Ben Zumeta

pollinator
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since Oct 02, 2014
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NW California, 1500-1800ft,
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Recent posts by Ben Zumeta

A friend had a similar water issue at a house they had just bought, and it was also the filter that ended up being the cause.
16 hours ago
I have read that in Australia, they call this “the California Effect”, after the desertification inland caused by draining the central valley wetlands and logging the old growth of the coast and western mountain slopes.
I like your thinking, but would adjust a few things based on a decent amount of hugel experience and reading. That horizontal log will make a good base for a large hugel, but probably needs part of it cut and moved if you want to bury it more easily and beneficially. This is because for most species, if the upright tree on the left is alive, a hugel right up to its bark above the root collar would be bad for that tree. If it is already dead, then it would wick moisture into the air, like any wood sticking out of a hugel will do. I would cut the log in manageable lengths back to the dripline of the other tree if it is alive. If it is dead, i’d cut back a wheelbarrow’s path width between the hugel and snag, and cut the right side of the log so it pretty much all lays on the ground.

I would also just make sure you have a 1%+ slope on the path on the uphill side, to avoid building a floating dam.
1 week ago
I think you are looking in the right direction. I would hot compost the horse manure first for weed reduction, and to make the N more stable, with arborist woodchips, straw, and/or your hay and various weeds. Look up Dr. Elaine Ingham's composting recipes for more info. I would loosen the clay with a broadfork or digging fork, add a layer of sticks and then add the finished (not hot anymore) compost. Daikon is a good choice, but diversity is always better for soil life. Nitrogen fixators will be suppressed by the N in the horse manure, so they could be redundant together if resources are scarce. I like wild bird seed as a filler for a cheap bulk soil building mix, as birds will bring their own microbes and nutrients to the party. Locally native wildflowers are also a good addition if seed is available, but would probably not benefit from horse manure much. Horse manure is good for green growth, and can be much less helpful for flowers and fruit.
2 weeks ago
I have been surprised that our tick season here in NW California at 1500-1800ft is in the winter, or more accurately the wet season (Oct-May). I find 5-10 on my dog any time we go out in the woods and he goes off trail into the manzanita dominated brush below mixed conifer forest. Luckily he is white and they are easier to find, but still some get to his skin.
2 weeks ago
Coffee grounds (used) are surprisingly in the low 6’s for pH in my testing and reading, with the acidity coming out in the brew. As are most conifer needles, with the acidity of conifer forest coming mostly from root exudates and fungal dominant soil processes. Still, again counter intuitively, I have seen creeks in old growth conifer forests run in the upper 7s for pH.

As mentioned above, I would suspect the compost being used is alkaline and bacterially dominant due to hyper-aerobic conditions from frequent turning. I would let it age at least a month, and if that did not suffice I would mix in up to an equal amount of wood chips and let it age unturned and with chimneys (Johnson Su/BEAM style) up to a year. It will then be in the slightly acidic range and extremely diverse, with fungal dominance. If this seems too time consuming, I’d try intermediate amounts of woodchips or shredded leaves until you find your sweet spot.
3 weeks ago
I love alder trees and think they may be the most under appreciated of PNW native species. Burnt Ridge nursery sells them by the 10 and 100 bundle, for 2$ a piece when I got them. These have survived better than those I salvaged transplanted from places they would have likely been driven over, and if I actually value my time were worth the money. Of course seed is still likely the best, but I like supporting the good folks at Burnt Ridge and get an alder for every 1-2 other trees I get from them.
Good to see you here on permies Aliyah. It seems from my limited outsider’s knowledge that many aspects of Muslim cultures would align well with permaculture, especially what I know of the agricultural innovations brought to the Iberian peninsula long ago.  I might look into contacting Geoff Lawton, a well known and respected permaculture educator whose wife is Muslim (and I believe he converted upon marriage).  He leads the Permaculture Research Institute, and Zaytuna Farms in Australia. He has done a lot of work in the Muslim world and likely has connections to a network of folks in the global diaspora. I hope you find who you seek.
3 weeks ago
If you have access to a tractor for subsoiling, I would also widen the bottom of the swale. Generally gradual sloped sides and a flatter bottom will work better for absorption. If a tractor is not an option, I would use a broad fork or a sturdy digging fork to loosen but not invert the soil layers. If the soil is high in Magnesium relative to calcium like many coastal CA soils, oyster shell in addition to organic matter can be a good addition, and I would add it to the loosened soil. Looks like you have a great plan overall to me.
4 weeks ago
If I were to try to clone more difficult pome and stone fruits, I’d use the plastic bottle method. Putting a bottle with a hole in the bottom and slice down the side around a vigorous densely noded branch. Then use the slice to fill with cloning medium (for me, coconut coir and perlite soaked in willow water), with at least 3 nodes (5-7 is best) in the medium and 3 nodes sticking out the hole in the bottom. Then tape the bottle closed. A bucket of willow water and a wick can be used to keep it moist. I have seen this work well for other plants. Of course if its low enough to ground you could layer it there with less moisture and heat stress potential.
4 weeks ago