Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Sorry, the last blog posted late!




It looks like Monday's blog entry did not post until Tuesday which means that unless otherwise informed, you likely missed Monday's radio conversation with Rhea Goodman on Living Juicy. I will keep in mind that there may be as many as 22 hours delay between a post and a feed to your inbox! When I get a copy of the conversation, I'll do my best to get it up on this blog. Also stay posted for an upcoming interview from the Santa Fe Farmer's Market w/ Bob Ross on KSFR's Gardens, Food & Santa Fe.  

 Happy Harvest!


Monday, October 1, 2012

Radio Conversation Tonight on KSFR ~ classes and 'kim chi'

Juaquin has a special way of being in a garden ~

 Tonight, Monday at 6:30 pm, radio host Rhea Goodman will be talking w/ Master Horticulturist and Bio Dynamic Teacher, Juaquin Lawrence Hershman, and co/host of the Dandelion Ranch, Dan Piburn, on her show 'Living Juicy' which airs at 6:30 every Monday night on Santa Fe's only public radio 101.1 fm, KSFR. We will be talking about Horticulture, Bio Dynamic Gardening and the six week class underway that Juaquin is teaching, right here in Santa Fe at the Dandelion Ranch.

If you're interested in joining the class, this Thursday is week 2. The fee is $20.00 per class or $90.00 (now pro-rated) for the entire series.
 Rhea in the Garden one recent Thursday night ~

 Some usual suspects at Dandelion Ranch: Michael, Nicholas, Laurie and Joan ~

Here is what a demo looks like in the first class of the series ~
Soon, a list of the class topics and some words from Juaquin will be posted here on the blog ~

Juaquin says:
First Class: "All soils can be productive! Enter into the process of Nature in a natural way, following Her rhythms, and create a life  of balance and health."

Second Class: "We will explore the techniques and concepts of growing plants for strength and nutrition, and the creation of a living environment."
 

 Amelie, having a snack after helping out w/ a demo ~

 Meanwhile, some wild fermentation is going on up on the back porch! Giselle and Rachel ~

We're planning a get together soon for some more batches. If you're interested leave a comment or email us directly at luminous@cybermesa.com/ ~

Please tell your friends about this blog and encourage them to subscribe..... that means that each blog entry will be fed to their email inbox. A great way to stay posted from cyberspace.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Passion, Wisdom and Kindness, unfolding ~

Please join us this Thursday, September 27 and the following five Thursdays (see flyer for exact dates) for an unfolding, up-close-and-personal workshop at the Dandelion Ranch with Master Horticulturist and Garden Sage, Juaquin Lawrence http://juaquinlawrencehershman.blogspot.com/,
a man who embodies passion, wisdom and kindness, and who's very excited to share his vast knowledge and vision with you. From novice to expert, all are welcomed and there will be time during each class reserved for Q and A. Parking will be located in the parking lot at Church of Antioch at 111W. Cordova Rd. from 4:45pm to 7:45pm, just across the Arroyo San Antonio from the Dandelion Ranch, (1212 Don Gaspar Ave). Kids are welcome to come with their parent(s). There will be light snacks and filtered water provided at the ranch but no bathroom facilities. Bring clothes for incliment weather, sturdy shoes, light gloves and a 'pad and pencil' for notes.
You can get started signing up now by contacting Giselle at luminous@cybermesa.com.

Together, we will schedule a potluck celebration for all participants to be held near the end of Oct.

Thanks, Poki, for Feedburner and the blogspot brainstorms!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Along the 2nd Annual Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour, 7-29-2012

Dramatically swooping into the Garden from the North East, a giant Fire bird (upper Right) brings the essence of exaltation to the plants, animals and humans alike!

 Public Artist and local phenom, Don Kennell offered this beautiful mixed-medium bird sculpture to visit the garden. He recently hung a show at the Eggman and Walrus Gallery here in Santa Fe where many birds were presented. He won two first place ribbons at last year's Recycled Art show at El Museo. One piece took the judge's prize and his other piece won the people's choice award. He has two fish sculptures installed on the Santa Fe River along East Alameda and his corrugated metal 'Yard Dog'-swing stands nobly in the Rail yard Park across Cerrillos from Whole Foods. He can be reached for private showings and commissions at 505-473-1584, or Don Kennell on Facebook where you can view his many works. Thanks Don!

