Farming

A Beginners Guide to Soil Preparation

It’s a blast getting soiled in the garden and I am quite happy to write for this audience.

Published

4 years ago

October 14, 2020

Guest Writer

Starting Gardens From Scratch – Soil

Autumn is here, and this is the ideal time to be preparing ground for your future garden beds. Here I will offer some elements I have learned and used over the years, and discuss their difficulties and merits. As a way of weaving the story together, I will describe three different gardens I helped start. There are physical material aspects, design considerations, and the realistic capacity of the players involved.

In 2009, some friends in Providence, Rhode Island were ruminating on the dire fact that nearly all food eaten in modern cities relies on massive supply chains thousands of miles long. In the face of this, they began growing food in a few neglected lots in the neighborhoods we roam. Some were guerrilla gardens, planted without any permission beyond the local will; others had some acknowledgment from a landlord, and another vacant lot was officially rented, becoming the Fertile Underground Communal Garden.

The space had formerly been a sort of parking lot behind an auto shop, so the soil was thoroughly steeped with oil, old shop rags, spark plugs and all sortsa junk. It had been cleared of heavy material and was basically flat, a square green spot within a low-income section of Providence. The team rallied all pickup trucks possible, and salvaged a bunch of old railroad ties that had been sitting for years. These things were massive, probably 10x10s about 12 feet long apiece. These were butted up to form squares in the garden, and plastic sheeting was lain on the ground, to prevent our food from tapping the toxic soil below. Compost and soil was brought in to fill the beds, and the season began.

Reviewing this technique, I point out that the capacity of excitable teamwork was essential, and the work happened without major strain on anyone. The knowledge of latent resources in the area, like the railroad ties, made this process an instant success. Its greatest positive is the immediate nature of establishing a garden in a solid day of group effort. Afterward, we realized that these old railroad ties were soaked in creosote or some other tar, to prevent decay, but is also toxic and likely made our food less-than-organic. In this case, a group of about 30 folks kicked in, and so buying soil to bring in was possible. I believe there were 5 beds made, about 10 inches deep, perhaps 500 square feet of garden made in short time.

That garden grew well. Composting began that year and was used to amend throughout the next seasons. At one point we got a bulk dump of unsifted compost through a city gardeners group-buy. We built our own simple sifter (hardware cloth in a basic wooden frame that we could toss shovelfulls at) and got the shells and leaf debris out of a bunch of yards of that compost. Work was shared and food was harvested as one would. The folks who were there a lot naturally harvested more. It wasn’t a major concern about folks taking more than they put in, there was plenty to go around. I built a greenhouse on site, there is another story. We planted there for two more seasons until 2011. Suffice to say that this technique worked great. It requires having a decent supply of people to help out, and to kick in some cash as well.

The same year, one of our pals was buying a house in the city that had a decent size front lawn, about the same total footage as our old plot. We planned to garden it anyway, but then as it happened our whole operation moved down there.

I borrowed a walk behind roto-tiller from our friends the New Urban Farmers, and went ahead and turned up the whole lawn. If one is aiming to break sod with a roto-tiller, begin with the depth set to a bit more shallow than halfway, the aim is to beat up the top grass layer. In my experience, you will need to do two passes over grasses no matter what, so don’t hurt yourself. You won’t get under it too much, but get the setting to where you are thoroughly beating its structure on the first pass. Then, when you drop it to about ¾ of it’s full depth, you should be able to do some proper tilling and open the ground up.

If one seeks the good farming literature you will likely encounter no-till farming, which is a super method, worth exploring. In my experience, this works well in soil which has already been in use, but when approaching a thick layer of grass, drop the plow, sweetheart. The basic lawn grass is not harboring the rich microbiotic landscape which a regular garden has. The drawbacks of disturbing your soil layers are highly outweighed by the benefit of looser soil to plant in. As you do the tilling, it can be helpful to have others just getting the grass clumps out of there. Shake the soil off and haul it away.

