Healthy living

Polyculture 7-11 Garden

Posted on by Jean Campbell

My girlfriend Leanna sent me a link to a YouTube video about a gardening technique called Polyculture. It's a broad term, but this particular rendition of the theory never occurred to me, and it's brilliant. In a small area, thickly sow seeds that leverage different soil depths and come into fruit at a different speed. After just a few weeks, you begin to harvest. And you continue to do so. I took the idea and compacted it into what I call the 7-11, a nod to the old convenience stores... Continue reading

Forest Bathing with Anne Bailey

Posted on by Jean Campbell

As I dug through my purse for my car keys, the smell of mint inspired an immediate, good-feeling response. I'd hurriedly stashed the sprig there after the service at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham. Anne had given a presentation on the practice of Forest Bathing that morning and had passed a supply around to the congregation. The plan for an outdoor experience after the service was in jeopardy with extreme heat and wet weather in the forecast. The mint was a nature... Continue reading

The Herb Spiral – Tips and tricks from a new user!

Posted on by Jean Campbell

On the heels of completing the initial sheet mulching steps of The kitchen Garden (formerly known as The Secret Garden), we began our herb spiral. The process is similar in that materials are layered to magically build soil. We began by placing rocks, all resourced from our property, in a spiral formation, and stacked them upwards as we went round. We filled the bottom with sticks and topped them with good old wheat straw. Tip # 1 - Reuse garden waste! Melvin tops the... Continue reading

Winter produce

Posted on by Jean Campbell

Last summer I planted some asparagus seed along the fence that cordons off The Secret Garden. While I've never attempted to grow them, I was already aware that I would not see asparagus that season. But the lacy, fern-like foliage made a beautiful display for the backyard recreational area. With winter upon us, I've mostly ignored that area of my property while the asparagus greenery faded and slowly turned brittle and brown. Meanwhile, I planted a few things in the tiered garden and... Continue reading