Pablo Navrot works with Homegrown New Mexico. After locating the property on Google maps, Pablo rendered a beautiful layout of the Dandelion Ranch, and all the other properties on the tour. While researching our neighborhood through historical maps, Pablo noticed that the drainage running East to West along the Southern border of the property has long been named the San Antonio Arroyo which was very pleasing to learn and apply. This large work of art was given to us and it will always be an admired, historical piece around here. Thanks Pablo!

Hence..... gobble gobble!

And thanks also for the special invitation!


Bella Cloude and Tess set up a beautiful display of tinctures, salves and and soup-seasoning packages all harvested from the garden. Bella is an herbal specialist and passionate sharer of knowledge.

Bella in her sacred domain....



.... and with some ladies on the tour.







One of the rooms in 'Shedville' (an OSB-free zone) is the seed-drying center, seed bank and lending library.







Juaquin on the Saturday Homegrown-Host-and-Volunteer-Tour.



Amelie Piburn, also on the Saturday tour, found this 'tomato bug' and a few others in a greenhouse with her pal, J-hawk. They want you to see that this menacing and voracious green Horn Bug has a WoW-factor....... it turns in to a precious pollinator:

 The Butterfly Moth! In this case, the Sphinx-Moth. They love to visit our

fragrant ceremonial tobacco trumpet blossoms (bees, no-can-do) in mid August evenings.


Another feature in 'Shedville' is the outdoor kitchen. Framed by our friend Brian DeBenedetti and ably and passionately finished  by DLR resident, Travis Stroope.... all with found and reclaimed lumber collected over the last year. Fed by a hose-to-plumbing connection the cold water flows into a four inch perforated pipe running downhill, underground to the 'Buffalo Current' bush in the garden. Hot water will come from a gravity-fed 100' black irrigation hose in a solar box staged on the roof of 'Shedville'!



Juaquin Lawrence Hershman,  long time food, soil & people steward, and two year student of world renowned Master Horticulturist, Alan Chadwik, takes some of the tour visitors through a demonstration and mini lecture on double digging, soil amending and direct seeding.



Here the education continues at the seed-start nursery. We handed out at least a hundred Dandelion Ranch info cards (thank you dearly for the donation, Leslie Staller!), on Sunday and several people expressed interest in attending Garden salon-work parties at the ranch in September. Join this blog to stay posted....








Dan and Giselle Piburn, Dandelion Ranch hosts


L to R, Travis Stroope and wife, Rachel Zell, DLR residents with their dear friend, Zoe Wilcox, co author of The Home Farming Revolution. (In the lending library along with DLR friend, Nate Downey's book, Harvest the Rain).



El Gallinero

Tess in the yurt, looking lovely, energetic and 'vintage' after a long beautiful day in the sun.


Giselle and Dan with visitors discussing the squash bug assault and methods to recover, revive and prevent future invasions.


Happy cabbage following its divine blueprint.


 Travis and Giselle Monday morning in the garden.


and thank you,
Leslie Staller,
Father Richard Gundrey,
Candace and John G.,
Karen M.,
Amy Hetager,
and the volunteers,
Sobia Sayeda,
Pat and Mike Piburn,
Jaya Deva,
Brian DeBenedetti,
Kirsten Szykitka,
Joshua Sage,
Robin Duda,
Poki,
Derk Loeks,
Barbara Powell,
Gary Lee,
Don Kennell,
Elana Sue,
 Karen and Paul Schmitt, http://www.santafesunsilk.com/
Melissa McDonald and Nate  Downey, http://www.sfpermaculture.com/
all the Dandelion Ranchers
and everyone else who hosted and visited the gardens on this Second Annual Tour
making it such a pleasure and
success!


We would love to get your feedback about this blog and your experience here at the ranch. We encourage you to post your comments on this blog.
You can also reach us by phone by calling 505-989-4424 or on Facebook.
We'll soon be setting up a virtual calendar and bulletin board so that
we can share info easily with one another.
We do have 501c3, not-for-profit status and we sincerely ask you to consider making a financial or in kind donation to the Dandelion Ranch. We are dreaming a greenhouse, larger scale water catchment, solar thermal and pv, several bee hives, a pagoda shelter and a cordwood sauna!
All in hopes of continuing the vision of developing a sustainable and welcoming urban organic communal garden/homestead in Santa Fe that offers safe, fun and informative models and learning opportunities to spread the love, the joy and the fullness of living a little closer to the land in your back yard or in your community. Communal gardens truly illustrate the old adage, The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. For without each other, we'd miss the magic..... of giving, receiving, dreaming and sharing and when the going gets tough, workin' it out for the better. Sure beats isolation!
Thank you ~


~ cordwood sauna dream ~








Juaquin's Maverick Amaryllis in the garden ~







Sunday, July 29, 2012

On this auspicious day of celebration....

