RE: If U reamain on the Grid U R choosing 2 stay in the Matrix!

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From: Pan Man
Date: Jun 12, 2008 3:51 PM


When it comes to thinking up new ways to get off the grid, I am sure my friends...who are literally the smartest people in the world...will find many ways to improve on all of this and then pass it forward by posting their own bulletins on how to get the hell off the stinking "New World Oder" Dependency Grid!
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From: Bad2thebone
Date: Jun 12, 2008 2:32 PM


Thank you Truth Hurts ~ A Pain Necessary To Cure
Date: Jun 12, 2008 2:23 PM


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From: Rogue
Date: Jun 12, 2008 12:15 PM


Re: How To Construct Rain Barrels/Garden w/o H2o

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From: Kindness of Strangers~Live Green saves Wildlife
Date: Jun 12, 2008 1:07 PM


There are 3 bulletins here, i just looked at my water bill and even though we are converting our edible landscape into more xeroscape with food plants close together it was huge (probably because the new xeroscape plants need a lot of water until they get established)!

How to construct a rain barrel

Thank you so much for this video!
Healing Wonder Woman CBE




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i love Black Warrior Riverkeeper and urge all my friends to support their great work!

Thank you!
Clinty_o
Black Warrior RIVERKEEPER


You can save water and money by using a rain barrel to catch and store water for your lawn and indoor/outdoor plants… Rain barrels come in many shapes and sizes, including inexpensive plastic models and classic wooden ones… Both types, or even small barrels for apartment dwellers, can be purchased by calling Red Rain at 205-862-6206

Shipping available anywhere across this great nation!


i have posted 7 BIG bulletins about gardening and permaculture, all are condensed into two blogs, here i the 7th

Kindness of Strangers~Live Green saves Wildlife


How & Why to install a Grey Water System

"With the increasing consumption and higher likelihood of intense droughts, there will be some hard decisions to make regarding water use…the environment competes for scarce resources alongside cities and agriculture… This is seen in the Colorado River Delta, which is less and than 10 percent of its original size and is sustained by a agricultural runoff and municipal wastewater…[it] was once a rich habitat for wildlife and indigenous people, but after damning and diverting the river, [it] began to lose its lifeblood…"

—Karen Hyun

When we first bought our house we had David Bloom give a workshop about permaculture, he shared his experiences of teaching people to feed themselves, there is often a way to work in harmony with nature when we set that as our goal! Namasté, Nan



http://youtube. com/watch?v=sFpiO92laMA

To my shock i learned that some grey water systems are illegal unless you have a permit, this is a great video! The following quotation is the site where the grey water video came from:

"We had the privilege of attending a very hands on greywater workshop courtesy of The Greywater Guerillas, a local Bay Area crew of experts who are passionate about teaching folks to use their water (twice) wisely… Greywater is water that has been used once in your home and only contains a little soap, dirt (from laundry or skin) or kitchen particles like food or grease… Unlike blackwater, which is water that has touched excrement, like toilet water, greywater is safe to use in watering your garden… As Laura Allen, co-editor of the book Dam Nation: Dispatches from the Water Underground, and our amazing instructor points out in this video: You don't want to put the greywater onto the part of the plant that you're going to eat…if you get the water going into the ground, there are no more health risks than would be [if you are] going out and eating dirt from your garden… So you want to get the greywater into the ground soaking down to irrigate the roots of your plants

We were able to do just this in home owner Tara Hui's backyard… We replaced her kitchen sink pipe with a 3 way valve giving her the choice to send her sink water back to the sewer or out to the greywater system of pipes and mulch basins surrounding four fruit trees… The system was relatively simple and inexpensive… Total price was $200 for all new pipes which included a $60 top of the line 3 way valve, a bunch of 2 way splitters and under a hundred feet of piping… If you live close to a salvage yard or are savvy on Freecycle or Craigslist you can get these materials for way cheaper or even free

