- Few people know it, but the ground provides a subtle electric signal that maintains health
- We don’t all have the ability to sing out over a racing train, but we do have the power
- In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities:
- It is nutrient-rich food the places a sparkle in the eye, luster in the hair,
- The desire that guides me in all I do is the desire to harness the forces of nature
- To be free from pain through an injection or a pill has nothing to do with
- We live and boast of what we own; We die . . . and only get a stone.
- The superior doctor prevents sickness; The mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness;
- Constipated despite a real food diet, detox, exercise, water (and more)?
- A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.
Compost Without the Price Tag
Volunteering at the L.A. Arboretum has opened up a whole new world for me – it has taught me to think outside the box and the bin. In learning to garden by way of permaculture, I went back and forth on how to build my own compost pile. In waiting for everything to be just right, I decided to just start piling on the ground. Wouldn’t you know… before long I had my very own compost. No fancy bins, nothing! Here’s what worked for me:
I picked a site near the garden. A site near the kitchen and under the branches of a deciduous tree work well according to some gardeners. I just happened to start mine very near an orange tree. “They” say to alternate between brown and green ingredients for the ideal carbon/nitrogen balance. I didn’t so much alternate – for ingredients… I’ve used straw, grass clippings, dead and broken tree branches, torn paper bags, and lots of kitchen scraps. I’ve been told no potatoes or citrus, though, I’ve used the later simply because the citrus trees want it. A textbook of mine suggests layering 3” of straw, 1” to 6” moist green material, then a 1” layer of soil and repeat to 3-4 feet in height. The thickness of green material is dependent on the density of material. Loose open material, such as green bean vines or tomato stems can be applied thicker. Kitchen scraps and grass clippings are denser and can be applied thinner. The microorganisms in the soil help decompose organic matter.
Technical aspect aside – I merely toss in my compost ingredients, mix thoroughly, and lightly water almost daily. Pile sits atop the ground, so soil automatically gets mixed in. The soil underneath is where I scoop out my wonderfully smelling decomposed matter, what my dear friend Tim Dundon calls Black Gold. It takes much less time than most people and/or textbooks state. However, temperature does play a role.
Happy composting!
“Earth turns to gold in the hands of the wise.” ~Rumi~
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