.... thanks goes to Poki. For your gargantuan effort and care, setting the template in motion that is now in full bloom at the Dandelion Ranch. http://gaiagardens.blogspot.com/

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Please join us: Homegrown NM Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour Sunday, July 29th, 2012!

We are so very excited to share with you the fruits of the dreaming and labor put in to our little garden on Don Gaspar along the San Antonio Arroyo. There are many photos that do not follow here but will be posted after the tour. We will be presenting the Garden, the chickens and their deluxe penthouse, a nursery with thousands of plants, a turkey run along the arroyo, a yurt-temple, an amazing outdoor kitchen, seed bank and work shop, water catchment ideas, composting, and caliche-soil preparation. There will be demonstrations and displays and items for sale by Master Horticulturist Juaquin Lawrence and Herbal Shamanista Bella Cloude, Art and design pieces by Travis Stroope and Don Kennell. Also Books by local authors, Nate Downey, 'Harvest the Rain', and Zoe Wilcox and Melanie Rubin, 'The Home Farming Revolution'. You can get tickets at any garden on the tour tomorrow which will give you access to all the gardens in a self-paced fashion. Please go to this link to learn more about Homegrown New Mexico and the 2nd Annual Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour!
http://homegrownnewmexico.org/

The following are some pics of the fun along the way ~

BTW, we'll be offering Saturday Open Garden Salons and Work Parties on some Saturdays this fall and we'll be hosting an Equinox Party at the Ranch on Saturday, September 22nd. We'll keep you posted!

It is the summer's great last heat,
It is the fall's first chill: They meet.
–Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt  


 'Winter' on Shrine Hill ~
 Travis, resident at DLR. Builder, artist and DLR design master, roofing Shedville ~
 Giselle and the fairies ~
 Tess and Master Horticulturist and DLR co founder Juaquin, starting thousands of seeds ~
 Michelle planting tomatoes ~
 Soaking strat flats ~
 .... like so ~
 Amelie, Bull snake whisperer ~
 Nicholas and Juaquin ~
 Laurie, tomato whisperer ~
 Bella, Herbal Sage, harvesting ~

 
 Juaquin, Tess, chickens, sing ~
 Seed start formula, 1pt sifted compost, 1pt peat moss, 1pt sifted arroyo sand. In this case the compost is a little 'hot' so we used 2pt peat moss and arroyo sand w 1pt compost ~
 Kirsten joyfully loading start flats ~
 Tess really getting in to the seed magic with Gandalf (Juaquin) ~
1000 holes in this sprayer head delivers the softest and most abundant 'rain' ~

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Sorry, the last blog posted late!




It looks like Monday's blog entry did not post until Tuesday which means that unless otherwise informed, you likely missed Monday's radio conversation with Rhea Goodman on Living Juicy. I will keep in mind that there may be as many as 22 hours delay between a post and a feed to your inbox! When I get a copy of the conversation, I'll do my best to get it up on this blog. Also stay posted for an upcoming interview from the Santa Fe Farmer's Market w/ Bob Ross on KSFR's Gardens, Food & Santa Fe.  

 Happy Harvest!


Monday, October 1, 2012

Radio Conversation Tonight on KSFR ~ classes and 'kim chi'

Juaquin has a special way of being in a garden ~

 Tonight, Monday at 6:30 pm, radio host Rhea Goodman will be talking w/ Master Horticulturist and Bio Dynamic Teacher, Juaquin Lawrence Hershman, and co/host of the Dandelion Ranch, Dan Piburn, on her show 'Living Juicy' which airs at 6:30 every Monday night on Santa Fe's only public radio 101.1 fm, KSFR. We will be talking about Horticulture, Bio Dynamic Gardening and the six week class underway that Juaquin is teaching, right here in Santa Fe at the Dandelion Ranch.

