Friday, October 28, 2011

Help needed for Coffe Ground Pick-Up















We were just offered a coffee ground route (5 restaurants), all close to Dandelion Ranch.

Santa Fe Baking Co. is a daily pick-up, the other restaurants can be picked up every other day.

Coffee ground makes great compost and worms LOVE it!  (see article here)

If you are interested in either picking up coffee ground for your compost or for Dandelion Ranch, please email me ASAP.

We can pick up two of the 5 locations but we need help for the others.

Thanks a million!

Next Garden Party
Saturday Nov. 29
3:00-6:00pm

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

The Faerie Says...

















Our beds are now covered with row cover and plastic.  Just in case the weather forecast is correct...










Next Garden Party
Wed. Nov 26
3:00-6:00pm

Bring hot tea, cookies and gallon milk jugs (with screw caps)

Monday, October 24, 2011

Hoop House Party

















Dandelion Ranch is becoming quite a popular spot to spend a lovely Saturday (or Wednesday) afternoon.  A mighty crew gathered on Saturday to help build the remainder of our hoop houses.





















What I find most intriguing about this experiment is the quality of the space that we've all co-created.  People seem to come to Dandelion Ranch for a myriad of reasons and I am sure that the topic of food sovereignty is on most people's minds, but something else is afoot.


















































Friendships are developing, ideas are exchanged, skills are learned and children are seeing happy parents doing something meaningful.

My heart is bursting with hope that we can rebuild our culture from a whole new place. And the food garden seems to be a great place to start.

* Other Blog Contributors Needed
If you (or your child) feel like sharing about your experience at Dandelion Ranch, please send me a note.  It would be nice to hear some other voices on this channel.

* Gallon plastic jugs (with screw cap) wanted to use as heat sinks for hoop houses.











 




Next Garden Party
Wed. Oct 26
3:00-6:00pm

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

New Plants from Heaven and Milk Jugs

















Today, Maria and Thure brought more plants from their greenhouse (Kale, Chive, Chard and Arnica).

































































Hoop houses are now being built over the beds containing kale, chard and lettuce.  In addition to our two existing hoop houses, six more beds will be covered for our winter food supply.









































Hoop houses are constructed with 1/2" Grey PVC (UV resistant) and 1/2' rebar to hold PVC in place.  They will get covered with UV resistant 6 mil greenhouse film.






















Gallon milk jugs are needed (the ones with a screw cap) to create the heat sinks inside the hoop house.  Jugs are filled with water and Rit black dye.  The black water absorbs the heat during the day and dissipates it at night, keeping the hoophouses warm.  Please, if you drink milk (or apple juice), save all your screw top gallon jugs for us.











































As always, the kids are having fun at Dandelion Ranch....


























Next Garden Party
Sat. Oct 22
3:00-6:00pm 
(Bring milk jugs and cookies)



Friday, October 14, 2011

Bountiful Harvest, Shrine and Community

 

Last Wednesday was yet another delightful day in the garden.   

















We removed the row covers now that the frost threat has passed.  All the plants look healthy and strong.  

 















They actually benefited from the cold and will grow strong roots for tasty and hardy plants during November and December.  



















Thure and Maria brought Endive Lettuce, Golden Chard, Mazuma and Sorel from their greenhouse.  We transplanted them all in the bean beds that were recently cleared.

Our next garden parties will be focusing on building hoop houses to cover the lettuce and kale beds.   If done right we should have greens all the way through Feb and March.

























We also need to expand the chicken pen to accommodate our 30 new chicks.
Building a shrine in the garden could also be a fun fall project, a good way to honor such an abundant harvest.



















Next Garden Party
Sat. Oct. 15
3:00-6:00pm

ALSO....

Mini Flea Market (8 households) + Cookie Stand 
SATURDAY Oct 15th 
8:00am-2:00pm
at the Dandelion Ranch
1212 Don Gaspar

Dual Core Hot Water Heater
Painting Shop Liquidation
Furniture
Toys
Clothing
Vintage & contemporary linens
Vintage wool winter coat
Art books
Garden books
Paintings
Hand carved Santa Fe wood figure
Jewelry
Hats
Scarves
Handmade fine-wood queen bed frame
Queen 4 poster Pine bed frame ... spectacular!
7 Drawer Dresser
Women's large and med and small
Night Stand
Wine Glasses
Signed Fine Art Photography Posters
Silk couture wedding dress
Trinkets
Stools
Chairs
Fabric
VHS
Books
Electronics
Records
Frontier Wood Burning Stove


Sunday, October 9, 2011

Frost Alert, Worms and Holy Smoke

















As frost was forecasted for the weekend, the Dandelion Ranch crew got busy yesterday covering frost sensitive plants (tomato, basil, pepper) with row cover (reemay).  On Friday night, Giselle even covered some of the plants with her own bed sheets!




















