tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3268085390910670202024-03-12T18:58:23.796-07:00Villa SobranteTrilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-37042667050252567472012-11-28T20:12:00.000-08:002012-11-29T09:47:50.687-08:00First Annual Bean Tasting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ3hYI4GLJY/ULbda0et-xI/AAAAAAAAAao/WEvdTsKupz0/s1600/IMG_4123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ3hYI4GLJY/ULbda0et-xI/AAAAAAAAAao/WEvdTsKupz0/s320/IMG_4123.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few weeks ago we hosted a side by side sampling of all these beans. I thought it would be fun to see how different they actually tasted. Turns out, not that different. Well, no, a little bit different, and of course some are bigger and some are smaller and some are meatier and some are squishier. I wish I took a picture of the table with the full spread, but this is all I have. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The total yield for the year ended up being around 9 quarts of dry beans. That was from a few scarlet runner vines, four approximately 8 foot rows of bush beans (bumble bee and ireland creek annie), a bamboo teepee overrun with cherokee trail of tear black beans, a cucumber trellis with a few cherokee trail of tear black beans on it, and a 2-dimensional bamboo teepee of lazy housewife beans squeezed into a bed already full of zucchini, peppers and basil (but mostly zucchini, you know how that goes!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I still love the scarlet runners. They are just so big and I love the texture. Not to mention the yield per one vine... tons! And they are so pretty soaking (below). But the black beans really did taste more flavorful and fresher to me than black beans you buy in the store. Hopefully this is the first of many more annual bean tastings! Grow some to bring and share next year...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_S_o9pme4yY/ULbdkDxUfvI/AAAAAAAAAaw/ivKRxyATXZE/s1600/IMG_4134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_S_o9pme4yY/ULbdkDxUfvI/AAAAAAAAAaw/ivKRxyATXZE/s320/IMG_4134.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-46642634206805007602012-07-02T15:23:00.001-07:002012-07-02T15:27:26.478-07:00photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My mom and sister visited last week to help build a deck/landing for the door on the backside of the granny unit. Besides being a fun and helpful deck crew, they both have a good eye for photos, and its refreshing to see the site through new eyes. Here are some of their photos, showing what the structures in the backyard look like these days...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2g50sXIoyTA/T_IZwBiR19I/AAAAAAAAAZI/J6hAbY-AkmU/s1600/IMG_2087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2g50sXIoyTA/T_IZwBiR19I/AAAAAAAAAZI/J6hAbY-AkmU/s400/IMG_2087.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q94lCJ1k1iw/T_IaAnQZD6I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/qGgEImIt8q0/s1600/IMG_2103.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q94lCJ1k1iw/T_IaAnQZD6I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/qGgEImIt8q0/s400/IMG_2103.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNzouFP_hJU/T_IaM3kAlpI/AAAAAAAAAZY/h17u_m9OXdY/s1600/IMG_7002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNzouFP_hJU/T_IaM3kAlpI/AAAAAAAAAZY/h17u_m9OXdY/s400/IMG_7002.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y1hYKGuVNlo/T_IeAytOobI/AAAAAAAAAac/4sYpufqoR8c/s1600/IMG_7003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y1hYKGuVNlo/T_IeAytOobI/AAAAAAAAAac/4sYpufqoR8c/s400/IMG_7003.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lM0tn0o8Kwc/T_Ia1hqa_JI/AAAAAAAAAZo/jnR1AiP507E/s1600/IMG_2089.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lM0tn0o8Kwc/T_Ia1hqa_JI/AAAAAAAAAZo/jnR1AiP507E/s400/IMG_2089.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mbv94vXoay8/T_IbEH9MSbI/AAAAAAAAAZw/tBqmt-VGQnM/s1600/IMG_6951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mbv94vXoay8/T_IbEH9MSbI/AAAAAAAAAZw/tBqmt-VGQnM/s400/IMG_6951.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYOJYFvm20s/T_Iagtaf93I/AAAAAAAAAZg/15j4kty_Y4o/s1600/IMG_2111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYOJYFvm20s/T_Iagtaf93I/AAAAAAAAAZg/15j4kty_Y4o/s400/IMG_2111.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTEljxdhtXk/T_IdHHhxWZI/AAAAAAAAAaA/43CTux-lvYI/s1600/IMG_7011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTEljxdhtXk/T_IdHHhxWZI/AAAAAAAAAaA/43CTux-lvYI/s320/IMG_7011.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IzqptDDX5Po/T_IdWdBcaSI/AAAAAAAAAaI/92kvwp-5EDk/s1600/IMG_7013.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IzqptDDX5Po/T_IdWdBcaSI/AAAAAAAAAaI/92kvwp-5EDk/s320/IMG_7013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n2zzHYRWJE0/T_IdzjcdO6I/AAAAAAAAAaU/AB5mT0mgBvk/s1600/IMG_2110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n2zzHYRWJE0/T_IdzjcdO6I/AAAAAAAAAaU/AB5mT0mgBvk/s400/IMG_2110.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living paving: salvaged blocks/bricks from site and chamomile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-67315576660420833332012-06-22T10:32:00.000-07:002012-06-22T10:46:03.562-07:00Hugelkultur experiments: Amped-up sheet mulchHugelkultur, which is German for "hill-culture," is basically a fancy term to describe a way of building soil using rotting wood and excess branchy material. The technique is to throw your rotting logs, branches, brambles, into a pile (or a dug out trench) and cover them with smaller material- leaves, sod, etc, and some soil on top. The outcome is a garden bed that holds onto water for longer, has a slow steady input of nutrients from breaking down organic matter, is full of air channels that feed soil life, and create microclimates.<br />
<br />
Building soil has been topmost priority in the garden here-- as quite literally what was here was "building" soil, heavy, compacted clay-- and I was reminded of how far we've come yesterday as I was digging in an area I had not yet dug in, to prepare for the building of a deck on the granny unit. My pick ax bounced off the hardened familiar layers of compacted clay soil, gravel, and black plastic and I was oh so grateful that those familiar layers are now mostly gone from the back yard after years of digging them out and adding organic matter. I'm not sure what the reasoning behind it was... weed control perhaps? but its had the effect of doing exactly the opposite of what healthy soil should be doing. Anyhow, continuing to ask the question of how to build soil appropriately brought up hugelkultur, a term I'd first heard from our <a href="http://www.soulflowerfarm.blogspot.com/">neighbor</a> down the street.<br />
<br />
Here is a nice sketch of an example of hugelkultur from Sepp Holtzer.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.waldeneffect.org/20100627hugelkultur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="http://www.waldeneffect.org/20100627hugelkultur.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Our branch pile has been growing this spring from pruning, and rather than let it take over the yard or figure out what else to do with it, throwing it back into the soil to try another sheet mulch system seemed like the perfect solution.<br />
<br />
I altered the implementation of the hugels here from what I'd read based on available materials, and thoughts about climate. The rotting logs were omitted (didn't have any), and rather than mounding them up-- which seemed like a way to lose moisture in this climate, at this time of year-- we dug out trenches and filled them- so hopefully they'll act like swales, to capture rainwater, in the winter as well. So perhaps it would be more accurate to call them amped up sheet mulched beds, not hugels.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JrOX7D6N2SM/T-NSpsuVKnI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/dlB4MyyhpPs/s1600/IMG_4004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JrOX7D6N2SM/T-NSpsuVKnI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/dlB4MyyhpPs/s320/IMG_4004.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBvjcyLXv2U/T-NS0P3hVeI/AAAAAAAAAYY/90FJg3jzLdQ/s1600/IMG_4009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBvjcyLXv2U/T-NS0P3hVeI/AAAAAAAAAYY/90FJg3jzLdQ/s320/IMG_4009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgJUBA6xeFs/T-NTAf-KiPI/AAAAAAAAAYg/WrSyw_T4hF0/s1600/IMG_4014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgJUBA6xeFs/T-NTAf-KiPI/AAAAAAAAAYg/WrSyw_T4hF0/s320/IMG_4014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fBjywD5nQ5U/T-NWFatPJeI/AAAAAAAAAYs/suPGu1_GyD4/s1600/IMG_4058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fBjywD5nQ5U/T-NWFatPJeI/AAAAAAAAAYs/suPGu1_GyD4/s320/IMG_4058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aG_VSFsCrzc/T-NWNtebt0I/AAAAAAAAAY0/HhtO51Ax-eg/s1600/IMG_4059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aG_VSFsCrzc/T-NWNtebt0I/AAAAAAAAAY0/HhtO51Ax-eg/s320/IMG_4059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
