything from the mining company’s land. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Anyway, I was already aware that the land between the sidewalk and the road was city property. After a short period of discussing what is the city’s property and what was ours, I pointed out that everyone on the street had customized the land in front of their homes. We had a thoughtful discussion about that historical fact and how he was concerned about telling some homeowners that they will have to remove their trees because the tree roots will eventually destroy the sidewalk. I became worried over the fate of the desert willow that we had recently planted but he gave his approval for that type of tree. </span>
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<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVm0kF3kGq_30brbSCvzDz4ZUYssaoYPV1solqqz0785RQtQMgvRoWlqkOlfKZ9Y8D_GI2VV49Nh9Yz-TXzyPgnGW-BNtQxa9Hy2XF9ujM1_jBhpGQzj3MgvLrOA-oT6sBEoL5EYaG6NFy/s320/2011sidewalk.jpg" width="320" /><span id="goog_954685986"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Well, I had to laugh at this sudden concern about the sidewalk. The sidewalk was in poor condition in front of our home and it was evident that it had been that way for half a century. He looked down toward the sidewalk and noticed for the first time the level of decay and the outright hazardous shape the sidewalk was in. The Bermuda grass had grown over it to such an extent that it had hidden the deterioration. My attempt to cut the grass away from the cracks made the problem quite visible. Without thinking, I told him that we were planning on hiring someone to restore the sidewalk (I also wanted to dig up the grass thriving under it). We figured that the city had limited resources and we wanted to contribute to the cause. He objected to that idea and said we would have to get permission from this and/or that city department. He then began to get animated and called a member of his crew over for consultation. The operations manager’s work force is comprised of the incarcerated. The orange suited crewmember consulted was obviously valued for his knowledge and in the course of the conversation let out the fact that his boss had him for 25 more years. I don’t know all of the details but I have the opinion that the taxpaying and jobless citizens in this country are not benefiting from this arrangement. The operation’s manager stated that he wanted to put the sidewalk repair on his schedule and also added the removal of the Bermuda grass for the reason of improving the drainage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Later, we were told that the sidewalk would be repaired by the end of the year (2011). Also, we were advised to stop the landscaping project until then because his crew needed space to work in. Our thoughts were that it would be a long time for that project to fit into the city budget. We thought that we would probably just do the repair eventually and suffer the consequences for doing something that needed to be done and that would save the city money later. I decided to continue working on the project at my own slow pace, keeping in mind that the sidewalk repair project would require some room to maneuver. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Within two weeks the crew brought in a backhoe. The grass, three to four inches of its root system and soil were removed. The first battle with the evil grass is completed. For all the issues I have with the city’s logic, in this case, I am very grateful for their assistance with the dirt I occupy.</span><br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12626963084989577642noreply@blogger.com2