If you're interested in joining the class, this Thursday is week 2. The fee is $20.00 per class or $90.00 (now pro-rated) for the entire series.
 Rhea in the Garden one recent Thursday night ~

 Some usual suspects at Dandelion Ranch: Michael, Nicholas, Laurie and Joan ~

Here is what a demo looks like in the first class of the series ~
Soon, a list of the class topics and some words from Juaquin will be posted here on the blog ~

Juaquin says:
First Class: "All soils can be productive! Enter into the process of Nature in a natural way, following Her rhythms, and create a life  of balance and health."

Second Class: "We will explore the techniques and concepts of growing plants for strength and nutrition, and the creation of a living environment."
 

 Amelie, having a snack after helping out w/ a demo ~

 Meanwhile, some wild fermentation is going on up on the back porch! Giselle and Rachel ~

We're planning a get together soon for some more batches. If you're interested leave a comment or email us directly at luminous@cybermesa.com/ ~

Please tell your friends about this blog and encourage them to subscribe..... that means that each blog entry will be fed to their email inbox. A great way to stay posted from cyberspace.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Passion, Wisdom and Kindness, unfolding ~

Please join us this Thursday, September 27 and the following five Thursdays (see flyer for exact dates) for an unfolding, up-close-and-personal workshop at the Dandelion Ranch with Master Horticulturist and Garden Sage, Juaquin Lawrence http://juaquinlawrencehershman.blogspot.com/,
a man who embodies passion, wisdom and kindness, and who's very excited to share his vast knowledge and vision with you. From novice to expert, all are welcomed and there will be time during each class reserved for Q and A. Parking will be located in the parking lot at Church of Antioch at 111W. Cordova Rd. from 4:45pm to 7:45pm, just across the Arroyo San Antonio from the Dandelion Ranch, (1212 Don Gaspar Ave). Kids are welcome to come with their parent(s). There will be light snacks and filtered water provided at the ranch but no bathroom facilities. Bring clothes for incliment weather, sturdy shoes, light gloves and a 'pad and pencil' for notes.
You can get started signing up now by contacting Giselle at luminous@cybermesa.com.

Together, we will schedule a potluck celebration for all participants to be held near the end of Oct.

Thanks, Poki, for Feedburner and the blogspot brainstorms!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Along the 2nd Annual Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour, 7-29-2012

Dramatically swooping into the Garden from the North East, a giant Fire bird (upper Right) brings the essence of exaltation to the plants, animals and humans alike!

 Public Artist and local phenom, Don Kennell offered this beautiful mixed-medium bird sculpture to visit the garden. He recently hung a show at the Eggman and Walrus Gallery here in Santa Fe where many birds were presented. He won two first place ribbons at last year's Recycled Art show at El Museo. One piece took the judge's prize and his other piece won the people's choice award. He has two fish sculptures installed on the Santa Fe River along East Alameda and his corrugated metal 'Yard Dog'-swing stands nobly in the Rail yard Park across Cerrillos from Whole Foods. He can be reached for private showings and commissions at 505-473-1584, or Don Kennell on Facebook where you can view his many works. Thanks Don!

Pablo Navrot works with Homegrown New Mexico. After locating the property on Google maps, Pablo rendered a beautiful layout of the Dandelion Ranch, and all the other properties on the tour. While researching our neighborhood through historical maps, Pablo noticed that the drainage running East to West along the Southern border of the property has long been named the San Antonio Arroyo which was very pleasing to learn and apply. This large work of art was given to us and it will always be an admired, historical piece around here. Thanks Pablo!

Hence..... gobble gobble!

And thanks also for the special invitation!


Bella Cloude and Tess set up a beautiful display of tinctures, salves and and soup-seasoning packages all harvested from the garden. Bella is an herbal specialist and passionate sharer of knowledge.

Bella in her sacred domain....



.... and with some ladies on the tour.







One of the rooms in 'Shedville' (an OSB-free zone) is the seed-drying center, seed bank and lending library.







Juaquin on the Saturday Homegrown-Host-and-Volunteer-Tour.



Amelie Piburn, also on the Saturday tour, found this 'tomato bug' and a few others in a greenhouse with her pal, J-hawk. They want you to see that this menacing and voracious green Horn Bug has a WoW-factor....... it turns in to a precious pollinator:

 The Butterfly Moth! In this case, the Sphinx-Moth. They love to visit our

fragrant ceremonial tobacco trumpet blossoms (bees, no-can-do) in mid August evenings.


