Its almost Springtime. Gardening Time

  Hot Composting.   There are three main ingredients that make a good compost. Carbon, Nitrogen and Water. Approximately one third o f each ingredient by weight . First is Carbon. T hi s can be dry leaves, grass clippings and spent garden plants or even dead weeds. Always save your leaves. Trees are deep rooted and have lots of trace minerals and carbon. Second is Nitrogen. Kitchen scraps or coffee grounds are a good source. Animal manures, like chicken, horse, cow or sheep are good. Green matter like grass clippings or green leaves, also h ave Nitrogen and are a good source. Bean or Pea vines and other legumes while still green are excellent. Third is Water. Chicken litt er is excellent for compost , it i s very high in Nitrogen, and all three of the primary nutrients, N-P-K, and contains most of the important trace minerals. Chickens are usually feed some form of calcium like oyster shell, so that they ha

   There are many problems with commercial agriculture. The use of many thousands of toxic Biocides of many kinds cause deformations and malformation in many animals. These include fish amphibians, birds and people. What kind of unintended effect are known for the herbicide Atrazine in disrupting hormone functions in animals, including Amphibians, fish, Birds and mammals? Atrazine , an herbicide widely used in agriculture, has been studied for its potential effects on hormone function in various animals, including amphibians, fish, birds, and mammals. Here are some of the unintended effects that have been observed: Amphibians: Atrazine exposure has been linked to feminization of male frogs , leading to the development of female reproductive organs (gonadal intersex) and altered mating behaviors. It can also affect thyroid hormone levels, metamorphosis, and immune function in amphibians. Fish: Atrazine exposure in fish has been shown to disrupt the endocrine system ,

  Methane clathrates (Think of Dry Ice made from Methane) are common constituents of the shallow marine geosphere. Methane hydrate is a problem for the climate change problem and heating of the atmosphere when it comes out into the atmosphere. What kinds of plans can you devise that could capture methane from permafrost or the Arctic coasts? Capturing methane from permafrost or Arctic coasts is indeed an important strategy for mitigating climate change, as methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Here are some plans that could be devised to capture methane from these sources: Methane Recovery Wells: Similar to natural gas extraction, methane recovery wells could be drilled into permafrost areas or Arctic coastlines where methane emissions are high. These wells would capture methane as it escapes and direct it to collection systems for proper storage or utilization. Methane Oxidation: Another approach is to encourage methane oxidation, a natural process where methane reacts wi

    I used to work on some farms in the Great Northwest in the spring back in the late 70s and early eighties. The Farms almost all did the chemical style of agriculture back then. Oregon and Washington were always beautiful and green back then. Always cool and moist in the spring. Now in the early 2020s, the temperatures reach one hundred degrees or more in many springs and summers. I do believe it is going to take some very serious improvements to the way we utilize water in North America to reverse Global warming. In the early 80s, I got an invitation to a conference at Whidbey Island. It is in the Straits of Juan De Fuca area of Puget Sound. I have no idea how they got my address, but I was going up to that part of the country anyway that spring. There was an Aussie named Bill Mol l i son there. He was the founder of the Permaculture style   of agriculture in the western world. He said that he had learned much from the Aboriginal People of Tasmania. He talked about the interrelati

       When I was young my mother and my grandmother used to make a dish from stuff that grew in the yard.  I was a budding gardener. I thought the things that they made were just regular food. They were in the traditions of my mom's family. In the desert Southwest the Native first nations and Spanish people used plants that are now considered weeds in the local diets. One was called Verdolaga, which is known as Purslane in English. It was usually lightly sauteed with onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Sometimes with hot chili put in while cooking. Usually, the Chili was on the side as another side dish. Served with beans, cheese, and tortillas.      Another local "Weed" was Lambs-quarters, Cuartos de Cordero in Spanish. Also called Wild Spinach by many people, it is quite nutritious. Prepared much the same as the Purslane. I use them still, usually only once or twice in the spring while still very tender. One of my favorites is in an omelet. Lightly sauteed with garlic an

 On of the most important people in modern agriculture, and author of ' The One Straw Revolution " by Masanobu Fukuoka. Well worth reading, very good story and short. Only about 140 pages. Some of his methods were adopted and perfected or changed to be used by permaculture practitioners. This from Wikipedia Fukuoka re-invented and advanced the use of clay seed balls. Clay seed balls were originally an ancient practice in which seeds for the next season's crops are mixed together, sometimes with humus or compost for microbial inoculants , and then are rolled within clay to form into small balls. This method is now commonly used in guerilla gardening to rapidly seed restricted or private areas.  This is an excellent way to reseed areas that have been degraded by drought and desertification, commercial and chemical agriculture or global warming. Areas can be reseeded while dry, and the clay seedball will protect the seeds from birds or other animals that might eat the