A month or so into the existence of these beds, my thoughts are that one, rotting wood is perhaps an important ingredient as something that already has sufficient moisture in it, and two, timing of implementation is important, especially in dry climates like this one. My hunch is that the two hugels here might actually need MORE water, to get going, because they were one, built with branchy material, and not much in the way of logs, and two, built just as northern California is entering the time of year where things start getting really dry- from wind, sun, and lack of rain. <br />
<br />
The sheet mulched beds we've created here in the past supports the timing hunch- the ones that were created during or prior to the rainy season seemed to get a better start.<br />
<br />
More observations and experiments with soil building to come...Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-4196653745661754702012-06-07T20:41:00.001-07:002012-06-13T12:10:35.338-07:00Plant obsessions, garden questions, and BEANS.After a long hiatus I'm back to write a post. I apologize for the lapse, and now I return, clearer on what to use this space for. I enjoy taking pictures, I enjoy sharing them, and I enjoy the space to try to put down in words and evolve some of the thoughts that run though my head as I turn the compost, or plant a row of beans, or stand in the raspberry bushes grazing. Basically it acts as a space to continue to try to answer the question why do this? Why put energy into digging up soil and turning it into homes, or habitat for quinoa plants? Why spend the time and energy planting, watering, weeding, and then figuring out the best ways to store and cook beans, or jerusalem artichokes, or tomatoes, or onions? So hopefully this blog will go back to being somewhat regularly updated as a space to share our experiences here as food for thought with others who are interested and care to read. Meanwhile, it seems technology continues on, and blogger has added all sorts of new options that make blogging more user friendly, so I'm having fun re-vamping the blog aesthetically and structurally....<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uu9phY1A3zE/T9DybnQMLlI/AAAAAAAAAX8/lZBbefZsS80/s1600/IMG_4039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uu9phY1A3zE/T9DybnQMLlI/AAAAAAAAAX8/lZBbefZsS80/s400/IMG_4039.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berries and rhubarb.... pie time!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It seems like every year I have a favorite plant that I get rather obsessed with, and try to squeeze into every corner of the garden, and start to convince myself why it is the THE PLANT that makes sense to grow, here in El Sobrante, and here, on this little plot of land (and really, I don't think monoculture makes sense or works). Last year it was quinoa (the obsession isn't over) and this year I'm not sure, but this week it's tilting towards dry beans. After a late start getting the garden going this spring, it is mostly planted out, and the remaining open spaces are getting filled with beans. Vine beans, bush beans, any sort of bean that will make an interesting and abundant crop of dry beans, to cook in the solar oven this winter or next year. Scarlet runners are a favorite in my limited bean repertoire so far, mainly because they are so darn abundant, and the beans are so huge. I like the taste of the dry bean too, but there are mixed reviews as far as that goes. And, they don't seem very picky. In fact, there are volunteer scarlet runners all over the place where I planted them last year. I've planted them around my pod, and intend to grow them into a living curtain (pictures to come). <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JlW-XfcAw1E/T9DymJQUFgI/AAAAAAAAAYE/oqgDHaKLeWs/s1600/IMG_4051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JlW-XfcAw1E/T9DymJQUFgI/AAAAAAAAAYE/oqgDHaKLeWs/s400/IMG_4051.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some seed from last year- "farro" quinoa and runner beans</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Other beans in the ground this year: Cherokee Trail of Tears Black Beans, Vermont Cranberry, Tepary, Lazy Housewife, Bumble Bee and Ireland Creek Annie. The last two are bush varieties. <br />
<br />
My intent, as with most crops I get obsessed with, is to find out if its possible to grow the amount needed to sustain the household's-- in this case, bean intake-- until next years crop. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1-GPF8vfkoM/T9DyVieCHEI/AAAAAAAAAX0/2x_TBgULq4k/s1600/IMG_4046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1-GPF8vfkoM/T9DyVieCHEI/AAAAAAAAAX0/2x_TBgULq4k/s400/IMG_4046.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onion harvest drying. harvest: approx 100 onions for 50 sq ft. Planted Dec, harvested May.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Because circling back to that question- why do this- I'm continually trying to get clearer on what are the important questions to ask when considering what to plant and how to go about planting it, in a home scale garden, in the context of our current agriculture systems and world today.<br />
<br />
A few thoughts...<br />
Considering energy of growing it somewhere else- transportation, dubious growing means, etc, vs growing it at home- what are the crops you can grow at home- and not have to spend much energy on growing, or limited resources (like water), and be able to make a significant impact by growing your household's needs worth of, for the year? Quinoa was a favorite here because of its very low water needs, and needs in general, as a crop. Add to that the yummy nutritious greens (20 percent protein content) and high yield of seed per plant (as much as a cup!) I was smitten.<br />
<br />
And then the thought of how to use space wisely. In my scarlet runner bean planting I've been trying to put them places where I already water, and where there are already things for them to climb on- buildings, fences, etc. And hopefully, there will be benefits (like curtains, and less energy to move hose or less water needed) to reap from smart placement...<br />
<br />
Coming soon, Hugelkulture!<br />
<br />
And here's just a fun picture of the oven which got some maintenance recently after a little bit of winter rain damage. I think if we made maintenance more fun and creative, it would be easier to do, don't you think?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7fdq161q5Sg/T9DyMBapRQI/AAAAAAAAAXs/rL3OKSRnvMo/s1600/IMG_4054.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7fdq161q5Sg/T9DyMBapRQI/AAAAAAAAAXs/rL3OKSRnvMo/s400/IMG_4054.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-17486632168558388832011-07-18T09:17:00.000-07:002011-07-18T10:28:39.847-07:00A photographic update<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Here's some of the latest around here...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qE_TJU8cyLE/TiRdfKhHiKI/AAAAAAAAAWE/JVvPLNRW3W0/s1600/IMG_3566.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qE_TJU8cyLE/TiRdfKhHiKI/AAAAAAAAAWE/JVvPLNRW3W0/s320/IMG_3566.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630728224100550818" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Marbled purple stripe garlic</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gC28VgS6X6c/TiRdfCCfqEI/AAAAAAAAAWM/MIMGY-0Zx5M/s320/IMG_3573.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630728221824624706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PMe-npjSJlA/TiRdfnR5Z5I/AAAAAAAAAWU/S9215KmDu78/s1600/IMG_3520.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PMe-npjSJlA/TiRdfnR5Z5I/AAAAAAAAAWU/S9215KmDu78/s1600/IMG_3520.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PMe-npjSJlA/TiRdfnR5Z5I/AAAAAAAAAWU/S9215KmDu78/s320/IMG_3520.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630728231821338514" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:small;">Sanding the floor in the granny unit</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kKVcghKd62g/TiRde1bOYyI/AAAAAAAAAV8/eDugS7-GJ8Q/s1600/IMG_3587.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bYWjObLwLEk/TiRdezHhT6I/AAAAAAAAAV0/PUtE1L_cBHc/s1600/IMG_3593.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bYWjObLwLEk/TiRdezHhT6I/AAAAAAAAAV0/PUtE1L_cBHc/s320/IMG_3593.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630728217819172770" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size:small;">Quinoa in bloom</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kKVcghKd62g/TiRde1bOYyI/AAAAAAAAAV8/eDugS7-GJ8Q/s320/IMG_3587.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630728218438689570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></span></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size:small;">Working on Massey's bamboo and lime roof</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p5F_ae4mGUQ/TiRpO3XK3sI/AAAAAAAAAWk/R1owpr0oTH8/s320/IMG_3595.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630741138220179138" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xlsd2tfFtPA/TiRpO-yVb6I/AAAAAAAAAWs/riMngZz75fk/s320/IMG_3597.