In this garden, a few families of immigrants from Bhutan saw the opportunity of good ground, and essentially took on about 80% of the responsibility of planting and everything. This was a welcome change in our crew. Although we couldn’t always speak, because of language barriers, it was always easy to garden together. That garden, planted in 2012, is still growing today, and has developed in maximizing space, introducing vertical gardening, and many sculptures.

In that garden, the tiller made it possible for an afternoon to yield arable ground. I seem to remember amending the rows as we planted them. The house has had chickens for many years now, and this has provided a lot of opportunity to continue feeding that ground. To be honest, our Bhutanese friends work their magic there and I have been less involved lately, as I farm other plots now. Again, the needs of this plan are tilling, and having a community who are willing to help, often. This garden is tended every day during the growing season. Much of its success may have been not from incredible soil, but from very diligent weeding.

A few years after that I had the opportunity to turn some more lawn space into a garden at our home. A friend brought his tiller down and carved out a sort of triangle. We live among tall oaks, so this space gets direct sun only about half the day, but it’s the best we got. I added some compost as we make and it was available, but held off from spending much money to add the inch or two the whole garden could have benefited from. I worked on a tree crew at that time, and began adding layers of wood chips for mulch.

During the first few years of gardening, I kept getting low results. Low germination. Getting busy and not watering enough. The soil felt sandy and lifeless. Usually one crop would do really well and most everything else didn’t. Potatoes always grow. I stick with what responds.

I kept adding the wood chips. I found later that this method is described in the movie “Back to Eden”, which I would recommend. I had come upon the same technique myself, and added some of his tips to what I was doing. Basically, get in touch with a tree company who may be willing to dump a pile of wood chips near your garden. I would seek out a conscientious crew who will take the care to bring you a load that’s not stacked up with sticks or logs or trash or anything foreign within, hopefully a good clean load that is mostly straight woody debris. If they are super conscientious they will even make sure it’s not from a tree that was removed due to disease. My hunch is that you would prefer a deciduous, not evergreen, variety, as those trees are known for being acidic to soil (and then would be ideal for placing underneath your berry orchard, again, another story).

Now, I began by saying that the ideal time to start your garden is in the fall. To be honest, both those first gardens were started in May. But to me, the best is the fall. Another method I have used in the past is called sheet mulching, or lasagna gardening. You can look it up, but there you are adding successive layers of material that will decay into your garden, bringing it fertility, structure, aeration, worms, microbial action, and beyond. You can use almost anything you have in abundance whether that’s cardboard, leaves, or back issues of the Beartaria Times print edition retrieved from the future. In this case I just used straight up wood chips. Because they were free. Because I chipped them myself. Whenever I noticed a load that was clean, from a healthy tree, free of debris, and we were in my neck of the woods, I would ask for a contribution, and get the dump right near the garden. Then I would peck away at the pile, one wheelbarrow at a time, over the course of a couple weeks, spreading a good few inches across the whole garden with a rock rake. You see why this would be possible in the fall, or late winter, when the garden isn’t full of plants.

At first, this technique doesn’t do much, except act as a good weed suppressor. You can move the chips aside and plant your stuff in the soil below. But then you start to see immense amounts of mycelium in there, and the soil below gets looser and darker. This technique is not fast, but it’s cheap/free, it’s simple, and once it’s rolling, it just works. Mulching in general is a great way to keep the garden orderly. Everything from making pathways clear to see, and keeping the weeds held back, just a bit.

Now this year, I finally went and bought a bunch of compost from my favorite local biodynamic composters, who use a lot of fish detritus, food scraps and tree elements on a massive scale. I gotta say, the results were immediate, impressive, and very worth the money. I would have done this sooner, looking back. Yet I was surprised by how unwilling this ground was, when I began working with it. My insight is that the type of fertilizers and chemicals the previous folks may have used on this lawn completely zapped this soil of it’s microbial life and structure. There weren’t even many worms. If you get any inkling of this, I would be prepared to add compost, and not just the little bit you make yourself, but a good bunch of bags or a truckload from an awesome composter. Get on the woodchip train, but give that technique three years to really start giving back.

