Riona Abhainn

Welcome to permies.  Hopefully the right person will come along and buy and connect with this beautiful plot of land.

Praying for you to find safety, shelter, and good things in the near future, whether there in TX or elsewhere.

Even though this transaction doesn't involve money, its still a type of transaction, as in you're giving the comodity of a place to stay, and they're giving the comodity of assistance on land/house/garden stuff.  Even though money isn't changing hands I'd say work up something like a lease agreement, just think of it as bartering, but in six month stints, or 12 month stints, or whatever you need to do.  Perhaps if something happens before the end of their "lease stint" with you that interferes with their previous physical abilities to assist around the place then they can pay you in money instead of labour/assistance with land chores?  

I know we want a world where we don't have to think of everything as a transaction and where we focus on relationship.  But the reality is that people let each other down without agreements with signatures and multiple copies in place.  Perhaps look into talking to a lawyer for a short consultation who specializes in "landlord tenant law" in your county.  Again I know that feels sucky, but you, and anyone coming to stay, deserve to feel safe in case anything goes sideways.

Thanks for sharing all of these farmbird stories with us.

People used to talk about a lot more around 13 or 14 years ago, I haven't heard much about it in quite a while.

Permy Claus is coming to town:
So tomorrow I finally get to meet Paul Wheaton, as he is in the area for a few days.  Myself and my husband are going to a potluck about 25 min. from us on the edge of a small town, at the farm of another member here.  We're bringing organic grapes for people to snack on, there will be rocket oven backyard pizza, and I'm looking forward to it.  My best friend Fred, when I told her about it, started singing Permy Claus is coming to town and he's bringing plants, etc. like the song Santa Claus is coming to town haha.

Robert I recently heard that about fava leaves, I wish I'd known that though before they basically died on my first batch of plants.  I have two more plants growing though that I planted in late July so I think I'll harvest the favas quicker from those once they grow before frosty nights take over.  And thus I'll get the leaves on those ones.

I brought one of our cucumbers to my father and he ate it straight rather than putting it in salad, he loved it, even though the skin is slightly bitter, it being a pickling variety.  We're going to enjoy one soon in our next salad.  One of my pumpkin plants is still flowering, so I'm hoping for a couple of more mini white pumpkins for my porch come Oct.
Our landlords brought their extra garden boxes to us, its a weird set up, there are two layers, the bottom layer doesn't seem like it would get enough sun, so I'm going to make it my mushroom patch, we're sending away for some oyster mushrooms to start in mid Sept. apparently they take about a month to grow, I'll use either barkdust or straw as the substraight, and cover them up for 2 weeks and then what little sun they get shouldn't hurt them for the next couple of weeks so I've read.  The top section has multiple square planters in it, further investigation and thought is required here.  I don't think I'll plant out the top layer right now, but in Feb. or March I'll get it going.

So there was something living in one of my self-watering reservoir containers, every day the same 2 holes would appear in the soil, inspite of me filling them up.  So I think I finally got rid of the thing, I filled the reservoir all the way up and so maybe it drowned, or something I don't really know, but it doesn't stink yet, so I think we're good?  Maybe it just got tired of me filling up its holes, maybe a vole?
I know we have either rats or bunnies because occasionally I find a turd, but Fred thinks its a bunny because of the half-eaten snap pea pod a couple of months ago, or maybe its the mystery skunk.
Whenever we have slugs they're usually baby slugs, so I've decided to try and not worry about them.  I guess if none of my lettuce, snap peas, spinich or radishes grow for autumn harvest then I can get angry at them haha.  I did plant the autumn radish seeds a few days ago.  The mint is flowering and beginning to spread.  The chamomile is finished, I harvested the last of it and its drying for another batch of tea, I can't tell whether its the perenial or annual version, I've heard both exist, so I'll leave its pot alone as though it will come back in springtime.

Well we're done with the soft opening for my shop.  Even though it wasn't as successful as I'd hoped, other people are telling me one should give a business six to eight months before giving up.  So we're moving forward with the permit process to fully open, hopefully we can go in on Tue. next week.

My first batch of Bokashi should be ready on Sun.  Initially I ignored the instructions and kept reopening it and adding things to it, but no decomp. was going on, so finally I obeyed the instructions and left it alone for 2 weeks sealed up.  Excited to see how it did and pour it over my compost pile outside.  And then start filling it up again.  I made the mistake of not buying the 2 bin system, now I realize why it was a mistake.

What I've learnt though is that I can do a two pile composting system outside too, I'm about ready to cover one pile with dirt and let it set, while I start building another pile next to it.

I learnt that, while we do have a few bees around, we don't have enough.  I want to "rent" mason bees next spring.  My best friend Sarah up in Renton WA rents them each year for her yard, and the surrounding area benefits.  I will see if there's a comparable option down here in the hopes of getting better bee action.  And no one can complain about them because they don't sting, so neighbours will not worry.

I'm glad some good things happened this year, even though some bad things came too.

AC, the project seems to be growing, well done yous.

While I'm not brave enough to try eating the one I have growing in the yard (yet), I have left it to grow because it makes the birds and pollinators happy and isn't hurting anyone by befriending us all outdoors.