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630741140213165986" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nnwLw0RUgSI/TiRpPDUGiTI/AAAAAAAAAW0/vDxwFdSmhbk/s320/IMG_3598.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630741141428537650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-31174338232504393562011-06-28T09:55:00.000-07:002012-06-13T12:06:53.959-07:00A local grain infrastructure?<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span>The flour in these bags comes from wheat that was grown 65 miles from the Bay Area in the Capay Valley. It was milled and packaged in San Francisco by Giustos, a family run milling company that is amenable to processing and storing the currently rather small amounts of this local wheat, and came to our house by way of a woman named Monica Spiller who has been working to connect local farmers with appropriate grain seed for our area, and the wheat itself to bakers and eaters.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EitPngGWgt0/TgoH3eliIVI/AAAAAAAAAVc/YxTFGrqOx9o/s1600/IMG_3514.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623315734410174802" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EitPngGWgt0/TgoH3eliIVI/AAAAAAAAAVc/YxTFGrqOx9o/s320/IMG_3514.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">W</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">e are so accustomed in the Bay to hearing about local food and growing our own greens and tomatoes and knowing where our eggs and cheese comes from. However grains, a large proportion of our diet, are mostly still part of a large system these days, and even in this mecca of local foodism one can't necessarily find local grains without a bit of a search. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">O</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ur current grain system, from the growing of wheat, to the processing, shipping and eating of it, compromise and degrades soil health, uses many fossil fuels in growing and transportation, and lacks the nutritional benefits in the final product becoming a food that no longer is full of the health giving properties it once had, but now makes us sick.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I recently learned that the protein content of wheat is directly proportional to the health of the soil it was grown on, and thus the 12-13% protein of this Sonora wheat, compared to 7% of conventional white flour these days, is an interesting figure to consider.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623315745002331730" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-inj3oQ3kGcA/TgoH4GC5nlI/AAAAAAAAAVk/MMChew80qQU/s320/IMG_3517.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It's quite exciting to have this pile of flour bags sitting in our living room, ready to be distributed to a number of friends, neighbors, and a restaurant, because it's the sign of an infrastructure of an appropriate size being rebuilt. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And of course, the thought of delicious bread to come...</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623347558057299026" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RILYIkh0D1c/Tgokz26QzFI/AAAAAAAAAVs/Ph1uHtqlqv0/s320/P6140043.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you are interested in becoming part of a regular buying club of local organic flour and pasta, or want to start your own, email me at trilibite (at) hotmail.com</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Whole Grain Connection is a wealth of information including recipes, history, </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and lots of information about various wheat varieties: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.sustainablegrains.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">www.sustainablegrains.org</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
</div>
</div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-61289363400798398522011-02-14T17:39:00.001-08:002011-02-14T18:02:47.634-08:00Permaculture Design in Lake CountyVilla Sobrante resident Massey Burke has been working in Lake County for the last several years, bringing natural building to the community through public projects.<br /><br />This spring, Villa Sobrante resident Lindsay Dailey will be working in Lake County as well, teaching a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course. Permaculture offers the framework, tools and methodologies to work with and within natural systems to create beneficial change. Those who learn these skills have the potential to transform a garden, a farm or even a community. Many have found this course to be one of the most beneficial courses they have ever taken and the skills are invaluable.<br /><br />Transition Lake County, Dancing TreePeople Farm, LakeFuture, and Edge Ecology will host the PDC in Upper Lake this spring over 5 weekends:<br /><br />April 16 &17<br />April 30 & May 1<br />May 14 & 15<br />May 21 & 22<br />June 4 & 5<br /><br />For more information, email <a href="mailto:Lindsay@EdgeEcology.com">Lindsay@EdgeEcology.com</a> or visit <a href="http://www.lakefuture.blogspot.com/">http://www.lakefuture.blogspot.com/</a>.lindsay lu*http://www.blogger.com/profile/00991422292716465074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-31333810879932934222010-09-27T18:23:00.000-07:002010-09-28T16:05:48.122-07:00The newest pod<div style="text-align: left;">Somehow 2 months have gone by since I've written a thing. I'll start with the newest structure that has popped up in the backyard village. It all started with a lot of these:</div><div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TKFGmkv3omI/AAAAAAAAAT8/_OGZNOoR1_A/s320/IMG_2654.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521772246646366818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">I believe around 700 to be exact. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">These adobes- just soil, sand, straw and cow manure- were made to go into a structure called a Nubian Vault, which is a style of earthen vault building revived by the Eygptian architect Hassan Fathy that does not use any formwork, and therefore can be done without any wood. Our friend Stevan who studied the technique with masons in Burkino Faso was looking for places to build some of these vaults where they could be observed over time, and we gladly gave a portion of our yard for the purpose of vault research, and to make a stylish new home for our expanding flock of poultry. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TKFGmweC8qI/AAAAAAAAAUE/t8untn1cbeI/s320/IMG_2659.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521772249792836258" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Here we are looking through the front door to the back kick wall. These two kick walls were built prior to the workshop and are the walls that the adobes will lean against to make up the vault. The little box is the future chicken door.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TKFGmM_jPgI/AAAAAAAAATs/A3QWgntJ1s4/s320/IMG_2648.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521772240269688322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Here the plumb bob is being used to transfer the dimensions of a catenary arch onto the kick walls. It is the shape the vault will follow, and is the inverted shape of a chain hanging between two points. Guide strings will be strung along the length of the building between the traced out form on both kick walls.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TKFGnDOzl4I/AAAAAAAAAUM/jk_xiugcswU/s320/IMG_2660.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521772254829188994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Stevan demonstrates the angle at which to lay the first adobes that will make up the vault during the workshop.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TKFHS_kt2nI/AAAAAAAAAUc/vMjO6h0FHaE/s320/IMG_2669.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521773009761589874" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">You can see the walls growing as the process gets further along. It was an extremely graceful structure to watch emerge. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TKFHTSjmGgI/AAAAAAAAAUs/hqYNRUJNPAk/s320/IMG_2681.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521773014857161218" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">And more still... you can see the angle of the rows of adobes clearly here.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TKFHTKdqWUI/AAAAAAAAAUk/jJ8lpsD_ltU/s320/IMG_2674.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521773012684790082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div>Here you can start to see what happens in the middle when the different angles from the two ends come together in the middle.</div></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile the girls are checking it out from their old coop next door. They've started laying eggs, we're getting 6-7 a day from 10 chickens, ranging from tiny "practice eggs" to larger double yolkers. Unfortunately they've also started eating the duck eggs...