theecologistcowboy

Land Management and Farming with the Seasons

Fall Earth moving and swale building Cover crop sowing Breeding livestock Collecting, ordering, and seeding nuts Harvesting: nuts – acorns, walnuts and chestnuts! Winter Bare root tree and rootstock orders Winter greens: Brassicaceae Asian greens Lettuce Mulching Pruning Cuttings for plant propagation Saving scion budwood Grafting pruned scions to rootstocks Seed starting: summer crop seedingContinue reading “Land Management and Farming with the Seasons”

Prickly Pear (Opuntia)

This is my favorite fruit. You probably have it in your neighborhood if you live in California or in a Mediterranean climate – yet it is extremely versatile and grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 10. Known commonly to Native Americans and Mexicans, this delicious cactus fruit must be handled properly to avoid theContinue reading “Prickly Pear (Opuntia)”

Eating Acorns: Balanophagy

Jump to recipe: Acorn Bread, Acorn Cookies If you choose to alter your diet for the environment, eating acorns (especially in Mediterranean and temperate climates) is one of the best things that you can do. As the most abundant and climate adapted for drought, wildfires, and low-quality soils, oak trees provide much-needed habitat and produceContinue reading “Eating Acorns: Balanophagy”

Hügelkultur Garden Beds

A hügelkultur is a horticulture technique for building a garden bed using mounds of buried logs. Using alternating layers of organic, nitrogen-heavy materials with layers of dead, carbon-heavy materials, this style of garden bed acts as a compost and slowly decomposes the buried, rotting wood underneath. The decaying wood decays into usable carbon for plantContinue reading “Hügelkultur Garden Beds”

The Magnificent Moringa

The moringa tree is widely used in tropical and some sub-tropical regions extensively as food, medicine, and landscaping. All parts of the tree are usable: the roots, bark, leaves, and seeds. The roots can be used as a tea. The trunk can be scraped and pressed for juice as an ointment. The leaves can beContinue reading “The Magnificent Moringa”

What Can We Do Right Now?

Here is a short list for action toward a sustainable world. We, the consumers, have the power! Reduce demand on industrial agriculture (local gardens, perennials, and forest garden alternatives – see beginning forest gardening video!) Buy from farmers who care about ecology Grow your own food (start small!) Plant a tree! Refuse: single-use, non-biodegradables (plastic,Continue reading “What Can We Do Right Now?”

Reduce Your Demand on Industrial Agriculture so Your Grandkids Can Live on Planet Earth

Chose to purchase from farmers that you know care for ecology No-till (or minimal tilling) Rotating pastures Organic Intercropping Cover cropping Perennial-focused planting Shop at Farmer’s Markets Grow your own food Choose to eat perennials when you can (to maintain soil health and agricultural ecosystems with minimal tilling and disturbing of soil) Eat meat thatContinue reading “Reduce Your Demand on Industrial Agriculture so Your Grandkids Can Live on Planet Earth”

Semi-Aquatic Raised Bed

Say! You would like to grow watercress, eh?! The fastest growing land green in the world, eh?! Say! You don’t have a pond! What to do now… Purpose The goal for these plants is to create an environment as if they were at the edge of a stream or pond. The plants that thrive hereContinue reading “Semi-Aquatic Raised Bed”

Coping with Gophers

On the central coast in California, we have one of the best climates in the world to grow food. However the cost (besides the stupid-high rent) comes with a large amount of gophers. There are 35 species of gophers spread throughout northern and central america, although many people on the east coast of the USContinue reading “Coping with Gophers”

Planting from Seed and Cuttings

Time to watch the mini-miracle of plant growth. From a seed of nothing to sometimes enormous expansion. General Tips Research specifics for each species before seeding. Soak larger seeds (greater than 1/2″), before planting or sowing for 1 – 3 days. Use non-contaminated soil with proper drainage and minimal weeds. Be sure to move plantsContinue reading “Planting from Seed and Cuttings”