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6 years on - Basic land shaping to capture roof water from a nearby shed provides nutrient rich passive irrigation for food forest down slope while also creating enjoyable habitat for resident ducks and pigs. Plantings include water loving natives that offer wind and frost protection to climbing vines and citrus.
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Attempting to modify water holding capabilities of this stony soil by introducing water loving, wetland plants while actively removing the rocks and gravel. Pulsing diverted run off water and pigs through this muddy hole is slowly shifting the conditions and creating a new assortment of niches. Amplify the diversity!
Monarch butterflies enjoying blossoms in the forest garden
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We've had plenty of nice, sunny warm weather and the monarch and red admiral butterflies are getting into the stone fruit blossom, brassica flowers and tagasaste nectar.
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Every year, since their construction, our hugelkultur raised woody garden beds have been improving in performance. While waiting for the perennial plantings to establish we have been gardening with seasonal crops including maize, pumpkins, tomatoes, salad, cucumbers and of course lots of beans. Modest additions of straw mulch, trenched in pig manure, compost tea and all plant residues are contributing to the overall fertility of the beds and on occasion where I have exposed the wooden core while digging it is clearly breaking down into a crumbly organic 'compost'.
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It's been another exceptionally dry summer but things are holding on. Our land shaping captures and retains moisture and the mixed planting reduces competition while maximizing shade and surface area.