Permaculture

The Annual Dandelion Rant

Posted on by Jean Campbell

It's that time of year again. A warm breeze inspires hope of cold days ending, the morning sun beckons the jewel-like glow of lime green new growth, and weekend gardeners gather their trowels, their poisons, and their resolve to annihilate the dreaded dandelion. How dare they dot your perfectly groomed carpets of thick grass. WTF? Those beautifully groomed green lawns are the bane of this planet's existence, while dandelions can do nothing but good... for the dirt, for the pollinators,... Continue reading

Garden Bones and Chicken Broth

Posted on by Jean Campbell

  A soft footprint is not what I'm after. I don't want the planet to diminish because of me. My goal is to leave it better. I want nature to start singing the Hallelujah Chorus because I showed up. To that end, I am following the lead of the indigenous people of this continent, the original citizens of North America, in showing appreciation and using my resources without waste. It's not only good for me; it's good for the planet. Here's an idea, and it's pretty simple. Replace... Continue reading

The Kitchen Garden – 2021 in review

Posted on by Jean Campbell

Kitchen Garden is the new Secret Garden Originally an unexceptional collection of grass and shrubs, The Secret Garden was a fenced area just outside my back door intended to provide quick access to herbs and salad veggies. A year of observation proved my plan needed modification and the space earned a new name, The Kitchen Garden. January 2021 - Sheet mulching the grass away Goal number one - grass, the bane of our planet's existence, had to go. In lieu of renting a tiller or... Continue reading

Woods Dirt

Posted on by Jean Campbell

My mother was an avid gardener. She insisted my little sister and I help with pulling weeds and feeding the veg patch. Little sister and I in the garden As a surly teenager, I complained a lot, totally missing the point. Gardening would not take hold with me until after the birth of my second daughter. When I asked my mother's advice on a fruitful garden, she replied, "Woods dirt makes the best soil." I didn't really know what she meant, but if she said it, then it was so. In my... Continue reading