Our fairies harvesting tobacco plants, eggplants and peppers,

















and Dan praying over the tobacco leaves.  Tobacco will be used for special ceremonies.


















Thura and Maria gifted our first compost pile to a bucket of red worms.  That first pile is 90 days-old with a temperature of 80 degree, thus suitable for worms.  Our second pile is almost ready to retire and still "cooking" at 140 degree.

















While the crew was gardening, Coleman (13) chopped off a huge pile of old wood for our winter supply (both the yurt and the lower part of the house are heated with wood stoves).

This week, the Dandelion Ranch garden parties were for me extraordinary.  What I have been experiencing is a new kind of flow-an ease and pleasure in being, and working, in community.  No big agenda except taking care of self and garden.  Each day, 15-20 people showed up, with lots of children playing in and around the garden.  This 3-months experiment in community gardening is teaching me a lot.  It's showing me that all we have to do is offer a place to gather.  People come to just say hello, pick a few greens for their dinner, interact with amazing children and adults, and be part of something that's nurturing, fun and flowing.  My sense is that we are all drawn to discover a new way of being-with oneself, others and the Earth.  The land at Dandelion Ranch spoke to me when I first visited it last year.  I clearly saw the farm.  Dan and Giselle had similar visions.  Together with our community, we are simply responding to the call of that land.  All she needed was a little love, a little sweat, a few seeds and some water.  And the resulting gifts are stupendous-a garden started a few weeks ago that delights and inspires many.  An abundance of food that is shared with everyone visiting.  And above all, a place for parents to bring their children to participate in activities that will resonate within them for the rest of their lives.
I feel like a happy man this morning.  I have longed for community all my life and helped create many remarkable projects and communities.  However, for some odd reasons, I always felt separate, too busy and responsible for my heart to open to what community can yield in one's evolution and healing.  After a year of full time community gardening and farming in Santa Fe and Mexico (El Jardin de Guadalupe, San Pancho), I am beginning to soften and enjoy my role in weaving community. I am starting to understand the ingredients necessary to build healthy community ; clear intentions, elders, loving parents, playful children, sweet animals and healthy soil. Dandelion Ranch is off to a great start.  Every single person who comes to that place brings something unique.  My hope is that every person who comes also leaves with a gift- a bag of delicious greens, a new idea inspired by a conversation, a new friend and a piece of healing in their heart for being part of something beautiful, simple and life affirming.  I am very grateful to Dan and Giselle for saying yes to creating the garden, and for Juaquin for being such a playful, loving and inspiring force in guiding our efforts.

Next Garden Party
Wed. Oct 12
3:00-6:00pm


Friday, October 28, 2011

Help needed for Coffe Ground Pick-Up















We were just offered a coffee ground route (5 restaurants), all close to Dandelion Ranch.

Santa Fe Baking Co. is a daily pick-up, the other restaurants can be picked up every other day.

Coffee ground makes great compost and worms LOVE it!  (see article here)

If you are interested in either picking up coffee ground for your compost or for Dandelion Ranch, please email me ASAP.

We can pick up two of the 5 locations but we need help for the others.

Thanks a million!

Next Garden Party
Saturday Nov. 29
3:00-6:00pm

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

The Faerie Says...

















Our beds are now covered with row cover and plastic.  Just in case the weather forecast is correct...










Next Garden Party
Wed. Nov 26
3:00-6:00pm

Bring hot tea, cookies and gallon milk jugs (with screw caps)

Monday, October 24, 2011

Hoop House Party

















Dandelion Ranch is becoming quite a popular spot to spend a lovely Saturday (or Wednesday) afternoon.  A mighty crew gathered on Saturday to help build the remainder of our hoop houses.





















What I find most intriguing about this experiment is the quality of the space that we've all co-created.  People seem to come to Dandelion Ranch for a myriad of reasons and I am sure that the topic of food sovereignty is on most people's minds, but something else is afoot.


















































Friendships are developing, ideas are exchanged, skills are learned and children are seeing happy parents doing something meaningful.

My heart is bursting with hope that we can rebuild our culture from a whole new place. And the food garden seems to be a great place to start.

