When the world feels hostile there is
no place like home. I keep thinking this
as we harvest the fall crops and decide which
seeds to save. The cyclic patterns of nature
and endless variety, act as both a refuge and
a reference point. I can't imagine going back
to the apartment we once lived in. Maybe when
old age creeps a little closer the physical work
of being somewhat selfsufficient will change things.
For now, the home is a source of pleasure, it
provides much of our food, and reduces our need
for energy. For anyone who is on the same path
our experiences may be useful, for everyone else
the following comments are probably be boring.
We are 30+ years into self-reliance and few
people understand or can relate to this mind
set. Anyway, here is a summary
of our summer thoughts and activities:
* Edible flowers turned out to be a good idea
but they were a nuisciance to prepare or put
in salads. Mostly they are fun to look at
and attract a endless parade of interesting
insects. We ended up using the flowering leaf
crops (arugula, mustards, orach, herbs, etc.)
more than any other. The sunflowers may be
an exception. They were easy to grow and provided
an abundant harvest.
* In the world of computers, i attempted switching
to Linux again. This time it was a big success.
The new releases are much improved and the quality
of software surprising. No more worries about
Microsoft virus holes and no more expensive upgrades.
* This year we signed up for several courses (organics,
simplicity, forestry, etc.) I found very little
new information. Sitting in the garden and observing
ended up being the preferred activity. My overall
complaint is that we still have much to learn but
courses seldom teach this. They recite facts that
are not facts.
* This year we used compost that was full of weed
seeds. In fact, we ignored the spring weeds and
just smothered them with more compost. Later on we
did need to weed but in rich soil the weeds are easy
to pull. Overall, i think it is easier to garden in
rich soil with surface compost and weeds.
* Using tarps over the winter to smother weeds worked
well but did require quite a few tarps. For small
areas this is a interesting technique.
* Growing organically is easier if one has lots of
time and patience. I've tried hundreds of plants
and now know which ones are happy here and when
they grow best. Much of this information can only
be obtained from local observation. Yet another
benefit of stubborn self-reliance.
* And finally, we found that no TV, newspaper, or radio
was not enough to avoid the cultural agenda. It sneaks
along the phone lines and through many other places.
The unproven cultural assumptions become invisible if
these inputs are not monitored.
jeff