Growing a basic family garden, especially if you have need to be away from it for work or other stuff, it’s valuable to know the ways to support the plants, make them as resilient as they need to be, to deal with our own shortcomings as their caretakers. I had a few years lately where I made most of the right efforts, yet did not see the huge bounty, mainly because of low soil quality. I could have ponied up some cash and had a lot more success. If you find compost that is rich in bacteria, it’s going to inoculate the whole garden, and help everything along. Watch for the little signs and trust your intuition.

One final tip that’s not for everyone, it to be mindful of weeds. Nature does not leave bare ground, that’s why we get the mulch in there to tuck it in. Plants will come up when you make space, and not all of them will be your chosen varieties. Yet don’t be so quick to pull everything out. Make room for your plants, plenty of it, but wherever possible, leave those weeds. Often I find that those are the plants that bugs are choosing to eat. They may harbor beneficial insects. They may be balancing the soil in some way. You will get to know which of the weeds are your preferred varieties, and make your own selections of them as well. The garden is a domain with its own language, and as a good leader, it’s best to govern with an easy hand.

Here is only a basic review of a few methods of getting a garden going. Consider what unique assets you have in the process, whether it’s an abundant resource, big family and friends, or plenty of time on your hands. You may find that it’s more productive to baby four cucumber plants than go plant 14 mounds. You may find that just turning over an area in the ground and scattering some seeds willy-nilly (like I do, with some choice involved) performs just as well as laying everything out. Mainly, you’ve got to have a garden that calls you in and keeps you engaged and active. It’s a marathon, and there are key moments in any plants life where if you fail, it will suffer bad. The more repetitive attention, even just ten minute stroll and observe, helps everything continue in a good way.

It’s a blast getting soiled in the garden and I am quite happy to write for this audience. I would happily receive suggestions for gardening topics to pursue in the future. It’s a space that does not demand an expert, but appreciates expertise. Get those long handled tools in your hands and keep that ground growing!!

Written by,

-Michael G (requesting to be bearified as Moss Bear) imagined an approach called “World Gardening” wherein he accepts that this entire World is to be tended and cultivated. It’s not unusual to find him saving seeds from an overgrown meadow or abandoned garden, pruning a shrub after ringing your doorbell, or throwing acorns from the window of a moving automobile. Lately he is imagining a more coherent cooperative project along these lines, called Earth Weavers. One of the first major projects may be the reintroduction of beneficial seeds to the clearcut hillsides of Americas Northwest. To fund this endeavor he is offering a multitude of homestead skills. More information may be found at www.earthweavers.art , and Moss Bear may be reached at earthweavers@protonmail.com or @dspacio on the gram .

Related Topics:Beginner Community Farming Featured Garden Homestead Learning soil

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Farming

Unlocking the Secrets of Mushrooms and the Wood Wide Web for Healthy Soil

These fungal networks don’t just connect one plant to another—they create an entire underground community…

Published

2 days ago

October 28, 2024

Guest Writer

For many homesteaders, growing strong, healthy plants and creating fertile soil are top priorities. But did you know that one of the most powerful allies in this journey is right under our feet? Mushrooms and their underground fungal networks play a huge role in creating rich soil and connecting plants in ways that can transform any garden, forest, or homestead.

What is the “Wood Wide Web”?

The “Wood Wide Web” is a nickname for a hidden network of fungi underground that connects the roots of plants and trees. Imagine an underground internet, but instead of Wi-Fi signals, plants and trees send nutrients, water, and even warnings to each other across these fungal threads.

Here’s how it works: certain types of fungi latch onto plant roots, forming what’s called a mycorrhizal relationship. In plain terms, this means the fungi help the plants pull in nutrients and water from the soil, and in return, the plants “pay” the fungi with sugars they make through photosynthesis. It’s a win-win deal that helps plants stay healthy, even when times are tough.

These fungal networks don’t just connect one plant to another—they create an entire underground community, allowing plants to share resources and help each other grow stronger. For instance, if one plant is low on water, nearby plants may help out by sending it extra through the fungal network.