</div><div><br /></div><div>More pictures and updates coming soon!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-22419819440233004232010-07-26T21:02:00.000-07:002012-06-13T12:07:27.912-07:00Visitors from India<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5lf-y_ZCI/AAAAAAAAATc/0GIB4BBoQKE/s1600/IMG_2521.JPG"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Last week we had the opportunity to host two men from the western state of Gujarat, in India, at our house. It was their first time to the states, and we were honored that they chose to spend time at our house in El Sobrante of all places. It is a long story how they ended up here, but the short of it is that Massey and I met Himansu briefly in India this winter, and told him to stop by when he came to the states. Himansu was traveling with Ramu, an artisan from a tiny rural village who makes quilts, to an international craft fair in Santa Fe.</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498431966708259730" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5aveVMW5I/AAAAAAAAAR8/zPtTK0pTB28/s320/IMG_2508.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Himansu runs a textile business that employs Ramu and other quilters and embroiders from Gujarat, but does lots of other things too, like record tribal folk music in earthen buildings in Gujarat and Rajastan. Ramu is also skilled at many things. He declared our site soil to be a wonderful clay and proceded to show us how to do Lipon- the traditional Gujarati way of doing decorative earthen work on walls. He dosnt' speak English (save for a few words) and we learned limited Gujarati in the past week so communicating was a delightful challenge, and mostly done through Himansu, who translated.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Below is Ramu, in our clay soaking pit, processing our site soil, and horse manure, to make Lipon with.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498431987602226466" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5awsKs_SI/AAAAAAAAASU/YYmmQAsMabQ/s320/IMG_2460.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This became a great opportunity to work on the wall-- that has been sitting rather unfinished out front for a very long time-- so an early morning plastering session turned it red, from some clay soil somebody brought back from up north.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498432812699671826" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5bgt5Q3RI/AAAAAAAAASs/nSym6VAsxsE/s320/IMG_2466.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Next, Ramu showed us how to do Lipon, by rolling snakes out of a careful mixture of clay soil, screened dried horse manure, wood glue and water, and pinching them tightly to the wall.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5bf32GmzI/AAAAAAAAASc/FkD6CUvdtT0/s1600/IMG_2479.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498432798190902066" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5bf32GmzI/AAAAAAAAASc/FkD6CUvdtT0/s320/IMG_2479.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Over the course of about 3 or 4 days, we had lots of helpers, and lots of gawkers, and met more of the neighborhood than we'd previously met, because pretty much every body who passed by was compelled to stop and comment or ask questions.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5bhQG4BKI/AAAAAAAAAS8/lKxC2F6dxZc/s1600/IMG_2482.JPG"></a></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5awEVQOVI/AAAAAAAAASM/PUvuFHDqhSI/s1600/IMG_2505.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498431976909060434" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5awEVQOVI/AAAAAAAAASM/PUvuFHDqhSI/s320/IMG_2505.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The pattern was drawn by Massey and inspired from a bed sheet with an old Mogul pattern she'd originally picked up from Himansu in Gujarat. Himansu calls it "nervous elegance" referring to the drooping flowers that are scattered throughout Mogul designs. I liked his description.</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5au4slpSI/AAAAAAAAAR0/oSgHcRB-Utw/s1600/IMG_2515.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498431956605838626" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5au4slpSI/AAAAAAAAAR0/oSgHcRB-Utw/s320/IMG_2515.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We removed some of the bamboo and used base plaster to sculpt designs in the openings, a method also inspired by Gujarat. Mirrors are often embedded in the design, though for our wall we decided against mirrors and instead used mica, which was traditionally used before mirrors. It looks beautiful.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5av6fc83I/AAAAAAAAASE/YakuttSylpg/s1600/IMG_2504.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498431974267482994" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5av6fc83I/AAAAAAAAASE/YakuttSylpg/s320/IMG_2504.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">More pictures to come. The roadside is now complete as well, and the roof is next to protect all this fine work...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5au4slpSI/AAAAAAAAAR0/oSgHcRB-Utw/s1600/IMG_2515.JPG"></a></span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498433246566125330" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5b5-LFjxI/AAAAAAAAATE/-Gh7AspamBI/s320/IMG_2501.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thanks to everybody who helped with this intricate work and a big thank you to Ramu and Himansu as well.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Oh and one last picture for your amusement... the bamboo trailer wasn't quite up to the bicycle rickshaw standards of India, but we thought we'd give it a go for airport transportation :)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498443795173172258" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TE5lf-y_ZCI/AAAAAAAAATc/0GIB4BBoQKE/s320/IMG_2521.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-10727926424657779652010-06-27T20:48:00.000-07:002012-06-13T12:07:46.297-07:00Exciting Harvests<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgdYunZfdI/AAAAAAAAAQc/St6d1iew60k/s1600/IMG_2409.JPG"></a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Summer... The days have been chilly and windswept as the fog rolls in and out. Ah the Bay Area. Today was hot and sunnny, and it was a lovely reminder of what summer means some places. Here are some pictures of exciting harvests we've had lately that I just have to share:</span></span></div>
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgcgY7rYhI/AAAAAAAAAPs/aUqVhLdEzIU/s1600/IMG_2365.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487667488725099026" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgcgY7rYhI/AAAAAAAAAPs/aUqVhLdEzIU/s320/IMG_2365.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgcf3JLhRI/AAAAAAAAAPk/Ge0TfNaCSx0/s1600/IMG_2359.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487667479654925586" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgcf3JLhRI/AAAAAAAAAPk/Ge0TfNaCSx0/s320/IMG_2359.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are so many dried favas. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Plenty to have for planting this winter, and some to eat too. I've never cooked dried favas before. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgcfOUsleI/AAAAAAAAAPU/NTTHq-HTZO0/s1600/IMG_2352.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487667468697376226" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgcfOUsleI/AAAAAAAAAPU/NTTHq-HTZO0/s320/IMG_2352.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Potatoes are sooo much fun to harvest. These were pink inside too, large and delicious and there are more out there.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Also, three kinds of citrus. Only a few fruit per tree at the moment, but they are young trees, and guess what? They are delicious! We sampled this navel orange, and a mandarin that were sweet and juicy and sun-warmed scrumptiousness. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 48px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee; font-size: 16px;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487668456618294738" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgdYunZfdI/AAAAAAAAAQc/St6d1iew60k/s320/IMG_2409.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487668423457571634" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgdWzFRAzI/AAAAAAAAAP8/HdZBkbnueR8/s320/IMG_2377.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The bittersweet harvest was the beehive. After all that crazy swarming this spring, looks like our hive didn't make it. So lots of beeswax to clean, honey to drain, mead to ferment, pollen to pick out of the comb. Glad we caught one of the swarms. Now to figure out what happened.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487668430176363634" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgdXMHJpHI/AAAAAAAAAQE/SqYVy8EC44s/s320/IMG_2385.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487668447982695490" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TCgdYOcgtEI/AAAAAAAAAQU/rFXf1hbRXuk/s320/IMG_2390.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And there is loads of garlic. About 5 different kinds, currently, hanging in the unfinished closet in my house in the back yard drying as it's a relatively shady/cool/out of the way spot. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-50139036755027293112010-06-16T20:46:00.000-07:002012-06-13T12:08:29.363-07:00Interns at the Villa<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Back in May we were lucky to have 2 amazing highschoolers working with us. They'd come initially on a field trip and decided they wanted to do their senior project here, so they came back for the month of May and contributed loads of hard work and enthusiasm doing everything from processing tons of material for plasters and earthen mixes, building compost, putting irrigation in the garden, pouring a floor (along with their moms who came for a day too!), shelling fava beans... a lot was done for sure. Thanks Cora and Hailey! Here is a sampling of pages out of the book they put together for their presentation at school:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div>
