Autonomy Without Tears

Regeneration...

2010-10-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

Wow, I had pretty much forgotten about this blog... its been a crazy year. Now that we're pretty established in the new house, and things are underway with our homesteading efforts, I'll be posting on here much more often. So consider this an announcement of Autonomy Without Tears 2.0 - it will be a whole new deal, baby. I'll be revamping this page very soon.

I am also in the process of creating a blog specific to permaculture, edible landscaping, regenerative design, and so forth in the Northern Virginia/DC Metro area - stay tuned for an announcement on that.

Cheers,

Jon

Question: Till Once vs. No-Till?

2010-01-04T12:24:00.001-08:00

First of all, a very happy new year to all of you, and thanks for stopping by the blog here.

So, I have a question for those of you who might be in the know...

I'm working on the design for one of the patches of my (future) forest garden, namely what I hope to be a sort of mini-orchard, including polycultures of fruit trees, shrubs, and herbs. The piece of land in question is part of a south- and east-facing side yard of my suburban home here in Northern VA. I haven't done any soil testing yet, but that will be done in the near future. The main area of concern is soil compaction... its pretty standard suburban yard, meaning totally compacted.

The question is this: In preparing the soil for planting, how should I go about decompacting the soil? Should I just sheet mulch it and start planting? Should I till the hell out of it (or double-dig it - though it is a fairly large area and this would mean a TON of physical labor) and plant some soil-improving cover crops for a year or two? What are your ideas and/or experience with what works in this regard?

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Cheers,

Jon

Links: 11-25-09

2009-11-25T17:52:00.000-08:00

BLDBLOG has an interesting piece/interview on "invasive" species, mainly dealing with the UK, but applicable to the general issues of invasion biology, pest species, plant diseases and so on.

Everyone has probably already seen this, but the Archdruid's post from last week, How Relocalization Worked, is a must read if you haven't checked it out yet. As is his entire archive of posts.

Robert Kourik (of Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape - Naturally fame) has some tips on creating windbreaks.

Sharon Astyk linked to a pretty amazing speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury on economics and sustainability.

Excellent essay: Dawn of the Dead Mall - the American shopping mall, post-mortem.

WTF? Christian rappers, rapping about the "Christian Side Hug" - apparently only side hugs are appropriate for Jesus kids... God forbid that, in giving someone a regular ol' hug, you might ram your crotch into theirs. This is why we have neuroses, psychopathic sex killers, and lots and lots of teen suicides. Article and video, from Huffington Post.

A very merry Thanksgiving weekend to all of you, if you've got any great recipes you want to share, let me know!

Cheers,

Jon

Getting back into it...

2009-11-13T06:28:00.001-08:00

Lots of changes going on here...

For the last couple of semesters I've been enrolled at Prescott College, ostensibly working towards a B.A. in Ecological Design. However, the nature of the program I'm in really isn't suited to my particular educational needs and learning style - so I'm switching schools. After thoughtful and protracted (thanks, Bill Mollison...) reflection, I've decided that what I'm really wanting to get into is landscape architecture - and including permaculture principles and sustainability into that work. So, I'm going back to NOVA for an A.A.S. in Horticulture - Landscape Design Specialization. This will at the very least enable me to start working in the profession - and will hopefully enable me to transfer into a landscape architecture program at either Virginia Tech or the University of Virginia. I want to get into doing sustainable design/build - eventually working with or running a company that will do everything to design & build (or retrofit) sustainable properties - from landscape to buildings, energy, food production, water supply, etc.

I've also started the process of creating a permaculture design for our new property here in Woodbridge, VA. Our house is on a 1/4 acre lot with lots of potential - so stay tuned for detailed design posts.

I have some new posts in the works on some other topics, as well, so keep an eye out for new material in the very near future.

Cheers,

Jon

Polycultural vs. Monocultural Agriculture Systems

2009-08-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

Research paper I just finished for a college course, enjoy. Blogger makes some of the formatting weird, so some of this might look a little "off."

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Polycultural Agriculture: How Agroecological Systems Yield Greater
Benefits to the Environment, Human Health and Social Justice

Jonathan Storvick
Prescott College

Abstract

Since the early post-World War II era, modern agriculture has become increasingly based upon monocultural (one crop species) systems and practices that have a negative impact upon both environmental and human health, and upon social justice issues. Ecological alternatives to modern agriculture exist – the most potent difference being the use of polycultures (systems utilizing multiple crop, non-crop, and/or native species in conjunction with each other) to more closely model natural ecosystem processes. These practices of necessity include methods vastly different from those utilized by industry-standard monocultural farming systems, and yield greater benefits to the environment at large, to human health and to equitable social justice. This paper examines the effects of monocultural agriculture on these three areas of focus, and polycultural alternatives and their effects in the same areas.

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Polycultural Agriculture: How Agroecological Systems Yield Greater
Benefits to the Environment, Human Health and Social Justice

In addition to being one of the oldest occupations of the human race, agriculture has been the key factor in humanity’s survival and prosperity throughout history. Agriculture attempts to bring natural processes of plant growth and production under human influence for the purposes of providing food and other products for humans. Every living human being ultimately depends on the consumption of vegetation, whether directly (consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts and other plant products) or indirectly (consumption of animals which rely on a vegetable diet). Unfortunately, agricultural systems and methods since World War II have contributed to increasing environmental pollution and degradation, chronic degenerative diseases and other ailments in humans, and have supported a global system that exploits indigenous and poverty-stricken communities while filling the pockets of multinational corporations (Horrigan, Lawrence & Walker, 2002). These agricultural systems, while incorporating a number of different techniques and practices, can generally be characterized by the use of monocultures – systems in which one crop is grown in isolation from other plant species. The vast corn, wheat and soybean fields we associate with modern farms are typical of this monocultural approach to agriculture. Luckily, alternatives to these types of systems exist and continue to be developed. These alternative agricultural systems also vary widely in their methodologies and techniques, but can generally be characterized by a different and key feature – the use of polycultures (mixed species stands of vegetation). While this distinction (one crop species vs. multiple species) may not seem like much, the differences in methods, techniques and effects on a wide variety of areas are vast. It is our position that polycultural agriculture systems provide greater benefit to the environment, to human health, and to social justice.

Industrial agriculture - monocultures

Modern industrial agriculture since the “Green Revolution” of the post-World War II era has enabled humanity to boost its food production (and in correlation, its population) to previously unknown levels, using artificial inputs to boost monocultural production. However, these high-yielding systems come at a large cost. “Land degradation, salinization, pesticide pollution of soil, water and food chains, depletion of ground water, genetic homogeneity and associated vulnerability, all raise serious questions regarding the sustainability of modern agriculture.” (Altieri & Rosset, 1996, p. 165) Perhaps the largest problem with industrial agriculture is a matter of philosophy: According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (quoted in Horrigan et al., 2002), industrial agriculture “views the farm as a factory with ‘inputs’ (such as pesticides, feed, fertilizer, and fuel) and ‘outputs’ (corn, chickens and so forth). The goal is to increase yield (such as bushels per acre) and decrease costs of production, usually by exploiting economies of scale.” (p. 445) Growing crops in large monoculture plots typically require large amounts of external inputs (fossil fuels, agrochemicals such as pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, and water), and use other techniques which also can have devastating effects on our areas of focus – environmental health, human health, and social justice.

