So here is to the rain!!! Thank you rain for making my plants grow. You came just in time to enable the planting of freshly bought trees. I'll give a more extensive overview of what is being planted, pictures included later on, as all hasn't been finished yet.
But the general outline is that of a food forest, with different gradations in tree size, almost all bearing fruits. Some as a natural pest deterrent, often combined with medicinal properties.
In the shade circles of these trees, smaller plants, herbs, vegetables will be grown.
For this I need to mulch. After being unable to find rice straw and not being too willing to part with more of my money to purchase it the other side of town, I have decided to grow and collect it myself.
Chop and drop they call it in permaculture, basically what is says, grow it, chop it and drop it. This material desintegrates and creates soil.
In one year total duration of working on the garden, it will be something that produces food for my extended family, 6 people. In 3 years, with the trees coming into fruition, it will provide so much we'll have to sell it off or make by products and sell those.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
I'm back on track part 4
Final installment.
The chicken house that was built and will be coated with an organic termite protection soon.
I have tried small chicken tractors, which on their own were ok, but due to the underdevelopment of existing trees and the size of the newly planted one's, there isn't enough shade to offer the chickens.
Also, a 1 rai garden with young vegetables growing is not suitable for free ranging as they will go for the young seedlings, regardless of how much grain you feed them extra.
So I have opted for a chicken coop with natural bedding of rice husk and katin(Leucaena sp.) leaves.
No rice straw as this attracts bugs. As the bedding gets enriched with chicken manure, this will be cleaned and used for the garden, refilling the new one at the same time.
This is the result of the chicken tractor coops. They were the traditional thai bamboo hoops covered with shade cloth. As you can see the grass has been taken out by the chickens, the soil enriched and loosened. The remnants of the grain mix I fed them is now growing wild, which will lead to more free food for them. Pretty close to the ideal and original idea of chicken (c/p)oop gardening, I love it!!!
A raised, mulched bed that is starting to produce and look good. Chinese spinach on the bed with pumpkins in the back, interplanted with a local marigold for pest control. We have harvested this bed of seedlings several times already. Every time we take out the biggest plants and eat them, the surrounding smaller plants gain a bit of size and are ready to harvest again. We'll let some of them go to seed and see if they spontaneously reseed themselves.
I had to show some beauty as well, in the form of a lotus flower.
A little hope for the future, young papaya seedling doing well!!!
The chicken house that was built and will be coated with an organic termite protection soon.
I have tried small chicken tractors, which on their own were ok, but due to the underdevelopment of existing trees and the size of the newly planted one's, there isn't enough shade to offer the chickens.
Also, a 1 rai garden with young vegetables growing is not suitable for free ranging as they will go for the young seedlings, regardless of how much grain you feed them extra.
So I have opted for a chicken coop with natural bedding of rice husk and katin(Leucaena sp.) leaves.
No rice straw as this attracts bugs. As the bedding gets enriched with chicken manure, this will be cleaned and used for the garden, refilling the new one at the same time.
This is the result of the chicken tractor coops. They were the traditional thai bamboo hoops covered with shade cloth. As you can see the grass has been taken out by the chickens, the soil enriched and loosened. The remnants of the grain mix I fed them is now growing wild, which will lead to more free food for them. Pretty close to the ideal and original idea of chicken (c/p)oop gardening, I love it!!!
A raised, mulched bed that is starting to produce and look good. Chinese spinach on the bed with pumpkins in the back, interplanted with a local marigold for pest control. We have harvested this bed of seedlings several times already. Every time we take out the biggest plants and eat them, the surrounding smaller plants gain a bit of size and are ready to harvest again. We'll let some of them go to seed and see if they spontaneously reseed themselves.
I had to show some beauty as well, in the form of a lotus flower.
A little hope for the future, young papaya seedling doing well!!!
I'm back on track part 3
Ok, another installment.
This is what this country is about at times, chilli, the spicier the better. This one is the small variety of prik kii nuu, the rat droppings chilli, such a lovely name right? Note to self, making detailed pictures of these flowers lying flat on the garden soil at 7 30 AM is not good for my back...
All in all plants aren't higher or wider than 20 cm. Loads of small 2cm fruits, here not visible as they were harvested just yesterday, but loads of unripe fruit and flowers, so there is more to come. Excellent pest deterrant, the bugs hate this plant.
