Potato harvest #2

Latest harvest. These guys are all second generation red fingerlings- saved the lil ones from last year - or store bought that we forgot to eat. 

Compost, compost, and more compost

Here it is...what you've all "bin" waiting for - the official Pikeuliar Composting system.

Bin #1: Large Browns- twigs, whole leaves, branches, english ivy, and the occasional dead bird. Someday, I'll dig in here and find lots of delicious compost at the bottom...maybe. I do know that all the twigs and leaves I put in here seem to cook down after a while. Whetever I find down there will either go directly to the garden, or into bins #3 and #4 - see below.

Bin #2: fine browns- ground up leaves mostly. Most will go into #3 & #4. Some will go directly into the beds.

Bins #3 and #4: The Twin Sisters! - kitchen waste, fine browns, and dirt

Composting as Imperialism: Stolen Dirt

This pineapple is from Costa Rica. Got me thinking about how much of my composting material comes from the Southern Hemisphere and how I am basically transferring fertile soil from 3rd world nations to my back yard in the same way that imperialists have stolen resources for centuries. Hmmmm... Stolen dirt. Ok, so right now you are thinking - this guy's nuts! And you might be right, but...let's think about it anyway. How many billions of pounds of Starbucks coffee grounds are sent to the US and Europe each year? And that is just one company...and just one product. Now think about all the bananas, apples, everything that is sent north from southern hemispheric countries. Yup - systematic soil transfer - south to north. Could be the biggest undiscussed exploitation going on right now. 

Tomatoes

Fire engine is there for scale. I've realized that if you are serious about tomatoes in this area you need a squirrel net.

Giant Slugs!

Found em under a board. In the olden times, I woulda killed em. Now... Just turned em loose. If you get that big n old you deserve a little consideration.

Mantis in the Lemonbalm

Lemon balm is supposedly good to have around the garden. Here is some evidence to support that notion.