tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post9092018946497958123..comments2024-01-03T17:26:32.872-08:00Comments on Our Subsistence Pattern: Secrets of the SoilUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-86618737282555734882011-02-05T15:19:11.535-08:002011-02-05T15:19:11.535-08:00Sheryl - We received our Russian comfrey roots in ...Sheryl - We received our Russian comfrey roots in the email yesterday so I am very excited to grow them this year. I still have a lot of reading to do on them though to see how best to use them..Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-61231557735503060042011-02-05T08:41:16.091-08:002011-02-05T08:41:16.091-08:00I grow comfrey as a green manure. I also grow burd...I grow comfrey as a green manure. I also grow burdock all over the place, and not on purpose. You have me thinking about the burdock now. I could use it as a green manure too.Sheryl at Providence Northhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07127223943390691667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-4680082555740925852011-01-23T05:08:57.107-08:002011-01-23T05:08:57.107-08:00Lori - Thank you so much for the offer but we have...Lori - Thank you so much for the offer but we have decided to purchase our comfrey through <a href="http://www.horizonherbs.com/product.asp?specific=917" rel="nofollow">Horizon Herbs</a><br />as there are some other herbs they sell that I would like to grow. It is great to hear so many good things from you about this plant and I am very excited to get ours started. I was trying to fugure out where to plant it, perhaps I should do the same as you and introduce it in our little orchard. Thanks.:)Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-60988778395326864372011-01-22T11:15:50.764-08:002011-01-22T11:15:50.764-08:00Hi Mr. H
I would be happy to send you some comfrey...Hi Mr. H<br />I would be happy to send you some comfrey roots. While many growers in our area (west coast of Canada) find it a nuisance, I think it is a gold mine. We have clumps all through our orchard and cut it down a couple times a year to use as mulch around our tomatoes and to make a comfrey tea that all our fruiting plants seem to love. The bees are crazy for it too.<br /><br />I love your blog and what you are doing in your garden. Thank you for the inspiration!Lorinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-91504709362867667912011-01-20T17:44:49.905-08:002011-01-20T17:44:49.905-08:00OK, OK, I'm going to write a post on saving se...OK, OK, I'm going to write a post on saving seeds and then one on all the new chickens we got this afternoon...that crazy wife of mine.:)Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-74274998932488364962011-01-20T12:13:10.946-08:002011-01-20T12:13:10.946-08:00hey Mr. H! you know at some point you're going...hey Mr. H! you know at some point you're going to have to do another post so we can all say our hellos without having to scroll allllll the way to the bottom!<br /><br />its pouring down snow here - we are getting that storm you had a few days ago. no one is happy least of all ME! please send news of your happy homestead.<br />;-)Ohiofarmgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02606563929369721111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-81045264306112151472011-01-20T09:22:24.749-08:002011-01-20T09:22:24.749-08:00Ms. Adventuress - Yes, there are so many simple so...Ms. Adventuress - Yes, there are so many simple solutions but alas the human race seems bent on creating difficult ones. <br /><br />Meemsnyc - So glad to hear that your soil is full of worms...a very good sign of soil fertility.:)<br /><br />Veggie Pak - Thanks, when I say rock dust, to me that means any crushed rock and does include things like rock phosphate, green sand, and so forth. We will be adding crushed, powdered rock obtained from a hillside close to where we live. It is a very soft rock so we should have good luck crushing it into a powder ourselves. Obviously I have know way of knowing its true mineral content...we shall see what happens. It is full of quartz, mica, and other materials.Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-2057407632450648032011-01-20T05:01:43.388-08:002011-01-20T05:01:43.388-08:00What a great post! So much valuable information! W...What a great post! So much valuable information! When you talk about rock dust, is that the same as rock phosphate?Veggie PAKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13250455377130668508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-79727638352764786912011-01-19T18:33:07.263-08:002011-01-19T18:33:07.263-08:00I have to get our soil checked too. Worms are the...I have to get our soil checked too. Worms are the best aren't they? We are lucky to have lots of earthworms in our soil too.meemsnychttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10584936035577822444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-55541830451708719272011-01-19T11:14:04.432-08:002011-01-19T11:14:04.432-08:00I somehow missed the video at the bottom before......I somehow missed the video at the bottom before...and I'm so glad I came back and saw it. It truly is the simplest things, I think, too. Right now I'm learning just how important nutrient dense food is and the slight differences and big differences it can make in your body, which can never be fully attained with pills, I don't think. Of course, some supps are very helpful, but the real deal should be in there, too.<br /><br />(The Tree of Life really is a simple solution, too. :o)Ms. Adventuresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997927435963074775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-12108753268705313042011-01-19T05:53:01.289-08:002011-01-19T05:53:01.289-08:00Niki - Thank you.:)