Maroom, Moringa sp. What is there to say that hasn't been said already, you can eat everything from this tree and it is sooo healthy you wouldn't believe it. I refer to the wikipedia article written about it, please check there for more info. A small fact, this is the ideal vegetarian protein replacement, as the leaves have as much proteint content as a chicken egg based on weight comparison. 100 grams of Moringa leaves or 100 grams of chicken egg has the same content in protein.... And wait, the best part has yet to come, when stewed, the leaves taste a bit like chicken!!!
Anyone knows the scientific name for this one let me know. It is called saleeh in Thai, I bought it on the local farmers market in HangDong. It is grown for the small flower clusters that come out of the stem, which are harvested and eaten raw or prepared. It is growing so amazingly well, 1 meter of branching and leaves in under 2 months.
Papaya plant which is doing great. It was planted by my boyfriend's grandmother, at the age of 95 years old still working in the garden!!! This is a variety from Pichit with heavily dentated leaves and a more clumping style of growing, not going too tall. Cucumbers growing up in the back.
Mango mangifera, Mangooooo!!! This is mat muang (mango) kiew sawoey, almost ready to harvest. A big clump of fruits on this one branch, that is now supported by a big stick yet still dangerously hanging low from all the weight.
This is what this country is about at times, chilli, the spicier the better. This one is the small variety of prik kii nuu, the rat droppings chilli, such a lovely name right? Note to self, making detailed pictures of these flowers lying flat on the garden soil at 7 30 AM is not good for my back...
All in all plants aren't higher or wider than 20 cm. Loads of small 2cm fruits, here not visible as they were harvested just yesterday, but loads of unripe fruit and flowers, so there is more to come. Excellent pest deterrant, the bugs hate this plant.
Maroom, Moringa sp. What is there to say that hasn't been said already, you can eat everything from this tree and it is sooo healthy you wouldn't believe it. I refer to the wikipedia article written about it, please check there for more info. A small fact, this is the ideal vegetarian protein replacement, as the leaves have as much proteint content as a chicken egg based on weight comparison. 100 grams of Moringa leaves or 100 grams of chicken egg has the same content in protein.... And wait, the best part has yet to come, when stewed, the leaves taste a bit like chicken!!!
Anyone knows the scientific name for this one let me know. It is called saleeh in Thai, I bought it on the local farmers market in HangDong. It is grown for the small flower clusters that come out of the stem, which are harvested and eaten raw or prepared. It is growing so amazingly well, 1 meter of branching and leaves in under 2 months.
Papaya plant which is doing great. It was planted by my boyfriend's grandmother, at the age of 95 years old still working in the garden!!! This is a variety from Pichit with heavily dentated leaves and a more clumping style of growing, not going too tall. Cucumbers growing up in the back.
I'm back on track part 2
As my internet connection is having after Songkran cramps, I will have to attempt several times.
Here goes part 2.
Flowers of the black bean which did so poorly for a long time, but now they are picking up, 3 small harvests down the road, new flowers are appearing.
Sesbania grandiflora or dok kae in Thai. Edible flowers, lovely fast growing shade tree. Pollination mainly done by birds, so a nice addition to the food forest and natural pest control through the bird population. It grew from 15 cm to 1meter tall in under 4 months.
Dok anchan or butterfly pea, Clitoria ternatea. The most stunning blue I've ever seen on a flower. And the lemonade from the flowers tastes delicious too!!!
Solanum torvum, pea eggplant or Turkey berry, in Thai makua puong. Easy to grow, easy to harvest. I spared myself the pain of thorns under the leaves and just below the fruits by acquiring a thornless variety. Flowering now and growing well, fruit coming soon I'm sure.
Vinga unquiculata subsp. sesquipedalis... a long name for a long bean, yardlong beans. Lovely example of how they grow with 2 beans almost ready for harvest and a new flower poking out at the top. Don't let these guys grow too high or you might find yourself hanging from a tree to harvest a pair of beans. Grew fast, faster, fastest but took a looong time to start flowering. But once they've started... my goodness, it doesn't end, we eat them every day now.
Here goes part 2.