Environmental effects of monocultural agriculture

One of the greatest negative environmental effects of monocultural agriculture is the loss of biodiversity. Ecosystems depend on a variety of species – floral, faunal, fungal, bacterial , etc. – to provide a number of functions which contribute to ecosystem stability. Planting monocultures reduces the species in a given area to one – which means that excluded species no longer provide necessary ecosystem services, as described below. Monocultural crop systems clear native non-crop species from the land (and with them a rich variety of animals, insects, birds and soil life), replacing them with vast tracts of the single crop to be grown. In the realm of food crops, monocultures also destroy diversity. Approximately 15,000-20,000 plant species have been used by humans for food (Facciola, 1998), yet only about 150 species are currently considered commercially viable (Thrupp, 2000). Monocultural practices even destroy genetic diversity within species by relying solely upon single varieties (usually hybrid or genetically modified species). Many traditional varieties of crops are now extinct or headed in that direction. Even a plant as simple as lettuce has suffered massive loss in genetic diversity of varieties: over the last hundred years the number of commercially-grown varieties of lettuce has dropped from 497 to 36 – a 92.8% loss in diversity. (Thrupp, 2000)

Loss of biodiversity in agricultural systems “…militates against the system’s ability to generate functional interconnection where different parts of the living system interact in a mutually supportive way.” (Jacke & Toensmeier, 2005, p. 29) In diverse, thriving ecosystems, many species fulfill a number of important functions and ecosystem services. Certain plants (especially legumes) are nitrogen-fixing – that is, in conjunction with soil bacteria, they absorb nitrogen (an important plant nutrient) and release into the soil for other plants to utilize for their own growth. Other plants (especially some species commonly considered as “weeds”) are dynamic accumulators – they have extensive and deep root systems that tap into the subsoil and bring nutrients to the surface for other plants to use. Other plant species provide shelter and food for pollinating insects (which aid other plants to produce fruit or seed), and beneficial predatory insects, which prey upon pest species (herbivores which attack crop plants). When monocultures eradicate these and other functional species from the mix (often using chemical herbicides), these functions must be provided in the form of external inputs – fertilizers, pesticides, and intensive disturbance regimes (cultivation, tilling, etc.). Chemical fertilizers, while releasing a quick “rush” of nutrients to crop plants, tend to kill off beneficial soil organisms, which would otherwise be keeping the soil healthy. The soil being thus degraded, the farmer quickly becomes locked in a cycle of addiction to fertilizers – fertilizers degrade the soil, which means nutrients have to be supplied in the form of fertilizer, and so on. Eventually the soil refuses to produce, the land is abandoned, and desertification begins. This cycle also applies to pesticide use: pesticides not only kill pests, but also beneficial insects which prey on pest species. Pests often develop immunities to pesticides and come back in full force – without any natural predators to keep their population in check. This prompts the farmer to use even stronger pesticides and more frequent spraying, which continues the cycle.

There are many other negative environmental effects of monocultural agriculture. The mechanization of agriculture (in response to the need to effectively plant and harvest large monocultural fields) and the use of monocultural farming techniques cause an enormous reliance on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels, which are a main cause of global climate change, are used in the planting and harvesting of crops, in the manufacture of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, and in the massive infrastructure of global food supply and demand (Murray, 2004). Large-scale tilling of fields in these systems leads to loss of topsoil from erosion and wind, in 1997 about 5 tons of topsoil per acre were lost in the US alone (Horrigan et al., 2002). Fertilizers (especially excess nitrogen from fertilizers) and pesticides leach from fields into the water supply, causing major pollution problems, and may be the major contributing factor in the occurrence of “dead zones” in the ocean (Potera, 2008). These practices also lead to large water consumption rates that cannot be sustained in the face of growing global water shortages (Horrigan et al., 2002).

Human health effects of monocultural agriculture

Industrial monoculture practices contribute to a variety of negative human health consequences. Nutrition is an area in which monocultural agriculture has left us severely wanting. Journalist and food researcher Michael Pollan (2008) explains that “…the chronic diseases that now kill most of us can be traced directly to the industrialization of our food: the rise of highly processed foods and refined grains; the use of chemicals to raise plants and animals in huge monocultures; the superabundance of cheap calories of sugar and fat produced by modern agriculture; and the narrowing of the biological diversity of the human diet to a tiny handful of staple crops, notably wheat, corn and soy.” (p. 10) Industrial agriculture’s reliance on techniques that damage the soil food web and use varieties bred simply to increase yields has dramatically decreased the nutrient value of commercially available crops. “Government data from both America and the United Kingdom have shown that the concentration of a range of essential nutrients in the food supply has declined in the last few decades, with double digit percentage declines of iron, zinc, calcium, selenium and other essential nutrients across a wide range of common foods.” (Halweil, 2007, p. 1) This loss of nutrients (and replacement by superabundant yet non-nutritious calories) has contributed to the rise in chronic degenerative diseases in humans over the last 60 years (Pollan, 2008).

Aside from nutrient losses, a range of negative health effects are caused by monoultural practices. The fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides used in monocultural agriculture pose dangerous risks to human health. Synthetic fertilizers are often manufactured by reusing toxic industrial wastes, including heavy metals, which can be absorbed by plants and therefore consumed by humans (Goldstein, 1997). Chemical pesticides are a leading contributor to health problems worldwide. The United Nations (cited in Horrigan et al., 2002) estimates that pesticides cause 2 million poisonings and 10,000 fatalities per year. Health effects of pesticides also include “elevated cancer risks and disruption of the body’s reproductive, immune, endocrine, and nervous systems.” (Horrigan et al., 2002, p. 450) Pollution (air, soil and water) from industrial farms effects people for miles around. Reliance upon genetically modified crops (GMO’s) poses the threat of immune system damage, the generation if new allergens, and a host of health risks that researchers are only now beginning to study (Horrigan et al., 2002). Foodborne pathogens are often caused by industrial factory farm practices, as we have seen in recent years (Johnson, 2009). As we all depend on agriculture for our survival, it is imperative we find ways to produce food without adding such major health risks to the equation.