Another feature in 'Shedville' is the outdoor kitchen. Framed by our friend Brian DeBenedetti and ably and passionately finished  by DLR resident, Travis Stroope.... all with found and reclaimed lumber collected over the last year. Fed by a hose-to-plumbing connection the cold water flows into a four inch perforated pipe running downhill, underground to the 'Buffalo Current' bush in the garden. Hot water will come from a gravity-fed 100' black irrigation hose in a solar box staged on the roof of 'Shedville'!



Juaquin Lawrence Hershman,  long time food, soil & people steward, and two year student of world renowned Master Horticulturist, Alan Chadwik, takes some of the tour visitors through a demonstration and mini lecture on double digging, soil amending and direct seeding.



Here the education continues at the seed-start nursery. We handed out at least a hundred Dandelion Ranch info cards (thank you dearly for the donation, Leslie Staller!), on Sunday and several people expressed interest in attending Garden salon-work parties at the ranch in September. Join this blog to stay posted....








Dan and Giselle Piburn, Dandelion Ranch hosts


L to R, Travis Stroope and wife, Rachel Zell, DLR residents with their dear friend, Zoe Wilcox, co author of The Home Farming Revolution. (In the lending library along with DLR friend, Nate Downey's book, Harvest the Rain).



El Gallinero

Tess in the yurt, looking lovely, energetic and 'vintage' after a long beautiful day in the sun.


Giselle and Dan with visitors discussing the squash bug assault and methods to recover, revive and prevent future invasions.


Happy cabbage following its divine blueprint.


 Travis and Giselle Monday morning in the garden.


and thank you,
Leslie Staller,
Father Richard Gundrey,
Candace and John G.,
Karen M.,
Amy Hetager,
and the volunteers,
Sobia Sayeda,
Pat and Mike Piburn,
Jaya Deva,
Brian DeBenedetti,
Kirsten Szykitka,
Joshua Sage,
Robin Duda,
Poki,
Derk Loeks,
Barbara Powell,
Gary Lee,
Don Kennell,
Elana Sue,
 Karen and Paul Schmitt, http://www.santafesunsilk.com/
Melissa McDonald and Nate  Downey, http://www.sfpermaculture.com/
all the Dandelion Ranchers
and everyone else who hosted and visited the gardens on this Second Annual Tour
making it such a pleasure and
success!


We would love to get your feedback about this blog and your experience here at the ranch. We encourage you to post your comments on this blog.
You can also reach us by phone by calling 505-989-4424 or on Facebook.
We'll soon be setting up a virtual calendar and bulletin board so that
we can share info easily with one another.
We do have 501c3, not-for-profit status and we sincerely ask you to consider making a financial or in kind donation to the Dandelion Ranch. We are dreaming a greenhouse, larger scale water catchment, solar thermal and pv, several bee hives, a pagoda shelter and a cordwood sauna!
All in hopes of continuing the vision of developing a sustainable and welcoming urban organic communal garden/homestead in Santa Fe that offers safe, fun and informative models and learning opportunities to spread the love, the joy and the fullness of living a little closer to the land in your back yard or in your community. Communal gardens truly illustrate the old adage, The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. For without each other, we'd miss the magic..... of giving, receiving, dreaming and sharing and when the going gets tough, workin' it out for the better. Sure beats isolation!
Thank you ~


~ cordwood sauna dream ~








Juaquin's Maverick Amaryllis in the garden ~







Sunday, July 29, 2012

On this auspicious day of celebration....

.... thanks goes to Poki. For your gargantuan effort and care, setting the template in motion that is now in full bloom at the Dandelion Ranch. http://gaiagardens.blogspot.com/

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Please join us: Homegrown NM Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour Sunday, July 29th, 2012!

We are so very excited to share with you the fruits of the dreaming and labor put in to our little garden on Don Gaspar along the San Antonio Arroyo. There are many photos that do not follow here but will be posted after the tour. We will be presenting the Garden, the chickens and their deluxe penthouse, a nursery with thousands of plants, a turkey run along the arroyo, a yurt-temple, an amazing outdoor kitchen, seed bank and work shop, water catchment ideas, composting, and caliche-soil preparation. There will be demonstrations and displays and items for sale by Master Horticulturist Juaquin Lawrence and Herbal Shamanista Bella Cloude, Art and design pieces by Travis Stroope and Don Kennell. Also Books by local authors, Nate Downey, 'Harvest the Rain', and Zoe Wilcox and Melanie Rubin, 'The Home Farming Revolution'. You can get tickets at any garden on the tour tomorrow which will give you access to all the gardens in a self-paced fashion. Please go to this link to learn more about Homegrown New Mexico and the 2nd Annual Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour!
http://homegrownnewmexico.org/

The following are some pics of the fun along the way ~

BTW, we'll be offering Saturday Open Garden Salons and Work Parties on some Saturdays this fall and we'll be hosting an Equinox Party at the Ranch on Saturday, September 22nd. We'll keep you posted!