Flowers of the black bean which did so poorly for a long time, but now they are picking up, 3 small harvests down the road, new flowers are appearing.
Sesbania grandiflora or dok kae in Thai. Edible flowers, lovely fast growing shade tree. Pollination mainly done by birds, so a nice addition to the food forest and natural pest control through the bird population. It grew from 15 cm to 1meter tall in under 4 months.
Dok anchan or butterfly pea, Clitoria ternatea. The most stunning blue I've ever seen on a flower. And the lemonade from the flowers tastes delicious too!!!
Solanum torvum, pea eggplant or Turkey berry, in Thai makua puong. Easy to grow, easy to harvest. I spared myself the pain of thorns under the leaves and just below the fruits by acquiring a thornless variety. Flowering now and growing well, fruit coming soon I'm sure.
Vinga unquiculata subsp. sesquipedalis... a long name for a long bean, yardlong beans. Lovely example of how they grow with 2 beans almost ready for harvest and a new flower poking out at the top. Don't let these guys grow too high or you might find yourself hanging from a tree to harvest a pair of beans. Grew fast, faster, fastest but took a looong time to start flowering. But once they've started... my goodness, it doesn't end, we eat them every day now.
I'm back on track!!!
It took me some time to get back on track with the garden project, especially documenting it.
During my stay in Belgium my mother passed away at the age of 63, rather unexpectedly. Love you mama.
So, gardening, everything is moderately growing well, seeing that this still is the dry season and I try not to water more than absolutely necessary.
I have taken some pictures during my tour around the garden 7 30AM and will post them here to explain a bit of philosophy regarding some things, as well as to show of the simple beauty of nature.
Enjoy guys, and don't forget, if any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Magnolia x alba, the white hybrid of Magnolia(Michelia) champaca. Bought these trees as the lovely smell attracts a lot of bees, a good pollination asset for the future food forest.
I just had to show of this beauty. My white frangipane tree, the only one of 3 with big flowers. This is just one clump, there are over a hundred of these and bigger now on a tree twice my height and about as wide in all directions.
Jackbean, thanks to Jeff Rutherford at Fair Earth Farm for the lovely seeds. They are doing well under the trees, where they have been planted as an initial nitrogen fixator for the already existing trees in the garden. As these produce seeds, they will be repopulating other areas in the garden, the plants will be mulched at the bottom of the trees.
During my stay in Belgium my mother passed away at the age of 63, rather unexpectedly. Love you mama.
So, gardening, everything is moderately growing well, seeing that this still is the dry season and I try not to water more than absolutely necessary.
I have taken some pictures during my tour around the garden 7 30AM and will post them here to explain a bit of philosophy regarding some things, as well as to show of the simple beauty of nature.
Enjoy guys, and don't forget, if any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Magnolia x alba, the white hybrid of Magnolia(Michelia) champaca. Bought these trees as the lovely smell attracts a lot of bees, a good pollination asset for the future food forest.
I just had to show of this beauty. My white frangipane tree, the only one of 3 with big flowers. This is just one clump, there are over a hundred of these and bigger now on a tree twice my height and about as wide in all directions.
Jackbean, thanks to Jeff Rutherford at Fair Earth Farm for the lovely seeds. They are doing well under the trees, where they have been planted as an initial nitrogen fixator for the already existing trees in the garden. As these produce seeds, they will be repopulating other areas in the garden, the plants will be mulched at the bottom of the trees.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Growing update
As I am currently staying in Belgium a bit longer for personal reasons, my lovely boyfriend is taking care of things, and he's doing a great job.
Here are some updated pictures of stuff growing well, long beans going up, prik noom setting fruit and very rare purple winged bean(only the bean is purple).
Here are some updated pictures of stuff growing well, long beans going up, prik noom setting fruit and very rare purple winged bean(only the bean is purple).
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Just as I was thinking of writing a social critique on my lovely Belgium and its insane economic measures, someone posted this on Facebook. So I gladly quote.
When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion - when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing - when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors - when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don't protect you against them, but protect them against you - when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice - you may know that your society is doomed.
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Ayn Rand (1905-1982) Author Source: Atlas Shrugged, Francisco's "Money Speech"
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Ayn Rand (1905-1982) Author Source: Atlas Shrugged, Francisco's "Money Speech"
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