I've got worms! Yet another homesteading dream realized! That's probably my favorite tweet of all time. It was back in 2008 or so. And no, I did not have intestinal worms. I had just completed a one-day vermicomposting workshop, and I had attended the BYOB session. In this case, BYOB stood for "build your own bin." I had my newly made bin with red wiggly occupants sitting in … [Read more...]
Vermicomposting basics
Vermicomposting (worm composting) is one of my favorite gardening subjects. Worms are exactly the right micro-mini “livestock” for munching down kitchen scraps and transforming them into a nutrient rich plant food. I just can’t wait to encourage folks to keep a herd of red wigglers by the back door or perhaps in the kitchen. Affectionately referred to as worm farming by those … [Read more...]
Compost: my only fertilizer
Most backyard gardeners use raised beds or dig up the dirt in the yard and plant directly in the soil. Because it is highly unlikely that your dirt will be suitable for growing anything other than a lawn, amendments are usually required. You could have your soil tested and buy exactly what you need and mix it in, or you could try what works well for so many of us gardeners who … [Read more...]
Composting 101
I had a great time presenting at the Mid-America Homesteading Conference on Saturday. And, as promised, here is a copy of my PowerPoint presentation on "Composting." Of course, a PPT is only an outline rather than a complete presentation, so whether you are seeing this for the first or second time and have questions, feel free to ask in the "Comment" section. And here's one … [Read more...]
