Nick Merrill

I love this idea. Would definitely play. It would make a great tv show, too.

So how did that Pawpaw drying work for ya? Seems like it might work in a fruit leather recipe.

I planted five trees in my suburban side yard a couple of weeks ago -- one Sweet Fuyu Persimmon, and four Pawpaws (two seedlings, one KSU-Atwood (tm) and one Susquehanna (tm). All trees purchased from One Green World or Naomi's Organic Farm Supply in Portland.

This weekend, snow dumped on us, nearly covering the two seedlings and half burying the others, but they should be fine, right? Still dormant, and all.

Trees made rain in my backyard when we had a few days of heavy fog last week. Went out for a smoke and it was pouring fat drops under the Doug Fir canopy, but just a nice moisturizing pea soup in the clearing.

Sounds like you're on the right track, Lauren. Interesting thread.

You are correct in alluding to collusion of the USFS and the timber industry. It's not a very well-kept secret. There are lots of good people in both, but the profit machine drives them to . . . distraction. Imho, of course. Sort of like the SEC and Wall Street.

Intelligent selective thinning is always a good thing. If you don't do it, nature will, eventually. I wish I could remove some of the thick wall of Dougs on my south side, but the neighbs would certainly throw a fit if I even suggested such a thing. I've taken out all of them that I can, on the property they say is mine, and some Big Leaf Maple that were rotting out, and a Western Red Cedar. Into the hugel they went! Except for the cedar and whatever else I kept fir firewood. Now I can grow a few fruits and veg in a small sideyard clearing. I love the extra sun, and so will you! And in the grand scheme of things, those firs' descendants will come back if they're meant to.

On my third-of-an-acre suburban plot, large heritage Doug firs block almost all winter and early spring sun. My garden is in a clearing on the north side of the property and does well after April when the sun is higher. Until then the soil is cold and it's difficult to get things to germinate. Peas take a month and grow slowly. To compensate, I start seeds inside as much as possible. I would suggest removing the trees if you can do so safely and inexpensively. Hopefully you can save the wood for furniture, firewood and/or hugelkulture. Or maybe your neighbor wants to sell them for lumber.

Monica, et al.:

If you haven't already, please check out The Archdruid Report at http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/?m=1 (or just google "archdruid report").

When I first discovered this weekly blog by John Michael Greer, I was researching organic gardening in the context of broader investigation into collapse and peak oil. The same line of thinking led me to Permies. You are already in this mode, so I will skip the warning that this path becomes a way of life.

I've learned a lot from these resources, and others including nwediblelife.com to name one helpful gardening site based in the PNW. I live in Portland, OR and I'm doing hugelkulture and (slowly) implementing permaculture principles on one-third of an acre. Thankfully, no HOA! The Archdruid Report is the best resource I know of on why and how our civilization will continue its ongoing decline. Note that Greer is no doomsayer; in fact he did a lengthy series debunking apocalyptic shysters, past and present.

Adam is certainly right to a point, and I'm so glad he posted his thoughts on the subject. But it's ok to balance living and loving life with a healthy dose of reality on a regular basis. Greer has all of his old posts still up on his blog. Go back a few years and sample whatever catches your eye, and work your way up to present. Other than your well-spent time, it's a free part of your (self)education.

When you do make it to the PNW, be sure to look me up for a beer or coffee or what have you. I should have some Opal Creek Snap Peas and other garden treats on hand in a few months. Best regards!!

Very cool. Looking forward to updates.

Portland, OR gardener here. We cut our own natural additive-free Xmas trees every year. Got a noble fir last year ($10!) and I cut off the branches and threw the whole trunk in my new hugel bed. (Would've used the branches, too, but I needed them for erosion control.)

I also used a lot of big leaf maple logs and branches, and a few Doug fir logs, but left the western red cedar and holly tree out. Added a few inches worth of half-composted kitchen scraps and oat straw, and some Azomite that was just laying around, and then a few inches of clayey soil excavated from the hugel pit (the bed is dug into the yard about 15" deep), and topped it all off with half compost/half garden soil mix from the local nursery. Harvest was good.

I say go for it, assuming no nasty chemicals on the tree (flock anyone?).