Calling all volunteers:  

Frog gave notice:  gone someplace wetter!

Hot summer & so dry ...(no, not like CA but the hottest driest summer I remember here)!  In addition recent misfortune & departure of helpers has taken its toll!  It would be great to have someone local to help but of course all reasonable offers are considered!

Please note:  It is not possible right now to quote an hourly exchange ( $/veg/hr)  because of the crisis-level of help needed in garden. Right now everything depends on getting help in weeding, mulching and keeping it watered.  Otherwise the harvest will be short-lived.  So say you volunteered for 3 hours ....you can take home a small box of veggies that are available. The selection is what is available that day, and of course 4 hours = bigger box.   Does that sound fair?  It is obviously dependent on what is available.  We should  talk & confirm the night before you come to make it realistic.   Please do let me know your decision so we can plan the days forward.

If you are still interested below is a list of the "veggies du jour" available for picking most days or in the evenings as well most times.  Weeding, watering and new winter garden going in - all dependent on resources here.  Photos show a couple of projects in process:


Preparing Hoop House for Winter Garden



Chx new nest (modeled after bread oven)

 

The GOOD NEWS IS*
See https://www.adaptiveseeds.com/product-category/winter-varieties  *Andrew & Sarah are a young couple planting & growing varieties and diverse plantings on 25 acres near here to grow out the open pollinated, safe, and adapted to our very own area.  So at the least you can use this to identify, get incredible info/images on this site, and enjoy the seeds/plants  you might be interested in....plus support them by buying their seed for the comfort of knowing growing food that is SAFE to eat! 

***It is so great to be a "steward" for some of their seed and incredible Garlic!  Hoping to do ongoing winter garden demo here from now til mid September.

Veggies etc. du Jour:  +++++offering potted perennials, medicinals and plants to enjoy if you come & pick or help in any way - will also help you build & populate your own ecosystem: water garden (small pond) if you help here and you would like a pond!

The bees have been busy!!!!!!!!

• some small tomatoes
• patty pan squash yellow - getting to giant size - a few new each day
• zucchini a few new each day
• green beans - one more picking?
• lots of kale & chard -several varieties available
• some small lettuce favorites - micro greens mostly
• cucumbers - lemon and Armenian cukes
• tiny broccoli heads - second growth
• Oregano freshly picked & dried
• Chives, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, lavender,  fresh, and cuttings from
• other:   cuttings and potted borage, calendula, sedum & succulents, lilies, cat mint (nip), other plants & tons of water lettuce & pond plants - please do take some!  I am short on onions & peppers, no carrots, eggplant, leeks or cabbage I am sorry to say.
• in the future:  scarlet runner beans, beefsteak tomatoes......
• +  fresh eggs

You may be shocked to see the site right now, but with your help and some good fortune it will soon get back to the design plan: a small but productive  permaculture homestead !  Please do give a quick call before you come - there are always errands etc. , and it would be a shame to miss you. It would be much appreciated if we can exchange email & telephone # so we can communicate directly.   Thanks so much for building a more sustainable world!

P.S. if you can't do the physical work, and want to see a "wish list" for the site, please email or leave a message....there is a list available.

INVITATION - JOIN US IN BEING MORE SUSTAINABLE, CREATIVE, HAVE SOME FUN, MEET GREAT NEIGHBORS!

NEWSFLASH:  FOR THE BEST OF THE BEST "SEED SAVERS" SEE NEW ONLINE CATALOG AT

https://www.adaptiveseeds.com/

 

  

August 2014

 

HACKED? OR HAUNTED?
Please excuse....somehow the most recent post was deleted and many of the photos in this blog (starting in 2009) are no longer visible.  This is a history I will try to recreate, including the photos and my one slideshow which contained both past history in the desert Southwest and events here in the Pacific Northwest.  Whatever happened, it took many hours to create, and lots of energy. Will try again & hope it does not get hacked this time.  So, to start again, here's an abbreviated "gist" of a recent post and a few photos to replace the many that are gone:

Early in the spring we received the news that the GMO contamination was already spreading at random and has been in the food chain for years - and you've probably been keeping up with the stories and are helping to support GMO Labeling in Oregon this fall.

At the time that bad news was posted, it was hard not to be very discouraged  - maybe even to consider giving up all the efforts of creating a sustainable world.  I wrote some thoughts down, and found it too long diatribe to post but have copied in the 'conclusion' of my thoughts, in as few words as possible with some striking images, quotes and links to some of the beauty in our lives, in spite of  the "beast" that we have created and can no longer control. 

Pause for thought..........

Beautiful Lavender Labyrinth built by my friend Eve, in far West TX - wonderful for meditation

"Forget that this task of planet-saving is not possible in the time required.  Don't be put off by people who know what is not possible.  Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done." --Paul Hawken

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB4UEQzUmWc
Audio from "Chasing Ice" documentary

Or as my Quaker friend would say..."Be calm and carry on...." It's the only game in town.
 
The added (quote)on photo gives as good a rationale for carrying on, as there is, I think. 
That and love!
**********
So, back to the current state of things, gardening and creating a more sustainable world close to home...to anyone interested here on the slopes of the Cascades at ~600 ft. elevation:

What about creating a community garden/demonstration site? ??

   For now the site we can use to experiment is a PERMACULTURE URBAN HOMESTEAD IN PROCESS in Sweet Home.
Are you still out there? Choose one from list below and let us know!

