Episode-264- Backyard From Vision To Reality

If I started over I would begin with a read of Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway. I would then map my property on a topographic map to verify surveyed contour and the overlay my garden plans on that. The design would be a south facing U-shaped sun trap with swales on contours. I did not start that way but I am moving towards that design. Geoff Lawton of Australia has some of the best video examples...

Episode-253- Food Forest Fun Food Findings

I have how the food forest started to get full all good things in June and this last part shows some of the reaping of all the sowing. Sure it takes a while to get something from my land but being able to plan for it and actually see it is all part of wanting to expand permaculture knowledge. The knowledge that I put to use as I built my main tree plants in guilds and I am getting to the point...

August

It is now past the middle of August and summer has played out beautifully and better than planned. I began August at the Vibes and just got back from the Peach. Lockn not far away and this is possible because of good planning around the idea of meeting people and making new friends where the best music is happening. Part of my gratefullness is in the ground in form of pea seeds and more to sown...

Episode-251- Time For Top Bar Beehive Update

I have been showing a lot of the fruit, flowers and vegetables growing around the property permaculture style but I need to emphasize at times the animals that all play a part of the systems I have built. Featured in this episode is honey bee colony D from June 2014. This hive began in April 2013 and seems to be doing well. The present colony is possibly the result of a new queen and young bees...

Episode-245- Plant Comfrey And Parsley In The Backyard

This how the gardens get started this year. I begin with comfrey from Nantahala Farm & Garden in North Carolina  and the parsley were the first plants started from seed in February. The seeds came from SouthernExposre In Mineral, VA. I have had a great experience buying from them over the years. Today's video shows how they have grown in the past two months and I briefly show where they...

Episode-242- Sweet And Easy Strawberry Bed For Spring

The goal with my permaculture plans as the food forest takes shape is to have the sweetest home in the neighborhood. Literally the sweetest. With all the different berries, fruit trees, kiwi vines, grapes and more I am bringing new meaning to Home Sweet Home. Nothing starts that feeling in spring better than strawberries which are being picked now and they are the best yet. The reason they are...

Episode-236- 7 Essential Supplies For Spring Beekeping

2014 is my fourth beekeeping season. Right now the top bar hive seems like it will make it into spring no problem. However, getting them out of spring will be the challenge. It's been a long much too long winter and the bees will need to work hard in between the early rains to gather pollen, nectar, build and raise brood and support themselves. There will also be another colony of honey bees to...

February

There seems to be no end to cold weather and to top it off we got a foot of snow today. It's not that it is so bad but it has been a long winter and the motivation to plan for spring is tested by weather that keeps me indoors. Yet parsley is being sprouted and the plans for new plants are being transferred from my mind to paper. The honey bees are tucked away in the top bar hive and a second...