Social justice issues and industrial monocultural agriculture

Social justice is an area often ignored by critics of modern agriculture, and by those who support advances in sustainability. Yet, an agricultural system in which human rights, respect for indigenous traditions, and equitable access to food and economic opportunity, is a system which is not sustainable and can only contribute to further degradation of the environment, natural resources, and increases in social and geopolitical instability (Brundtland, 1987). While monocultural agriculture has “…dramatically expanded… the human food supply, and in turn helped increase population,” (Halweil, 2007, p.5) it suffers on the social justice front by failing to “…meet the fundamental criteria of social justice such as freedom from want, freedom from oppression, and access to equal opportunity.” (Allen, 2008, p. 158) People are still going hungry (being denied one of their most fundamental human rights and needs for survival) in an age of unprecedented food production, which implies that the system itself is not equitable. All of the techniques described above, including monoculture itself, have led to the aggregation of much of the world’s agricultural producers into large, multinational corporations. This in and of itself leads to cultural decline, which includes the loss of family farms and degradation of rural communities, loss of indigenous/traditional farming methods and knowledge, loss of landraces - traditional or “folk” varieties of crops unique in genetic composition and diversity, and confined to distinct geographical or ecological populations, conversion of public and wildlands to large-scale monoculture farms, and inequities in labor, opportunity and pay due to corrupt business practices (Allen, 2008; Clements & Shrestha, 2004; Thrupp, 2000, 2004). It is apparent that there is much about agriculture and the way it is practiced that needs to be drastically rethought if we are to create a more healthy and equitable environment for humans and for the biosphere at large.

Polyculture as an alternative

In contrast to industrial agriculture and its reliance on monocultures, ecological agriculture can be characterized by its use of polycultures – multiple species growing and existing together. Many different methodologies and strategies for implementing ecologically-based agriculture have been developed over the last several decades - agroecology, permaculture, biodynamic farming – as well as the many indigenous and traditional methods which have informed modern attempts. These diverse practices share a common philosophy – understanding agricultural systems as ecosystems, and modeling farming techniques after natural ecosystem properties and functions (Altieri & Rosset, 1996; Cox, Picone, & Jackson, 2004; Clements & Shrestha, 2004; Francis et al., 2003; Gliessman, 2004; Jacke, 2005; Menalled, Landis, & Dyer, 2004; Mollison, 1988; Pearson, 2007; Thrupp, 2000, 2004). Polycultures, which are the natural state of ecosystems (nature rarely if ever produces monocultures), are a natural starting point for agricultural systems based on ecological principles. Growing crops and other species in polyculture leads to several other ecological strategies (and effects) which also characterize the agroecological approach: increased biodiversity, regenerative & semi-closed systems (organic material, nutrient and waste recycling), integrated pest management (IPM), sustainable water use, and so on, practices which will be discussed below in the context of their effects on our areas of foci. These practices, by their implementation lead directly to positive effects and benefits for the environment, human health and social justice.

Environmental benefits of polycultural agriculture

By definition, polycultures include more diversity than monocultures. As mentioned above, biodiversity is essential to maintaining healthy ecosystem functionality. This is especially important in agriculture when viewed as a managed ecosystem (Thrupp, 2004). Including a variety of species in crop stands contributes to ecosystem health on and off the farm. This is most apparent when viewing the input-output cycles of agricultural systems. By including species that provide essential ecosystem services (nitrogen-fixing and dynamic accumulator plants, plant species that provide food and habitat for beneficial predatory and pollinating insects, etc.), agricultural systems can be transformed from open, wasteful systems to regenerative, semi-closed systems which recycle nutrients and waste, provide their own fertilization, and utilize natural processes to control pest populations (Jacke, 2005; Pearson, 2007). Examining these practices even further, we see that by reducing and/or eliminating external inputs, pollution from these inputs decreases correspondingly. Integrated pest management (IPM) utilizes polycultures for reducing attacks on crops by pest insect species in a few different ways: By growing crops in polyculture, pests find it more difficult to find the plants they feed on in the mixed-species stands. Also, by providing food and habitat for predatory insects, pest populations are kept in check by their own natural enemies. The increased diversity in species also enables the system as a more resilient whole to more quickly recover in the event of a pest outbreak or any other disturbance (Jacke, 2005; Menalled et al., 2004). Polycultural agroecosystems are typically smaller-scale and locally based, which offsets much of the carbon emissions generated by the global food system, and also eliminates the need for large-scale destruction of wildlands for agricultural expansion (Francis et al., 2003; Gliessman, 2004; Thrupp, 2004). Water is sustainably used and managed through the use of rainwater harvesting for irrigation and the use of earthworks to decrease surface runoff and leaching of nutrients, and to allow water to percolate into the subsoil and recharge water tables (Jacke, 2005; Mollison, 1988). All in all, the negative effects of industrial agriculture can not only be ameliorated by the use of polycultural and ecologically-based agricultural techniques, but the net effect overall tends to be beneficial to the biosphere as a whole.

Polycultures and positive human health benefits

Human health increases and benefits from polycultural agriculture in a number of ways. The lack of artificial fertilizers and pesticides dramatically reduce the risk of cancers, degenerative diseases, and other ills that exposure to these chemicals typically cause (Horrigan et al., 2002). Health harms due to pollution and runoff are eliminated nearly entirely from farms utilizing polycultural techniques. Diverse varieties of “wild foods” (native plants allowed to grow in polycultures and sometimes harvested as crops) and ecologically grown crops are healther and provide a wider base of nutrients, especially when locally grown. Healthier diets based on these agricultural methods promote disease prevention and optimum individual health (Pollan, 2008). Virtually all of the negative health effects cause by monocultures as described above can be lessened or eliminated simply by farming in semi-closed systems and using ecological and polycultural methods.

Ecological agriculture and social justice issues

Agroecological farming leads to greater social justice and equity, in direct opposition to industrial farming. Polycultures require farming on a much smaller scale, which opens up economic opportunity to a greater number of individuals in a given area, and promotes healthy competition in local economic systems. Profits generated by these systems are local, and tend to be re-circulated locally rather than passed up the corporate chain, which tends to “…create multiplier effects in the local economy.” (Horrigan et al., 2002, p. 453) Polycultural systems also value and protect indigenous and traditional farming methods, knowledge (especially that of rural women), and unique varieties of crops, which contribute to agricultural progress worldwide (Francis, et al., 2003; Thrupp, 2000, 2004). Altieri and Rosset (1996) elaborate:

…Sustainability is not possible without preserving the cultural diversity that nurtures local agriculture… Peasant knowledge about ecosystems usually results in multidimensional land-use productive strategies, which generate, within certain ecological and technical limits, the food self-sufficiency of communities in particular regions. For agroecologists there are several aspects of traditional knowledge systems that are relevant: knowledge of farming practices and the physical environment, biological folk taxonomic systems, use of low-input technologies, etc. By understanding ecological features of traditional agriculture, such as the ability to bear risk, production efficiencies of symbiotic crop mixtures, recycling of materials, reliance on local resources and germplasm, exploitation of full range of micro-environments, etc., it is possible to obtain important information that may be used for developing appropriate agricultural strategies tailored to the needs, preferences and resource base of specific farmer groups and regional agroecosystems (p. 169).