How Fungi Help Build Soil

The fungal network doesn’t just help plants; it plays a key role in making soil rich and healthy. Fungi are nature’s decomposers, breaking down dead leaves, wood, and other organic matter into nutrients that enrich the soil. This process creates humus, a dark, carbon-rich substance that helps soil hold water and nutrients. Here’s how this natural process works in a homestead or garden setting:

Breaking Down Plant Material: When mushrooms and other fungi decompose dead leaves, wood chips, and plant material, they turn it into organic matter that mixes with the soil. This makes the soil more fertile and better at holding water, which is crucial for growing strong plants.
Releasing Nutrients: As fungi break down materials, they release essential nutrients back into the soil, like nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients feed plants naturally, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.
Helping Soil Hold Together: Fungi release a glue-like substance that binds soil particles, creating tiny clusters called aggregates. These clusters improve soil structure, so it’s better at holding water and is less likely to wash away in heavy rain.

Why Urban Gardeners Should Care About the Power of Fungi

Even in the middle of a city, fungi can be a game-changer for those looking to grow plants on a small scale, improve soil quality, or reduce waste. Urban areas often face challenges like compacted soil, limited green space, and pollution. Here’s how fungi can help make a difference for urban gardeners:

Improving Soil in Small Spaces: In cities, the soil is often degraded or compacted, making it harder for plants to thrive. Fungal networks can improve soil structure, even in small garden beds, raised planters, or community gardens. By adding organic matter, like leaves or compost, you’re feeding fungi that will help loosen and enrich the soil, making it more fertile and resilient.
Helping with Pollution: Fungi have the unique ability to break down certain pollutants in soil, including oils and heavy metals, which can often be found in urban areas. Fungi, especially mushrooms, absorb some of these pollutants, helping to create healthier green spaces. Even a small backyard or rooftop garden can benefit from fungi’s natural cleaning powers.
Reducing Food Waste: Fungi are key players in composting, a process that turns kitchen scraps into rich, fertile soil. By adding fungi (or encouraging them by using wood chips, leaves, or compost), urban gardeners can speed up composting and reduce household waste while producing nutrient-rich soil for plants. For apartment dwellers, countertop mushroom kits or small worm-and-fungi compost bins are an easy way to get started.

Whether on a balcony, in a backyard, or at a local community garden, adding fungi to urban green spaces can help create healthier plants, reduce pollution, and even improve air quality. It’s a natural solution that brings life to city soil and helps green spaces thrive.

Supporting the Underground Network

When homesteaders and urban gardeners alike understand and support this underground fungal network, they’re essentially building a natural support system for their plants. Here are a few simple ways to encourage this process on your land:

Add Wood Chips or Leaves: Organic material like wood chips, leaves, or straw gives fungi the fuel they need to grow and thrive. Spread a thin layer of these materials over garden beds or orchard areas, and the fungi will work on breaking them down, enriching your soil over time.
Avoid Disturbing the Soil: Tilling or heavy digging breaks up fungal networks. Instead, consider no-till gardening methods that allow these networks to develop naturally and spread through your soil.
Keep the Soil Covered: Mulching with organic materials not only feeds fungi but also keeps the soil moist, which helps fungi stay active and healthy.
Add Mushroom Spores or Spawn: Many homesteaders find that adding mushroom spawn to garden beds or forest edges can help boost the fungal network. Varieties like oyster mushrooms are particularly helpful, as they grow quickly and break down organic matter effectively.

The Benefits of a Healthy Fungal Network

Supporting the “Wood Wide Web” and encouraging fungi on your homestead—or in an urban setting—creates a ripple effect that benefits your plants, soil, and overall environment. These natural fungal networks are powerful carbon storers, locking carbon in the soil rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. It makes your soil richer and more fertile.

The end result? You get healthier plants, fewer pest problems, and more robust soil that holds up well through droughts and heavy rains. Whether you’re growing vegetables, tending fruit trees, or rewilding a corner of your land, partnering with fungi can make your soil richer and your space more resilient.

In short, embracing the power of mushrooms and their underground network brings nature’s balance to your homestead—or even a city balcony garden—creating a foundation for sustainable, thriving growth.