Laura touches on some of the legality of systems like this: California has a greywater code so greywater theoretically is legal…some states have no code so greywater is not legal… In California, you have the potential to do greywater…that said, the code that's written down for greywater is very, very wasteful, it's very bad, most people don't follow it… In California most people have unpermitted systems which are…technically illegal, just as building anything unpermitted is technically illegal

There are a few states, like Arizona, that encourage safe and resourceful greywater systems like the one we built here… So find out what your state allows before cutting into your pipes… But if you're like these Californians and your state codes are no good, you'll want to find some greywater experts to consult and keep in touch with to help change the codes for better"

How Much Food Can I Grow Around My House?



http://youtube. com/watch?v=XyVNAgrbQz4&feature=related

Worm Composting 101 for fast, free, nutrient rich, water-conserving mulch



http://youtube. com/watch?v=GcqTiy9xE6I&feature=related

Xeroscape Gardening (usually does not deal with food production)



The Produce Garden- 10 ways to save water in the garden

http://youtube. com/watch?v=Tgm9oQ_S2bA


http://youtube. com/watch?v=5llncjlz5Kg&feature=related

Thank you!
FLOWER

By Sally Bickley

Desert gardeners face conditions that would challenge any gardener: less than ten inches of rainfall annually; rocky or caliche (clay) soil with few nutrients; extremes of temperature and weather; and, oh, a bit of wind

This article was written for the New Mexico area, however the principles apply to most of the deserts in the Southwest

Desert gardeners reap benefits which gardeners in the north yearn for… Long growing seasons mean active gardening for nine to twelve months of the year… Semi-tropical plants survive in protected areas… An assortment of flowers, grasses, cacti, shrubs, vegetables and trees thrive in this environment, providing exciting design ideas for a desert garden

Gardens and small farms of Southern New Mexico, which lies at the northern reach of the Chihuahuan Desert, were historically located in river bottoms and small canyons… There, they were sheltered from the wind and extreme temperatures… Away from the river bottoms, growing traditional flowers and plants in the Chihuahuan zone is a colossal task… Raised beds, amended soil, shade, wind protection, animal protection, and lots of water are required for plants not adapted to severe desert conditions


A soil test will save many headaches when establishing a garden above the river bottoms… The results will guide you in preparing your site… Almost always, the soil will need nitrogen, but the results of a soil test will specify the exact amendments your landscape needs… If you have caliche, the cement that stops water six to twenty inches below the soil, you must physically break it up, or garden in raised beds

A drip irrigation system produces the healthiest plants with the least water use because the water penetrates the soil slowly without compacting… Uncompacted soil has room for oxygen, which is necessary for good plant growth… Drip irrigation encourages plants to develop extensive root systems, flourishing on less water than conventional sprinkling

Compost and mulch work with the drip system to help plants thrive… Compost is decomposed vegetable matter you can buy or make yourself (over time)… Mixed in with the soil, it adds nutrients… In some areas of the Chihuahuan Desert, there is less than one percent organic matter in the soil… Compost acts like a sponge to keep nutrients in the soil and slowly release them to the plants' roots

Mulch is placed on the surface of the soil… Use whatever it takes to keep the moisture in and weeds out… Old newspapers laid in garden rows work as mulch, and the newspapers break down after a season, adding to the organic matter in the dirt… Wood chips, dry lawn clippings, old straw and pine needles all work to keep the dirt from drying out… Sawdust is not recommended because it removes nitrogen, an important nutrient

Microclimates

Some desert gardens use microclimates to benefit the plants… North facing walls provide cool shaded areas… Roofs, sidewalks and streets create areas of high water runoff for collection… Cool air flows into valleys… Be aware of walls and paving which add heat and channel winds… The microclimate includes variables such as sunlight, temperature, exposure, humidity and wind… Big differences can be found in microclimates among neighboring houses

Groves of small trees or shrubs provide wind control and create "outdoor rooms" for microclimates… Form a mini-oasis by grouping moisture-loving plants where they can absorb collected rainwater… Color influences microclimates, as dark rocks or walls retain heat, and white reflects it