* Other Blog Contributors Needed
If you (or your child) feel like sharing about your experience at Dandelion Ranch, please send me a note.  It would be nice to hear some other voices on this channel.

* Gallon plastic jugs (with screw cap) wanted to use as heat sinks for hoop houses.











 




Next Garden Party
Wed. Oct 26
3:00-6:00pm

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

New Plants from Heaven and Milk Jugs

















Today, Maria and Thure brought more plants from their greenhouse (Kale, Chive, Chard and Arnica).

































































Hoop houses are now being built over the beds containing kale, chard and lettuce.  In addition to our two existing hoop houses, six more beds will be covered for our winter food supply.









































Hoop houses are constructed with 1/2" Grey PVC (UV resistant) and 1/2' rebar to hold PVC in place.  They will get covered with UV resistant 6 mil greenhouse film.






















Gallon milk jugs are needed (the ones with a screw cap) to create the heat sinks inside the hoop house.  Jugs are filled with water and Rit black dye.  The black water absorbs the heat during the day and dissipates it at night, keeping the hoophouses warm.  Please, if you drink milk (or apple juice), save all your screw top gallon jugs for us.











































As always, the kids are having fun at Dandelion Ranch....


























Next Garden Party
Sat. Oct 22
3:00-6:00pm 
(Bring milk jugs and cookies)



Friday, October 14, 2011

Bountiful Harvest, Shrine and Community

 

Last Wednesday was yet another delightful day in the garden.   

















We removed the row covers now that the frost threat has passed.  All the plants look healthy and strong.  

 















They actually benefited from the cold and will grow strong roots for tasty and hardy plants during November and December.  



















Thure and Maria brought Endive Lettuce, Golden Chard, Mazuma and Sorel from their greenhouse.  We transplanted them all in the bean beds that were recently cleared.

Our next garden parties will be focusing on building hoop houses to cover the lettuce and kale beds.   If done right we should have greens all the way through Feb and March.

























We also need to expand the chicken pen to accommodate our 30 new chicks.
Building a shrine in the garden could also be a fun fall project, a good way to honor such an abundant harvest.



















Next Garden Party
Sat. Oct. 15
3:00-6:00pm

ALSO....

Mini Flea Market (8 households) + Cookie Stand 
SATURDAY Oct 15th 
8:00am-2:00pm
at the Dandelion Ranch
1212 Don Gaspar

Dual Core Hot Water Heater
Painting Shop Liquidation
Furniture
Toys
Clothing
Vintage & contemporary linens
Vintage wool winter coat
Art books
Garden books
Paintings
Hand carved Santa Fe wood figure
Jewelry
Hats
Scarves
Handmade fine-wood queen bed frame
Queen 4 poster Pine bed frame ... spectacular!
7 Drawer Dresser
Women's large and med and small
Night Stand
Wine Glasses
Signed Fine Art Photography Posters
Silk couture wedding dress
Trinkets
Stools
Chairs
Fabric
VHS
Books
Electronics
Records
Frontier Wood Burning Stove


Sunday, October 9, 2011

Frost Alert, Worms and Holy Smoke

















As frost was forecasted for the weekend, the Dandelion Ranch crew got busy yesterday covering frost sensitive plants (tomato, basil, pepper) with row cover (reemay).  On Friday night, Giselle even covered some of the plants with her own bed sheets!




















Our fairies harvesting tobacco plants, eggplants and peppers,

















and Dan praying over the tobacco leaves.  Tobacco will be used for special ceremonies.


















Thura and Maria gifted our first compost pile to a bucket of red worms.  That first pile is 90 days-old with a temperature of 80 degree, thus suitable for worms.  Our second pile is almost ready to retire and still "cooking" at 140 degree.

















While the crew was gardening, Coleman (13) chopped off a huge pile of old wood for our winter supply (both the yurt and the lower part of the house are heated with wood stoves).