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Farming

Preserving the Harvest: Techniques for Long-Term Storage

Preserving your harvest is essential for enjoying homegrown produce year-round and reducing food waste.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 16, 2024

Guest Writer

Preserving your harvest is essential for enjoying homegrown produce year-round and reducing food waste. There are several methods to store fruits, vegetables, and herbs for the long term, each with its unique benefits. While you dream and plan for the bounty of your harvest, enjoy these highlights of various preservation techniques and tips for getting the best results.

Canning

Benefits: Canning allows you to store fruits, vegetables, and even meats for years. It’s a great way to preserve large quantities of produce at once.

Types:
– Water Bath Canning: Ideal for high-acid foods like tomatoes, pickles, and some fruits.
– Pressure Canning: Necessary for low-acid foods like vegetables, meats, and beans to ensure safety from botulism.

Steps:
1. Wash and sterilize canning jars and lids.
2. Wash, peel, and cut produce as needed.
3. Pack the produce into jars, leaving appropriate headspace.
4. Use a water bath or pressure canner according to the recipe’s instructions.
5. Let jars cool undisturbed. Check seals before storing them in a cool, dark place.

Freezing

Benefits: Freezing retains the nutritional value and flavor of fresh produce. It’s quick, easy, and suitable for a variety of foods.

Tips:
– Blanch Vegetables: Briefly boil vegetables and then plunge them into ice water to preserve color, texture, and nutrients.
– Proper Packaging: To prevent freezer burn use airtight containers or freezer bags.
– Labeling: Always label and date your packages for easy identification and rotation.

Steps:
1. Wash, peel, and chop produce as needed.
2. Blanch vegetables in boiling water, then cool in ice water.
3. Pat produces dry to avoid ice crystals.
4. Place produce in freezer-safe bags or containers, removing as much air as possible.
5. Store in the freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or lower.

Drying and Dehydrating

Benefits: Drying removes moisture from foods, preventing the growth of bacteria and mold. It’s energy-efficient and creates lightweight, shelf-stable foods.

Methods:
– Air Drying: Suitable for herbs, hot peppers, and certain fruits. Hang produce in a dry, well-ventilated area.
– Oven Drying: Use a low oven temperature (140°F/60°C) to dry fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
– Dehydrators: Specialized appliances that provide consistently low heat and air circulation for efficient drying.

Steps:
1. Wash, peel, and slice produce uniformly.
2. Use your chosen method, ensuring the produce is completely dry.
3. Store dried foods in loosely packed containers for a week, shaking daily to evenly distribute any remaining moisture.
4. Transfer to airtight containers and store in a cool, dark place.

Fermenting

Benefits: Fermentation enhances the nutritional value of foods, adds probiotics, and provides unique flavors. It’s a natural preservation method that requires minimal equipment.

Common Fermented Foods:
– Sauerkraut: Fermented cabbage, rich in probiotics.
– Kimchi: Spicy fermented vegetables, often including cabbage and radishes.
– Pickles: Cucumbers or other vegetables fermented in a brine solution.

Steps:
1. Clean and cut vegetables as needed.
2. Mix water and salt to create a brine solution. (Brine is only needed when pickling, fermented vegetables break down when salted and their water content becomes the “brine”)
3. Place vegetables in jars, pour brine over them, and ensure they are submerged.
4. Cover jars and let sit at room temperature for several days to weeks, depending on the recipe.
5. Once fermented to taste, transfer jars to the refrigerator.

Root Cellaring

Benefits: Root cellaring is an age-old method that allows for the long-term storage of root vegetables, apples, and other hardy produce without the need for canning or freezing.

Ideal Conditions:
– Cool Temperatures: Typically 32-40°F (0-4°C).
– High Humidity: 85-95% to prevent produce from drying out.
– Ventilation: Adequate air circulation to prevent mold and rot.

Steps:
1. Select vegetables and fruits that store well, such as carrots, potatoes, beets, and apples. (Apples release ethylene gas that can cause other produce to age or rot, be mindful when storing)
2. Avoid bruising produce during harvest.
3. Use bins, shelves, or sandboxes to store produce.
4. Regularly check temperature, humidity, and the condition of stored produce.