Cactus

Surprisingly, even cactus gardeners face a challenge in the Chihuahuan desert… Much colder than the famous Sonoran desert of Arizona and Northern Mexico, the higher altitude of the Chihuahuan desert creates problems for non-native cacti [Note from Kindness: prickly pears are delicious and easy to grow in Northren California's bay area, you can even grow Luther Burbank's spineless variety]

Gardner Mary Lou McCord brought four hundred pots of cactus with her when she moved to Southern New Mexico’s eastern Sierra County from Tucson three years ago… An avid cactus collector, she found many of her plants didn't survive the cold winter and strong, drying winds

Mary Lou remarks, "Cacti love alkali soil, and they can be very adaptable… If conditions are right, cacti don't require a lot of care" Two Joshua Trees transplanted from Tucson are doing well in her extreme climate

For those wanting to grow a cactus garden, Mary Lou advises to dig down three feet to prepare the bed, and take the soil away… Mix gravel and sand to achieve a well-drained medium… She threw in rocks and pot shards for substantial drainage… "Drainage is the key, no matter what," Mary Lou explains… "If cactus get soggy, they rot… Real sandy soil needs more organic matter, such as peat moss or potting soil” She sculpted terraces and small mounds… Recently Mary Lou added some black lava rock, to give tender plants more warmth and heat

Dave Lamb, co-owner of Buffalo Bill's Exotic Cactus Ranch, located in Truth or Consequences, NM, recommends digging a gallon-sized hole in the ground to check for drainage… Fill it with water and check the time it takes to empty… Two to four hours is good drainage… If it takes longer to drain, add gravel, or coarse sand

Plant a yucca in the hottest, driest, coldest, most unproductive spot in your area, "There are fifteen to seventeen different yucca varieties," Dave continues, "The soap tree grows ten to fifteen feet tall, while the soap weed variety grows lower to the ground… Some yuccas grow five to six inches a year… Joshua trees and datil yucca are tall types that branch out and have a lot of “

Dave's advice for transplanting a cactus: "Protect yourself" Mark the north side of the cactus with chalk before digging up, and then orient it in the same direction when planting… Leave the cactus out of the ground for a week, out of direct sun to let cut or torn areas heal over before planting

Use a rope, a rolled up plastic garbage bag or a towel to wrap around the cactus… Wrap the towel around the middle of the cactus, and lift the towel, positioning the cactus in its location… It might take two people, if it's a large plant… "Experiences teaches you not to grab fast, you get too prickled," Dave explains

Vegetable Gardens

Vegetable growing can be wonderful in this region if the gardener ameliorates the harsh conditions… Hot weather crops, such as beans, tomatoes, corn and okra start early in February or March, blooming and setting fruit before the high summer heat… In August, it's time to plant cool weather crops: lettuce, broccoli, spinach and carrots… A variety of food can be grown in a small area by paying attention to the two, possibly more, growing seasons

Desert Garden Design

Diminishing the harsh aspects of the desert is important in any desert garden… Wind, sun and glare rob plants of moisture… Designing a garden from scratch, or improving an existing one, requires planning and work before anything gets planted

Modify the contours of the land, adding raised berms and scraping arroyos or basins for water movement or collection… Plan for traffic patterns when laying out sidewalks or paths… Design a watering system and add nutrients to the soil… Decide how to mulch

Orient a shady patio to minimize the heat and glare during the hot seasons… Be aware of the daily movement of the sun from east to west and seasonally from north to south when planning the shade structure… Group shrubs and trees together… Design an arroyo, or dry stream bed, lined with gravel and river rocks, with plants alongside… A small fountain or trickle of water attracts birds, adds pleasant sounds and a little humidity… Plant native grasses or wildflowers to suggest a meadow

Using native plants already adapted to the area increases success in desert gardening… Grasses, shrubs, trees and wildflowers are being used in innovative ways to create beautiful, hardy, water-wise and colorful landscapes


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For those who do not know i usually do environmental and nutritional education work through Kindness of Strangers a project of the 501 (c) 3 non-profit International Humanities Center

Add my myspace site at Kindness of Strangers~Greenliving saves Wildlife

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