This week, the Dandelion Ranch garden parties were for me extraordinary.  What I have been experiencing is a new kind of flow-an ease and pleasure in being, and working, in community.  No big agenda except taking care of self and garden.  Each day, 15-20 people showed up, with lots of children playing in and around the garden.  This 3-months experiment in community gardening is teaching me a lot.  It's showing me that all we have to do is offer a place to gather.  People come to just say hello, pick a few greens for their dinner, interact with amazing children and adults, and be part of something that's nurturing, fun and flowing.  My sense is that we are all drawn to discover a new way of being-with oneself, others and the Earth.  The land at Dandelion Ranch spoke to me when I first visited it last year.  I clearly saw the farm.  Dan and Giselle had similar visions.  Together with our community, we are simply responding to the call of that land.  All she needed was a little love, a little sweat, a few seeds and some water.  And the resulting gifts are stupendous-a garden started a few weeks ago that delights and inspires many.  An abundance of food that is shared with everyone visiting.  And above all, a place for parents to bring their children to participate in activities that will resonate within them for the rest of their lives.
I feel like a happy man this morning.  I have longed for community all my life and helped create many remarkable projects and communities.  However, for some odd reasons, I always felt separate, too busy and responsible for my heart to open to what community can yield in one's evolution and healing.  After a year of full time community gardening and farming in Santa Fe and Mexico (El Jardin de Guadalupe, San Pancho), I am beginning to soften and enjoy my role in weaving community. I am starting to understand the ingredients necessary to build healthy community ; clear intentions, elders, loving parents, playful children, sweet animals and healthy soil. Dandelion Ranch is off to a great start.  Every single person who comes to that place brings something unique.  My hope is that every person who comes also leaves with a gift- a bag of delicious greens, a new idea inspired by a conversation, a new friend and a piece of healing in their heart for being part of something beautiful, simple and life affirming.  I am very grateful to Dan and Giselle for saying yes to creating the garden, and for Juaquin for being such a playful, loving and inspiring force in guiding our efforts.

Next Garden Party
Wed. Oct 12
3:00-6:00pm


Friday, October 28, 2011

Help needed for Coffe Ground Pick-Up















We were just offered a coffee ground route (5 restaurants), all close to Dandelion Ranch.

Santa Fe Baking Co. is a daily pick-up, the other restaurants can be picked up every other day.

Coffee ground makes great compost and worms LOVE it!  (see article here)

If you are interested in either picking up coffee ground for your compost or for Dandelion Ranch, please email me ASAP.

We can pick up two of the 5 locations but we need help for the others.

Thanks a million!

Next Garden Party
Saturday Nov. 29
3:00-6:00pm

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

The Faerie Says...

















Our beds are now covered with row cover and plastic.  Just in case the weather forecast is correct...










Next Garden Party
Wed. Nov 26
3:00-6:00pm

Bring hot tea, cookies and gallon milk jugs (with screw caps)

Monday, October 24, 2011

Hoop House Party

















Dandelion Ranch is becoming quite a popular spot to spend a lovely Saturday (or Wednesday) afternoon.  A mighty crew gathered on Saturday to help build the remainder of our hoop houses.





















What I find most intriguing about this experiment is the quality of the space that we've all co-created.  People seem to come to Dandelion Ranch for a myriad of reasons and I am sure that the topic of food sovereignty is on most people's minds, but something else is afoot.


















































Friendships are developing, ideas are exchanged, skills are learned and children are seeing happy parents doing something meaningful.

My heart is bursting with hope that we can rebuild our culture from a whole new place. And the food garden seems to be a great place to start.

* Other Blog Contributors Needed
If you (or your child) feel like sharing about your experience at Dandelion Ranch, please send me a note.  It would be nice to hear some other voices on this channel.

* Gallon plastic jugs (with screw cap) wanted to use as heat sinks for hoop houses.











 




Next Garden Party
Wed. Oct 26
3:00-6:00pm

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

New Plants from Heaven and Milk Jugs

















Today, Maria and Thure brought more plants from their greenhouse (Kale, Chive, Chard and Arnica).

































































Hoop houses are now being built over the beds containing kale, chard and lettuce.  In addition to our two existing hoop houses, six more beds will be covered for our winter food supply.









































Hoop houses are constructed with 1/2" Grey PVC (UV resistant) and 1/2' rebar to hold PVC in place.  They will get covered with UV resistant 6 mil greenhouse film.






















Gallon milk jugs are needed (the ones with a screw cap) to create the heat sinks inside the hoop house.  Jugs are filled with water and Rit black dye.  The black water absorbs the heat during the day and dissipates it at night, keeping the hoophouses warm.  Please, if you drink milk (or apple juice), save all your screw top gallon jugs for us.











































As always, the kids are having fun at Dandelion Ranch....


























Next Garden Party
Sat. Oct 22
3:00-6:00pm 
(Bring milk jugs and cookies)



Friday, October 14, 2011

Bountiful Harvest, Shrine and Community

 

Last Wednesday was yet another delightful day in the garden.   

