Contadina - I'm glad that...Niki - Thank you.:)<br /><br />Contadina - I'm glad that you shared the information on chicken carcasses as we have been adding burnt bone to our gardens and are excited to see what the results might be.Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-26880397758532878432011-01-18T23:23:23.419-08:002011-01-18T23:23:23.419-08:00Food for thought indeed. It's taken us four ye...Food for thought indeed. It's taken us four years to get a decent amount of organic matter and life into our soil. One thing which gave the soil a real boost was burning chicken carcasses in the woodburner and the added bonemeal with ash and manure has created more workable soil than just ash and manure alone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-37294307712111481692011-01-18T12:16:35.592-08:002011-01-18T12:16:35.592-08:00What a great post - so much important info! Thanks...What a great post - so much important info! Thanks for sharing it.. plus, your photos are outstanding. Your garden looks like a piece of paradise..<br />Niki<br />http://yearroundveggiegardener.blogspot.comYear Round Vegetable Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14089013518729172122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-38371509142262522192011-01-17T05:58:22.020-08:002011-01-17T05:58:22.020-08:00Wendy - Sounds like an excellent resolution...I am...Wendy - Sounds like an excellent resolution...I am working on a few similar ones myself.:)Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-7289563002228581552011-01-16T19:37:57.317-08:002011-01-16T19:37:57.317-08:00Great post. I have no doubts at all that your soi...Great post. I have no doubts at all that your soil is teaming with earth worms - your plants and harvests are just gorgeous. <br /><br />I really need to make a better effort to build my soil. Sometimes I feel like I just take and take from it - and there is little to offer as it is. Perhaps this will be my gardening New Year's resolution.Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04232693432045335251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-62118302533074106722011-01-15T05:58:53.947-08:002011-01-15T05:58:53.947-08:00Anne - I have always wanted to see one of those gi...Anne - I have always wanted to see one of those giant Palouse earthworms...up to 3' long they say, pretty amazing and not too far from where we live. We only have little red worms and really large night-crawlers in our gardens. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this as I did not realize how many different types of worms there were...I will have to read up on them some more.<br /><br />Heiko - Thanks for the offer. Don't feel too bad about leaving your seeds out in the rain, I did that with a whole container of flower seed this past summer...made me so darn mad. <br /><br />Lynn - Thanks for the link, it was very interesting to see the what the typical composition of rockdust was. We have places around here with very friable rock and I am considering trying to use that as a natural source. I talked to Micki about the worm bin and think we will give it a go this spring...Hunter will be so excited. I'll get back to you on the comfrey...I might be able to get some locally..maybe. <br /><br />MikeH - Thanks so much for all of the wonderful information. I can't believe that it can grow 8' deep, no wonder it is such a good source of nutrients for the soil and other plants..incredible. I will definitely check into the edibility of this plant before ingesting it. We are going to watch the Toby Hemenway lecture this morning, it sounds like a very interesting discussion...I have a feeling that I will agree with his thoughts on agriculture in comparison to the hunter gatherer/permaculture system...we shall see.<br /><br />6512 and growing - I couldn't agree more.:)<br /><br />OhioFarmgirl - You shouldn't expect too much from me as I'm from Northern Idaho, we don't even have a cell phone. Hmm, not sure that I have ever eaten polenta either.:) This is why I started this blog, so that I could see what the rest of the world was up to...grits and all. Thanks for the information on comfrey.<br /><br />Kelly - The whole plant derived mineral supplementation is what we hope to achieve or continue to achieve via our plants. I truly must give more consideration to foliar sprays, I have always disregarded it but am starting to see that there is something to it and hope to experiment with that aspect of feeding our plants this summer. I'm not familiar with the use of humic and/or fulvic acids and will have to look into that some more.Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-42415188470855988342011-01-15T03:58:13.023-08:002011-01-15T03:58:13.023-08:00Great post! I (and my family) take plant derived ...Great post! I (and my family) take plant derived trace minerals daily, and I also add them to my garden. Our health has improved quite a bit since adding these minerals to our routine. I have also seen brix values rise in local garden trials using mineral foliar sprays- it is very interesting stuff!! The other important factor when adding minerals is to one way or another add humic and/or fulvic acids whenever possible.Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06457953816169352495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-24751190016963138342011-01-14T18:43:36.164-08:002011-01-14T18:43:36.164-08:00Honestly, I'm reading this great book called &...<i>Honestly, I'm reading this great book called "1491" and have come to the conclusion that all the ills of man are based on greed. truly, it is all about wealth and power and our species unrelenting drive to obtain it regardless of the cost to each other, the environment, or the next generation. </i><br /><br />I haven't read the book but <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nLKHYHmPbo" rel="nofollow">this lecture</a> by Toby Hemenway provides an anthropological history of how the emergence of agriculture marks the beginning of the process to where we are now.MikeHhttp://portageperennials.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-58980999389663363832011-01-14T18:41:50.156-08:002011-01-14T18:41:50.156-08:00hey Mr H! I've been over at Ginny's.. how ...hey Mr H! I've been over at Ginny's.. how can you never had grits!?! Its polenta for breakfast. <br />;-)<br /><br />We finally got some comfrey - there is a company in canada that will ship you some. Ours is well controlled and we need the deep roots. And its good for chickens. See themodernhomestead.org for more info if you are interested.Ohiofarmgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02606563929369721111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-79133757995748953612011-01-14T13:07:29.434-08:002011-01-14T13:07:29.434-08:00I feel like any gardening success I've had is ...I feel like any gardening success I've had is due to creating good soil.<br /><br />Loving your pictures!6512 and growinghttp://6512andgrowing.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-32703910487013052052011-01-14T12:33:53.166-08:002011-01-14T12:33:53.166-08:00This year I am still searching for some as we real...<i>This year I am still searching for some as we really would love to grow it.</i><br /><br />It's a really aggressive plant. Both seeds and roots. If you want to deal with the seed problem, there is a sterile variety called Bocking 14 which you can only propagate by division. <a href="http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X1877&show=all&prodclass=&cart_id=5256324.26339" rel="nofollow">Richters</a> sells the plant and I believe that they have the phytosanitary certificate necessary for shipping plant material to the US. Even though B14 is sterile, you still have to watch where you plant it. That's why I have an area dedicated to it. If you move it, every little broken root piece that you leave in the soil will produce a plant much like horseradish does. I suspect that a systemic poison would kill the roots but they can run 8 feet deep so perhaps not.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/index.php" rel="nofollow">Growing & Using Comfrey for Gardeners</a> is a brief but thorough overview of comfrey based on some old but well researched and document material by Lawrence D Hills which, as far as I can tell by searching google scholar, has not been duplicated, discredited or surpassed. <br /><br /><i>Also, I would love to here more about how your hugelkultur bed turns out</i><br /><br />There'll be a picasa album as we go. Yeh, Holzer's quite the individual. Quite the ground-breaker in more ways than one. <br /><br />Hill notes in his book that there seem to be many strains(my word, not his) of comfrey that are virtually indistinguishable from each other. If that's the case, wild Italian comfrey might be OK to eat while <strike>American</strike> other comfrey might not. I think I've stumbled across peer-reviewed research that addresses the issue of ingesting comfrey.<br /><br />Regards,<br />MikeMikeHhttp://portageperennials.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-89898757613306837062011-01-14T10:44:33.630-08:002011-01-14T10:44:33.630-08:00Rock powder is I suppose pulverized rock and depen...Rock powder is I suppose pulverized rock and depending on the rock, it can be easy as finger pinching or hard enough to give a day's worth of work to Heiko's convicts. lol<br /><br />I got to view the video and had a hard time listening to the content because I was so fixed on that wonderful Scottish brogue. Music to my ears....I digress....I did rewatch it and then checked at Wiki here and found a few things:<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_dust<br /><br />It seems to be from the Scottish perspective that the composition is basalt and volcanic rock. Is that true elsewhere? I have started reading through the pdf online book but haven't gotten far with it yet.<br /><br />The most awesome rock I've ever come upon in my travels across America is found in the Palo Duro Canyon in northern Texas. The rock is a combination of red rock and gypsum so the upper portion of the rock is literally crystalized gypsum that you can pulverize with your bare hands. (Had to get myself a few rocks for my collection!)