It is the summer's great last heat,
It is the fall's first chill: They meet.
–Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt  


 'Winter' on Shrine Hill ~
 Travis, resident at DLR. Builder, artist and DLR design master, roofing Shedville ~
 Giselle and the fairies ~
 Tess and Master Horticulturist and DLR co founder Juaquin, starting thousands of seeds ~
 Michelle planting tomatoes ~
 Soaking strat flats ~
 .... like so ~
 Amelie, Bull snake whisperer ~
 Nicholas and Juaquin ~
 Laurie, tomato whisperer ~
 Bella, Herbal Sage, harvesting ~

 
 Juaquin, Tess, chickens, sing ~
 Seed start formula, 1pt sifted compost, 1pt peat moss, 1pt sifted arroyo sand. In this case the compost is a little 'hot' so we used 2pt peat moss and arroyo sand w 1pt compost ~
 Kirsten joyfully loading start flats ~
 Tess really getting in to the seed magic with Gandalf (Juaquin) ~
1000 holes in this sprayer head delivers the softest and most abundant 'rain' ~

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Sorry, the last blog posted late!




It looks like Monday's blog entry did not post until Tuesday which means that unless otherwise informed, you likely missed Monday's radio conversation with Rhea Goodman on Living Juicy. I will keep in mind that there may be as many as 22 hours delay between a post and a feed to your inbox! When I get a copy of the conversation, I'll do my best to get it up on this blog. Also stay posted for an upcoming interview from the Santa Fe Farmer's Market w/ Bob Ross on KSFR's Gardens, Food & Santa Fe.  

 Happy Harvest!


Monday, October 1, 2012

Radio Conversation Tonight on KSFR ~ classes and 'kim chi'

Juaquin has a special way of being in a garden ~

 Tonight, Monday at 6:30 pm, radio host Rhea Goodman will be talking w/ Master Horticulturist and Bio Dynamic Teacher, Juaquin Lawrence Hershman, and co/host of the Dandelion Ranch, Dan Piburn, on her show 'Living Juicy' which airs at 6:30 every Monday night on Santa Fe's only public radio 101.1 fm, KSFR. We will be talking about Horticulture, Bio Dynamic Gardening and the six week class underway that Juaquin is teaching, right here in Santa Fe at the Dandelion Ranch.

If you're interested in joining the class, this Thursday is week 2. The fee is $20.00 per class or $90.00 (now pro-rated) for the entire series.
 Rhea in the Garden one recent Thursday night ~

 Some usual suspects at Dandelion Ranch: Michael, Nicholas, Laurie and Joan ~

Here is what a demo looks like in the first class of the series ~
Soon, a list of the class topics and some words from Juaquin will be posted here on the blog ~

Juaquin says:
First Class: "All soils can be productive! Enter into the process of Nature in a natural way, following Her rhythms, and create a life  of balance and health."

Second Class: "We will explore the techniques and concepts of growing plants for strength and nutrition, and the creation of a living environment."
 

 Amelie, having a snack after helping out w/ a demo ~

 Meanwhile, some wild fermentation is going on up on the back porch! Giselle and Rachel ~

We're planning a get together soon for some more batches. If you're interested leave a comment or email us directly at luminous@cybermesa.com/ ~

Please tell your friends about this blog and encourage them to subscribe..... that means that each blog entry will be fed to their email inbox. A great way to stay posted from cyberspace.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Passion, Wisdom and Kindness, unfolding ~

Please join us this Thursday, September 27 and the following five Thursdays (see flyer for exact dates) for an unfolding, up-close-and-personal workshop at the Dandelion Ranch with Master Horticulturist and Garden Sage, Juaquin Lawrence http://juaquinlawrencehershman.blogspot.com/,
a man who embodies passion, wisdom and kindness, and who's very excited to share his vast knowledge and vision with you. From novice to expert, all are welcomed and there will be time during each class reserved for Q and A. Parking will be located in the parking lot at Church of Antioch at 111W. Cordova Rd. from 4:45pm to 7:45pm, just across the Arroyo San Antonio from the Dandelion Ranch, (1212 Don Gaspar Ave). Kids are welcome to come with their parent(s). There will be light snacks and filtered water provided at the ranch but no bathroom facilities. Bring clothes for incliment weather, sturdy shoes, light gloves and a 'pad and pencil' for notes.
You can get started signing up now by contacting Giselle at luminous@cybermesa.com.