In an interview (Kawell, 2002), agroecologist Miguel Altieri takes this concept one step further: “Agroecology is not just a development method, but also a resistance to globalization, a tool for social movements to become much more autonomous… it is the technological flag of the resistance movement.” (p. 33) Industrial agriculture advocates often malign ecological practices, saying that polycultural practices cannot meet or exceed the high yields produced by monocultural agriculture (which are only possible due to high inputs). The data shows, however, that this is not the case. In multiple cases cited by Thrupp (2004), Gliessman (2004) and Jacke (2005), crops grown in polycultures generally took one of two approaches: Single crops, when grown in polycultures, often approached or exceeded monocultural yields (especially in indigenous practices); or, the net yield of multiple crops grown together in polycultures vastly exceeded yields of single crops grown in monoculture in the same size area. This shows that polycultural agriculture can significantly contribute to solving the problems of global hunger by increasing net yields of food crops.

Conclusion

Agriculture is a vast, diverse, and complex topic that obviously transcends the monoculture/polyculture dichotomy. However, it is our position that industrial agriculture and ecological agriculture can be characterized by the use of and reliance on monocultures and polycultures. The issues we face as a result of industrial agriculture practices over the last half-century are forcing us to take a deeper look at the ways in which we grow crops. Mounting evidence and data show that growing crops in ecological, polyculture systems provide a number of benefits that exceed those of monocultural systems, and can even eliminate negative effects of monocultural practices. By synergetically and holistically viewing agricultural systems in ecological terms and visions, we can create systems that will feed us while effecting positive change and stability in ecosystem and biosphere health, human health and vitality, and contribute to a more just and equitable global society.

References

Allen, P. (2008). Mining for justice in the food system: Perceptions, practices, and possibilities. Agriculture & Human Values, 25 (2), 157-161.

Altieri, M.A., & Rosset, P. (1996). Agroecology and the conversion of large-scale conventional systems to sustainable management. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 50 3/4), 165-185.

Brundtland, G. (ed.) (1987). Our common future: The World Commission on Environment and Development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Clements, D.R., & Shrestha, A. (2004). New dimensions in agroecology for developing a biological approach to crop production. Journal of Crop Improvement, 11 (1/2), 1-20.

Cox, T.S., Picone, C., & Jackson, W. (2004). Research priorities in natural systems agriculture. Journal of Crop Improvement, 12 (1/2), 511-531.

Facciola, S. (1998). Cornucopia II: A source book of edible plants. Vista: Kampong Publications.

Francis, C., Lieblein, G., Gliessman, S., Breland, T.A., Creamer, N., Harwood, R., et al. (2003). Agroecology: The ecology of food systems. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 22 (3), 99-118.

Gliessman, S. (2004). Integrating agroecological processes into cropping systems research. Journal of Crop Improvement, 11 (1/2), 61-80.

Goldstein, J. (1997). Industrial waste as fertilizer: What’s wrong? What’s right? BioCycle, 38 (8), 63.

Halweil, B. (2007). Still no free lunch: Nutrient levels in U.S. food supply eroded by pursuit of high yields. Foster, RI: Organic Center. Retrieved from: http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/Yield_Nutrient_Density_Final.pdf

Horrigan, L., Lawrence, R.S., & Walker, P. (2002). How sustainable agriculture can address the environmental and human health harms of industrial agriculture. Environmental Health Perspectives, 110 (5), 445-456.

Jacke, D., & Toensmeier, E. (2005). Edible forest gardens, vol. 1: Ecological vision and theory for temperate climate permaculture. White River Junction: Chelsea Green Publishing.

Johnson, T.D. (2009). Food safety reform moves closer to becoming a reality. Nation’s Health, 39 (5), 1-33.

Kawell, J. (2002). For an agriculture that doesn’t get rid of farmers: An interview with Miguel Altieri. NACLA Report on the Americas, 35 (5), 29-34.

Menalled, F.D., Landis, D.A., & Dyer, L.E. (2004). Research and extension supporting ecologically based IPM systems. Journal of Crop Improvement, 11 (1/2), 153-174.

Mollison, B. (1988). Permaculture: A designers’ manual. Sisters Creek, Tasmania: Tagari Publications.

Murray, B.C. (2004). Overview of agricultural and forestry GHG offsets on the US landscape. Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm & Resource Issues, 19 (3), 13-18.

Pearson, C.J. (2007). Regenerative, semiclosed systems: A priority for twenty-first century agriculture. BioScience, 57 (5), 409-418.

Pollan, M. (2008). In defense of food: An eater’s manifesto. New York: Penguin Books.

Potera, C. (2008). Corn ethanol goal revives dead zone concerns. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116 (6), A242-A243.

Thrupp, L.A. (2000). Linking agricultural biodiversity and food security: the valuable role of agrobiodiversity for sustainable agriculture. International Affairs, 76 (2), 265-281.

Thrupp, L.A. (2004). The importance of biodiversity in agroecosystems. Journal of Crop Improvement, 12 (1/2), 315-337.

Information Overload

2009-02-23T06:39:00.000-08:00

I haven't been very prolific in my writing of late... There are several reasons for this: I've been ill with a nasty strain of Streptoccal pharyngitis - strep throat - which is still lingering despite antibiotics. I've been working on a school project for my Ecotourism class on "Greening America's Colleges," going under the working title of Principles and Pathways Toward a Greener NOVA: Case Studies of Successful Community College Sustainability Programs - which is progressing well. In addition to being a class assignment, the project is going to be presented to the faculty board at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). Hopefully some of the models and suggestions in our project will convince the board to take some positive steps toward more sustainable practices. Feb. 13-15 I was down in Charlottesville, VA for the opening weekend of my Permaculture Design Course, which has definitely been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Among several other amazing instructors, the class is being taught by Dave Jacke, author of the 2-volume Edible Forest Gardens, a resource that I simply cannot recommend highly enough for anyone interested in designing edible ecosystems. Dave is one of the funniest, craziest, nicest and most intelligent people I've met recently, and it is a true pleasure to have the opportunity to learn permaculture design under his tutelage.

Dave Jacke in lecture mode

Perhaps the most important reason I've been having trouble writing of late is simply total information overload. Between the permaculture course, school, books I've been reading, and all of the amazingly kickass discussion going on over at the Urban Evolution forum, I simply have no idea how to process the overwhelming amount of data coming in through my input channels. In lieu of simply spouting nonsensical chatter, I've decided to limit my communications to those which contain meaning and substance. And since I need to process a bit before I can really do so, I'm gonna take a little break. Of course, this means that in 10 minutes I might get inspired to write a huge essay. I've learned that I need to write when the muse possesses me, and that can be unpredictable. I'm definitely trying to temper that a bit by attempting to get my shit together before I write, but I guess we'll see what happens.

I'll leave you with a few more pics from my permaculture course. I'll be back when I can get something written in a coherent format.

Jon

In class

Learning mapmaking & triangulation techniques

Dave Jacke, whiteboard master :)

Urban Evolution - urban renewal forum

2009-01-22T16:38:00.000-08:00

Well folks, we've set up a community discussion board over at Urban Evolution. A lot of the Detroit '09 material will be found there, but this forum is dedicated to the larger issue at hand - creating sustainable communities now and how to do it with the best tools and techniques available. Check it out!