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483585838346297138" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TBmcREX-XzI/AAAAAAAAAOE/MJn2DhjWXOM/s320/IMG_2306.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TBmcSemmYbI/AAAAAAAAAOM/7W3jRF171dk/s1600/IMG_2308.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483585862566830514" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TBmcSemmYbI/AAAAAAAAAOM/7W3jRF171dk/s320/IMG_2308.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TBmbL_uXO5I/AAAAAAAAANU/8iOAOZJ_5Ns/s1600/IMG_2309.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483584651687050130" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TBmbL_uXO5I/AAAAAAAAANU/8iOAOZJ_5Ns/s320/IMG_2309.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TBmbK3dQuKI/AAAAAAAAANE/TquwfmV7O0g/s1600/IMG_2307.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483584632287967394" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TBmbK3dQuKI/AAAAAAAAANE/TquwfmV7O0g/s320/IMG_2307.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TBmbJwVOmpI/AAAAAAAAAM0/wViwcM6mtl0/s1600/IMG_2305.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483584613195356818" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TBmbJwVOmpI/AAAAAAAAAM0/wViwcM6mtl0/s320/IMG_2305.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And the really awesome thing is they liked us enough to come back! So we get to have them around helping out some this summer too. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-89308844750980695832010-06-05T11:28:00.000-07:002010-06-07T11:44:36.056-07:00Why I Garden<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TAqeeMrU6RI/AAAAAAAAALs/fmn-e7maRMA/s200/IMG_2297.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479366138285844754" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Last night I went to a seed saving talk with </span><a href="http://www.seedstrust.com/st/bill.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Bill McDorman</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, the man most famous for traveling to Siberia in 1989 in search of plant diversity. Behind the Iron Curtain he found a world cut off from the influences of industrial agriculture, growing more varieties of tomatoes than anywhere else in the world out of true necessity to feed themselves. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was a passionate and facinating talk and a good reminder of why I garden. Sure, there are many reasons. I like planting seeds, watering them, watching them grow and then getting to eat fresh food out of my own garden. It's fun. I like being outside. But Bill reminded me of the importance the work of a gardener holds for the future, and the startling numbers which I've heard before, and often forget because my mind dosn't seem to hold onto numbers like that. That we relied on 1500 plants for food in the 1900s. That in the 80s, 30 plants contributed to 90% of our food, and just 4 of those plants, to 75 % of our diet. And now? Half of our calories in all of America come from soda. Yep, soda. And what's in that? Corn syrup. Corn. Where are we going from here? Where </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">can</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> we go from here?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div> </div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Though the facts are depressing-- that we are making a rapid transition from a history of 10,000 years of genetically diverse agriculture to a agricultural system that relies on only a few species grown with chemicals and genetic modification and things such as terminator genes which mean the farmer can't possibly save seed but has to buy them again from the seed company-- the reminder was important. As a gardener, the way to protect our food source and survival for the future is to continue to grow as many varieties as possible, and to save that seed. I don't want to just eat corn. And besides the fact I don't want to, what's going to happen when diseases wipe out this one major crop- more susceptible as a single species than diversity. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Today, newly inspired and still in the spring rush to plant plant plant, I dug through our seed box and came up with a little jar of about a dozen varieties of dried beans that my aunt had given me for Christmas years ago (thanks Irene!), and I hadn't really gotten around to planting huge numbers of yet for various reasons even though I thought it was the coolest gift ever. They are absolutely beautiful and have names like Yin and Yang and Vermont Appalousa and are all different colors and sizes. I planted up half or more of each type. Yeah our garden is filling up, but there is always more space. An overwhelming amount of space at times to take care of, plant, water, harvest from... but I can't think of many more important things to do with this little piece of land than build topsoil and plant and save seeds.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We are lucky to have </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><a href="http://www.ecologycenter.org/basil/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">BASIL,</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> a seed saving library based out of the Ecology Center down in Berkeley, that I haven't made full use of but am glad to know exists, and last night I was just alerted to maybe the first ever seed library that is in an actual library, out this way in Richmond- the </span></span><a href="http://www.richmondgrows.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Check it out! Or if you don't live here... save some seeds, plant them again, give some to your neighbor... start your own seed library?</span></span></span></div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TAqhnti0e9I/AAAAAAAAAL8/YjpAGsD_42g/s200/IMG_2234.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479369600262241234" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TAqiUggxPSI/AAAAAAAAAMM/Ktc2Te_FF_o/s200/IMG_2237.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479370369858092322" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/TAqh-kqewMI/AAAAAAAAAME/TNBLMABZRhM/s200/IMG_2244.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479369993015443650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span></div><div> </div></div></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-40945885005582195572010-05-17T19:59:00.000-07:002010-05-17T20:26:37.268-07:00Quick snapshot of the front-back yard...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S_ID5CVHj0I/AAAAAAAAALk/ND64RXHdhDQ/s1600/IMG_2220.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S_ID5CVHj0I/AAAAAAAAALk/ND64RXHdhDQ/s320/IMG_2220.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472440775621447490" /></a><div>Oh its looking so good in the backyard... snapped some pictures on my way to get kale in the drizzly rain tonight. Over the tops of the kale and the lush bed of ripening strawberries is Sasha's cob house with its new plaster from the work party back in April(a belated thank you to everyone who helped!) My favorite is the little nicho in the buttress behind the door...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S_IDe4DbbeI/AAAAAAAAALc/CTFgeh9ag24/s320/IMG_2224.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472440326186298850" /><div><br /></div><div>And here, inside, is the second layer of earthen floor that was done last week with the high school interns and their mothers, complete with tubes laid throughout it to carry solar heated (and maybe occasionally fire heated) water and make the floor cozy and warm.