Together, we will schedule a potluck celebration for all participants to be held near the end of Oct.

Thanks, Poki, for Feedburner and the blogspot brainstorms!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Along the 2nd Annual Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour, 7-29-2012

Dramatically swooping into the Garden from the North East, a giant Fire bird (upper Right) brings the essence of exaltation to the plants, animals and humans alike!

 Public Artist and local phenom, Don Kennell offered this beautiful mixed-medium bird sculpture to visit the garden. He recently hung a show at the Eggman and Walrus Gallery here in Santa Fe where many birds were presented. He won two first place ribbons at last year's Recycled Art show at El Museo. One piece took the judge's prize and his other piece won the people's choice award. He has two fish sculptures installed on the Santa Fe River along East Alameda and his corrugated metal 'Yard Dog'-swing stands nobly in the Rail yard Park across Cerrillos from Whole Foods. He can be reached for private showings and commissions at 505-473-1584, or Don Kennell on Facebook where you can view his many works. Thanks Don!

Pablo Navrot works with Homegrown New Mexico. After locating the property on Google maps, Pablo rendered a beautiful layout of the Dandelion Ranch, and all the other properties on the tour. While researching our neighborhood through historical maps, Pablo noticed that the drainage running East to West along the Southern border of the property has long been named the San Antonio Arroyo which was very pleasing to learn and apply. This large work of art was given to us and it will always be an admired, historical piece around here. Thanks Pablo!

Hence..... gobble gobble!

And thanks also for the special invitation!


Bella Cloude and Tess set up a beautiful display of tinctures, salves and and soup-seasoning packages all harvested from the garden. Bella is an herbal specialist and passionate sharer of knowledge.

Bella in her sacred domain....



.... and with some ladies on the tour.







One of the rooms in 'Shedville' (an OSB-free zone) is the seed-drying center, seed bank and lending library.







Juaquin on the Saturday Homegrown-Host-and-Volunteer-Tour.



Amelie Piburn, also on the Saturday tour, found this 'tomato bug' and a few others in a greenhouse with her pal, J-hawk. They want you to see that this menacing and voracious green Horn Bug has a WoW-factor....... it turns in to a precious pollinator:

 The Butterfly Moth! In this case, the Sphinx-Moth. They love to visit our

fragrant ceremonial tobacco trumpet blossoms (bees, no-can-do) in mid August evenings.


Another feature in 'Shedville' is the outdoor kitchen. Framed by our friend Brian DeBenedetti and ably and passionately finished  by DLR resident, Travis Stroope.... all with found and reclaimed lumber collected over the last year. Fed by a hose-to-plumbing connection the cold water flows into a four inch perforated pipe running downhill, underground to the 'Buffalo Current' bush in the garden. Hot water will come from a gravity-fed 100' black irrigation hose in a solar box staged on the roof of 'Shedville'!



Juaquin Lawrence Hershman,  long time food, soil & people steward, and two year student of world renowned Master Horticulturist, Alan Chadwik, takes some of the tour visitors through a demonstration and mini lecture on double digging, soil amending and direct seeding.



Here the education continues at the seed-start nursery. We handed out at least a hundred Dandelion Ranch info cards (thank you dearly for the donation, Leslie Staller!), on Sunday and several people expressed interest in attending Garden salon-work parties at the ranch in September. Join this blog to stay posted....








Dan and Giselle Piburn, Dandelion Ranch hosts


L to R, Travis Stroope and wife, Rachel Zell, DLR residents with their dear friend, Zoe Wilcox, co author of The Home Farming Revolution. (In the lending library along with DLR friend, Nate Downey's book, Harvest the Rain).



El Gallinero

Tess in the yurt, looking lovely, energetic and 'vintage' after a long beautiful day in the sun.


Giselle and Dan with visitors discussing the squash bug assault and methods to recover, revive and prevent future invasions.


Happy cabbage following its divine blueprint.