*CREATE A COMMUNITY EXCHANGE: SHARE GARDEN TIPS & IDEAS, PLANTS, SEEDsS, GOOD COMPANY & FOOD FROM THE GARDEN

 

 *WINTER GARDENING with AFFORDABLE SEASON EXTENDERS (including *SOLAR COLD FRAME & MINI-GREENHOUSE)

 

 

*MULCHING & COMPOSTING - MAKE YOUR OWN RICH ORGANIC SOIL WITH LOCAL MATERIALS & COMPOST THE EASY WAY

 

*NO TILL GARDENS & CONVERT YOUR LAWN TO GARDEN

 

*VERMICOMPOSTING (WORM BIN)

 

*BEES FOR THE GARDENS &

*POLLINATOR PLANTS AND SHELTER*WATER GARDENS (PONDS)

 

*EARTHEN BREAD OVEN (for PIZZAS, BREAD,

    HOLIDAY MEALS & EVERYDAY BAKING

 

*SMALL SCALE RAINH20 HARVESTING SYSTEMS

 

*EARTHWORKS TO HARVEST RAIN

 

*RAIN CHAINS, BASINS & RAIN GARDENS

 

*PLANT A ROW FOR THE HUNGRY

 

*GARDENS THAT A CHILD CAN GROW

 

*NATIVE PLANTS/WOODLAND GARDEN

 

....and more! see photos below

Site is A PERMACULTURE URBAN HOMESTEAD IN PROCESS in Sweet Home.

You bring good energy, gloves for work in the garden, and plan to have some fun

Meet other farmer/gardeners, others who care!

Future DIY DAYS: See all these in action & find out how to do it (and there is more...!)

Thanks for Your Interest!

Permaculture/Sustainable Living - Learn by Doing

 dawnvoyager@gmail.com    (preferred)

or call 541 367 8896 for the location & directions

Elements on site: 

Permaculture gardens with rain H2O harvesting, Bread Oven, Chickens, (Fresh eggs) dog, 2 cats, veggies, fruit, solar blocker screens, trellis for shade, circle garden, keyhole garden, hoop house, solar cold frame & other season extenders,  swales, rain barrels, rain chain, most structures built with reclaimed materials.

 

 

 

   

 

2011
TODAY
LINK TO PICASA WEB ALBUM - CLICK ON SLIDESHOW TO VIEW
From DAWN SouthWest to DAWN NorthWest

Equinox & Spring Sunshine!

Hoping you get OUTSIDE to enjoy some of this beautiful day....love to see you for a "Vernal Equinox" very small celebration & nice day in the garden.  Putting in some snow peas already "hatched" in hoop house! Talk about a community garden or school garden in Sweet Home....noonish today...small luncheon/pot luck! 

in case you don't have time to come by but want to catch up:  photos below of finished Rehab#2

   

http://earthsky.org/earth  Happy Equinox!  beautiful images & explains the astronomy involved and descriptions/photos of the planet & positions at this time of year.... many different ways to think of this day.

Also Coming events:  where will you be?

World Water Day

http://foodtank.com/news/2014/03/more-crop-per-drop

http://springpropagationfair.com wishing I could be there!

Earth Day!

What day is Earth Day 2014? April 22, 2014  http://www.almanac.com/content/when-earth-day

photos below of finished Rehab#2

 

HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM THE CRITTERS:  Apologies - my original Holiday post was somehow deleted...showing "ice buckets" & chicken sweaters (photo sent from a friend - I crochet very slowly))  & more...

  

 

HELLO - BACK FOR THE NEW YEAR! 

Have been "offline" for some time now - going with the "flow" of a rehab project on my house (if you can call that a "flow"?)  and other family things happening, & some of the gray day blahs!  But I am back with what I hope is a great eye opener for us all (video link below).    I It is a wonderful way to "be" and that's what keeps me going in this lifetime when the rest of the world seems a bit mad!  And the winter a bit tough to live with....etc. etc.

 

http://www.geofflawton.com/fe/61569-perennial-abundance?r=y   
Perennial Abundance

This is also to invite you all to the first 2014 Sunday in the Gardens in Sweet Home - trying out the  "open house" style Sunday Jan 19th (anytime after 10 and until about 3 pm).  That way you can choose when you come. We can also change the day...if that helps.  Coming anytime is for convenience...all you may miss is some other folks who stop by.  This is also for my inspiration,  love to have you come to visit, if not to join in a "garden" project then just to visit.  If it is too cold, we will be inside but otherwise if there is a hint of sunshine, maybe outside....seeing what has happened to my gardens and what is working (or not)!  This is my permaculture site, and lo & behold, Geoff Lawton has the perfect set of new videos out.  Hope you will at the very least watch the video...warning he has an Aussie accent if that bugs you.  I happen to like it!

   Please do come (now or whenever you find a moment):  RSVP please - email preferred!

         

 re: house redo (no that is not the final color), plants still alive in solar cold frame in spite of the outside temperature, Izzy on her post, lots of leaves, lots of compost mix for all !  It's a nice time for hot tea or cider and some good company!  Also there is a lot to be learned from our winter (so far) and ways to maintain sanity & gardens.  So I am prepared to do this now & in the foreseeable future, at your place or mine or....church garden or....?  Thank you all for everything you do to make this a more sustainable world! 

Joelee, Dolly, Izzy, chx and new resident (my daughter's cat) Sir Seamus!

P.S.  hope you have noticed the classes listed at LBCC in Sweet Home in February -    movement therapy for gardeners ..."Effortless Gardening Workshop" that Joan Clapper is offering - highly recommended!

P.S.S. taking a new tact to poll the interest....if I don't hear back from you I will drop your name off these emails for the " garden gathering" notices or any emails if you let me know to take your email off!  Your interest greatly appreciated!