</div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></div></div></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-79919971566920295632010-04-21T17:11:00.000-07:002012-06-13T12:08:47.957-07:00Peeps!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S8_c0tji-HI/AAAAAAAAAK0/cO2HaaIyCf4/s1600/IMG_2153.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462827671163697266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S8_c0tji-HI/AAAAAAAAAK0/cO2HaaIyCf4/s200/IMG_2153.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We have chicks! The little fluffballs you see here are a mixture of Rhode Island Reds, Araucanas and Barred Rocks. They'll stay under the heat lamp (in the living room...) for a month then they get moved to somewhere more spatious and probably out of the house.</span>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-68910983467510260372010-04-12T16:58:00.000-07:002010-04-12T21:29:12.837-07:00More of the Bee Saga<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div><br /></div>To wrap up the bee saga (and then I promise I'll write about other things) we had another swarm the day after the last time I wrote, but this one actually took off and disappeared after landing high up in the same oak tree again. (They tend to go back to the same spots because the bees are attracted to the swarming chemical called Nasnoff they let off). I've since learned that 70% of swarms die.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I went in the hive that night to find out what on earth was going on in there, and to gather questions for a class I had just signed up for (quite timely) the day all this swarming business started. I made about a million embarassing mistakes, one being that the pit zips of the rain jacket I use as part of my bee suit were wide open. I had just started opening up the hive, and it sounded riled up and angry (I should have taken this sign to back away and not attempt an inspection right then, but no, with another another beginner's mistake, I blundered on). Sure enough, right after I realized there were gaping, unzipped holes underneath my arms, I felt the familiar vibration of bee stuck in fabric. I managed, after walking away, to get everything off without squashing any bees or getting stung. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There didn't appear to be a queen present because of a lack of eggs, but there were tons of queen cells (larger peanut looking things hanging onto the side and edges of the comb) which means the hive was raising a new queen and the old one probably took off in the first swarm. Ironically the night ended with a sting in the armpit after running around the courtyard in the dark shedding jacket, veil and finally my shirt too. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div> </div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The hive was very full of comb and surplus honey so I ended up harvesting 2 bars of capped honey comb, which after being pressed and drained through a sieve, was about 2 quarts of honey. I was ready after this rather difficult hive visit to spend some time learning from an experienced beekeeper, and I greatly enjoyed the class this weekend with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://awhawkinsapiaries.com/default.aspx">Alan Hawkins, </a>where I did indeed learn tons.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S8O9B7bfk4I/AAAAAAAAAKs/-AYjFQQ4eTI/s200/IMG_2150.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459415014133699458" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"> </span></div></div></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-90570672943696664332010-04-07T22:55:00.000-07:002010-04-07T23:34:39.272-07:00Spring Swarming...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S71ya68tlVI/AAAAAAAAAKk/_nXzEkiy1ck/s1600/IMG_2140.JPG"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S71w6fLBoRI/AAAAAAAAAKU/Qx4DPCW_ZLc/s1600/IMG_2117.JPG"></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yesterday while I was contemplating chicken coop designs in the backyard, the air was suddenly filled with bees, everywhere, making A LOT of noise. The had been acting somewhat suspicious (some clumped outside the hive, and just lots more than usual of them around) and apparently they had decided it was time to swarm. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Luckily, they chose a fairly accessible site at the top of our plum tree. Well, accessible with our ten foot ladder. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S71w6fLBoRI/AAAAAAAAAKU/Qx4DPCW_ZLc/s200/IMG_2117.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457642473545376018" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S71wzMbw9nI/AAAAAAAAAKM/cjVCZI4E-ao/s200/IMG_2134.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457642348256228978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So... Sasha and I climbed ladders, held a wooden wine box under the clump, shook the branch, and fairly gracefully managed to get most of the bees in the box, which we then left atop the ladder, so the few bees not in the box would find their way back in.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S71ya68tlVI/AAAAAAAAAKk/_nXzEkiy1ck/s200/IMG_2140.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457644130268976466" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span></div><div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not the best of ideas, one might guess. Luckily, when it fell, which it did, it landed intact, in a chair below the ladder, and the inhabitants inside seemed fairly unfazed, at least, they were still there.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We left them overnight, and in the morning transported the box of bees a few miles to our friend's orchard, where we emptied the box that was starting to split at the seams, into a Langstroth bee hive.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Today, from the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">front</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> yard, we heard a sound that was very much like the sound I heard yesterday in the backyard, and rushed back to find that our hive had decided to swarm again. After some time, they settled at the very top (way higher than that 10 foot ladder) of the oak tree in our yard, and we called around to various bee keepers to find someone who wanted this swarm. Just about when one of them showed up (without a ladder) the entire mass took off again, straight back to the original starting place, our hive. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It is the time of the year when swarming is common. The hive has raised a new queen, and either the old or new queen(I'm not sure which) and some proportion of the other bees take off in a very organized fashion to find a new home, with scouts going off searching in all directions, and the workers gathered around the queen in a tight ball to protect her. There is some management of hives to minimize this happening (which we haven't been on top off lately) but it dosn't seem to me like an inherently bad thing, after all, it creates another colony of bees, and increases their population? More thoughts on this later, along with a hive visit to see what's actually going on in there...</span></div><div> </div></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-31513457812334535862010-04-05T13:48:00.000-07:002010-04-07T23:58:38.277-07:00Plants, ducks, and bees gone wild<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S71sorETP5I/AAAAAAAAAKE/MI_hyuKTwpk/s1600/IMG_2104.JPG"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Home. There's nothing quite like it. The housemates have been split across several continents for about the amount of time you might have noticed a lapse in blog posting, while Sasha and adopted housemate Natalie held down the fort. Actually Lindsay is still gone, and can be found now and then here(if you havent checked it out already): </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.healersbydesign.blogspot.com/">www.healersbydesign.blogspot.com</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There is a brief window of priceless prospective upon returning home, that I have been enjoying the past few days, and could write plenty about. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S71mebhZT7I/AAAAAAAAAJk/DzsXJN5GAn8/s200/IMG_1026.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457630996412846002" /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S71m0lDUrsI/AAAAAAAAAJs/tkmCzu7MKFk/s200/IMG_2102.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457631376928190146" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">But for now I'll just say that I've enjoyed seeing all the changes here on this little piece of land, and seeing which plants have quadrupled in size while I've been away. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The favas are especially thriving...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sasha has been experimenting with letting the ducks loose on our sow bug infestation, and now they are happily enjoying free range of the entire backyard, which is fairly duck safe at the moment since we are focusing on getting </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/S71sorETP5I/AAAAAAAAAKE/MI_hyuKTwpk/s200/IMG_2104.