I'll get back to writing here shortly, I've been taking a needed break from the blog for the time being but will have some new material up within the next few days. See you soon.

Jon

Detroit Wildlife Video

2009-01-13T11:31:00.000-08:00

Originally found HERE via a link provided by Justin Boland.

This 26-min video is just amazing... very poetic and informative, and also kind of scary to see just how much a once-thriving metropolis can sink into decay and oblivion.

#d09 - Submissions Toward a Working Proposal

2009-01-12T11:39:00.000-08:00

So I guess this is becoming official.

First of all, a big thank you to all who have been working on this project and dropping ideas. If you're interested in getting involved here, have ideas to add, or want to make official submissions to the Detroit '09 project, please feel free to email me directly at jstorvick [at] gmail [you know the rest].

The possibilities for effecting ecological change and sustainability in Detroit are endless. Necessarily, that means that coalescing ideals and goals into a workable plan is key to moving forward. Nothing is set in place yet, but I'd like to see this community brainstorm turn into a workable reality. Towards that end, I'd like to ask for your ideas on what you think this project should be, how it should be accomplished, what kinds of tools/theories/techniques might be applied, and so on.

Ostensibly, the immediate goal here is to create a working sustainable & organic urban community farming operation in the midst of some of the worst conditions existing in this country, and to do it NOW. As far as long term, the idea is to take this experiment and turn it into replicable results, a "system of BEST PRACTICES for converting 'bad' real estate into thriving designed ecosystems for human habitation." (Thanks to Justin Boland for putting into words what I wanted to say on that!)

I have some ideas on how to proceed, but I'd like to submit them to the jury of public analysis, and also ask for your comments and additions. Here's what I've got:

1. Start a non-profit organization. While this might seem like a bunch of bureaucratic nonsense and lots of hoops to jump through, becoming organized as a non-profit has tons of benefits, including the following (swiped from the Foundation Center): Tax exemption (if filed as a 501(c)(3) organization), Eligibility for public and private grants (donations are included here), Formal Structure (an official org has a lot more talking power than a loose group of individuals), Limited liability ("The founders, directors, members, and employees are not personally liable for the nonprofit’s debts"), and so on. It also provides an official name for people to recognize and affiliate with (rather than "those people doing that Detroit thing"), and provides a basis for us to continue similar projects in different areas under an umbrella that is recognizable. I certainly hope that some of you are at least on board this far - this is definitely a project that I cannot undertake on my own, or you on your own. I think it is important for us to come together and make this into something more real than an Internets conversation. I welcome and am open to any and all ideas and suggestions here.

In addition to forming an org, it will be necessary to come up with an official mission statement and official proposal statements in order to deal with red tape-type stuff.

2. Acquire resources. This is a broad category, as we're going to need a lot of stuff. Financial resources are of the utmost necessity. How are we going to acquire funds? A project like this is going to need a decent amount of start-up capital, especially in terms of purchasing land. Once land is acquired (see below), it will be necessary to purchase additional resources for bioremediation, soil conditioning, seeds, tools, logistical stuff, you name it. Also, where might we find helping hands for labor and farming?

3. Build connections & navigate red tape. It will be necessary to deal with the local authorities, seeing as we're going to be doing something in the midst of their city. We need to contact the necessary authorities and try to get them to work with us. We will be dealing with zoning regulations, building permits, business permits, all kinds of stuff like that, and it is likely that everything we want to go for isn't going to be easily green-lighted. The benefit of incorporating as a non-profit is visible here, as having an official mission statement and goal will help as far as getting the authorities on board. Also in this category comes building networks and relationships with local organizations and individuals, which will greatly help our status in the community.

4. Purchase land. This is a little trickier than it sounds. To be sure, there are 709 properties for sale for under $3000. But how many of them are right next to each other? With zoning laws and so forth, which of these plots will even legally be available for this project? How much land are we looking at getting? Should we start small and gradually enlarge or go for a large parcel of land all at once? As sebastian commented on a recent post, "Do we want to model 1 plot or model for fixing 20 simultaneously? Is thinking 20 plots ahead a little crazy??" Maybe, maybe not. It depends on what is available to us and what sort of resources we can gather.

5. Start working. This is the most vague and uncertain area. What techniques are we going to use? This is a vast area of possibility for experimenting with permaculture, bioremediation and a gazillion other methods. What do you suggest?

It looks like things are moving forward. This project depends on what you can put toward it. Let's make this thing real, people.

Paul Stamets Just Blew My Mind...

2009-01-12T08:58:00.000-08:00

Watch this video. The implications are so far-reaching I can't wrap my head around it yet. Mushrooms and mycoremediation just might save the world.

#d09 - Graffiti Propaganda

2009-01-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

I am considering this the official inspiration for all of our work here.

#d09 - TIME Photo Essay: The Remains of Detroit

2009-01-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

Image from a TIME magazine photo essay, The Remains of Detroit.

Yeah, it looks like hell. But imagine the possibilities...

#d09 - Detroit '09 Resource List

2009-01-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

This list is definitely a work in progress, but hopefully it will provide some useful tools for those of us who want to effect some change in Detroit. Keep checking back, as this will undoubtedly be updated often. If you have links you'd like to share that would be of benefit to this project, email them to me: jstorvick (at) gmail dot com, and I'll add them to this list..

Organizations that might be able to help or collaborate:
Detroit Collaborative Design Center - Part of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture. Their mission is to "foster university and community collaborations and partnerships that create inspired and sustainable neighboorhoods and spaces for all people."

The Greening of Detroit - "The Greening of Detroit was founded in 1989 to improve the quality of life in Detroit by guiding and inspiring the reforestation of Detroit's neighborhoods, boulevards and parks through tree planting projects and educational programs. Over the years The Greening has expanded its outreach to include a broad sector of greening activities. Its mission reflects this growth: “Guide and inspire the growth of a ‘greener’ Detroit through planting and educational programs, environmental leadership, advocacy, and by building community capacity.” Annually, The Greening hosts planting projects, ranging from full park restorations to streetscape renovations and massive street tree plantings to the creation of community and family vegetable gardens."

Detroit Garden Resource Program Collaborative
Detroit Agriculture Network
Earthworks Urban Farm
Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable
Detroit Summer
Tree Bank
Global ReLeaf of Michigan
Sustainable Detroit
Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit
Boggs Center
Clinton River Watershed Council
Co-Lab Studio
Communities in Schools in Detroit
Courtesy of Nature
Deep Lake Institute
Detroit Green Map
Detroit Synergy
The Green House
Green Street Fair
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
University of Detroit Mercy Institute for Building Sustainable Communities
Interfaith Youth Energy Squad
Local Motion
Maple Creek Farm/CSA
Michigan Suburbs Alliance
Net Impact Southeast Michigan
o-2 USA
Rebuilding Communities, Inc.
Slow Food Detroit
Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision
WARM Training Center
Wayne County Conservation District
Wayne State University Living Green Task Force on Environmental Initiatives
Detroit Evolution Laboratory
Great Lakes Urban Exchange - thanks to dvdsweeney!