<br /><br />We have 2 worm bins and one stays inside year round. It has chambers and I use basic kitchen scraps chopped up for their food. I love my worms but my granddaughter is still squeemish and won't touch any. She'll watch them though, especially outside. Yes, you need to get some worms going! Put Junior in charge of them. <br /><br />If you want Comfrey, I'll send you a start this Spring.LynnShttp://woodridge.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-52162690223093644542011-01-14T08:00:51.651-08:002011-01-14T08:00:51.651-08:00I have a source of wild comfrey near us. I collec...I have a source of wild comfrey near us. I collected some seeds last year, but accidentally left them out in the rain before I got around using them. Might send you some of them when they are around again. Extremely tasty too! (Even if some paranoid Americans tell you they are bad for you...)Heikohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17999245793961798308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-48065773026973733462011-01-14T07:40:17.351-08:002011-01-14T07:40:17.351-08:00Earthworms are good for agricultural practices... ...Earthworms are good for agricultural practices... but keep in mind that several large ecosystems in North America developed without them, and in many areas native worms are losing out. <br /><br /> Most of these earthworms are in fact invasive species. <br /><br /> They are in fact causing noticeable damage in many areas by completely altering the soil composition, which effects what thrives there.. often clearing the way for other invasive plants. <br /><br /> If ever you get bored.. look up the giant Palouse worm. A special native to Idaho & Washington. <br /><br /> Yes.. tilling will hurt them. <br />The "small sickly yellow worms".. were a different species. While soil content does effect the coloring of some worms, they do come in various colors (black, blue, gray, red, brown, yellow, etc.) which helps narrow down what species.<br /><br /> While I love what they can do for a garden... just remember where you live and how they can effect the surroundings.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17159095601570766616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7636358068441886242.post-2662392815253617472011-01-14T05:54:48.439-08:002011-01-14T05:54:48.439-08:00Brenda - We also have a small blueberry patch full...Brenda - We also have a small blueberry patch full of pine needles that has not been doing that well. This year I added sulfur to the soil and they seem to be doing better...we shall see. Yours may be fine and doing great...I hope, but boy have I struggled with our patch over the past few years. Blueberries are a tough one for us. We did end up with almost a gallon of berries though so I guess I can't complain too much.<br /><br />Lynn - My oh my wouldn't the grandson love it if we started a little worm bed of our own...you know I might have to do that, he would love it and we could use the castings. Where do you keep the worm bin...I'll have to pick your brain about this some more later. <br /><br />Honestly, I'm reading this great book called "1491" and have come to the conclusion that all the ills of man are based on greed. truly, it is all about wealth and power and our species unrelenting drive to obtain it regardless of the cost to each other, the environment, or the next generation. I'm very disenchanted with all of this right now...:( That said, we will continue to do our part to not take part in all of this...leastwise as much as is "humanly" possible.<br /><br />Heiko - We happen to have some very friable rocks in our area that I can fairly easily beat into submission with a sledge hammer and turn into powder. I'm going to try this as it would be the most inexpensive (free) way to add minerals to our soil. Obviously I have no way of knowing the quality of the minerals in these rocks but am sure they have some and some is better than none.:)<br /><br />I like your thoughts on the sun warming the rocky soil too...I will have to read up on that some more. In the past we have used dark red bricks around some of our pepper plants to try and heat them up...I'll have to think about doing that again.<br /><br />MikeH - Comfrey is a real sore spot with me.:) I traded rhubarb with someone back in 2007 and they were supposed to dig up and give us comfrey but never followed through with it. Last year I tried to order comfrey through a catalogue and they were out but didn't let us know until it was too late if I remember correctly. This year I am still searching for some as we really would love to grow it. I have not heard anything but good reports about the plant. I think I know where to get some though and have my fingers crossed that it works out. So with any luck we will be growing comfrey this year..I hope. <br /><br />Also, I would love to here more about how your hugelkultur bed turns out, I might have to try something like this myself. We always have an abundance of rotting logs and branches around here. Speaking of hugelkultur, have you ever seen this permaculture video on how <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=727825431796194016#" rel="nofollow">Sepp Holzer </a>grows his food in Austria? If not, you might enjoy it.Mr. H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576034751522467377noreply@blogger.com