“Two plant geeks, one-tenth of an acre and the making of an edible garden oasis in the city
Jonathan and Eric and their families manage a 1/10 acre urban backyard garden in Holyoke, Massachusetts. This edible landscape features little-used edible native plants as well as useful species from around the world. Over forty species of fruit and seventy perennials with edible leaves make for a long season of foraging.
“This is about one woman deciding to do something very dramatic and revolutionary in Ireland…taking three acres of wet, rushy, north-facing land and planting trees like her life depended on it…it does! Bealtaine Cottage smallholding is in the west of Ireland. In May 2004, this was a derelict cottage on a north facing slope of three acres of wet, rushy land. My aim, living alone and without any workforce or helpers, was to create a self-sustaining smallholding designed and constructed on Permaculture Principles. This has included planting over 1,000 deciduous trees including two large orchards, as well as many perennials and bushes.
“I recently had someone ask me why I’m choosing to be off the grid and self sufficient. I really have not talked about why I’im doing this in my videos. So I thought I would start from the beginning. This is my story. Thanks for watching everybody!”
“Earthworms are the workers of the soil and are sometimes called nature’s plow. Their job is very important for the quality of soil and also decomposition.”
Despite a bad drought, our forest garden is coming along nicely thanks to truck loads of compost, lots of hand irrigation and some decent rains. The garden has grown significantly since my last forest garden update.
“Ilias Mathes has protection against bank closures, capital controls and the slashing of his pension: 10 goats, some hens and a vegetable patch.