We wrap up another busy week with a pictorial dispatch – highlighting our new grey water project and more!
Goat Walk & Talk
Student working on an profiling some local eco heroes for a NPR radio piece comes along on one of our goat walks. Jordanne shows her some wild edibles that are popping up all over thanks to the wondrous winter rains.
Being interviewed while walking the goats in the lower Arroyo Seco.
Spring Tonic
Nettle goop (read about making your own natural nettle tonic for the garden )
Farmer Justin bucket fertilizes the raised beds with nettle slurry
Chores
First dry week in weeks so time to fluff up the shavings, straw in the animal yard
Shrooms
Farmer Justin latest growing efforts – mushrooms.
Water Reclamation
We have a bonafide grey water system – well, almost!
For decades we always been into recycling grey water – outdoor shower, hand washer on the back porch etc.
I remember hauling 5 gallon buckets out to the house to water the food in the front yard back when we were teenagers in the early 1990’s. But no more bucket hauling or guerrilla grey water set up! The guys have been hard at work installing a system that will reclaim the laundry wash water and send the used water into the garden – underneath a few of the raised beds and also to a few fruit trees.
We are excited because this is another step forward in our sustainable journey.
Farmer Justin morphs into Plumber Justin for the week
Getting there!
Flower Power
Orchids
Pansies
Strawberry blossoms
Borage
Self Watering Containers
Using ollas we make self watering containers. Pick a good deep pot and then stick an olla in the middle – that’s it!
Then plant your seedlings
Olla and tomato pot
Here’s another olla pot surrounded with chard and kale
Spring is Here!
Grow your own, don’t forget to stock up on seeds at our little start up seed company Freedom Seeds – featuring organic, non corporate owned seeds.
Greens Galore!
Salad mix for customers.
We expanded our DerVaes Gardens business to be more csa-like. We are encouraging local residents to come by and support local foods and farms!
If you are interested in receiving a weekly surplus email updates email us at info@dervaesgardens.com
Pea Forest
Justin and the peastalk.
Citrus Delights
Busy Hands
Jordanne knits up some items for friends new baby
Still snoozing? Geez, Fairlight, did we wear you out with all the happenings!
The grey water sounds like a great idea. I’d love to know more about how that works. Do you have a pump that is pumping the water to the raised beds an fruit trees?
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Excellent work on the greywater reclamation. I love all the photos, especially that sleepy Fairlight!
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yeah for your grey water system! Congrats!
Are you growing orchids now? They are lovely.
I ordered some of your Homestead Blessing DVDs, and I just got them! Thanks!
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Lots of good stuff going on at the homestead! The greywater project is very interesting. Could we talk you into a post that describes the basic mechanics of how it works?
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When I taught elementary school in Bellflower back in the 70s we had a small area with farm animals for the students. Over time we had a calf, pig, turkey, chickens, rabbits and a goat. The goat would come visit classrooms, but on the way to lunch it would wait in the hall for the classes to pass by, picking a “lucky” child or two to give a butt. The older kids didn’t mind too much, but my little first graders always wanted to hurry along and maybe skip a turn. I bet you couldn’t do that these days in schools. – Margy
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