Genesis 2:15
Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the of Eden to tend and keep it.
Since i don't live in Eden it is just plain hard work to build a garden from bare earth, especially on a hillside. Sure I could just throw a few seeds into a couple of pots, call it good and I am sure I would get a few juicy tomatoes and enough greens for a couple of salads but that isn't the point . . . to have a productive garden of any size it is work. But the rewards to my land, my health and my soul for just doing what God intended us to do from the beginning is unmeasurable!
Our food was not meant to come from a giant monoculture farms full of genetically modified crops, chemical fertilizers and herbicides. Up until recently I was one of the conveniently ignorant to what is being done to our food supply but I will no longer ignore the facts simply to have the convience. I don't need to explain in detail as there are many out there that have been trying to tell us for years. Here is a list of a few documentary films that sum it up... I can say for certain what is happening is horribly wrong on so many levels.
Most of the documentary films below I watched on NetFlix, Amazon or YouTube. I realize and you should too that documentary films are someone's opinion and all should not be taken as the only side of the story but the facts are stacking up, money and power is king, not the health or well being of the masses. All I know for sure now is that I no longer trust that just because a package of food has a government approval stamp on the box that whats inside it is safe to eat.
King Corn
Food Fight
Food, Inc
Farmageddon
Ingredients
David VS Monsanto
It can be done right...
The story of Joel Salatin one of many farmers and ranchers who are standing up against the giants
PolyFace Farm Pt 1
and the story of Paul Gautschi and his amazing garden
Back to Eden Film
Enough of my soapbox. At this moment in time I choose to do what I can. I will vote with my dollar by trying to buy local and non GMO where possible. I will continue to work toward being more self sustaining by growing as much of my own food as I can and I will continue to trust in God.
As for my hillside garden it is coming along, slowly but surely. Still kind of a mess and in the middle of construction but it's getting there!
So far on the hill I have added two 24 foot long by 5 foot cedar raised bed tiers with wildlife fencing, 3 apple trees, two PawPaw trees, 6 Blueberries, Strawberries, two Rhubarb roots and Peas.
I have 4 Hardy Kiwi to plant next along with a building trellis strong enough to hold them as I have read that they can get rather huge!
Peas and strawberries are coming up!
I was able to find a small pile of wood chips at a local tree service that had sat for over a year to start the Back to Eden style mulch garden beds and most of orchard area. On the paths I used newer chips and as you see above I ran out and am waiting on a load to be delivered.
Down in the yard I am adding cedar planter boxes and thanks to a generous neighbor I have planted Jerusalem Artichokes and I am sure I will find more to put into them as the spring continues! Two of them done, more to come.
This is a fairly inexpensive and easy way to build large planter boxes. I used 2x4 rough cut cedar with 6 inch cedar fencing. I was able to get the 2x4's for under 50 cents a foot at a local discount lumber dealer and Lowes has the 5 ft cedar fencing for $1.19 each. The boxes are 20 inches high by 3foot square. I didn't put a bottom on them, just reinforced the corners and lined them with black 6mil plastic on the bottom and stapled it a couple of inches up the side. So for under $20 bucks I have a nice looking planter box that should last quite a while.
I have to admit that I am impatiently waiting for the last frost date to come and go so I can put out all the little babies I have in my makeshift cold frames and hoop tunnel.
The Gold fish came up to say: Reward yourself this year with some fresh veggies better than anything you can get in the store, get your hands in the dirt and grow some food!
