Summer Solstice - Sunday (Tomorrow!) At 7:30!

A sunflower shining brightly stands in for a photo of the sun, of which I have none, to advertise our Annual Summer Solstice Party tomorrow evening at 7:30 PM on our patio.  

Bring some cookies or some little thing to gnosh on, we'll have hot mint tea and a lovely fire and our resident madame of ceremonies, Camille Harris, will lead us in marking this sacred event.  Let's watch the sun go down and observe the passing of seasons and keep time with Nature. It's a lovely way to slow ourselves down from the frenetic daily industrial life we have allowed to become our guiding authority. 

Break out and resonate in harmony with our Earth!  

david

Drip Irrigation: A New Take on Old Technology

Out of the ground to show its shape, an olla (pronounced 'oy-ya' or 'oh-ya') sits waiting to be installed and then filled with water. 

One more of our 'modern' technologies has been proven to be but an updated petrochemical based revision of an earlier, more earth friendly, idea from some civilization regarded as backward by most Western peoples over the past several hundred years.

Ollas are simple. They are only unglazed terra cotta jugs.  Once it is planted in the ground with only the flare of the neck sticking out, plants are planted around the olla - at different distances depending on the water needs of the plants and the texture of the soil - the olla is filled with water.  For most efficient operation, cover the open top with a non-porous pot, cup or even a flat rock or a plate, to prevent water from being wicked up into the atmosphere.  Depending on your soil and your crops, a large olla like this ought to not empty out in a week or so.  However, please note:  The real test of whether you need to fill the olla is NOT whether or not it is empty - it is the amount of water in the soil around the olla!  Remember, the olla is only the transit point for water in the soil.  

This low tech system of watering has no moving parts and no electricity usage.  You can use it when you go away on a vacation and it is much more efficient than even drip irrigation.  Some of the plus points over drip:

       * no plastic petrochemical production

       * no moving parts to break 

       * even less water lost to evapo-transpiration  

       * no constant upkeep or broken parts, cut water lines to fix or replace

       * not one single drop of electricity  

On the other hand.... they are fragile and somewhat pricey.  This little guy cost me $30 (from Path to Freedom's Shop), and I picked mine up myself.  I actually broke one of two when I picked the first one up and the second rolled into it, breaking its neck.  They were good to me and replaced the beheaded one.  While they won't be as likely to be damaged once in the ground by humans, woody roots (like woody perennials or trees have) could crack the terra cotta.  Other than that, they seem to be relatively maintenance free.  

They do require monitoring and refilling, however.

david

Gardenmaster Shed Break In

The lock still intact, the hasp bent but not broke, it was the screws pried from the wood that proved to be the weaker point as the thieves simply heaved them out of the door to gain entry to the Gardenmaster Office. 

Not so much a loss to the Garden, but for the third time the Gardenmaster shed has been broken into.  This time the criminals evidently knew there was a possibility of music instruments in there and sadly they were right.  Stolen items include the Gardenmaster's bass and guitar as well as several tool bags of music gear, items which wouldn't have been there had there not been an injured wrist the day of a band rehearsal last week and these were left to a time of less painful lifting. 

The culprits made a much bigger mess of the place by pulling out drawers and dumping the contents and doing the same to my other tool bags - like the grafting and sharpening bags that are used in teaching these subjects.  But the only things taken were music gear - not even a power drill and electric saws; our computer in there was too old to bother stealing and they left it and all sorts of other tools behind.  Total loss is in the neighborhood of $2000, but the biggest loss is the heartbreak.  

At least that will be healed with time and a spirit, a determination and creativity cannot be stolen.  Looking for a good used acoustic/electric bass, preferring an Epiphone Natural El Capitan with a cutaway (they don't make 'em anymore).

david

It's True!

Not certain if it's a broken or not, but it's certainly painful!  Chasing the dog around the drive and he made a U-turn that I didn't.  Damn dog cheated using his lower center of gravity.  Actually, it was in front of the prostrate rosemary plants and I think I slipped on their detritus on the asphalt .

Anyway... it will slow us down but a bit!  I'll take lots of ibuprofen and keep it elevated - thanks to all those volunteers who keep us running with and without me! 

I had planned to be gone on Sunday anyway; I'll be out for a minute on Saturday AM to finish off some things I left hanging when I took my header, and I'll be back on regular schedule on Tuesday.  


Last Thursday's pickling didn't happen - I'm hoping we can do it this Thursday - I'm going to try out a new steam canner.   I saw this in operation last Fall and it's the cat's meow because it can do a lot more than just be a canner - and it's stainless steel!  Awesome! 

david

After this was posted, I did get a call from my doctor and the x-rays show no broken bones, just a bad sprain.  Two weeks - or so - in the brace.  Good news!  

Last Class for Victory Gardens This Sunday!

Betty Goldstein (left) and Nancy Mills (center) discuss a point with two of our current crop of Victory Garden students last Sunday.

It's hard to believe that it's already been three meetings and this coming Sunday will be our last class of our Victory Garden Series.  Betty has taught the last two classes and Nancy has been the lead TA for all of them.  Sunday's class will have to choose if they are going to keep meeting and how often.  We hope they will become a core group that is a part of The Learning Garden and our ongoing mission.

david

Earth Day Tours of TLG

Venice High School students work on the presentation table this last Monday...

Because of inclement weather last Thursday, the actual day of Earth Day, tours of the Garden were postponed to this last Monday.  Students from Walgrove Middle School and Beethoven Elementary School came through our Garden and visited a variety of booths that provided information on some environmental challenge faced by our society today:  there was a cloning booth, farm workers booth, plastic bottle booth, composting booth and many, many more.  The visiting students were not only educated by the Venice High School students, there were games to play that reinforced the learning and treats for all visitors.  

It didn't rain on either the real Earth Day or our celebration of Earth Day, but both days were cold and cloudy and rain seemed to be imminent on almost every day between.  

david

Wheelchair Accessible Garden Beds

One of the groups that really make things happen at The Learning Garden is CAA (Creative Artists Agency)!  They come out once a year to celebrate Earth Day - last year they built our iconic grape arbors - this year, LOOK!  Garden beds!  We are really grateful for CAA and their help in making The Learning Garden a more spectacular, and user-friendly garden! 

david