Physical Resources:
Architectural Salvage Warehouse of Detroit

Possible Funding Sources/Grants:
Sustainable Michigan Endowed Project Grants Initiative (PDF)
GLRPPR Funding Opportunities
Indigo Financial Group
Grants.gov - comprehensive federal government grant list
HUD grants
EPA grants
DOE grants
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Rohm and Haas
The Compton Foundation
Michigan Department of Natural Resources grants
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality grants
Michigan Department of Agriculture grants

Kindred Spirits, Influences, Similar Examples:

The City Repair Project

The Rhizome Collective

Growing Power, Inc.

Articles/Blog posts on creating a sustainable Detroit, housing, etc.:
Autonomy Without Tears - Detroit ’09 – Reclaiming the Cities - #d09 - Shameless self-promotion :)
Pizza SEO - World Design Party: #d09 Detroit 2009
Pizza SEO - #d09 World Design Xmas Eve
Pizza SEO - World Design Brainfood Overdose 2009
Bug Girl's Blog - Re-Greening Detroit?
Detroit Free Press - Acres of barren blocks offer chance to reinvent Detroit
Christian Science Monitor - Growing Green in Detroit
Detroit News - Detroit Greening Efforts Stall
NPR - Reclaiming Detroit Means Reinventing a City
The Michigan Messenger - The Reclaiming of Detroit
NY Times - In the Capital of the Car, Nature Stakes a Claim
Slow Food Detroit - Urban Gardens are Detroit's Hope
BBC - Urban Farming Takes Root in Detroit
The D Spot - Urban Farming in Detroit
Suite 101 - Urban Farming Cleaning Up Detroit
Finding Dulcinea - Urban Farming a Signal of Detroit's Decay
Bloomberg - GM's Bust Turns Detroit Into Urban Prairie of Vacant-Lot Farms
CNN - Radical Cheap: $1000 homes

Videos:
Infuse Detroit - Urban Farming
Urban Farming
Detroit Urban Farm and Garden Tour 2007
Urban Farming Flourishes in Detroit, USA
Urban Meets Rural
Detroit - Building the Green City
Rebuilding Detroit

Brief Update

2009-01-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

The New Year has been rather busy for me so far, and I haven't had the time to get a good post together yet. I've run into some difficulty in brainstorming ideas for the Detroit '09 project, everything I try to start writing has been pretty trite thus far, so I'm going to wait until I get something good together before I unleash it on Teh Internets. I am, however, working on a list of resources for this project, which hopefully I will be able to get up later today or tomorrow.

In other news, after begging my parents for money (rather humbling, asking your parents for money at the age of 29...), and by convincing them that it will fulfill a school requirement (which is totally cool because it will), I have obtained the necessary funds to register for a Permaculture Design Course starting in mid February! The class is being held by the Blue Ridge Permaculture Network in Charlottesville, VA, about a 2 hour drive south from me. What's even more awesome is how stoked I am about 2 of the instructors teaching the course: Dave Jacke, author of the amazing 2-volume Edible Forest Gardens; and Joel Salatin, "beyond organic" farmer and author of several books, including Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front. Should be an incredible experience.

So, I'm going to get back to compiling this resource list, hopefully I'll have it up in a timely matter.

Quick Props

2009-01-01T17:49:00.001-08:00

The fam and I went up to Staten Island to spend New Year's with my old friend Jamy Carlton and her partner, Pete Carreno, both of whom are amazing artists-in-residence at the world-famous Bullseye Tattoo in Staten Island. We had a blast, and got some amazing tattoo work done (thanks for working on your day off, Jamy!!!).

(click for larger pics:)

Here's my wife's piece:

And mine:

Both are in progress but already look phenomenal. If you're anywhere near NYC or Staten, be sure to check these guys out.

New Years in NY

2008-12-28T13:22:00.000-08:00

I'm taking the fam up to NYC/Staten Island to spend New Years with some friends, if anyone wants to hang out, shoot me an email to jstorvick at gmail dot com.

I've got a bunch more Detroit '09 stuff in the works which I will attend to later in the week when I get back from NY.

A safe and happy New Year to all, take care and we'll see ya in '09.

Jon

Detroit ’09 – Reclaiming the Cities - #d09

2008-12-22T07:52:00.000-08:00

Detroit, MI. Some might call it a textbook example of a failed city. Besides the rampant crime, racial tension, poverty and hunger, its population has been steadily decreasing since the 1960’s. Huge sections of Detroit neighborhoods lie abandoned. Detroit might be considered a precursor of what the United States in general might look like in a few years after the financial crisis, climate change, political instability, and other factors currently affecting us.

Basically, yeah, Detroit's burned out, riddled with bullets, abandoned and left to die. This is where we step in. Housing and land costs in Detroit are beyond cheap. Here's the idea: reclaim Detroit and build sustainable communities. Right now, Justin Boland and a group of individuals (myself included) are looking at Detroit as a possible design project. Justin's piece over at Pizza SEO outlines the basic premise of what we're thinking about. My role in this post here is not to lay out what's going on, Justin's already done that. I have some ideas I'd like to throw out, though.

1. Start an official org, maybe a non-profit, maybe an LLC. Get a bunch of people together to fund property takeovers. Non-profits might even be better for fundraising and applying for grants.

2. See what funding sources are available. Private funds from members of the org, donations. Apply for grants from HUD, EPA, DoE, etc... lots of stuff is available for projects like this. For an example, check out the Rhizome Collective - they were donated a brownfield in Austin, TX and got a $200,000 grant from the EPA to clean it up. They are turning it into an ecological justice park.

3. What about buying up an entire neighborhood block, demolish the houses and build new efficient housing, knock down the walls in the backyards and create a community center, large food forest, intensive vegetable beds. Maybe even different block units could be utilized for different purposes - one group of homes surrounding a forest garden, one group farming rotated grain patches a la Fukuoka, one group surrounding an artificial lake for fish and other aquaculture... What about tracking weather patterns in the city and finding the ideal spots for wind turbines for energy?

The possibilities are endless. What are your ideas? We're listening.

Search "#d09" on Twitter for ongoing info.

A Pattern Language and Permacultural Thinking

2008-12-15T12:57:00.000-08:00

One of the things about getting into permaculture is the way it can completely change your thinking patterns. Certainly, it will affect the way you think about agriculture, gardening, and so on, but I hadn’t anticipated that permaculture theory would affect my thought process in general.

One of the core concepts of permaculture is the idea of the guild. You can get a pretty good idea of what a guild is by clicking the link there. Central to the guild is the concept of stacking functions, or getting many yields or outputs from one element. I’ve definitely been using this idea and applying it to pretty much everything I do. For example, if I need to take a trip out to the store, how many functions for the trip can I pack into one trip instead of making several trips out to do different things? This applies to objects as well. When I eat a banana, I’m no longer just eating a banana: I am providing my body with nutrients, I am enjoying the taste of the banana, I am using the peel to add to my compost pile, which will in turn improve my soil, which will in turn increase the productivity and yield of my garden.

