Bill McRoy

Miles, I can relocate. I just discovered the wwoofr site yesterday. It is the books that are inspiring me. I have "Food Not Lawns" on my lap right now.

If my goal was to end up "doing permaculture," as in example working and living in an intentional community or working for a permaculture organization, etc... but (wait for it) I don't garden or know plants or any of it, where would I start? I have contacted Oregon State University to ask about their horticulture program with additional training in permaculture as a possibility. I am 55 years old and I am thinking about pulling up and heading in a totally new direction. Any suggestions? I have a professional degree so the idea of spending 4 years at an institution is comforting to me. Thanks for any suggestions.

I will add that I am physically fit, free of any health issues, execise regularly, etc... so feel that I am "up to the task."

Thank you Tel. I never thought to ask. I will call them back and ask. (I am totally new to this so I am trying to arrange materials to get started this spring).

Greetings. I found straw available locally listed as oat straw. I want to use it for composting and for topping planting beds and swailes. Is oat straw ok for this?

Adrien Lapointe wrote:Bill,

it took over two weeks for the Food Forest DVD to get here, so I would assume the same delay for where you are.

Thank You.

Hello, I ordered Jeff Lawton's 5 DVD set online on December 27th and it has not come yet. I am in Michigan, they are coming from Australia. Does 12 days seem like a long time to any of you? Have any of you waited this long (or longer)? Yeah, I know, I am anxious. They will probably come tomorrow (I hope, I hope).

I bought some "organic" fertilizer called Chickity Doo Doo http://www.chickitydoodoo.com/ I am hoping it will be good for the lawn and help build soil micororganisms, etc.. Also, our city has a compost site for city residents. I have heard a few people say they wouldn't use it bacause they didn't know where the stuff came from, etc... I figure anything has to be better than what I have. 10 years ago this was new sod, weed free, etc... after years of chemicals it is mostly dandilions and weeks. I am hoping to bring it around with some organic TLC

Thanks for all the great ideas. It turns out I have a bunch of seeds from a club I joined and searched the list for perennials. Came up with a bunch of Herbs: Rosemary Lovage Broadleaf Sage Greek Oregano Hyssop Red Garnet Amaranth Thyme Tarragon Echinacea. I'll use what I have. I like the chive and onion idea as well.

We put some apple, plum and peach trees in last fall. Little spindly sticks, maybe 2 to 3 ft. tall. Should I be planting something else around the base of these trees? If so, what and where will I find it? The confrey in the posted video is taller than the little sticks I have planted, would that matter?

John Polk wrote:Probably. Who wants to blindly leap into the unknown?

Quote, unknown source: "I love the recklessness of faith. First you jump, then grow wings."