Khaled tells me during our podcast interview that the harvest from June bearing strawberries vrs day neutral strawberries is almost the same over the course of the season. The biggest difference – he says – is that you get your berries all at once with June bearing varieties and with day neutral types like Hecker, Eversweet or Albion you get them over a three or four month period from July through October…..
It’s February and I made the best-ever toasted tomato sandwiches from tomatoes I picked last fall. It has become a fun challenge to grow most of our own greens and vegetables for most of our meals year-round but this is the first time I have had tomatoes in February. Last week I made a Potato and Leek soup for lunch from our garden and last night we picked fresh arugula for a salad. It is no longer a matter of “poor me” Now it is a matter of “lucky me.”
You could say it was a bad week. But we were rested and had just spent a week by the water in a tropical forest so we were carrying the positive vibes with us as disasters struck. We actually laughed as each new crisis piled on.
Do you want to be less grumpy? Take your dog for a hike in the woods. Go camping. Hang out near water or sit under an evergreen tree. The nature effect will win you over, change your attitude and make you smile even if your house is falling apart around you. What is the nature effect and why do we care? It is the way a forest heals and changes us. It is the value of meditation but its as simple as a stroll in the woods with your dog. Here are the three books I just finished reading about the nature effect of forest bathing.
So the simple answer is yes. You can make your own biochar. The more complicated question is HOW will you do it without harming the environment? Make sure to research this topic fully before digging in and doing more harm than good to the soil and environment you are trying to rescue. Making your own biochar is a case of literally jumping from the pan into the fire if it is not done correctly.
After my trip to Mexico I accidentally bring home a few seeds in my pocket. I plant them December 4, 2019 and they are just germinated on February 4, 2020. I can grow my own coffee in the house, wait for it to bloom and brew a few beans for friends! In the jungle the organically-grown plants prefer shade so maybe they’ll work in a window in my home? I am newly home and enthusiastically excited about raising a crop of coffee in my northern windowsill.
This month we held an apple champagne and pumpkin pie party but of course we lied. It wasn’t real Champagne. By law, as Helpful Husband pointed out, Champagne has to come from a very narrow region of France. Our “champagne” came from apples in our back yard.
