Chooks and worms do the bulk of my soil building, but compost can only contain the micronutrients of the ingredients that go into it. Using some ingredients from trees that deep mine subsoil, and some weeds that are dynamic accumulators helps, but the hero for micronutrients is seaweed, and the best way I’ve (yet) discovered to process it is by fermenting.
First pick (of many to come) of Madagascar beans for storage. In my subtropical climate, I’m looking at bananas (including plantain), cassava, taro, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, yams and beans as storable calories, and these Madagascar beans look like becoming a mainstay of the system.
I think this is our fourth bunch of bananas in the new house, in three years. And there’s another three coming on, another Ladyfinger and two huge Cavendish bunches. I suspect bananas will make it onto the list of staples in this climate.
One day, our grandchildren will be cursing us for the microplastic s in their eggs and vegetables, in the same way way and just as vehemently as we curse our grandparents for the lead. And just like them, we, know, but we don’t want to know.
The biggest (by far) mistake that I see beginner food gardeners make is underestimating the payoff you get for soil building. Water, sun, the right plant for the season, heritage varieties, pest predators – they are all important, but nothing gives you more harvest for effort than building soil.
One of the very pleasant surprises of living in suburbia is just how abundant sources of organic matter for turning into soil are. One of the very pleasant surprises of living in suburbia is just how abundant sources of organic matter for turning into soil are. Maybe that will change as the need for food security accelerates, but for the moment, nobody else seems to be chasing kitchen scraps, greengrocer…
Watching chooks in a dustbath is a bit like watching geese in a dam – they enjoy it so much.