On June 26th, 2011, the day the Las Conchas Fire erupted in Northern New Mexico, ground was broken at this precious little neighborhood garden in Santa Fe. The Dandelion Ranch will be presented with six other gardens in Santa Fe on the 2nd Annual Homegrown and Edible KITCHEN GARDEN & COOP TOUR July 29th, 2012 9am-2pm. We'd love it if you attend. Go to this link for details, homegrownnewmexico.org
The few people who began the project were passionate and joy-filled. There was deep knowledge and energy flowing and the empty, barren hillside was double-dug over the course of a few months, but that very day, the soil was amended, watered, prayed upon and planted. A new garden was born.
Looking West, across the width of the garden. To the right, behind the bird is the compost operation and to the Left is the exciting and quickly materializing 'Shedville', a 45' structure containing an outdoor kitchen, tool shed and seed bank. Travis, lives on the premises with Rachel and their two children. He is an amazing artist and builder and set designer and he's completing 'Shedville' with a year's worth of beautiful old, reclaimed lumber and a few delightful accents from Dan and Giselle's home. Photos of 'Shedville' will be posted in the next blog entry.
Mullein, Purslane, Wild Amaranth and Lambs Quarters grow abundantly in the garden and they are prizes in the harvest. Often removed from gardens as weeds, these delicious and nutritious volunteers hold soil together create shade canopies and put some pizazz in salads or sauteing.
Ruby is one of four young people who live on the property. All kids who come to the garden, after a hearty go on the swing or romp on the trampoline, wind up drawn to the garden where the resident kids, Amelie, Coleman, Jay-hawk or Ruby can show them how to harvest the plants without injuring them, how to hold a snake or how to eat just a nibble of basil w/ mint for a special taste treat. There are three dogs, two cats, 22 chickens and a slurry of turkeys on the premises ~ and the best neighbors we could ask for in immediate surrounds.
Mullein: A sacred medicinal tincture, oil and smoke plant. Probably a dozen in the garden.
This beautiful shot shows Wild Amaranth in with the bone-meal-dusted Cabbages. The bone meal is combined with other natural ingredients to keep the bugs away. June temperatures and humidity levels were hot and dry making it tough on several of the colder weather crops. But now they're doing fine. We will be doing short demonstrations around soil development, compost, herbs and tincture- making and and how to empower the burgeoning or advanced gardener in you.
The lush look is not an illusion. Here, the base of 'Shrine Hill' and all other gardens on the premises, except for "Cottage Garden' are on drip irrigation lines (different styles for different topographies and harvesting intentions).
Chard at first light.
Facing East toward the residence.
The grey row-covers are hoop houses in the winter for year round gardening. We're direct seeding now, Turnips, Beets, Kohlrabi, Carrots and Broccoli in preparation for autumn's chill. And we're planting lots of Lettuces and Kales in 'flats' for progressive planting until we tuck it all under the reemay and plastic while Father Winter holds us suspended in time. The bees were most delighted when we uncovered the beds early this Spring. The Kale, Arugula and Sorrel were early blooming to develop their phenomenal seeds.
Wild at heart, this couple day old turkey has had little contact with humans. The family consists of a Tom ('Lucky'), two Hens ('Zelda' and her daughter), four teenagers (born on the Solar Eclipse), and three baby poults.
Currently, there are approximately fifteen amazing adults and many young people who frequent this neighborhood garden. Technically, Dandelion Ranch is not a community garden because community gardens contain individuals who develop individual plots in a community space. We move forward here, tending the various gardens together. It is a very satisfying adventure. Host, Dan recently realized and wrote that, "Practicing Radical Happiness can be messy. But like a spirited garden, it bears the gifts of radical health, abundance and fruitfulness. And gratitude is its harvest
and its headwaters."
'Sunrise Hill', medicine garden and flowers.
Calendula and Sunflowers etc. on 'Sunrise Hill'.
Peek-a-boo from inside the Yurt.
Here this hard-necked garlic represents our latest harvest.
There is a lot of Work/Play to be done/had here at the Ranch before the TOUR. If you'd like to come by and lend a hand, it'd be a great way to see and feel the garden and your help would be greatly appreciated. All day work party this Saturday the 21st. Dan or Giselle Piburn 505-989-4424, luminous@cybermesa.com. If you'd like to officially help and volunteer on the TOUR, there's a training in Santa Fe from 10-11 on Sat at the community room behind Whole Foods (formerly Wild Oats). Check out the homegrown link above for details.
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