Christine Le page

I bought most of my tree seeds fro this website since it is reasonably priced and they a really nice collection of fruit/nut trees.

If your not allergic to nuts I recommend the heartnut tree, nut only is is it adorable but apparently, 1 tree is worth 1000 conifer trees for pulling carbon out of the air, so you can pat yourself on the back for helping save the world.

https://www.incredibleseeds.ca/products/heart-nut-tree-seeds

If you're interested in buying gardening seeds from them you should buy as soon as their catalogue comes out as they sell out before you can blink your eyes.

Oh, I wouldnt mind one of those in my toolshed.

I understand that there are a few people, companies, universities, that have figured out how to harvest energy from snow so I was wondering if anyone has simple DIY plans for cheap panels?

Apparently, silicone sheets with plastic electrodes can capture the energy from falling snow and when you live in a place where winter weather lasts more then 3 months it seems like a worthwhile investment especially if it could harness the energy from rain also.  

I've done a few searches but it seems that no one has any DIY plans for this at the moment. So if you have figured it out how to do this, it would be awesome to have a simple DIY plan made available to the permies.

Thank you for your time.

My man commented the yesterday on how many chokecherries we had growing about our on back yard section of home while we were putting cement around the post for our chicken coops caged area which set a bee in my bonnet to research online what could be done with them. I came across this very interesting article with many recipes and suggestions on how to use them that I am sure that others will be just as tickled pink as I was about the article considering that the yard is blessed with so many of the trees almost ripe for the picking.



https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/chokecherry-recipes-zmaz81jazraw

And ofc, I would love to hear what other uses and recipes that fellow permies would like to share on this abundant little cherry.😉 😃

We had a snow day😝
It is April.... Seems like the mild wintry weather plans to stay and here I am excited to just get out their and plant things but seems like I will not get the chance to do so for another week or two at the very least.  

I have a flax seeds hanging about, hopefully they are still viable and grow up straight. Ah guess, I will just content my self with a few trays of  cold crops for now.

But grats on publishing your book R Raven . That is really awesome thing to have accomplished.

jacque greenleaf wrote:I quit using regular shampoo and conditioner several years ago. I have curly hair, and the silicone in most shampoos/conditioners is not good for curls.

I thoroughly "wash" my hair every two or three days with plain water in the shower. About every week or ten days, when the oil builds up, I use some Dr. Bronner's liquid soap on it. I've never had so many curls with so much body.

I've used Dr. Bronner's for showering for years, I buy it by the gallon and dilute it. And do I ever love not having my shower cluttered up with numerous plastic bottles of various goops.

Been using Dr. Bronner for a few years and coconut oil as a conditioner after I started to start being sensitive to commercial shampoo and body wash. I very happy with it over all, even if I over do the oil somtomes. Takes two years to go threw the coconut oil 22 dollar costco tub and I buy a litre of Dr. Bronners any where from 4 to 6 months depending on how often I wash the dog with it also.

I Would start looking into long term seed storage . This article explains how to keep them for a good 10 years.

https://preparednessmama.com/diy-seed-vault/

I Would take a look at local seeds swaps or this website has a yearly seed swap that just went by: https://garden.org

My local library is doing an urban gardening seed  check out where you can check out 3 packets and return it with the seeds saved. If you fail at growing the checked out seed you just bring in some seeds of the same value  that you checked out.

And of you could always sell your seeds on kijiiji or Craigs list to be used this year at in gardening starter package for 10 to 20 bucks. I am sure lots of people would be interested.

If hadn't bought all my seeds this year I would probly be bumming for a package.

Or heck you could do a version of the winter jacket on trees for the needy/ftwd highway box and hang a zip lock bag full of seeds with a message to take what you need and leave what you don't.

Dem Krebs wrote:Hmm, it depends in your area, of course, but I find peas to be easiest. Just give them a trellis and they're happy to go until the weather gets too hot. Just so long as you keep them picked, of course.

Peas also have good germination rates and are typically pretty forgiving of poor soil and cold, damp spring weather. They're pretty pest resistant too. I had aphids on them one year, otherwise no bugs bother them here. Just powdery mildew at the end of the season.

Of course, peas will grow from the end of May until usually the end of July for me. This year they went going right through August too, though. I imagine in a hotter place, peas are a right nightmare to time correctly for new gardeners and they wouldn't find them that easy to grow.

Peas are the only thing I have not worried about growing from the first year even if I only have 2 and a half months without frost. I also have poor  soil it mostly sand and I suspect it may be some ph issues but will have to wait till I can do a few at home test. Carrots also are easy enough.

It good to stop reading the news, social media,  stop hanging out with people that go out of their way to put you down or their jollies from backhanded compliments. Whatever your triggers you do the best to minimize the time you spend on it.

Instead read a book, play an offline game, take a little road trip to take a few pictures with no where in mind, meditate, try some reiki or message, accupuncture,listen to music that cheers you up, , take a bath,  sit by the window to enjoy the sun or some birds eating from a feeder, watch some fish in the water, lie down look up at the sky and feel  the wind on your face, smell the grass, close your eyes and take deep breaths, listen to the sounds with no one around. Or try a hobby that involves precision and repetitive movements like a martial art or knitting,  japanese tea ceremony, bread baking.

Try to remember even if things are bad now, life comes in waves.

Nice, think I am gonna use that for peas.