Tuesday, December 28, 2010

school garden project of Lane County

This single website may have changed my life. Its like I just found a lesson plan for the whole thing. I'm speechless. I feel like I've tapped into a thread. Please go to this site and look around. This is what I want to do, but on land I own for the sake of the nonprofit.http://www.efn.org

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

I bought seeds today from Baker Creek Hierloom Seeds. "All of our seed is non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated and non-patented." I selected a variety ranging from flowers to lettuces, herbs to sweet peppers. (Yes babe, I bought the chinese hot variety too.)

I feel a little overwhelmed to make this mixed garden a success. That's my fear talking. This is where I test and learn. Boy I hope I have yummy goodness to share with everyone this year. Here's a deep breath and prayer. Away we go!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Another patch

So this year instead of going to Lowe's or Home Depot for our Christmas tree Ryan suggested we head to Toogoodoo Tree Farm. Brilliant idea. As it is now we have a beautiful and native Red Cedar in our living room, root bulb in tact! A seven foot gorgeous LIVING tree, in a bucket, holding on long enough I hope for me to put her in our back yard. I'm feeding her Compost Tea from the Abby and we have enough soil to just cover her roots.

I love trees. And no, I'm not talking about sap hugging crunchy dreams, I mean I truly love trees. My calmest, most serene moments in the past few years have been when Ryan and I go camping in the NC mountains and I wake up under a canopy of trees each morning. I want this same awareness to be available to kids who never make it out of the city before they're adults. I want to build a house on a lot that only has enough clearing for the house itself, in the woods. Hollywood, Johns Island, any beautiful patch of land will do. I also want to plant a garden. A co-op garden that kids from the city can come and work in exchange for life experiences, trade learning, and crops to take home.

The night after we came back from Toogoodoo, I was home alone (as Ryan was working a 24) and I was sad amount a personal loss I had experienced a few days prior. I looked up at our new red cedar and it hit me. I wanted to start this. This garden, those trees, finding the kids that wanted to get out of the city.

I can't say this patch is ready to be sewn, but I'm looking for the fabric and thread as we speak.

Here's to Fred and Frank, our first two Christmas trees, and especially to Olivia Velma, our red cedar beauty.