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457637769454239634" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">perennials in and there aren't tasty new annual starts for them to nab. Apparently ducks are able to forage a much greater percentage of their diet than chickens, and while we haven't quite put that theory to the test because we do buy them food, they do seem to be enjoying the free rein, and we are getting eggs again (though that is probably due more to light). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And then there are our bees, who apparently have decided their old home was too small. I think I'll save the story for the next post, but the short of it is that our bees swarmed yesterday, and then they swarmed again today... </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"> </span></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div></div></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-73957552772968253052010-02-25T12:05:00.000-08:002010-02-26T22:47:11.098-08:00High School Students Plaster the Oven<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F-kT17URAuY/S4i_ghia9EI/AAAAAAAAABs/k1hMsnCnuCY/s1600-h/MarinAcademy+016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F-kT17URAuY/S4i_ghia9EI/AAAAAAAAABs/k1hMsnCnuCY/s320/MarinAcademy+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442810715156706370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F-kT17URAuY/S4i_LCPEn4I/AAAAAAAAABk/YPulyb7vkpo/s1600-h/MarinAcademy+028.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F-kT17URAuY/S4i_LCPEn4I/AAAAAAAAABk/YPulyb7vkpo/s320/MarinAcademy+028.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442810345976799106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F-kT17URAuY/S4i-0hTxn9I/AAAAAAAAABc/jknJqbj5r94/s1600-h/Marin+Academy+011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F-kT17URAuY/S4i-0hTxn9I/AAAAAAAAABc/jknJqbj5r94/s320/Marin+Academy+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442809959181033426" border="0" /></a><br />We had a great group of high school student from Marin Academy spend a day at Villa Sobrante last Sunday. After showing them around, we made pizza in the wood fired cob oven, then plastered the oven with an earthen plaster. I have never had a such an enthusiastic group of teenagers. It was fantastic. It was day one for them of five days of hands on permaculture, after here they headed out to RDI. How wonderful it would be if every teenager had the opportunity to do that, and if even a small percentage wanted to.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-42906499986058662342009-12-19T09:26:00.001-08:002009-12-19T09:37:39.236-08:00Introduction to Natural Plasters and Paints Workshop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F-kT17URAuY/Sy0OyBPjjbI/AAAAAAAAABU/WJ29KSc9w_k/s1600-h/crystal+ball+project+101.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F-kT17URAuY/Sy0OyBPjjbI/AAAAAAAAABU/WJ29KSc9w_k/s320/crystal+ball+project+101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417002179286502834" border="0" /></a><div id=":1e5" class="ii gt"><p>Where:<span> </span> Here at the Villa, <span>El Sobrante, CA (10 minutes north of Berkeley)<br /></span></p> <p>When: Feb. 6<sup>th</sup> & 7<sup>th</sup> </p> <p>Cost:<span> </span>$150 per person</p> <p>$250 for two people signing up together</p> <p><span> </span>Includes all materials and lunch both days</p><p>Instructors: Massey Burke and Sasha Rabin<br /></p><p>For more information contact Sasha at <a href="mailto:sasha@sgnb.com" target="_blank">sasha@sgnb.com</a>, or <a href="http://www.sgnb.com/" target="_blank">www.sgnb.com</a><br /></p> <p><span style="font-size:130%;">This two day workshop offers a <span>hands-on <span>introduction to working with <span>clay, sand, and fibers <span>to make beautiful, non-toxic plasters and finishes.<span> </span>These methods and materials can be used over conventional sheetrock as well as earthen and <span>straw bale walls</span>.<span> </span>We will process both unrefined and store-bought materials into plaster and paint, and we will apply these finishes over both earthen walls and sheetrock.<span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span>Participants will leave the workshop with enough understanding of the materials and process to mix and apply their own paints and plasters on a variety of substrates.</span></span></p> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-61999903980012200592009-11-23T17:37:00.000-08:002009-11-26T00:43:09.368-08:00Pods at night... and pictures!<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Shortening fall days aren't stopping us yet... Took my camera around as I was picking up tools. Here is Lindsay mixing up one of the final batches of light straw clay in the granny unit (no, she's not performing a ritual to raise the dead here)</span></div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Sws9PfDvESI/AAAAAAAAAJM/rioI9ShAR4o/s400/IMG_0541.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407483113832911138" />S<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">asha's rafters. This is actually pre-roof, so now it looks a little diffferent.</span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Sws9ixi5vLI/AAAAAAAAAJU/hddmS-88FAs/s400/IMG_0322.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407483445212986546" />..<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. And Massey's woven creation... before it all gets covered up with mud.</span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Sws98-D4OdI/AAAAAAAAAJc/jnfd7ZT80OA/s400/IMG_0552.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407483895249123794" /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was dark by the time I got all the way to the backyard to my pod, but here are more pictures from the fall, mostly of the buildings.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/35287692@N02/sets/72157622707108037/show/">Slideshow</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); text-decoration: underline;font-size:24px;"><br /></span></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-64366090545654875582009-11-08T21:43:00.000-08:002009-11-09T09:30:19.161-08:00Acorn gathering and trailer testing<div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Midday today, I hauled out the bamboo bike trailer from where it had been sitting under the redwood tree, molding and forgotten. This post is both a review of its official maiden voyage (finally!), and a rambling account of foraging for and preparing acorns: the amazing nut which was once a food staple for native americans that that falls on the ground this time of year to sprout and create new oak trees, or to be carried off by hyperactive squirrels. <br /></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Svet4G0jHzI/AAAAAAAAAIE/ONkevCGlLgc/s1600-h/IMG_0176.JPG"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Svet4G0jHzI/AAAAAAAAAIE/ONkevCGlLgc/s400/IMG_0176.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401977457469497138" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px; " /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I built the trailer months ago using this </span><a href="http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">online pattern</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> as a guide- which I highly recommend for its straightforward and clear directions and illustrations. I bungied a few wooden wine boxes onto it to hold the bounty, and headed off. Well actually, first my bike chain broke, and then the front derailer snapped off in my hand, but the chain was easily fixable and who needs those extra gears anyhow? Oh bike neglect. So with a few less gears I pedaled down the road, the empty trailer loosely bouncing along behind me. I mostly got used to the extra space I took up on the road with it, but I did accidently run over an abandoned rubber rain boot on the shoulder, which flipped the trailer (and luckily caused no harm and spilled no acorns).</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Sve7Tt-VYsI/AAAAAAAAAIs/-auRwxYT6O4/s1600-h/IMG_0476.JPG"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Sve7Tt-VYsI/AAAAAAAAAIs/-auRwxYT6O4/s400/IMG_0476.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401992225487151810" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px; " /></a><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because of the nature of foraging, the trailer filled up gradually, which was an excellent way to test the effect of weight on it. Bicycle speed suits acorn gathering- fast enough to get from tree to tree, slow enough to see nuts on the ground and pull over for them. It didn't take long until going up hills was noticably harder and there was quite a bit of pull from behind. I think all in all I gathered 30-40 lbs (?) from here to Moraga and back which necessitated walking up the steepest hills closest to home, but posed no problem on smallish hills.