Greg Martin

In 2024 I completed one of my biochar goals.  I have a dug well and there was a large low spot not far from it that would just fill up with anaerobic muck.  When it was dry there this summer, I raked it all out and filled over it with a mix of sand and biochar so that the water could still sink there, but within this new biofilter.  Now when forest biomass drops in that spot it won't be staying wet for half the year and going anaerobic not far from my well.  It went from a bad spot to a beautiful forest garden path.  In 2025 I will be adding a few plants into it, including 2 juneberries.  Kicking myself for not taking before, during and after pictures!

As part of that project I also dispersed biochar in the forest widely around my well to further protect the water quality.  Besides helping the overall life systems in that space to thrive, biochar also adsorbs PFAS and heavy metals.  I live on a slope and sadly don't really trust the water quality coming off the neighbor's property.  

Derek Thille wrote:It's a shame that development likely took out a bunch of them, but there's a variety of large old fruit and nut trees.

Yeah, what an AMAZING resource.  Hershey helped saved these genetic remnants and now we have these great citizens trying hard to save the remnants of those remnants.  It is a great shame that so many people don't understand the value.  It would have been so wonderful if developers had recognized the worth and did any development as an eco-community who would help to preserve these treasures that took 1000s of years to develop.  Thank you for posting this, Derek.

A truck hauling a full load of Vicks VapoRub overturned on the highway.

There was no congestion for 8 hours.

I'm buying everything I think I'll be needing now rather than waiting.  Everything is smelling like a crash to me.

I told a friend that I invented a thought controlled air freshener.

He said "That's ridiculous!"

I said "It makes scents when you think about it."

Convert That Dirt

or maybe

Dirt Convert Challenge?

My rhubarb experiment this year will be growing out these Early Champagne Rhubarb seeds from the Roughwood Center.  My thinking is that with rhubarb's large leaves that they might be ok in shadier spaces, but that getting them to leaf out earlier when shade is lighter that maybe they might be better able to handle life under deciduous trees in my food forest.  Going with seeds is just hoping that there will be enough genetic variability to give a few of them a better chance with handling shadier conditions.

Anita Martin wrote: But I might venture into the land of beautiful beans. I received some beautiful beans from an Internet friend in Austria like Yin Yang beans and Angel beans, but I could not grow them in my soil and climate - Austria has some warmer wine-growing regions that allow for such crops (and apricots!). I have to deal with the conditions I have, I guess.

Here in the US I just found out that Angel beans are available under the name Holy bean.  I just got some seeds!  Now to see if they will do ok here in Maine.

Wow Steve....wow!!!  Thank you.  Did a little follow up reading and it sounds like Kentucky Wonder has seeds that are good baked beans.  I'll try experimenting with both, though.

Scott, thank you for sharing that.  I completely agree on the harvest being a lot easier on the ground for a lot of string bean picking.  I should clarify that I'm wanting to shoot pole beans high up lines for varieties that make great dry beans.  I'm hoping to just drop the lines in the fall and harvest all the dry bean seeds for baking, soups, etc.

Here's an article on a heritage bean that grows to 20' and can be used for dried bean production.  They call it the Pezel pole bean and it grows on Vancouver Island.  I haven't been able to find any source for it  Anyone know of this lovely bean and have a lead on where one could get it?  It sounds so wonderful!