We removed the row covers now that the frost threat has passed.  All the plants look healthy and strong.  

 















They actually benefited from the cold and will grow strong roots for tasty and hardy plants during November and December.  



















Thure and Maria brought Endive Lettuce, Golden Chard, Mazuma and Sorel from their greenhouse.  We transplanted them all in the bean beds that were recently cleared.

Our next garden parties will be focusing on building hoop houses to cover the lettuce and kale beds.   If done right we should have greens all the way through Feb and March.

























We also need to expand the chicken pen to accommodate our 30 new chicks.
Building a shrine in the garden could also be a fun fall project, a good way to honor such an abundant harvest.



















Next Garden Party
Sat. Oct. 15
3:00-6:00pm

ALSO....

Mini Flea Market (8 households) + Cookie Stand 
SATURDAY Oct 15th 
8:00am-2:00pm
at the Dandelion Ranch
1212 Don Gaspar

Dual Core Hot Water Heater
Painting Shop Liquidation
Furniture
Toys
Clothing
Vintage & contemporary linens
Vintage wool winter coat
Art books
Garden books
Paintings
Hand carved Santa Fe wood figure
Jewelry
Hats
Scarves
Handmade fine-wood queen bed frame
Queen 4 poster Pine bed frame ... spectacular!
7 Drawer Dresser
Women's large and med and small
Night Stand
Wine Glasses
Signed Fine Art Photography Posters
Silk couture wedding dress
Trinkets
Stools
Chairs
Fabric
VHS
Books
Electronics
Records
Frontier Wood Burning Stove


Sunday, October 9, 2011

Frost Alert, Worms and Holy Smoke

















As frost was forecasted for the weekend, the Dandelion Ranch crew got busy yesterday covering frost sensitive plants (tomato, basil, pepper) with row cover (reemay).  On Friday night, Giselle even covered some of the plants with her own bed sheets!




















Our fairies harvesting tobacco plants, eggplants and peppers,

















and Dan praying over the tobacco leaves.  Tobacco will be used for special ceremonies.


















Thura and Maria gifted our first compost pile to a bucket of red worms.  That first pile is 90 days-old with a temperature of 80 degree, thus suitable for worms.  Our second pile is almost ready to retire and still "cooking" at 140 degree.

















While the crew was gardening, Coleman (13) chopped off a huge pile of old wood for our winter supply (both the yurt and the lower part of the house are heated with wood stoves).

This week, the Dandelion Ranch garden parties were for me extraordinary.  What I have been experiencing is a new kind of flow-an ease and pleasure in being, and working, in community.  No big agenda except taking care of self and garden.  Each day, 15-20 people showed up, with lots of children playing in and around the garden.  This 3-months experiment in community gardening is teaching me a lot.  It's showing me that all we have to do is offer a place to gather.  People come to just say hello, pick a few greens for their dinner, interact with amazing children and adults, and be part of something that's nurturing, fun and flowing.  My sense is that we are all drawn to discover a new way of being-with oneself, others and the Earth.  The land at Dandelion Ranch spoke to me when I first visited it last year.  I clearly saw the farm.  Dan and Giselle had similar visions.  Together with our community, we are simply responding to the call of that land.  All she needed was a little love, a little sweat, a few seeds and some water.  And the resulting gifts are stupendous-a garden started a few weeks ago that delights and inspires many.  An abundance of food that is shared with everyone visiting.  And above all, a place for parents to bring their children to participate in activities that will resonate within them for the rest of their lives.
I feel like a happy man this morning.  I have longed for community all my life and helped create many remarkable projects and communities.  However, for some odd reasons, I always felt separate, too busy and responsible for my heart to open to what community can yield in one's evolution and healing.  After a year of full time community gardening and farming in Santa Fe and Mexico (El Jardin de Guadalupe, San Pancho), I am beginning to soften and enjoy my role in weaving community. I am starting to understand the ingredients necessary to build healthy community ; clear intentions, elders, loving parents, playful children, sweet animals and healthy soil. Dandelion Ranch is off to a great start.  Every single person who comes to that place brings something unique.  My hope is that every person who comes also leaves with a gift- a bag of delicious greens, a new idea inspired by a conversation, a new friend and a piece of healing in their heart for being part of something beautiful, simple and life affirming.  I am very grateful to Dan and Giselle for saying yes to creating the garden, and for Juaquin for being such a playful, loving and inspiring force in guiding our efforts.

Next Garden Party
Wed. Oct 12
3:00-6:00pm