James Landreth

Steve Thorn wrote:

I've been meaning to try more air layering but just haven't gotten around to doing it a lot yet. I did a little bit and it was very time consuming for me and I haven't given it another go yet.

The few times I've done it I found that it goes much more quickly with another person. It's much easier for tying off etc. Good luck with the pear tree! I tried tip layering a hazel once

I'm hoping to do a workshop around air layering. I've done it with mixed success in a couple different months. I'm thinking around May. Thoughts?

This is a great topic. It's one I think often about. I'm still trying to find answers, myself.


I see all sorts of plants, including natives, peddled as drought tolerant, yet they die even with moderate irrigation. I even contacted a supposedly landrace seed grower to ask about how little irrigation I could get away with. I won't name names, but their response was that they don't know, as they irrigate heavily in order to promote beautiful fully developed seeds.


I've even seen prickly pear die in Portland because of drought.

If anyone has new thoughts or experiences to add to this thread please let me know

In order to reduce my footprint I've been trying to find alternatives to flying. I've been doing more rail travel this year but would like to go to Europe and Asia.

I know it's a long shot, but what are people's ideas, if any, for alternatives?

In addition to footprint reduction I would in general just like to support other modes of transportation, for the sake of diversification.

My travel would be based out of Seattle and Portland.

This year I put up some bird houses for the first time, and built an owl house with a friend that has yet to be put up.

Information about bird habitat is both sparse and overwhelming somehow. I'm wondering what everyone here has done, what has worked, and what you've learned to do differently. My understanding is that there are many different types of houses with different entrances and considerations. Obviously it varies place to place, but I imagine there are many similarities.

So, please tell me your thoughts and practices!

Brittney Gee wrote:

Resounding YES! Hubby and I are building our house right now and stretching before bed especially is proving to be an essential practice. I'm curious about your routine? What are you stretching and/or rolling on? Would you care to share the deets? We don't have a foam roller at this time, but do wiggle around on the floor with two rubber balls placed between shoulders and along spines. I imagine we look kinda looks like bears scratching up on a tree, only horizontal. X)

I mostly do basic stretches. I aim for once a day but don't usually hit that. I also use a rolling pin in place of a foam roller for my calves (intense, but really gets the job done). I've also had friends use the rolling pin on my calves, to great effect. I find hot baths are also very beneficial.

With pigs, I know that people used to have a vet surgically castrate grown boars that were to be eaten (once their usefulness as a breeder had run its course, or things had changed on the farm). They tranquilized the boar.

Afterwards, a few months was required to pass before the testosterone was all out of  the system so that the meat wouldn't taste foul.

I imagine, whether you intend to eat the goat or not, that something similar could be done. Be sure to clean the wound after, I believe the vets used iodine.

Jay Angler wrote:

Jay Angler wrote:

"This plant will have dark purple leaves, grow to 9ft and have red or pink berries. Check out Red Elder. Lots of medicinal and nutritive benefits."

That sounds to me like it's Sambucus racemosa: https://nativeplantspnw.com/red-elderberry-sambucus-racemosa/

Red elderberry is not edible, or at least, most sources consider it toxic. A few speak of native people having processed it but how, or whether it is palatable, I don't know. It is good for pollinators and birds though

Jay Angler wrote:Thank you James Landreth for that great information. I have emailed me the friend who brought me the rooted cuttings to see if she can find out from her source which Elderberry it is.

Do you have any ideas how I could identify the species based on just a first year cutting with leaves? I read that the berries are different, but it could be several years before I get fruit.

The joys of gifts from strange places! I think I will change the subject on this thread, as I'm "definitely not sure" exactly what I'm dealing with - and have no idea whether information from my friend will be accurate.

I'm glad it was helpful! You should be able to tell by the leaves, for future reference. I don't know how to describe it but I bet the internet or a plant ID app can.


One other thing to know that I forgot to mention is size. Black elderberry stays smaller and is generally classified as a shrub. Blue can get to thirty feet. Both are short lived by tree standards, going to sixty to seventy years on average. But bigger means a deeper, more drought tolerant root system

Elderberry is one thing I've experimented with a lot out here, including canadensis, our native cerulea, and nigra (european black elderberry)

My experience is that the native one is hands down a drought tolerant winner. There may be some cultivars of black, such as Ranch, that might do better than others, but overall my impression is that black elderberry isn't evolved for the extended dry season we have. Blue elderberry, on the other hand, does very well, is often a pioneer species, and grows on hills and in generally difficult conditions.

Black elderberry does well for me in areas to wet to grow much else

If you can water it, even at maturity, then I say go for it. I had some growing at my old place (both kinds). Even after years of establishing the black elderberries they struggled and died back during our heat waves even with mulch and watering. The blue doubled in size. This has been my observation at multiple farms and properties