The idea is basically to pack as many functions into an element as is possible or desired without causing strain to the overall system. This may seem self-evident, but how often do we really take such a view of ourselves, our actions, and the things around us? Not often, I would venture. Even geniuses often overlook things that could and should fit into their schemes. To steal an example from John Michael Greer, Frank Lloyd Wright (unquestionably a genius in the field of architecture) often failed to put some of the most important functions into the features of his buildings. His roofs leaked, and many of his structures were unstable. Arguably his most famous design, Fallingwater, was plagued by mildew caused by the creek flowing through the house. Wright neglected to add certain essential functions to his stack.

On a whim, I picked up a book on the thrift shelf at my daughter’s preschool. Later, I noticed it was referenced in several books and on permaculture websites, one of those funny “coincidences” that happens a lot. The book is A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction, by architect Christpher Alexander and others. I just started reading it this week, and am completely blown away by the content. The book is revolutionary in scope. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of it before. Even a good friend of mine who is an architecture student has never heard of it, and it is supposedly a classic in the field.

Ostensibly, this is a book about architecture, judging from the title. How might this relate to permaculture? Don’t judge too quickly... Basically it is about designing environments and stacking functions, creating a poetry of habitat. In my next series of posts, I am going to deconstruct this book, ask questions, add comments. Above all, this is part of my ongoing education and hopefully yours as well.

Related sites:

patternlanguage.com – the “official” A Pattern Language site. The graphics and web design are pretty old-school and crappy, but there is some good info to be found here.

Building Living Neighborhoods – a related site with lots of info on Christopher Alexander’s theory and work.

2008-12-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

I’ve been in a slump for quite some time now. Years, really. I’ve become lazy, unproductive, depressed... My mental acuity is SO much less than it used to be. I’m out of shape, both mentally and physically. I barely feel awake or conscious most of the time, a perfect example of what Gurdjieff meant by “sleeping people.” Even writing is such a huge chore because I have no idea of what I want to say or even how to express it properly, which applies to my spoken communication as well. I kind of feel like I suck at life.

Well, I’m sick of it.

I want to become an active, rather than a passive, human being. I want to live, not just watch life pass by. I started this blog because I wanted to become more self-sufficient, live more sustainably, and become more free, in all senses of the word. I feel this is more imperative than ever due to the crises of our times... but I suppose the main reason I started down this path is because I’m tired of living on the level of mediocrity. I want to be the master of my own destiny, and in the process, help other people and do my part in making the world a better place.

So here’s what I’m up to:

First things first, I need to give myself some kind of schedule to follow. Not a rigid, MUST DO NOW!!! kind of thing, more like guidelines of what I’m going to be doing on any given day, maybe use different “themes” for different days of the week. Definitely a work in progress.

I’m working on enrolling at Prescott College in May. I’m applying to their Adult Degree Program for a Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Community Development. Ideally, with this degree, I’d like to do something in the fields of sustainable agriculture, urban planning, etc etc etc – helping make communities that are sustainable and self-sufficient.

I’m looking into methods of home food production: organic gardening/farming, permaculture, etc. This is a VERY broad field and I’m trying to get my bearings.

Other things I want to look into are home brewing and winemaking, home production of electricity/heating & cooling etc, a whole lot of stuff. I just don’t know where to start.

I’ve also come to the realization that my life is completely lacking spiritually. I’m not a joiner, and I am not dogmatic in the slightest, so religion per se is not really my cup of tea (or bottle of beer, rather, or is it brand of Kool-aid?). I do feel, however, that I’ve been severed from the spiritual side of things and I’d like to reconnect to that in some fashion.

Basically, I’m trying to figure out what to do with my life and where to start. I’m taking suggestions. I’m not looking for somebody to tell me what to do, but some ideas definitely would be nice.

I’m off to do some more reading in Kourik’s Designing Your Edible Landscape Naturally.

Cheers,

Jon

December Update

2008-12-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while since I posted, but I've had a lot going on. I've been diving wholeheartedly into researching home gardening and whatnot, and have discovered a whole new world of possibility and opportunity. It might not be new to some readers, but I have stumbled onto the amazing and revolutionary world of permaculture. The Wikipedia article linked to here is sufficient for a general introduction to the subject. Over the last month or so I have read an exhausting amount of material on the subject, not just on the web, but in several books which I will mention here in a bit.

Permaculture is about designing sustainable human habitats based on naturally-occurring ecological principles. Using permaculture techniques, one can design human habitats (homes, business, parks, the possibilities are endless) that are energy-efficient, waste-recycling, agriculturally sustainable, wildlife-friendly, and amazingly beautiful to boot. In this short piece I truly could not do justice to the concept. Investigate it for yourself, you will be rewarded by what you find.

At some point I'm going to start a link archive for useful info, but we'll save that for another day. In the meantime, here's a useful download: Introduction to Permaculture - (PDF) A transcript of one of the early Permaculture Design Courses taught by Bill Mollison. This is what really got me started.

Here are some books I've recently acquired. I've read most of them, but am still poring through a couple. Regardless, I highly recommend getting your hands on these and checking them out:

The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City, by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen. This is an amazing intro to the possibilities of urban sustainability, everything from growing your own food to providing your own power in an urban or suburban setting. These two also run a great blog called Homegrown Evolution that is worth checking out.

Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do-It-Ourselves Guide, by Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew. Another urban/suburban DIY gardening/farming etc resource. This one is a little more hardcore anarchist/environmentalist in nature (which is supremely fine by me, hehe). Vacuum-packed from cover to cover with useful info. The authors are members of the Rhizome Collective, an Austin, TX-based educational and activist organization. They also do something called R.U.S.T. - Radical Urban Sustainability Training, an "intensive weekend seminar in urban ecological survival skills." (copied from the back-cover blurb) Classes are generally held either in Austin, TX at the Rhizome Collective's 10-acre brownfield or in Albany, NY at the Albany Free School. I plan on attending this seminar as soon as humanly possible. 2009 class schedules have not been posted yet, unfortunately, but I will be checking back there frequently.

Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, by Toby Hemenway. This is a comprehensive and incredible guide to creating permaculture gardens on a home scale. Great for urban & suburban sites, but applicable anywhere. Easy to read and well written. Toby Hemenway is a professor of ecology and accomplished permaculturist, his website is a great resource as well.

Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally, by Robert Kourik. An amazing resource on planting edible landscapes. Comprehensive lists of species, how-to information, even recipes. Mind-boggling, really. I'm still wading through this one.

Permaculture: A Designer's Manual, by Bill Mollison. A big, black brick of a book. Pricy, too, but well worth every penny. Not only is it kind of like the Bible of permaculture design, it's also the main text for the Permaculture Design Course, which I also hope to take sometime this next year. Possibly the most comprehensive permaculture resource in existence, at least in printed existence. This book blew my mind several times a page. And at almost 600 pages, that's a whole lot of blown mind.

The Basics of Permaculture Design, by Ross Mars is another good resource. Its a slim volume, but condenses a lot of the ideas of permaculture design into an easy-to-read foundational book.

