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Post by raymondo on Feb 26, 2014 5:23:07 GMT -5
... The challenge is to figure out how to obtain a yield - edible, medicinal, or other while disturbing nature, in particular the soil, as little as possible. The best bet I suppose is to try to mimick nature as best you can in your particular climate, bending it towards edible/medicinal/whatever. Around here the native habitat is grassy woodland - stands of trees, scattered here and there, often with shrub associations, separated by grassy groundcover. Relatively open country though not as open as savannah. It would be easy to create an edible version. My neighbour's experiment is more about seeing what happens to the soil I think though he does want to create something edible, eventually. |
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Post by templeton on Feb 27, 2014 3:20:51 GMT -5
I've pondered this approach a bit - mimicing nature in dryland central victoria would mean growing nearly everythig in autumn and spring, both a bit iffy from year to year. Winter tends to be a bit too cold for much growth, summer way too dry. Grasses set seed in early November, native tubers by mid december. then no growth until the autumn break, in april, or may, or june. This would mean growing sufficient storage foods in the spring window to last most of the year, a daunting prospect.
Is the application of water considered an acceptable intervention under this approach? It can trigger weed germination in the same way as tilling...Or am I being a bit too literal?
Most of the stuff I like to eat doesn't fit in with the local rhythms. I could totally change my diet, but not without much inconvenience. Or install an extensive wetland, and harvest Typha and Phragmites reeds, ducks and fish. Bit difficult on a hillside.
More power to the arms of those willing to try,and I'm sure there are valuable lessons and insights to be gained. But it's not really for me. I suspect that to adapt the One Straw approach would require so much modification that it would little resemble the original.
T
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Post by raymondo on Feb 27, 2014 4:02:12 GMT -5
The principles of natural farming make no mention of water so irrigation would be fine, and necessary in dry summer/wet winter climates probably. Although Jean Pain (of compost for heat and fuel fame) said he never watered his garden and he had dry summers. he grew under a kind of lattice affair he built from branches and twigs which kept the garden in dappled light for much of the day. Perhaps that would a necessary adjustment in such a climate. One of my nephews lives in central west Queensland with summer temps in the 40s (Celsius) most of the time. A vege patch is only possible under shade cloth. Perhaps we are inhabiting areas where man is not meant to live!
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Post by templeton on Feb 27, 2014 15:35:52 GMT -5
The principles of natural farming make no mention of water so irrigation would be fine, and necessary in dry summer/wet winter climates probably. Although Jean Pain (of compost for heat and fuel fame) said he never watered his garden and he had dry summers. he grew under a kind of lattice affair he built from branches and twigs which kept the garden in dappled light for much of the day. Perhaps that would a necessary adjustment in such a climate. One of my nephews lives in central west Queensland with summer temps in the 40s (Celsius) most of the time. A vege patch is only possible under shade cloth. Perhaps we are inhabiting areas where man is not meant to live! Well, agrarian man, perhaps. |
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Post by flowerweaver on Feb 27, 2014 16:05:01 GMT -5
May the rain gods piss on you like a cow on a flat rock; I hope they do the same for me! The day after you wrote this we got half an inch of rain! Hope you got some, too. Keep interceding with the rain gods for me! |
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Post by steev on Feb 27, 2014 20:54:18 GMT -5
We got wetted decently, too, with a dry day today to finish up the pressing work, which was welcome, there being a heavier storm expected tomorrow.
I wish I had pull with the rain gods, but I'd keep it down low, if I did; not like Fusionpower, from whom we've not heard since he publicized his possession of his great-grandad's real rain rattle; poor guy's prolly in Area 51, or just the rattle, while he's been put in Gitmo or some "undisclosed location".
Oh, well; the rain, like the Quality of Mercy, falleth upon the just and the unjust alike; you got some; I got some; that's my point.
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Post by raymondo on Feb 27, 2014 23:27:44 GMT -5
Are you sure you have no influence? The shadow of rain extended south of the equator and westward. We've had threatening rain clouds most of the day though they are yet to release their load.
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Post by steev on Feb 28, 2014 1:46:55 GMT -5
I assure you I've no knowledge of any influence, whatsoever. I'm pretty sure my wishes don't make things so. Certainly hasn't seemed to be the case, so far.
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