Doug Hollman

Hi devin, been looking for a guild nearby. Buying a home in the jonas area. I'll look you guys up.

So we are buying a new place, and there are several rhododendron that are engulfing the house I plan on cutting them down and starting a hugel bed with them. However, I saw some posts about toxins, but no elaboration. So is it on to compost whole rhododendron plants.
I also have a full yard of pachysandra to deal with. I plan on hot composting all of this. Thanks for any input you may have. I'm going to have my hands full turning this ornamental yard into a thriving homestead.

I hate to be a voice of pessimism, but something that's not considered is nuclear power plants. When the shtf, the grid will fail, when the grid fails 200 some reactors will meltdown, game over.
Putting aside nuke plants, once fossil fuels and chemicals are done being spewed into the atmosphere, the earth will rapidly rise 2C, with the abruptly changing climate, it's going to near impossible to observe, learn, and interact. Again, game over.
I've found preparing for shtf scenario is so five min ago. Reconnect with plants, love your fellow man, do what you can to enjoy your life with the pursuit or excellence. Sorry to be such a bummer. Perhaps the next species that comes around in about 10 million years will do a better job.

Hi Adrian

Instead if dumpster diving, talk to the manager. See if they will set their scraps aside for you. Don't be discouraged, I recently started a garden at my brother in laws, I told them I need their compost, but they don't believe in it. So I started collecting from the break room at work. Everyone picked on me at first. Then some asked what I was doing and offered to bring scraps from home. I'm now bringing buckets and buckets a week in my garden. It doesn't seem like much after it breaks down but the nutrient value is well worth the effort. Keep at it.

I too want to craft something like that. I've seen Native American medicine wheels that represent time of day, season, stage of life etc. I've also read how native Americans could tell if it would be a dry or rainy season by a certain cactus flower. Such a time table and indicator plants could be quite useful in a permie homestead.

Hi Nolan

I landscape for a garden center and like you I'm no fan if herbicides and pesticides. They use them regularly, I just have to deal with it. Get the job it's worth it. I try to educate customers about companion plantings, crop rotations, and other natural remedies. You would be surprised how many people are interested. Wealthy people will refuse to listen though they order round up by the gallons. I refuse to use the stuff but out foreman is trained in herbicides and waits till I leave. Try to influence people instead if turning down a good opportunity. Poisons are everywhere, in our soil in our rain in our air. Simply boycotting wont do anything. We have to educate others to make a difference. Good luck.

@Doug....thanks....good advice....what you see in the picture is only a small part of the growth and we have very stony soil so won't be doing any digging. Maybe cutting off a little below ground and covering with something then. I am a little curious about what would happen if we just continued to let it run rampent?would it kill itself out as it spreads eventually? I guess the real problem is that we don't live there in order to work on it often enough.
....and welcome to Permies, good to have you here!


Thanks, good to be with some same people for once
If you let it run rampant it will continue to overtake the area. I work at a house where wisteria runs wild and it's going nowhere soon. It covers about a quarter acre now. Are we talking big rocks in soil a good bar is great for digging in stony soil but cutting as low as possible and covering should help.

I have some experience removing wisteria for some clients of ours. I'm a landscaper and some time people put in wisteria only to say oops. You have to cut them all the way down, then get a pick and bar and get as much of the root system out as possible. Get some cardboard and heavily mulch the area, repeat. That growth there is going to take some work good luck.

Hi Nathan,
I'm in the same boat you are. Seeking meet ups to build a sustainable community. I reside in carbon county. Been thinking of starting or joining a community for awhile now. Let me know if you want to talk more.