The Love Garden

On Feb. 3rd, I started building a double mandala garden today in the only good clearing that gets enough light in summer. Currently the sun is low and obscuring much of the light, and some trees will also be removed near by the are blocking some of the light. I let the area be fallow for a year. I then marked off the circle with rope. I then proceeded to spread well composted but still rotting horse manure mixed with straw. (roughly 1/2 a ton) I know other things would be better but this is what I could afford. ((I.E. Free)) I also spread a years worth of charcoal from the ol' woodstove without the ashes. This all got tilled in a few hours ago and it already has gone from deep rich rusty colored clay to well, the picture speaks.



The fire was made with a mix of fir, Port Orford Cedar, & Alder. After it got to a coal period I added horse manure. It was interesting to watch the fire burn out of holes through the horse manure mixture (A local ranch supplied me with horse manure that was composted and mixed with straw, but was still fairly green and hot), reminded me of lava holes in Hawaii.

1/2 way through the one hour of smoldering the fire started getting big again under the manure I had put, so I completely covered it in horse manure mixture again. At the end of the hour, the fire was doused with a water innoculant I cooked up.

1st 5gal. container of water had:

2 TBSP of Unsulphered Molasses
5 TBSP of Bat guano
5 TBSP earthworm castings

2nd 5gal. container of water had:

5 TBSP of Bat guano
5 TBSP earthworm castings

2nd 5gal. container of water had:

5 TBSP of Bat guano
5 TBSP earthworm castings
& an 8' chopped Bull Whip Kelp ( Nereocystis) that was chopped, rinsed after 24 hours for 3 days, then soaked for 1 month & mixed up daily.

After the fire was doused with the above mixture, and spread out / raked out wards in a circle ((except for one wild area of the circle)). I then proceeded to till the soil to mix the char with the soil and get it in well everywhere.

Here I have the first 3 stakes laid out. They are 6'2" apart (Golden Mean Proportion). The green area to the upper right is an intentional 'wild area' I am leaving in the circle. The current plant you see growing there is Galanthus nivalis Far background also shows my blackberry fedge between my neighbor and I.



The 5th I worked on making mounds literally till the sun had set and made a beautiful sunset which is rare at this time of the year. While making mounds I couldn't believe how light the soil felt. It was a real pleasure to work with.

So the next morning I added more straw. It looked good. Even added a worm composter near the where the gate was going in. Pounded in stakes for chicken wire as well. I will admit I am now thinking of adding a 3.14' wide second fence line in as a "chicken moat" around the garden, however only the Future knows weather or not this will be done.

On the 7th my friend Norm came over and we agreed something was missing, and that was deer protection. It's not the best in the world, but I like it. This is the viewing towards the NW and where the sun rises to this area before arcing around to the south. Those trees are apple, cherry & pear trees I inherited a year ago w/ the property. They were in very poor condition & are much improved.

I started planting things I had to move right away like a really poorly pot bound yarrow, a honeysuckle & a few garlic. Snowpea, potatoes, sunchokes, horseradish, and more have already found its way into the "Love Garden." Crimson Clover has also been added as ground cover.


It is called the Love Garden for one exceedingly important reason. I ask anyone entering that they have love in his or her heart prior to entering the garden. Not unreasonable for a garden that sustains my family & I.

Lastly, it is my intention that these beds will be treated like "Hazlip Beds" as I call it. Which means that was the last tilling that the land will get so long as I am steward of this property. The micro-organisms that chemicals help kill make up for around 20% of the photosynthates that take place in the root exchange area. That's huge to take away from plants, let alone food plants that sustain us.