 Travis and Giselle Monday morning in the garden.


and thank you,
Leslie Staller,
Father Richard Gundrey,
Candace and John G.,
Karen M.,
Amy Hetager,
and the volunteers,
Sobia Sayeda,
Pat and Mike Piburn,
Jaya Deva,
Brian DeBenedetti,
Kirsten Szykitka,
Joshua Sage,
Robin Duda,
Poki,
Derk Loeks,
Barbara Powell,
Gary Lee,
Don Kennell,
Elana Sue,
 Karen and Paul Schmitt, http://www.santafesunsilk.com/
Melissa McDonald and Nate  Downey, http://www.sfpermaculture.com/
all the Dandelion Ranchers
and everyone else who hosted and visited the gardens on this Second Annual Tour
making it such a pleasure and
success!


We would love to get your feedback about this blog and your experience here at the ranch. We encourage you to post your comments on this blog.
You can also reach us by phone by calling 505-989-4424 or on Facebook.
We'll soon be setting up a virtual calendar and bulletin board so that
we can share info easily with one another.
We do have 501c3, not-for-profit status and we sincerely ask you to consider making a financial or in kind donation to the Dandelion Ranch. We are dreaming a greenhouse, larger scale water catchment, solar thermal and pv, several bee hives, a pagoda shelter and a cordwood sauna!
All in hopes of continuing the vision of developing a sustainable and welcoming urban organic communal garden/homestead in Santa Fe that offers safe, fun and informative models and learning opportunities to spread the love, the joy and the fullness of living a little closer to the land in your back yard or in your community. Communal gardens truly illustrate the old adage, The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. For without each other, we'd miss the magic..... of giving, receiving, dreaming and sharing and when the going gets tough, workin' it out for the better. Sure beats isolation!
Thank you ~


~ cordwood sauna dream ~








Juaquin's Maverick Amaryllis in the garden ~







Sunday, July 29, 2012

On this auspicious day of celebration....

.... thanks goes to Poki. For your gargantuan effort and care, setting the template in motion that is now in full bloom at the Dandelion Ranch. http://gaiagardens.blogspot.com/

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Please join us: Homegrown NM Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour Sunday, July 29th, 2012!

We are so very excited to share with you the fruits of the dreaming and labor put in to our little garden on Don Gaspar along the San Antonio Arroyo. There are many photos that do not follow here but will be posted after the tour. We will be presenting the Garden, the chickens and their deluxe penthouse, a nursery with thousands of plants, a turkey run along the arroyo, a yurt-temple, an amazing outdoor kitchen, seed bank and work shop, water catchment ideas, composting, and caliche-soil preparation. There will be demonstrations and displays and items for sale by Master Horticulturist Juaquin Lawrence and Herbal Shamanista Bella Cloude, Art and design pieces by Travis Stroope and Don Kennell. Also Books by local authors, Nate Downey, 'Harvest the Rain', and Zoe Wilcox and Melanie Rubin, 'The Home Farming Revolution'. You can get tickets at any garden on the tour tomorrow which will give you access to all the gardens in a self-paced fashion. Please go to this link to learn more about Homegrown New Mexico and the 2nd Annual Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour!
http://homegrownnewmexico.org/

The following are some pics of the fun along the way ~

BTW, we'll be offering Saturday Open Garden Salons and Work Parties on some Saturdays this fall and we'll be hosting an Equinox Party at the Ranch on Saturday, September 22nd. We'll keep you posted!

It is the summer's great last heat,
It is the fall's first chill: They meet.
–Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt  


 'Winter' on Shrine Hill ~
 Travis, resident at DLR. Builder, artist and DLR design master, roofing Shedville ~
 Giselle and the fairies ~
 Tess and Master Horticulturist and DLR co founder Juaquin, starting thousands of seeds ~
 Michelle planting tomatoes ~
 Soaking strat flats ~
 .... like so ~
 Amelie, Bull snake whisperer ~
 Nicholas and Juaquin ~
 Laurie, tomato whisperer ~
 Bella, Herbal Sage, harvesting ~

 
 Juaquin, Tess, chickens, sing ~
 Seed start formula, 1pt sifted compost, 1pt peat moss, 1pt sifted arroyo sand. In this case the compost is a little 'hot' so we used 2pt peat moss and arroyo sand w 1pt compost ~
 Kirsten joyfully loading start flats ~
 Tess really getting in to the seed magic with Gandalf (Juaquin) ~
1000 holes in this sprayer head delivers the softest and most abundant 'rain' ~