Cris Fellows

Nikolaj Vinicoff wrote:I have some experience with mugwort / artemisia in West Africa during the rainy season when malaria is a risk (especially for us who has never had it before). We would commonly boil leaves of different trees and then drink the infusion; I was told that the mugwort tea would prevent us from getting malaria, and sure enough none of us got it. Whether this was a stroke of luck or the tea working, I do not know - I choose to believe the tea worked, though.

Nikolai, There have been quite a few studies using the Artemesia family for malaria.  Although most of the studies are with Artemesia annua (Sweet Annie...also my garden cat's name) Mugwort has artemisinin too... just not as much.   Back in the C day, I saw that the first effective meds were those that had also been used for malaria...like hydroxychloroquine...  I had a hunch right from the start that these plants would be helpful.   When my family finally came down with said virus (not until 2021, we were late bloomers) we were all in and out in about 3 days.  I grow it yearly now and keep a stock of tincture.

Yes to the educational endeavors, although often this does require transportation @J Lucas.  But if you are the one doing the educating,  then they come to you.   It can be sparse and take a while to find those who are looking for you.  
Also, I walked away from 'church' quite some time ago.   So when we turned our hearts back to God, it took quite a bit of intentional looking and prayer to find a place where we fit.   One may never find a place where one is truly at home,  but maybe we can come close.  

Selling home.  My garden (3 city lots big, an urban herbal permaculture adventure) is about 5 blocks away and you could come play every day.   ☺

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/324-Marmion-Ave-Youngstown-OH-44507/34854470_zpid/

Mannequin essential.   Whenever we sold clothes,  the ones on the mannequins were always the first to go,  then we would redress it and boom, another sale.

Last fall I bought 16 feed bag sized bunny and Guinea pig poo (some bedding mixed in).  If this spring is any indication,  it was a worthy investment.

We really only have two critter pests here in the city: groundhogs and rabbits.  They are voracious though.   I did a few 3 sisters mounds last year and got only corn, which was great but the space could have been better utilized.  Any suggestions for companions with corn that the groundhogs and bunnies won't like as much?

Kevin, I think it was Dave Ramsey I listened to on cassettes many years back.  Best thing ever.  We got completely out of debt minus the house.  Then I moved on from a travel nursing job and they sent me a letter saying how bad an idea it was to cash in a 401k.  I was like, "I can do that???"  That was 2008 just before the crash.  We lost soooo much less in taxes than we would have if we left the 401k alone.  I paid off the house and bought some celebratory linen yarn (made a stellar skirt).  I have had so much less stress in my life because of those two factors.  Like many here, I am sure, I do have a weakness for gardening supplies, seeds and books.  

E Sager wrote:
Yikes, this place keeps sounding worse and worse! Maybe make a dead hedge with it and use it to create more edge in your garden. Wild birds will work this edge. It could double as a garden structure, you could even espalier to it or something like that. Each year, you could just top off the dead hedge with the 'new' dead stuff.

😂  Youngstown Ohio, in times past known as the colon of Ohio.  😂   But we have a lovely garden and rather like it here.  I could do as you suggest along the back,  but it is the city so anywhere else might attract more attention than I want.  Currently doing something like this in the neighboring lot so that foot traffic doesn't come through the trees per my adjacent neighbors suggestion.

Gray Henon wrote:Wait for the burn ban to be lifted then make biochar by quenching the burn pile with water when it gets down to coals.

Ban only until 6 pm (why???), but it was 45 degrees, no rain and winds 2 mph!  Got all the elder burned and hopefully turned into biochar!

John Wolfram wrote:
Anyways, since you mentioned these were residential lots, do any of the areas offer curbside brush collection? If that's available, that would be my first choice.

Next, spend some time figuring out exactly what burning is banned.  Just doing a quick search, it looks like the ban applies from 6 am to 6 pm in Ohio. So, you may be able burn the brush, or "have a campfire", at night. Where I am open burning is banned, but cooking over an open fire is allowed, so I always have marshmallows when I'm burning. Making the fire in a fire ring also helps make it look like I'm "cooking" rather than burning brush.

Finally, if you burn don't be a jackass. If the police show up, there's a good chance they're there because someone complained about the smoke. My property has residential to the north and commercial to the west and south. That means I only burn when the wind will blow the smoke out over the empty field to the east.

We try not to be jackasses.  😂   Am thinking of evening fires and "cooking".  But there is quite a bit too much for curbside pickup... and I would really rather use it somehow.