Other than all that, I've accomplished some other things: My garlic is growing well, all 14 bulbs are flourishing. My compost bin is pretty much full, and decomposing rapidly. I've set up 3 small raised beds and have sheet mulched them for planting in the spring. I've used mainly found materials, the only money I've actually spent is 50 cents for the garlic bulbs, and I've bought some books. I've started noticing the magic of nature. Everything is a potential resource - bags of raked leaves or grass clippings, piles of rock or discarded brick... Road medians are targets for surreptitious guerilla planting... Life has become infinitely more interesting since I started on this journey, and even if that is all I ever gain from this, it is a wonderful gift.

Of Garlic, Compost, and Miscellanea...

2008-10-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

This last week was a productive one, I got a whole bunch of stuff done!!!

First things first, I planted the garlic, 14 cloves in all. I put them about 4-6 inches apart in the raised beds I dug, then filled the trenches with fresh compost. Once the compost settles, I'll add a little more and then lightly cover the beds with about 1/4 inch of it. Here's what it looks like now:

Click for larger picture

I also got my compost bin built (mostly). I used 3 pallets for the sides, and a fourth will eventually be the door, when I can get some hinges and a latch. Though it seems to be totally functional without a door, so I may not add that. Here are some pics of the process and the final product (click for larger pictures):

Pallets

Attaching the sides

Finished!!!

Close-up

One last thing before I go: I took a picture of what I think is wild garlic. Or maybe some kind of onion, I'm not sure. I think garlic because when cut open they appear to have cloves rather than just onion-like layers. If anyone can help me identify this plant, let me know if it's edible or whatnot, I would appreciate it. I've pulled like 50 bulbs of this stuff out of a 4ft x 4ft patch of dirt. Here's what it looks like:

Expenses:
2 garlic bulbs: 50 cents.
4 pallets: free - found them at a landscaping site.
nails: free - had them lying about the house, same with tools used (hammer, saw, shovel, garden spade, etc)
compost/mulch materials: free - dead leaves, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, etc.

Total cost so far: $0.50 - Yay!!!

Garlic Beds Dug!!!

2008-10-23T13:33:00.001-07:00

Finally got the garlic beds dug today. Now all I've got to do is go get a bulb of garlic and plant some cloves. If all goes well, by midsummer I'll have 14 bulbs of fresh, home-grown garlic to harvest!!!

Total cost at this point: $0

Need Help

2008-10-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

Anyone in the Northern VA/Washington DC area know where I can pick up some 50-55 gallon drums or barrels (preferably plastic) for little or no cost? I've been checking Craigslist, but haven't found anything so far except for some that are out of my price range.

If anybody knows where I might be able to pick some up, shoot me an email at jstorvick at gmail dot com.

Thanks,

Jon

Planning the Garden, Part2

2008-10-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

Now that you've seen the space I have to work with (not much at all, really), maybe you might be inspired to find some similar patches in your own backyard to work with.

I'm going to start with some staples: bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, grapes, and maybe an apple tree, if I can find a young one to transpant into the backyard (I don't want to wait for one to grow from seed). I have a huge list of other veggies, fruits and grains that I'd like to grow, but those will have to wait until I have more land at my disposal.

Most of this stuff, obviously, I won't plant until Spring. The garlic, however, needs to be planted late fall/early winter, about the time of the first frost. I'll be getting on that pretty shortly here, as cold season is rapidly approaching. Speaking of garlic, while I was clearing weeds out of one of the veggie patches I discovered a large amount of wild garlic already in the ground! I may leave some of it there while I experiment with growing other varieties.

For now, what I'm focusing on is getting the layout planned, clearing weeds, and starting a compost bin. I've started a pathetic little compost pile already, shown below. Right now it consists mainly of grass clippings, weed leaves, detritus from clearing the garden patch, some of the wild garlic bulbs I found, some dead tree leaves, a few kitchen scraps and some used coffee grounds and filters.

It's quite a pitiful little pile right now, I know. I'd like to build some bins using pallets - I found some free pallets on Craigslist, but I don't have a way to go pick them up yet. Once I do, though, I'm going to build a bin similar to the one shown below - though I will likely be making 3 bins attached together so that I can get separate batches of compost going.

So that's basically it for now. Sometime soon here I will be planting garlic, and also looking for efficient ways to provide water to the garden - I don't want to use city water, as water usage can be quite expensive, not to mention the chemicals they put in water these days - What I'm looking into at this point is maybe using rainbarrels attached to the gutters on the roof to catch rainwater. We get a decent amount of rain here, especially in the spring and summer, so why not utilize that free water instead of using the hose? Now isn't quite the time for that, but I will be working on it soon.

Planning the Garden, Part 1

2008-10-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

My son Ari playing in what will eventually be our garden

First things first: what are the basic ingredients to human survival? Food, water, and shelter. If you are deprived of any of these (especially the first two), you aren't going to live for long.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to control a populace is to keep the food under lock and key (I think I stole that from Robert Anton Wilson, but I'm not sure...). Our food supply is indeed under lock and key - you can't just walk into a supermarket and take what you want without exchanging worthless little green pieces of paper (or numbers encoded on a piece of plastic, which is just as ridiculous) for it. The matter of procuring those little green pieces of paper is a subject that is outside our scope for now. Suffice it to say, food ain't free, folks; at least, not if you're getting it from someone else.

Seeing as the economy is currently spiraling out of control, we would do well to remember the lessons of the Great Depression. During that time, there was not a shortage of food - there were the same amounts of vegetables, meat, fruit, grain etc. as there was before the Depression hit - but there was a shortage of jobs, and wealth, and money. As a result, many starved.

Growing your own food has many advantages. You aren't buying it from someone else. This can have several benefits: You aren't spending your hard-earned cash on overpriced goods. You are growing food that has a much higher nutritional content than that produced by mass-market farms. If suddenly you lose a job or the supermarket ceases to exist, you won't go hungry. Not to mention, it is fun to get in the dirt and have a say in your own existence.

I've been working on planning my garden for a couple of weeks now, and I'm going to share with you my process here. This post (since I can't get the photo formatting right yet) is just going to be pics of my garden spot, I'll continue in my next post.

I don't have a whole lot of space to work with. Right now, my family and I are living with my wife's parents, and so we only have a small section of the backyard to work with. Of course, if or when we are able to move out and get a house of our own we'll start over from scratch. But for now, we've got a small, "L" shaped section of the yard. Here's what we're working with:

Intro...

2008-10-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

Hi all.

This is a record of my attempts to become autonomous - to live as self-sufficiently, and environmentally-friendly as possible. It is also a record of my research into how to do so. I have no idea of what this is going to look like, so it'll be an interesting ride for all of us.

I would write some kind of lame "about me" piece, but i absolutely hate doing that kind of thing. Besides, this isn't about me per se, but about how I (and by extension you) can create our own existence apart from utility companies, supermarkets, governments...

This is an experiment in becoming independent. Enjoy.