#6 - 13 in 13 - Gardening

Planting Bed #1

Hello again, this post will help document the start of my Gardening skill. I am mimicking Ecology Action's Bio-Intensive Gardening methods. Where you prepare beds by Double Digging them. They do not use the long row approach that you might be used to. They prepare 100 square foot - 5'x20' Beds instead.

What you see in the picture above is Planting Bed #1. I have outlined a 100 s.f. - 5'x20' Bed, and using a Broadfork (pictured below), I first began to break up the soil. The Broadfork has 5 - 12" tines. It is used to sink into the earth and aerate the soil.

I used this approach because this was the first time for preparing the beds. After this intial preparation, I will be able to much more easily Double Dig the beds in the future.

The picture above shows a different angle.

The picture above and below shows the completed bed. Broadforked only.

Let me tell you that this is alot easier after a good rain. The Double Digging is way harder.

The picture above shows both beds Broadforked only. A view from the North. I did this in September 2012. For some reason I can not locate my pics of the beds when they were Double Dug. They would appear as if someone made a mound. Check the Bio-Intensive method out for a really good tutorial. Double Digging was really hard for me because my land has alot of clay. Everytime I would begin the second 12 inches with the Digging Fork, it felt like I was trying to go through concrete! I almost quit, but didn't. And I'm glad I didn't. Because once you Double Dig, you really wont have to do it again for a long time.



On a side note...If you are looking for Raw Honey, the kind that Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy use in their Med Kit. Or if you need it for your 72 hour Kit, in that squeezable pouch, go to The Honey Company

#5 - 13 in 13 - Composting

Composting is the most important part of any gardening endever. It is magical. Ok bad description of what Compost really is. It is Mother Nature's way of taking what most would consider waste, and reobsorbing it into itself, and turning it into soil that is alive. Any orgainc matter that was once alive, will break down or decompose into  Compost. Leaves, newspaper, and kitchen scraps to name a few things. Compost happens on its own really. If you leave a pile of leaves in the corner of your yard, it will decompose eventually.

Making Compost can be as simple as piling up leaves and grass clippings, and then forgetting about it. Or it can be something you consciously think about and design. For example, the picture above shows two Compost piles I started. The one on the right I started in the Fall of 2011. I just piled up leaves, grass clippings and top soil. It is now December 2012. And so, it has been breaking down for over a year now. The pile on the left was mainly started in October, with a mixture of leaves, grass, top soil and remnants from the summer garden (tomato plants, pepper plants, etc.). I filled it up to the beginning of the white part of the "T-post". As you can see, it is already almost half way down.

I used 6 "T-posts" and wire mesh to construct my Compost Bin. I took the cheap route, probably cost around 50 dollars. I wanted there to be enough surface space for oxygen to penetrate the material breaking down. 

The picture above shows a hand full of the Compost from the pile on the right. You can see how black it is, what people call black gold in soil amendments. I believe that by Spring, it will be ready. I forgot to mention that water is important to the breaking down of the materials. You need to keep the pile moist so that the microbials can do their job. Or else the breaking down will stop. Once the materials in your Compost pile are unrecognizable, your Compost is ready to use.

A better example of putting together a Compost can be found at Ecology Actions' website. I don't have the videos here because I want you to check them out and see what Bio-Intensive Gardening is all about.

The picture above shows bags of leaves I've collected from other people. Thses bags are destined to go to the landfill. I consider that a huge waste of a resource. I just drive around sometimes and look to see who has bagged their leaves. I stop and pick-up these bags and say "Thank you Zombies"! Because clearly they are still "Conected to the Matrix", and are producing nothing for themselves. Sorry, now I'm going into a rant. Anyway the bags of leaves will go into my Compost making here at the "Home" and at the "Homestead".

Again I can not state the importance of Composting. If you want to build your soil, and you need to, then learn this skill. You wont need any other fertilizer, unless you want to use Seaweed and Liquid Fish.The minute I can apply this amendment to my Garden in Spring, I will consider this skill complete for my 13 in 13.



On a side note...Soundgarden is back! Love this new album. I recommend this album if you are a fan of this band. I consider Chris Cornell to be one of the best vocalist around.

