Roger Burns

Denise Cares wrote:
I have a question about putting a few small twiggy sticks around the tree base. Please someone explain how that helps?
Will these same tips keep squirrels away from trees? I don't know if they eat fruit, but they like to steal nuts and the walnut tree is fairly small but close to a large manzanita bush so they can jump from one to the other very easily.

I was looking for this information, too. I recall a permies post/video some time ago where piling up a lot of brush at the base of saplings was used to keep deer from reaching them. Over time, they would degrade into mulch. But it would not be useful for voles or other creatures. It also doesn’t mean other protections are not still needed on the trunks, etc, but is less of an eyesore than metal cages (according to my better half).

I have unfortunately had three saplings in my garden killed this year by girdling of voles. As we have the fencing for deer and rabbits, I did not think it necessary to protect the trunks and regret it. I am using hardware cloth for the rodents, and cloth wrap for sun scald, and the aforementioned above and below ground fencing for the deer/rabbits.

I have a desire to plant a larger orchard outside the fence and have had success previously with 8’ cages. Trees were healthy until I removed the cages and overnight were destroyed. So, if the brush method can work, I would appreciate to know from people’s experience. We have an acre of grass that would make a better food forest but I do not want to have cages and fences in that region.


Thanks to all who have contributed to this forum. I have learned so much.

Hello - I live in MI and have been a member of a brewing club for 2 decades now.  We had a farmer's advocate organization out to our club before the pandemic who specialized in helping farmers match grains with an emphasis on the grain used for brewing.  One of the comments mentioned grain south of Canada was not ideal for brewing.  Maybe once upon a time, but from their outreach (through the Michigan State University, iirc), they matched grains with the farms up and down the state, identifying what works best for the microclimate of each farm, and providing a local resource for local farm to table breweries to boot.  Basically, it might be worth checking with an agricultural extension in your area or locate farmers who grow barley near you to identify the best types.  Many of my friends have grown and malted small amounts, nothing more than a bag of grain in the end.  There are lots of factors contributing to the protein content, etc. and it was one of those labors of love that they swore never to do again.  

I don't believe hops were mentioned yet, but hops are a great perennial that can be grown in many areas in North America.  Many of the varieties are now resistant to issues that plagued the industry going back to the 1600's, which resulted in hop growing moving from the NE to the midwest (MI) to the PNW.  There are also "new" North American varieties that can grow in more environments than just the North.  Once established, hops can be very prolific and can also be a nuisance if they get out of control.  I have a small hop garden with 10 plants that can provide me and friends with enough hops for a year.  To process them, I pick the flowers when ripe/dry, spread over screens in the garage with a fan blowing to dry them, then use a wooden axe handle to compress them into a PVC pipe.  Once compressed, move them carefully in the puck shape into freezer bags (I use mylar) and vacuum out the air.  They stay like that until I need them.

Malted and dried grains are good for simple recipes and lighter beers.  If you roast them, then it starts developing the caramel characteristics that provide color, flavors, and mouthfeel through the darkening of the grains.  This helped speed up the process, rather require decoction (where a portion of the mash is removed and boiled to carmalize the sugars, and then returned to the mash).  Boiling long also helps darken the beer and more melanoiden production, which makes the beer have more flavor/character/color, too.  

For my hop trellis, I use a marine winch and mounted it between poles (with pulleys).  It uses braided metal cable to raise and lower my hop trellis 17-18' in the air.  I can imagine a marine winch with light rope/cord would be perfect to extend, then retract your cord.  Mine is built out of steel and rated for over 1000 pounds, which would be overkill for your laundry, but smaller versions might exist.  Harbor Freight has one for $29: https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive/winches/12-ton-capacity-hand-winch-62592.html

I learned a trick to harvest tomatoes that helps me.  There is a little nodule about 1/2-1 inch up from the fruit.  If you put your thumbnail on it and move the vine, it separates there perfectly every time.  

I've experimented with all types of tomatoes both in a greenhouse and outside.  What I have found is that the hydroponic variety is firm and beautiful.  The same one in my garden is firm, beautiful, and actually tastes good.  This year, all my 'maters will be outside on a trellis.  

Long time lurker.  I have been interested in this tool for a couple of years and wondered if it can have a long handle.  I saw your article on how to make your own handle, but it looked like it was only about 3 ft long.