Blog

Embracing Our Interdependence With Nature

In The Garden: Growing Pineapples in the Sub Tropics

Here on the Treasure Coast pineapple production has had a long and not always happy history. Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries pineapple plantations on the Treasure Coast were doing big business, shipping hundreds of thousands of boxes north every summer, first by boat, and then later via the Flagler railroad. Various…
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Bunny Rabbits: Pearl & Elliot’s Rescue

Several weeks after Hurricane Irma, a lady in the neighborhood, Tina, saw these two rabbits out like this.  She posted a notice on the Next Door app to see if anyone had lost pet rabbits. No one knew where they had come from, but every day she saw them in the same place outside of…
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Halpatiokee Buffer Preserve February, 2017

This isn’t just about destroying beauty, as though that isn’t enough of a crime. There is so much more to this land than that. I am not the writer to tell you about all of the important ecosystems at work on this amazing piece of land, though I suggest you read about them for yourself. The telling requires the expertise of a River Keeper, a Native Plant enthusiast, an Audubon Naturalist, a Florida Park Ranger, a Botanist, a Zoologist, and an expert in the Science of Whole Systems Relationships.

Garden Amendments: When Manure Is Not Manure

I attended a plant show recently where a local civic group was selling large bags of “manure” for a small donation. I was given several bags that were left over. When I opened the bags I was stunned to find that what I had was a bag of sand. It bothered me to think of how many people got that bag of sand and thought that was manure, put it in their gardens, and got what effect?

It was at that point that I realized that I was severely undervaluing the excellent manure that I offer to my clients, and the ethic that I bring to supplying a product that really is what it should be. Just because it is shit doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter, and if you have gotten a lousy bag of sand instead of manure, you might think manuring a garden doesn’t work. It does, if you get some actual manure. Manure does amazing things to our sandy soils.

The Compost Gardener: I Am The Gardener You Hire To Tell You What To Do

“What does The Compost Gardener do?” I was recently asked on my newest Google internet listing. The closest two choices I had were Gardener, and Landscaper. Both are accurate, and neither are spot on. A friend asked me the same question and I had to consider what I do for people in their gardens that…
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Food: Full Circle Farm

I have found a Florida farm that produces food with a nutrient density, cleanliness and humanity that I can have faith in. My husband and I have been for decades eschewing grocery meat, dairy, and vegetables because we lack faith in the way that those foods are produced, and we believe that food produced properly is medicine for our bodies.

Education: A New Presentation

This will be a busy weekend. As you know I am giving my well practiced Composting 101 talk at the Make Share Do Summit at Ground Floor Farm Saturday. On Monday evening there is a free event also at Ground Floor Farm called Green Circles. It is from 6pm to 7:30pm, and I understand Alison from…
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Education: Homesteading, Self Reliance, Interdependence

If you are interested in homesteading, self reliance, and interdependence, you might be interested in the Make Share Do Summit at the Ground Floor Farm in downtown Stuart this weekend December 4,5, and 6, 2015.  They have worked to bring in many presenters for Saturday when they will offer 4 different classes for each of…
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Education: Two Class Offerings, November 2015

It is November, and the heat and humidity, after a brief hiatus, are back upon us and we who have been here all summer and who endure these subtropical summers outdoors, do so knowing that by the time November comes we will have our windows open and cool dry breezes will waft through the house to…
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Education: Planting Seeds Workshop

In September we the hardy souls depicted in this Layer Mound Gothic worked together to create this Keyhole Layer Mound Garden at Mark Stanley’s back yard. This Saturday, October 17, 2015, our next offering at the Mark Stanley Permaculture Homestead Garden is the Planting Seeds Workshop. People who attend will be offered basic information about seeding…
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In The Garden: Season Change

There are those who say that the seasons in South Florida don’t change much, and I understand why, but if you are in the garden the change of season is not so subtle. I was at a Mark Stanley’s Everyone’s Birthday Celebration Pot Luck two weeks ago. The weather was still wicked hot, and it was…
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Education: Layer Mound Workshop

It’s still hot here in S. Florida, but the day time temps have dropped a few degrees, and I can feel a dry breeze that is new to my days on the ladder at the chicken enclosure. Today is the autumnal equinox, the length of days and nights is nearly equal. We are four days from the full…
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Environment: Ducklings Jump For Mother

In this video a hen duck calls her just hatched ducklings to jump out of their nest in a hollow palm tree, and they do. Each one of them jumps 12 to 15 feet to the ground and all of them walked away with her.

Education: Planning The Summer Garden

Planning The Summer Garden is key for Florida gardeners as this is our opportunity to go fallow in the garden, grow summer annual crops or to plant green mulch, and cover crops. This class will help you to decide which to do, and how to go about it. We will also cover some of the many perennial leaf crops we can grow here for our summer table greens.

Chickens: Stinky Chicken Yard? I Can Fix That

As more towns and cities are permitting backyard chickens, more of my neighbors are acquiring their own flocks. It is important that as we start these new yard stock endeavors, we learn how to keep our pet hens healthy, clean and inoffensive. To that end I am adding No Stink Chicken Yard consults to my lists of services.

Education: The Backyard Ecosystem

Another way for you to save the world from the comfort of your own back yard, The Backyard Ecosystem builds on the idea that a balanced ecosystem requires less work for the gardener, fewer inputs and entirely negates any need for synthetic fertilizers and interventions against pests infestations. This classroom presentation is the second to last…
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Education: What Is A Food Forest

This is a fun classroom Prezie presentation by Lucie Burke. Focusing on extensive rather than intensive food production systems. Find out how you can create a food forest in your yard, have lots of easy food and nurture the ecology of your yard all at once.

Garden Pests: Pests and Disease In The Permaculture Garden

I recently received a comment from a reader Marco in response to my article Garden Pests: Nematodes . In his comment he wrote: “Great list of things to try but do any of them actually work effectively? I suspect most of it is good in theory or just plain myth and does not work in practice for…
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Education: Composting 101Friday November 14, 10am

In continuation of A Year In The Permaculture Garden series, Lucie and I will be presenting Composting 101 at Leisure Square Community Center 3705 16th St. Vero Beach Florida 32960 on Friday morning at 10am in the Tuff Room. This class is designed to enrich your understanding of composting whether you are a first time composting novice or an…
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About A Glitch In My Site

I posted an article about A Year In The Permaculture Garden, but the link wouldn’t open the page, so I deleted the article and remade it, did some other hocus pocus and now it works. Unfortunately everyone who is signed up for email will get one broken email link to an article that goes to an…
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