Derek Thille

Incredible on the young praying mantis.  Isn't it awesome what we come across when we're out in the relatively natural world and have our senses open for observation?  Having never seen such an egg mass or babies, are you able to provide an idea of the size?

Thanks.  Enjoy the snow!

Welcome Doug!  I believe we chatted a bit at a Seedy Saturday at the Winnipeg Millennium Library a couple years ago.  We drove through the Brandon area this afternoon on our way home from Edmonton.

I was going to respond to this thread, but I was on the road, and everything seems to be resolved.

I placed my first nursery order with Oak Summit the weekend nearly two weeks ago and the order was received the beginning of the following week - we are relatively close for shipping, but I was suitably impressed.  I'm excited to see if I can nurse our new Siberian C peaches through our winters (I had missed the zone 4 / 3 warning in the description...my bad).  

Now I need to dig into this site...added to the list.  

It makes absolute sense that you can't become wealthy financially by spending more than you bring in.  Arguably the overconsumption of recent decades may be part of the driver behind the gig economy (spend too much so need to find additional sources of income) and the seeming increase in "get more money now" ideas / schemes.

I have to admit I'd never heard of the "underconsumption core" trend.  

I think it is absolutely true that Gertitude involves frugality.  Frugal doesn't necessarily imply "cheap", but a level of value - if I'm exchanging money for a thing, I definitely want something of value that will last.  The funny thing is that if you looked in our closets and day to day life, aside from having nice (but not ostentatious) vehicles, people would generally have difficulty guessing our net worth or amount of savings.

I recently took in a live demonstration on auto camping from a century ago and chatted with the fellow afterward.  He said that it is the weave of old canvas being so tight that makes it waterproof, yet many people have put on "stuff" to seal or waterproof the canvas.  In many cases, that caused issues for the canvas (whether cracking or degradation in some other form) that ultimately led to it becoming less waterproof.

I have been granted stewardship of an early auto tent, so was keen to learn from this gentleman.  His demonstration included a 1927 trailer that was an early tent trailer (including Model T axle and wheels for running gear) and a number of camp items like folding chairs and similar.  I found it fascinating being an old car guy and former boy scout.

Victor Johanson wrote:Good points. I don't harvest the ones growing under trees; they're strictly companion plants. Valerian will grow tall and poke up into the tree; mind can top 8' here in Fairbanks. They bloom a little late here, during a time when most nectar/pollen sources are spent, so it's nice to have something to fill that niche. Be advised they will aggressively spread.

Agreed...we planted one here years ago and now it's popped up in various spots around the neighbourhood...the main section is competing with day lilies and an aggressive rose.

Jenny Wright wrote:Also we had another seeding surprise us! It's as old as it oldest seedlings and I didn't even notice it flower this spring but it has bright red tiny apples, singly, through the tree that I can see from across my yard. Unfortunately the peel is very, very bitter. Completely unpalatable. Like I'm spitting and gagging it's so bitter! The inside is sweet but it's so tiny, there isn't anything really to salvage. I'll keep trying them too but it isn't a pleasant experiment.

I wonder if those might be better pressed, which would leave the peel behind.  That would also make them potentially more useful based on size.

The only comment I would make to Victor's post is that you may not want to put in plants that you may want to dig up for the roots (horseradish and valerian from his list).  Now, if you don't want to harvest those roots, those two are good selections.

Valerian flowers seem to be very good pollinator attractors.  Hollow stems should be valuable for overwintering insects.  They are not that tough though if you have windy conditions and grow quite tall (easily 6' / 2m in our part of the world) and they spread easily by seed.

Horseradish is tough as nails and will form a clump slowly spreading over time.  The leaves are edible as well and should make good mulch.  This is one plant that I wouldn't be concerned about if I wanted to walk over it to harvest apples.

Yes, Manitoba maples can be tapped - St. Pierre Jolys Museum holds a sugaring off festival each spring.  The community taps over 200 maples and is planting more around the town.  They sell out of syrup each year...I've never managed to get any.

That said, to get enough sap, you need to have enough mature trees to be able to tap to boil down for syrup.  Planting trees for this purpose may very well prove to be an intergenerational plan.

Thekla McDaniels wrote:Box elder trees aka Manitoba maple (I think) are ice nucleating bacteria habitat.  Lots of species of plants have been tested, and so far box elders - Acer negundo are the best.

You got the naming right.  In an appropriate environment for it, the tree is almost weedy.  While the wood is not highly valuable for most things (burning, carving, building, etc), it does coppice well.  I understand seeds are edible and, around here at least, if you don't eat them, you may wind up with a forest.

So, the best states to live in all border on Canada...coincidence?  I think not