Its almost Springtime. Gardening Time

       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. Lightl...

 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...

    Given the increase in oceanic surface water temperatures in the past few years, how much of an increase in flooding might we see?     Ocean water temperatures have been increasing in recent years due to climate change, and this can lead to an increase in sea level rise. Sea level rise can lead to increased coastal flooding in low-lying areas. The amount of flooding that we might see will depend on a number of factors, including the rate of sea level rise and the ability of coastal communities to adapt to these changes. Overall, sea level rise caused by climate change is projected to continue for centuries and will cause coastal flooding to occur more frequently and with greater severity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that global sea level could rise by 0.26 to 2.1 meters (about 1 to 7 feet) by the year 2100. This projection is based on historical data, current observations, and future scenario and climate models. Some climatic f...