#4 - The Zombie Apocalypse

It's coming! Are you prepared? I know what you're thinking. This idiot thinks "Zombies" are real. Now I know that "Zombies" as George Romero movies, (Dawn of the Dead) depict are not real. I'm thinking of a different "Zombie".

For an example, lets take the meth-head. What do you think that "Zombie" will do to get its fix? The persons on "State" programs when those programs fail. Where do you thick those "Zombies" will go when they're hungry? To your front door, maybe?

My daughters often ask me why I'm doing the things I'm doing. I answer them because "The Zombie Apocalypse" is coming. Its a term you'll see me use on occasion.

When systems of support fail or "State" programs fail you. Because believe me they will. The "Ponzi Scheme" the "State" is running can not last. It's mathematically impossible that it can continue. Your law abiding citizens will turn to "Zombies".

Let me ask you a question. If you lose your job and could not feed your family. Is there anything you wouldn't do to feed them? Lets say all your options are exhausted. There isn't any work and the only thing you can do is take from someone else. You are a "Zombie" to me.

The reason I try to prepare for a cataclysmic event such as losing my job, is so I don't become a "Zombie". The reason I want to grow my own food, etc. In any case, there's nothing wrong with learning to be self reliant and self-sufficient.



On a side note...If I get Murdered in the City. I love, love, love these guys, The Avett Brothers. Check them out.

#3 - 13 in 13

I'm excited about this website. 13skills.com The objective is to develope 13 skills in 2013. I have so far only picked out 5 skills, I believe. They mainly have to do with food production. This is an important set of goals for me. I believe being able to grow your own food will be crucial.

1. Composting
2. Permaculture Design
3. Recycling
4. Gardening
5. Fire Making

I'm planning on adding Canning, Concealed Weapons Permit, Food Storage, Aquaponics to name a few.

These are personal goals, so I will use this blog as a way to keep a record of my progress. They also fall in line with my desire to learn and gain knowledge that was taken for granted by our fathers and their fathers before them.

Please let me know what skills you plan on developing and lets discuss.


On a side note... I love the new Aerosmith record, 'Music From Another Dimension'. I especially love the red vinyl, it's cool! Aerosmith is the greatest American Band! It's always good the hear Joe Perry and Brad Whitford on guitar.

#2 - Libertarianism

This blog is my documentation and progress of my own individual secession from the status quo. I am a one man revolution against the current "American Dream", which I believe is a lie. I arm myself not with guns, but with a broadfork and a packet of seeds (open pollinated, non-GMO of course).

I invite anyone of my friends to take up arms with me. Arm yourself with a chicken, goat or milk cow. Build a Tiny House on wheels and join me as we plant with the phases of the moon.

I was set upon this path to liberty by accident. In the recession of 2008, the company I worked for, laid-off half its employees and cut my wage and my hours. I tried looking for another job, but since the housing market was hit so hard and was what drove my industry, I could not find one. I panicked. How could I care for my family if I lost my job? I looked at my situation and realized I was fracked if I didn't do something. After thoughts of changing careers, I decided to start a garden in the meantime. Which lead me to researching and learning anything I could about gardening on the internet and books.

Gardening lead to Permaculture and Bio-Dynamic Gardening, which I will do my best to practice. I accidentally discovered The Survival Podcast, with a community of like minded people who also are living the dream.

And this is the beginning of my liberation. I believe I should be able to live as a free man. That every individual should have the same freedoms as the next man/woman. And I don't care where the person lives. It could be America or it could be Mars. That some animals are NOT more equal than others.


On a side note...I'm excited about the reissue of the Beatles catalog being released on vinyl. I have acquired a few copies and the sound is incredible. The source is from the 2009 digital format using 24-bit/192 kHz resolution, but not compressed.

#1 - Only The Beginning...

Hello all, this is my first post (random thoughts from a madman). This blog is my attempt to document my journey into living the dream. What dream might you ask? The dream of creating a "Homestead". And of becoming self reliant and as self-sufficient as I can be. In other words, the path to "Liberty".The journey will be hard and will take time to acheive. I'm sure many mistakes will be made. But hopefully others will learn from my mistakes.

I have alot to learn I know, so I hope some of you will offer advice and suggestions. Although I know what works for some, might not work for me.

On a side note...it's about time Rush made it into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame!