Celebrating Water

"Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all." -Nelson Mandela

Happy World Water Day! March 22

People are celebrating all over the world, and there's much to be thankful for, whether for abundance or drought, storms or peaceful streams. Though 2.1 billion people live without clean drinking water [3], some of us (Seattle!) are fortunate to have relatively clean watersheds that reportedly don't need treatment [2].

How do I begin talking about something so essential or consequential as water? Wisdom tells us to begin where we are. Well my hometown is Seattle, WA, and despite having lived nearly 30 years of my life there I am amazed at how much I am still learning. I've always been under the impression that we are lucky in the Pacific Northwest--Seattle being the largest city--for how clean and delicious our water is. Now the older I get the more I learn about the effects of pollution, ecosystem damage, climate change, increasing population, water treatment--and the more water becomes one of the greatest treasures. It is kin to my life blood (after all, perhaps 55-60% of my body is made of water). Yet how wise is my relationship to water?

My personal water history: Seattle Public Utilities supplies water from the Cedar River and South Fork Tolt River watersheds. I estimate that I've lived in 15 different homes in Seattle and have visited 5 times that number to spend time with friends or acquaintances. Depending on my "needs", I have accessed water: to drink straight tap water, boil water for cooking or tea, draw a bath or shower, wash dishes, or run the washing machine. Virtually none of these homes I have visited have utilized greywater systems (I've heard Seattle municipal codes make it illegal to install such systems). Of the different garden irrigation systems I've worked with, both overhead and drip are common, which are generously used during our Mediterranean summers in order to maintain thirsty ornamentals. In fact from May to September it's estimated that up to 45% of our water resources go toward maintaining lawns and gardens [4]. I've truthfully contributed to this figure by not intentionally installing water-wise or drought tolerant plants. Also I will admit: sure, Seattle doesn't encourage graywater systems, yet I also haven't endeavored to develop DIY systems, so I too waste water, in order to clean my body, dishware and clothing. I also don't typically utilize additional filtering so I am likely harming my body with city-supplied treated water (as clean as it comparatively is). 

My story may be very similar to my neighbors; multiply my usage, and consider our population of 700,000+ people and we can barely begin to think about how much water we are using (or wasting) on a daily basis. Though we have issues with water usage and efficiency based on our current city-wide pipe system designs -- we are probably doing better than many other areas in the country (although some cities like Long Beach and Berkeley have been working to develop graywater systems as a response to long-standing drought problems--we should be following suit). Even though we are fortunate in our area to have an abundance of clean water--we need to think more long term and start planning, and making changes to increase our efficiency of water usage in order to preserve water as a resource in the long term. Today Seattle Public Utilities claims to provide 140 million gallons of water/day to 1.4 million people. That means we are each using 100 gallons of water/day. Does that number surprise you?

But let me back up a little; the way water moves into our city from our watersheds is an interesting story. I mentioned the two watersheds we pull from: Cedar and Tolt Rivers. Cedar River Watershed encompasses 90,638 acres of forestland and delivers 70% of our water; Tolt River supplies the other 30% [1]. Think about all the plant life our water is cycling through, and consider that natural system of filtration (can we mimic this natural system within the city with more financial investment? What's stopping us?) Additionally, the glacial moraine (soil left from glaciers) is a powerful enough filtration system that SPU does not need to filter the water (they claim they're only 1 in 6 major drinking-water systems in the country able to achieve this--perhaps demonstrating how lucky we are[1]). However, SPU does operate two treatment facilities, so they can control the taste and odor of our drinking water, while upholding health code standards--so they do treat it.

Anyway about the movement of water. Melting snow and rain collect and store in Chester Morse Lake and Masonry Pool reservoirs created by the Masonry dam (a little bit east of Iron Horse State Park). The water is conveyed into the Cedar Falls hydroelectric power plant, then released back into the river, flowing to the Landsburg dam. Here the water is diverted into two large pipelines, one that goes seven miles to Lake Youngs in Renton, and eventually pumped to the Cedar River Treatment Facility. The Tolt River is held in the Tolt Reservoir and is also channeled into a hydroelectric facility, where it is held in a regulating basin, then gravity fed into the Tolt Treatment Facility. From both treatment facilities, water is conveyed through "transmission mains" (sometimes as wide as 8' in diameter!), which eventually flow into smaller pipelines, storage tanks and reservoirs in the City and surrounding areas. This grid of pipelines is said to be 1,700 miles in all [1]. Our water goes through a lot to get to us!

Returning to the question of our collective water usage. What exactly is our 100 gallons/water/day/person being used for? And do we want to continue to be so reliant on  city water? These questions have been addressed by Seattle's Rain Garden Rain-Wise Program, with regards to stormwater management. The down side to our abundance is the tendency for oversaturation during winter months: when rain hits a large surface area of cement it runs off into our sewer systems. When our sewer systems overflow, they must open emergency pipelines that inadvertently allow raw sewage to be released into the Puget Sound. Today, 100 million gallons a year of polluted stormwater are managed through Green Infrastructure methods including rain gardens. But if you think about it, each person is theoretically consuming 100 million gallons a day, so really, the amount of stormwater being soundly managed is insignificant! But it's at least a step. Stormwater management is one part of wise use of water resources. If we can begin to develop more greenwater infrastructure, utilize graywater, and increase the amount of water collected and stored on individual housing plots, we might be able to reduce the 100/gallons/day/person usage. We also need to clearly discern where all those 100 gallons/day are going because it's definitely not to individual users (though we are all benefiting); most is likely going to businesses, industry and and so on. We need to clarify who is using what, and how much, and not place too much responsibility on individual householders.

But we can each play a part. For starters Seattle Public Utilities lists strategies for water conservation on their website indoors and outside [5]. When you look at their suggestions you might think they are not suggesting enough (as I do) and then you might follow the link to the Saving Water Partnership [6], where you can find more detail including rebates you might be incentivized by. Even on their website they still don't address water catchment and storage on small scales (mulching and planting at the right time is great and all, but what about all the run-off?). Do we really need to place so much emphasis on individual home practices for water conservation? How much of a dent in total water usage will that make? Again, who or what corporations are the largest offenders and how do we bring accountability into the picture?

But whatever, again, we can only begin from where we are (and control what we can control). From a permaculture perspective there is a lot we can do to conserve water around our individual homes and therefore influence healthier patterns of water usage on a larger scale. Something fun to do: search online for a contour map of your neighborhood, or Seattle at large, and determine what the existing drainage patterns may be. You can determine what the elevation is, look at soil maps to determine how fast or slow the drainage might be (ex. water moves slow through clay). Walk around your home and note where all the cement is, how much plant cover there is, where natural slopes are existing. You could even sketch up your own map depicting all of that, and begin to surmise how water is moving through your landscape, and if you can slow it down (reducing run off), and retain or catch water for storage during the dry summer months. If you are a keen gardener you might be attracted to the idea of thereby needing less irrigation (in addition to choosing the right plants). Check out the Rainwise Program for more ideas.

Why should we care about reducing our water consumption, reducing run-off, or maintaining clean water? Sometimes it seems that the argument of preserving resources for future generations isn't enough of a motivator. When we are just trying to take care of ourselves (oh those nice bubble baths) in an ever toxic world, we forget that we are causing more problems for ourselves in the future by not addressing real concerns. It's really difficult to visualize the state of our world 10-20 years from now, and we fear it's not pretty, and it's easier to let other trained people take care of it. Meanwhile we are complicit using 100/gallons/water/day/person while raw sewage and other pollutants run off into our Puget Sound. Let's not forget this is happening everyday and that we can make different choices.

Let me return to the quotation at the beginning of this post. We can rest in a certain amount of trust that Nature will take care of itself, within its own natural systems, and through negative feedback loops. But we can make things easier for ourselves collectively by making sure to conserve resources for ourselves, and future generations, while sharing resources fairly. Obviously this is an ideal, and our realities today do not measure up. But if we keep the ideal in mind and hold fast to creating cleaner water across the planet, the world will definitely be a better place! This is just the beginning of a conversation; let's talk!

Works Cited
[1] "Water System Overview." Seattle Public Utilities. Web. March 22, 2018. https://www.seattle.gov/util/MyServices/Water/WaterSystemOverview/index.htm
[2] "Watershed Protection." Seattle Public Utilities. Web. March 22, 2018. https://www.seattle.gov/util/MyServices/Water/WaterSystemOverview/CedarTreatmentFacility/WatershedProtection/index.htm
[3] "The Answer is in Nature." World Water Day 2018. Web. March 22, 2018. http://worldwaterday.org/
[4] "Third-Tier Water Rates." Seattle Public Utilities. Web. March 22, 2018. http://www.seattle.gov/util/MyServices/Water/WaterRates/ThirdTierWaterRates/index.htm
[5] "Reduce Water Use." Seattle Public Utilities. Web. March 22, 2018. http://www.seattle.gov/util/EnvironmentConservation/MyHome/ReduceWaterUse/index.htm
[6] "Rebates." Saving Water Partnership.Web. March 22, 2018. https://www.savingwater.org/

Soil & Climate Change Mitigation

Author's comment: It's amazing how far I've come in understanding soil science since I first started asking questions in 2012. See blog posts here and here. At the time I was caretaking a couple garden spaces, and little did I know the soils were actually in decent shape (thanks to the efforts of former gardeners). Also six years ago I wasn't making the connection between soil building practices and climate change, nor was I aware of our rapidly depleting top soils. A few years later I was gardening in a newly tilled area with no soil building at all--a great demonstration of the effects of urban development on Seattle Soils. See that blog post here. Fortunately at the time I was in the middle of a "Soils" class so was able to interpret the results of the test. Still I wasn't thinking in terms of climate change mitigation; I'm not sure why but it seems hard to talk about it. In my current garden in West Seattle, I haven't actually taken any soil tests yet. Just by looking at the health of the plants and the color of the soil I am able to determine it's in pretty good form. Of course, soil testing would reveal the fascinating chemistry within it--but it's not the right time of year to yield the best results. So I'll wait for now. And keep building the soil. And researching.

I've been gardening in West Seattle for just over a year. There are some peculiarities about this space, including that it sits in a ravine at the base of High Point, so gets part sun much of the year, and is in a bit of a frost pocket. When I first moved in I noticed a lot of the soil was sandy, which surprised me due to Seattle Soil's reputation of being clay/acid. Which was a good reminder of how much variation exists in any area.  Based on what I learned in the "Soils" class I was aware of soil building practices I could do to remediate the sandy soil, so I focused on that immediately. A couple months ago, I was transplanting some materials and noticed what a year's worth of soil building had given my garden at Tim's. I was so excited I posted a photo on my Instagram:

This gave me a lot of encouragement that with thoughtful effort, I can influence the health of soil in whatever garden spaces I am working in. Almost two years ago I took a "Soils" class at a community college, which opened my eyes to soil structure, chemistry and the formation of tilth. I couldn't believe I had been gardening all those years without this basic knowledge. I've now been coming to learn how the health of plants really begins in the foundation of soil science. However since this field is always changing with new research, I've committed to continuing my education for life on this particular topic, while investigating the microclimates I am working in. In addition, there is the issue  of climate change and how it will influence soil science in the time to come.

Next month, I am moving again--onto a farm on the Olympia Peninsula, and I've been told by the farmers they are working with peat soils. I know very little about this type of soil so in preparation, I've decided to do some research. All I remembered from my "Soils" class was that peat is a carbon sink with a ton of organic matter and poor drainage. Upon learning there are peat soils at this particular farm, a question immediately arose in my mind: should we be digging up peat soils? In the face of climate change--shouldn't we be preserving peat lands wherever they exist? I will begin answering this question only as I start working on this farm, I'm sure.

Peat soils are called "Histosols" per their taxonomy. Here is a nice map of histosols in the U.S. created by the NRCS:

This map suggests to me that the Pacific Northwest is not a region where histosols are usually found. So if we have them in our area, they are probably in little pockets. Also from this map we can observe the percent of histosols in general is very small! According to Soil Society of America, histosols make up only 1% of the world's glacial-free land surface, which makes them very special. International Peatland Society says they make up 3%--but either way it's still a very small amount. IPS believes for the sake of mitigating climate change that peatlands must be properly managed to avoid increasing greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, etc) and compaction (caused by changing hydrology patterns), while increasing carbon sequestration. I couldn't agree more! I am not sure how to pose this conversation with the farmers but perhaps I can casually bring it up sometime while working in the field.

There is a really nice article in Permaculture News that discusses peat soils (read here). I am not sure what percent of peat this farmland is where I will be working, but I'm assuming the farmers lean more in the direction of realizing their economic benefits--as we've had very little discussion of permaculture practices thus far. I do know they haven't formerly drained their land, so it's possible the percent of peat is not super high--otherwise they wouldn't be able to produce their vegetables (due to anaerobic conditions). And I must also acknowledge the farmers are simultaneously practicing some conservation to maintain natural habitat, particularly along the waterways, and the area for vegetable cultivation is only around an acre (not including pastured animals). I am definitely not trying to imply the farmers are disturbing their peat soils, just that it's possible some of their practices might benefit from shifting into more of a permaculture framework.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recommends "paludiculture" practices, which work within the constraints of the peat microclimate. Without disturbing natural hydrology, you can cultivate crops more appropriate for that setting. The FAO also suggests various fodder crops, wood (trees that can tolerate high saturation) and food crops including aronia berry, lotus, cranberry, water chestnut and wild rice. From my perspective this particular bit of land  might provide a great educational opportunity for people in the area on peat soils and paludiculture. In fact the farmers might be able to work with a conservation district or WSU to conduct research, and they could provide workshops on permaculture and paludiculture--peatland restoration and cultivation--for the sake of climate change mitigation. We certainly could use more organizations in the area that are directly tackling issues on climate change. 

Permaculture for Tim!

Now that I have lived in Tim's home for about a year, I am trying to apply permaculture principles to a larger site design. I've had a chance to observe sun and wind patterns and feel a tiny bit more confident about what is possible for Tim's property. The easiest will be the front yard garden, which I will call Zone 1. In October 2016, we started gardening in the front yard - tilling up the lawn, laying down manure and straw, and clearing out blackberry roots (I wish I had a photo from "Before"!). Here is a photo from last winter:

Over  the past year I put in edibles & ornamental perennials (donated), annuals and one fig tree. There are power lines overhead most of the yard so I had to place it carefully. Also, I tried to choose plants according to Tim's taste, and always checked in beforehand. He gave me a lot of freedom. It's amazing how after a little soil building, and making do with many donated plants and seeds, the front yard became this:

So here is our starting point for thinking about a larger permaculture design for the property. While considering Tim's personality and likely maintenance habits and goals, it's important to honor all the human elements: the house/deck, fire pit, batting cage, mother-in-law apartment and power lines -- all Zone 0. Designing sensible access around all of these will be critical, and minimizing high maintenance areas means all cultivated areas in the front yard -including just outside the fence and a small street garden- will be Zone 1. Everything else will be Zone 2. Here is a rough map (based on Google Earth image):

In this map I tried to clearly mark all the human elements (Zone 0: purple) and pathways. I wanted to place all cultivated areas into Zone 1 (green) to keep them under the scope of ongoing maintenance. They need to be properly cared for before more can be introduced; the greatest challenge will be keeping invasive weeds under control in most of Zone 2 (white). For example the south facing fence line of Tim's property has a terrible English Ivy problem, and the north-west facing portions of Zone 2 have a Himalayan blackberry battle. Zone 2 also contains new plantings like elderberry, bay tree, western red cedar and limber pine that will need a little bit of maintenance and a watchful eye. Caring for Zone 2 is essentially invasive weed management so that new plantings will be okay.

Now just for fun, here is the map again, this time with sectors depicted (sectors are external energies that move through land and influence how things grow, like wind and sun). I was recently introduced to a neat resource that helps you calculate the angles of sun where you live. In my first year of living here I wasn't sure what to expect and thought I may be living in a part-sun valley, so I didn't grow many heat-loving plants. I eventually observed that a portion of the yard receives full sun. To be honest I'm still not sure how to interpret the sun angles in this map, except to notice that the sun covers more of an area in the summer. Depicted here are the angles of summer sun (red) and winter sun (blue). I also included a fire sector around the fire put, thinking that plants shouldn't be placed around there for the sake of bonfires. I wasn't sure how to depict wind, though. I also added lines depicting where power lines go (unfortunately they're all basically in the front yard).

Now, I want to discuss the Zone 1 elements more in depth - they are all within the front yard fence line and the first thing people see when they visit the home. (Note: there is a small street-level garden, which should really be placed in Zone 2 because of it's proximity to the house, however, since it is already cultivated I will consider it in Zone 1.)

Zone 1: raised bed of greens; berry border; Fig Tree Guild, herb border

Raised Bed O' Greens

Characteristics: accessible to kitchen and close to spigot, consumed daily, high value

Needs: Nutrition, water, sun, hygiene, pest/disease management

Products: daily food for humans and insects, soil stabilization, beauty, multiple levels for growing plants in symbiosis (particularly the kale along the fence line)

Comments: the kale along the fence is starting to get tall, so I sowed cover crop (white clover) underneath for overwintering, and next spring other greens can be sown underneath. In the densely planted square bed, if we get many cold nights we might lose some of them (the mustard is getting stressed) but there's a great chance it will overwinter and stabilize the soil. In the spring we can cut much of it down, add some top soil and grow something else from another family. Before it was greens it was garlic. I'll have to see what Tim would enjoy there. 

Berry Border

Characteristics: several kinds of berries: raspberries, goji berries, strawberries, blueberry; high value perennials, food for humans and animals, high shrub and groundcover, in full sun year round, must compete with invasive himalayan blackberry.

Needs: acidic soil, lots of sun and water for berry production, nutrition, weed management, pruning

Products: delicious berries, seasonal interest (flowers and fall color), long term value, soil stabilization

Comments: the plants are all still babies and have many weeds to compete with, which luckily are all herbacious. Hopefully their roots will establish over the fall/winter so they will push a lot of new growth in the spring. The soil is more sandy in this area of the yard and suffers from some erosion, so continuing to add good top soil will be important. It's a big mystery as to how they will look in their second year!

Fig Tree Guild (Ficus carica 'Olympian')

Characteristics: baby fig tree planted, and some of the guild members are already present, as the tree gets larger with each passing year more members will be able to be added in. My dream is to have the whole front yard be a Fig Tree Guild.

Needs: good soil, sun, water, companion plants, weed management, training/pruning (not yet)

Products: summer shade, mulch, beauty, food, and it will be the one and only tree in the yard!

Comments: although figs grow faster than many fruit trees, it will be awhile before the guild really takes shape. A wonderful exercise in patience and also dedication. If we can set up the right environment from the get go, hopefully it will make it through it's first winter and be healthy! Stay tuned as more of this story unfolds with passing time.

Herb Border

Characteristics: In full sun, faster draining soil then inside the fence line; mostly perennial herbs and flowers that are drought tolerant; pleasing to the senses for pollinators and visitors, the first thing people see when they arrive! 

Needs: Pruning/ plant separation, nutrition, occasional summer irrigation

Products: Beauty, medicines, good smells, culinary purposes, gifts for friends and family

This is the photo from last year when it was first installed. Now below you an see what it looks like a year later!

Comments: this is my favorite area of the garden. There are so many textures, colors and smells all coexisting together. I am excited to see how all the plants evolve together in time. Also, I am hoping with the installation of vines and as the plants mature, the fence line will be obscured. 

In conclusion, I want to share my intentions for Year 2 on Tim's property. First of all, I wish to get the invasive weeds under control, and second, to appropriately maintain all the cultivated areas, while especially developing The Fig Guild. I am also not very clear on how wind moves through the property so will need to pay more attention to that too. Once Zone 2 is cleaned up and cleared out I can start thinking about cultivating other areas. Also -- given that the Fig is considered a Mediterranean plant, and because I believe I spent too much time/resources this past summer watering the garden, it would be best to transition the entire property toward more Mediterranean plants with minimal summer irrigation needs. Stay tuned!

Permaculture Ethics: Dealing With Consumption

I am a human being therefore it's highly possible that I cause pollution through my lifestyle. This is not something I want to admit or face because I would rather think of myself as good or wholesome, someone who is mitigating the pollution of my fellow species. But if I don't examine that in myself than I risk perpetuating toxic patterns. I remember going through this process before during a breakup, where suddenly all my shortcomings reared their ugly heads laughing at me and pointing fingers. Not the most fun. But I'm probably better for it now, having made some changes, and coming through to the other side.

I am trying to develop more awareness around the ways I cause pollution - materially, energetically, spiritually and so forth. Not to justify my actions, hopefully, because I'm sure I'll want to negotiate the necessity of my polluting habits in order to keep my comforts. Pollution is probably a byproduct of my consumption habits.

At the NW Permaculture Convergence recently, I attended a workshop given by Jessi Bloom, author of Practical Permaculture, and I don't remember what she specifically said, but a nagging question came into my mind, "Do I consume more than I produce?". This workshop followed on the heels of a workshop given by Alexia Allen of Hawthorn Farm - who shared her family's year-long experiment of only "consuming" what they themselves had grown, or otherwise bartered from people they knew. She talked about tapping sugar maples, for example, in order to have a sweetener.

The truth is I currently produce very little. I have a full front yard where I've grown annuals like greens, garlic, potatoes, herbs and tomatoes - but I consume far beyond that. As a gardener, often times of ornamentals, I could say that I produce beauty. I also produce music, which I would like to think benefits others. But I did not produce the instruments I play. I enjoy producing my own herbal medicines, which I have either wildcrafted or purchased from bulk herb stores. Still I do not know exactly where those plants were harvested. It is hard to wrap my head around exactly what I am producing in this world. I feel out of balance, and therefore causing pollution.

Now fortunately my intentions to reduce waste, packaging, transportation costs, etc-for many years now-have caused my consumption to be lower than the average American. Yet that's not really saying much. Especially knowing that millions of people around the world are living on much less than I am (and are probably better off). In the very least, I would like to be able to say I produce more than I consume. If that's really true, than I have some changes to make.

Of course this "ideal" cannot just happen overnight. I will slowly need to increase production while decreasing consumption. I think both are possible. 

Perhaps in order to face my consumption patterns I can admit some of my most foul habits:

• Drinking coffee. Yes there's direct trade, and yes those beans come from far away. Also, Coffee is a metaphor for any exotic foods I purchase, perhaps from over 100 miles away. The issue with exotic foods, which is not just the pollution caused in the transport, but also my body may not be properly adapted to it's nutrition.
• When I graciously receive the food and drinks of my friends because I want to be nice, yet I inadvertently enable their bad habits, and by extension, my own.
• Buying food from supermarkets, cafes, or anywhere that's not out of a farmer's hands. 
• My computer usage, for listening to podcasts, doing internet research, learning new music, taking youtube yoga classes, using the internet-metronome.
• Being up past dark whether at home or playing music with friends, where electricity is utilized to light rooms. Like right now as I write this blog post.
• Borrowing my roommate's car for taking short vacations, for to go on beautiful hikes, or my recent trip to Portland and the Permaculture Convergence. I put bussing around in this category too.

Ok so my list is not terrible. In fact it's pretty darn normal. Yet on the other hand -- none of this is necessary for me to lead a meaningful life. I ought to question: am I making my life less profound while missing out on my fullest capacity, by often mindlessly engaging in these habit-patterns? 

I love how Alexia Allen and her family have been "experimenting" with their food consumption and I feel inspired to create my own experiment. I am not ready to commit to anything for a full year, but I like the idea of finishing my year off a little stronger (it's less than three months after all). Do I have what it takes to deal with my consumption addictions? 

Between October 7, 2017 - December 31, 2017 I commit to:

1. No more buying coffee. I can drink tea. I can use up all the bulk teas I have purchased in the past year that are sitting on the shelf. I can plant a Camelia sinensis in the front yard. I'll have my last cup of coffee tomorrow morning to celebrate! (Does that just show how deep the addiction runs?)
2. Boycotting supermarkets; buying food only from Farmers Markets, where I can trace the source. Otherwise the food is coming from my garden, client gardens, or wildcrafted by my own hands. The important thing is that I know the source. Yes this means foregoing a lot of food I might want, and forces creativity (no, it's a good thing!) 
3. No more hanging out late in bars; socialize during the day. This will be hard given that I live in a party house of musicians, and that I love a good night at the bar playing music with friends. But it also means more practice time, and getting to bed at a reasonable hour. Perhaps my last party until the end of the year is tomorrow night, for a friend's birthday. Perhaps instead of parties I can have meaningful one on one visits.
4. Severely curtailing my internet usage. I have sheet music, I have a mechanically operated metronome, and I have my own inner teacher. I don't need YouTube yoga videos nor Buddhist podcasts. I do have a couple gigs to prepare for and an independent study in Integrated Pest Management, as well as an online Permaculture Design Course (PDC) -- that definitely requires internet research. But if I only allow myself one hour a day, perhaps I will be more "productive". I'm not sure how to handle the Thursday night band practices though.
5. Stop staying up late; rest easy. Perhaps if I absolutely must be up late I can utilize candles. There is something deeply nourishing about the idea of going to bed with the sun, though.

I don't know what is going to happen for me in the next few months.This experiment will be around the same duration that I spend doing the online PDC. With permaculture ethics in my face constantly there is a great chance I will succeed with this experiment. It will be interesting to see where I end up by the end of the year, given that I plan to leave Seattle on January 13, 2018 - the day after my birthday - to transition into farming. 

Downshifting my consumption habits seems like the best way to transition into becoming more productive as I seek the farming lifestyle in my near future. Stay tuned!

Soil Test

The home that I rent in Upper Fremont has a rundown house, haphazard garden, and up until last year blackberry thicket covered the yard. 

Last year two friends cleared the blackberry out and tilled the ground, then created tidy little rows to plant a garden. One day in May they had a planting party and asked me to improvise a plan for seeding. I thought about sun requirements and families, and threw a diagram together. A big group of us planted seeds in the little rows, including herbs, greens, peas, beet, carrot, chard, tomato, pepper and pumpkin. It was essentially a grand experiment with little observation of the land, and no plan! However, it wasn't long before many seeds sprouted - though no peppers, and some more fully than others. With a makeshift irrigation system, and a little tending, we were able to watch the outcome of our best efforts. I ended up spending more time with this garden through the summer and into the fall, when I finally moved in Dec 1. 

My (now) boyfriend and I maintain the garden and are slowly learning how the soil influenced last year's yield, so we can improve soil in the upcoming year. We wish to create the conditions for our desired plants to thrive, perhaps discouraging so many weeds, pests and diseases. We are well aware that 'we are what we eat', or, like our food, we are "truly a product of the soil and reflect in [our] bodies - and minds - the wealth or poverty of the land" (Kohnke & Franzmeier 4). We also know our soil is not that dark.

Last year in late summer I sent soil samples to King Conservation District. All King County residents are eligible for one free soil test a year totaling five samples. King Conservation District contracts with A & L Western Agricultural Laboratories in Portland, OR to conduct the analysis. I sent my samples in the mail and received results through email!

Here are snapshots of test results for my two samples:

In addition to lab results we received a Soil Analysis Booklet PDF created by Peaceful Valley Farm Supply - an organization that began in 1976 out of Nevada City, CA, and currently operates the website groworganic.com. Their booklet is specifically directed at chemical analysis (rather than biological or physical).

Instead of providing a thorough analysis of our lab results, I thought I would highlight what appears to be going well, and what needs improvement. Of course this is based on one soil test taken late summer, and likely the results would be different depending on the time of year, and would be different now, reflecting our efforts over the fall/winter:

Organic Matter/humus

We need high organic matter because it binds to clay/minerals to create water-stable aggregates. This type of soil structure facilitates the slow release of nutrition and proper drainage - thereby nourishing "good tilth" (Kohnke & Franzmeier 13). Since organic matter reads above 5% in our soil test, we don't need to worry about adding more (PVFS 3). Formally the soil was covered by invasive grasses and weeds with ongoing root structure being broken down, which possibly explains the organic matter. Also our cool, moist Maritime climate favors humus formation (Kohnke & Franzmeier 54). However organic matter is always being broken down, so in order to maintain current levels, we will need to continue producing biomass through cover crop, or collecting other plant material on site for mulch, as well as using arborist wood chips.

N-P-K

Nitrogen facilitates quick growth response; phosphorus is key for flowering, fruiting, and rooting; and potassium is important for regulating metabolism (PVFS 4-7). Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are the elements most needed for crop yield, so we are lucky our reading is Med-High. We won't have to stress about fertilizing - although our test results indicate imbalance. Since we have slightly lower potassium we may want to add a little, which may inadvertently raise pH (PVFS 7). Yet we don't know how much nutrient loss occurred over the fall/winter, and the amount of plant nutrients taken up by crops and removed from the field vary a great deal from year to year (Kohnke & Franzmeier 43). It will be interesting to see what next year's soil test results show. We overwintered nitrogen-fixing cover crop and will grow peas so hopefully we can fertilize via biomass.

Magnesium and Calcium

Calcium, magnesium and sulfur are secondary plant food elements (Kohnke & Franzmeier 37) and unfortunately our readings are Low to Med-Low. Magnesium is important for chlorophyll production and the uptake of phosphorus; calcium is critical for cell wall structure; and sulfur for the fabrication of proteins (PVFS 8-11). Since our pH is low, perhaps influenced by the strong presence of acidic blackberry, it makes sense that our magnesium and calcium levels are low (the higher they are the typically more alkaline the soil). Because the levels are so low we may need to fertilize beyond adding compost to the soil, while trying to raise pH. One concern with adding lime or gypsum, however, is they can contribute to cementation at lower horizon levels, as mineral weathering accumulates to form a pan (Kohnke & Franzmeier 73) thus diminishing drainage over time. Perhaps just a tiny bit of fertilizing will go a long way.

pH

Our low pH could originate from our moderate rainfall climate (PVFS 14), which encourages an environment where blackberry can thrive in disturbed soil, and perpetuate an acidic soil. However this information alone does not mean we necessarily need to add lime (ibid). It really depends on which crops we want to grow and their pH preferences. So we may want to cultivate microclimates based on pH requirements, because we want to grow some acid-loving foods like potatoes, but also some alkaline-loving foods like Brassicas. However since most crops thrive in pH 6.5-6.8 we generally want to work in that direction (Kohnke & Franzmeier 30) . We could experiment with not adding lime and seeing how next year's soil samples read, simply from adding compost and mulch.

Cation Exchange Capacity

CEC represents the soil's ability to retain and release cations for later use, and the higher the number, they greater the capacity. Our reading, which ranges from 10.5-11.7 is considered low, however if we continue to add compost and cover crop, we may steadily build humus to reach a level of 20 (PVFS 14). This little bit of information is particularly important in relation to pH. We have low pH, possibly due to low calcium -- but if we add lime to increase calcium, our low CEC may not be able to retain it (ibid) rendering the effort useless (and possibly just leaching to create a hard pan in the subsoil!) To connect back to our organic matter levels - which are high - because we have low CEC we need to "promote biological activity" to help break organic matter down, in order to release plant nutrient. The more microbes there are, the more fertile the soil (Kohnke & Franzmeier 57). This may be are best angle toward raising CEC: add compost or even microbial inoculations (PVFS 3). Arborist wood chips may be the most affordable option (free) for building microbial activity.

Summary

Our soil test results suggested that we fertilize with lime, nitrogen, potassium and sulfur. Yet as Toby Hemenway aptly put, "In nature, fertility comes from the vegetation and soil life, not from a bag of fertilizer" (Hemenway 31). Indeed we wish to mimic nature in our efforts to build soil. Our goal is to facilitate "good tilth" so we will take the following steps: build biomass, mulch with arborist wood chips, add compost to the soil, plant nitrogen fixers, and cultivate pH microclimates. Ideally these steps will equate to the permaculture approach of "making the least change for the greatest effect" (Hemenway 6).

Works Cited

Kohnke, Helmut and D.P. Franzmeier. Soil Science Simplified. 4th Edition. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, 1995. Print.

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply. Understanding Your Soil Analysis Report. 2004, PDF file.

Hemenway, Toby. Gaia's Garden. 2nd Edition. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing, 2009. Print.

Internships - don't be afraid

I previously interned at Frog Hollow Farm, a permaculture homestead on Guemes Island, now Gaia Rising Farm. That was back in 2008, and it's about time I secured the next learning opportunity. This morning in my inbox I learned about a project on Camano Island called Shambala Permaculture Farm, and they are conducting a course this upcoming June. I've never taken the design course because it's a bit pricey but I suppose it's about time I've invested. How wonderful that this place is on Camano because it's more accessible via public transit than Skagit County. I can take the free Island Transit from Everett to get there and bike around. This is the kind of work I want to be doing, and that's OK. I have until May to visit this place and decide if it's up my alley.

If the weather's warming

Someone posted on the bioregional list-serve a link to a map of the U.S. depicting changes in hardiness zones. Which you click play you watch the progression 1990-2006 raising heat. It's not dramatic and gives you that feel people can adapt. The message also included a reference to Albert Bates. He is a permaculture activist, laywer and author. His most recent book (which I will look for - I haven't read it) Biochar Solution is about living carbon-negative lives. I wonder if growing food is considered carbon-negative. Maybe experimenting with growing warmer weather crops  is part of that. There are many farmers doing that right now, I imagine. One farm in Battleground, WA was trying to grow olive trees when I interned there briefly in winter 2008. (Why was I there only in the winter? I liked that part of the state, and it's close to Portland. I enjoyed traveling there on intercounty transit.) There are five farms for sale in Battle Ground, WA.