Using preservation techniques on your harvest allows you to enjoy the flavors and nutrients of homegrown produce throughout the year. However, you do not need a harvest to start on your preservation journey, these methods will allow you to bulk buy food that might usually go to waste. Learning these methods even before you begin to farm can give you a great start before you are swamped in a harvest.

Each preservation method has its unique advantages and is suitable for different types of produce. By mastering a variety of techniques—canning, freezing, drying, fermenting, and root cellaring—you can maximize your harvest’s shelf life and reduce food waste. Happy preserving!

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Farming

The Rise of Small-Scale Farming: Benefits, Challenges, and Tips for Success

Looking beyond the pretty Instagram pictures.

Published

4 weeks ago

October 2, 2024

The Beartaria Times

Small-scale farming has seen a significant resurgence in recent years. As more people seek sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyles, understanding the benefits and challenges of small-scale farming becomes increasingly important. This article highlights this trend and provides insights into what it takes to succeed as a small-scale farmer.

Benefits of Small-Scale Farming

1. Sustainability
Small-scale farms often adopt sustainable practices such as crop rotation, composting, and organic farming, which help maintain soil health and reduce environmental impact. Such practices support a more sustainable agricultural system.

2. Community Engagement
Small-scale farms can strengthen local communities by providing fresh, locally-grown produce. Farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, and farm-to-table initiatives foster connections between farmers and consumers.

3. Diverse Crop Production
Unlike large monoculture farms, small-scale farms can grow a variety of crops. This diversity reduces the risk of crop failure and provides a wider range of fresh produce to the community.

4. Better Quality Produce
Small-scale farmers often prioritize quality over quantity. This focus on quality leads to fresher, more nutritious, and better-tasting produce compared to mass-produced alternatives.

5. Economic Resilience
Small-scale farming can contribute to local economies by creating jobs and supporting other local businesses. Farmers can also diversify their income through value-added products like jams, cheeses, and homemade goods.

Challenges of Small-Scale Farming

1. Limited Resources
Small-scale farmers often operate with limited financial resources and may struggle to access capital for equipment, seeds, and other necessary supplies. Managing cash flow can be challenging and requires additional planning and strategizing.

2. Labor Intensive
Small-scale farming is labor-intensive, requiring significant time and effort. Beyond the physically demanding work of planting and harvesting, farmers also have to invest energy into marketing and selling what they produce.

3. Market Access
Finding and maintaining a reliable market for produce can be difficult. Small-scale farmers must often compete with larger operations and navigate complex distribution networks to reach consumers.

4. Weather Dependence
Farming is inherently dependent on weather conditions. Droughts, floods, and extreme temperatures can all impact crop yields. Small-scale farmers must develop strategies to mitigate these risks.

5. Regulatory Hurdles
Navigating agricultural regulations and obtaining necessary permits can be challenging for small-scale farmers. You need to budget time and resources to achieve compliance with food safety standards, labeling requirements, and other regulations.

Tips for Success in Small-Scale Farming

1. Start Small and Scale Up
Begin with a manageable plot of land and expand gradually as your experience and resources grow. This approach reduces the risk of overwhelming yourself and allows for steady growth.

2. Diversify Your Products
Growing a variety of crops, and exploring value-added products, can increase your income and reduce risk. Consider niche markets and unique products to stand out.

3. Build a Strong Network
Connect with other farmers, local businesses, and agricultural organizations. Networking can provide valuable support, resources, and market opportunities.

4. Embrace Technology
Utilize modern farming techniques and technology to improve efficiency. Tools such as drip irrigation, soil sensors, and farm management software can enhance productivity and sustainability.

5. Focus on Marketing
Effective marketing is crucial for reaching consumers. Utilize social media, create a website, and utilize local markets and events to promote your farm and products.

Small-scale farming offers a rewarding path to sustainability and community engagement. While it presents challenges, the benefits of producing high-quality, diverse crops and contributing to local economies make it a worthwhile endeavor. With careful planning and dedication, small-scale farmers can thrive while also benefiting their community and the land they are stewarding.

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