<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>So far from my limited experience- Massey and I gathered acorns last year as well, and were given some year-old acorns from friends- it sure seems as if letting them age for a year concentrates flavor and sweetness, though they also do get much harder, so it sounds like you are grinding up rocks when you throw them in the food processor to turn them into meal. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The jars below contain acorns that have been ground into meal in the vitamix (amazing blender) and covered with cold water to start the leaching process. In the past I have only done the leaching part with boiling water, which can be done in 30 minutes or so, but this time I am trying it with cold water (which apparently preserves more taste and nutrition, though takes days), draining off the liquid and refilling with fresh water twice a day. the difference of the two jars here, is that the one on the left is this year's valley oak acorns, and the one on the right is valley oak acorns from last year.</span></div><div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Sve0e2whYVI/AAAAAAAAAIU/1bykECX0-JE/s1600-h/IMG_0477.JPG" style="text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Sve0e2whYVI/AAAAAAAAAIU/1bykECX0-JE/s400/IMG_0477.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401984720242303314" style="text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Sve0efCXvGI/AAAAAAAAAIM/zvMS2hheAPg/s1600-h/IMG_0476.JPG" style="text-decoration: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The new acorns (on the left) have a very faint fresh smell, and the year old (on the right) smell like a cross between a good stout and molasses. I don't know for sure, but I also suspect fermentation with the older acorns, because there is a consistent skim of bubbles on the top. Anybody know more about this? When the meal no longer tastes bitter it can either be used immediately or dried in the oven and stored in the fridge or freezer.</span></span></a><div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Time is running out to gather acorns for the year in the bay area- if anyone is interested in a foraging trip in the next week or two, let me know, I'll be going out again.</span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4bhshar3uQ/Sve7Tt-VYsI/AAAAAAAAAIs/-auRwxYT6O4/s1600-h/IMG_0476.JPG"></a></span><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-91991114266758560042009-10-15T09:03:00.000-07:002009-10-15T09:09:32.470-07:00<div>The tree collards are expansionist! They already got Trilby and Sasha....</div><div><br /></div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 102px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NcDaIGnmqxc/StdIorjpu_I/AAAAAAAAACQ/DTGXQX8pNPA/s320/IMG_1892.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392858942523685874" /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NcDaIGnmqxc/StdIpDQ-TLI/AAAAAAAAACY/UCIgp7pggPI/s320/IMG_0381.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392858948887792818" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NcDaIGnmqxc/StdIpai8TRI/AAAAAAAAACg/OP2erPaOtjQ/s320/IMG_0383.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392858955137174802" /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>masseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08831548894332715103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-21613995443744190092009-10-13T08:52:00.000-07:002009-10-13T22:45:04.740-07:00Rain!I woke up in the early morning hours last night to the sound of rain and lay in bed for a moment before I realized I was <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">also</span> hearing the gurgling of the first flush diverter filling (part of the rainwater catchment system). It just so happens that it is right on the other side of the thin, stick frame/stucco wall, from my bed, and I had spent the earlier part of the day frantically doing finishing touches that would allow the water to actually flow from the gutters into the first flush, so once I realized that I was hearing the sounds of the system filling, I was wide awake. I even jumped out of bed and ran outside into the dark and rain to see what I could see. With my hand on the large vertical pipe, I could feel the vibrations of water inside. <div><br /><div> </div><div>The first flush, for those of you who don't know, is a larger diameter pipe that is attached to the side of the house vertically, is closed at the bottom, with a valve that can be opened, and has a holding capacity of about 5 gallons. There is also a small ball in there which floats on top of the water, and plugs access once its completely full, diverting water to the diagonal pipe which flows to the tanks, for the rest of the storm. The purpose of this is to allow the roof rinse water- that first 5 gallons that flows over roof that's long been dry and has potentially collected dead animals and poop on it- to be diverted, and not stored in the tanks along with all the "cleaner" water.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks so much to everybody who was here helping install the tanks earlier this year. Last I checked, this morning, it appears that the first flush is full and the water is going to the tanks now. Bring on the rain!</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div></div>Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-42083031565434169762009-10-10T10:07:00.000-07:002009-10-10T10:08:01.779-07:00October Work Parties<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CDEBBIE%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Georgia; panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold;">Pod Plaster Party </span>
<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia;">October 11th</span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Earthen plastering is just about one of the most satisfying pieces of natural building. There's nothing like the feel of smooth clay sliding onto a wall! We'll be plastering Trilby's earthbag spiral creation and Massey's woven bamboo building. </span>
<br /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<br /> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <u1:worddocument> <u1:view>Normal<u1:zoom>0<u1:punctuationkerning/> <u1:validateagainstschemas/> <u1:saveifxmlinvalid>false<u1:ignoremixedcontent>false<u1:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false<u1:compatibility> <u1:breakwrappedtables/> <u1:snaptogridincell/> <u1:wraptextwithpunct/> <u1:useasianbreakrules/> <u1:dontgrowautofit/> <u1:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</u1:browserlevel> </u1:compatibility> </u1:alwaysshowplaceholdertext> </u1:ignoremixedcontent> </u1:saveifxmlinvalid> </u1:zoom> </u1:view> </u1:worddocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <u2:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </u2:latentstyles> </xml><![endif]--> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Permitted <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Natural</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Building</st1:placetype></st1:place> - Light Straw Clay!</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Saturday Oct. 24th, 1pm-5pm</span>
<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sunday October 25th, 10am - 5pm </span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Join us as we fill the walls of the back house with light straw clay, a traditional natural building technique and wall system that provides insulation as well as a plaster substrate. The mighty local materials of clay and straw, tamped into the wall cavity, replace industrially manufactured insulation, drywall, plywood, and siding, and hugely reduce a building's ecological footprint.</span>
<br />
<br /> <span style="font-family: georgia;">We'll prep most of the mix Saturday afternoon, and build the walls on Sunday. All are welcome to build, but there is plenty of celebrating to be done for those who just want to come hang out and be part of it (rumor has it there will be lots of food and music perhaps).</span></p> lindsay lu*http://www.blogger.com/profile/00991422292716465074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326808539091067020.post-5637179898099173382009-10-05T21:21:00.002-07:002009-10-05T21:37:16.477-07:00City Homestead Tour- Saturday!<div><br /></div>Go to <a href="http://cityhomesteads.eventbrite.com/">http://cityhomesteads.eventbrite.com/</a> if you are interested in going on a tour this coming Saturday to various homesteads in western Contra Costa County. You have to sign up ahead of time and to see the map and descriptions of the 18 different places, but its absolutely free and there looks to be an assortment of interesting gardens on the tour, many with small livestock and various composting and water systems as well. Yes we are on the tour, and if you don't make it out Saturday, you can always come Sunday for the workparty!Trilbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456700757469388444noreply@blogger.com0