Spring Fever

Lots of activities at the Ranch last Saturday.  The building of seed flats continues and we'll soon be running out of wood.  If you know of a stack of 1"x4" (pine, red wood or cedar), please let us know. So far we have 15 seed flats and 24 transplant flats.  We need to build at least another 25 flats.

Dan and Brian setting posts for the turkey pen.

Dominique and John bringing compsot and arroyo soil to make soil for the seed flats.

All the soil ingredients get sifted through a screen as the seed flats need the finest of soil mix.

Elizabeth and Giselle researching flowers for the design of Shrine Hill.

Covering the beds after a good watering.

Joan with the harvest.


NEXT GARDEN PARTY
Wed. Feb 29
1:00-4:00pm

NOTE: Check the activities at the new Gaia Gardens  (farm days are Thurs. and Sundays  1:00-4:00pm)

First Seeds have been Planted

Yesterday, leeks, onions and chives were planted in flats. 

After carefully spreading the seeds evenly on a flat (400-500 seeds per flat), a thin layer of soil is then gently rained onto the flat to cover the seeds.

Each flat is then "dunked" to saturate the soil with water.  The flat is gently held to float for a minute or two until it almost sinks, an indication that the soil has absorbed a lot of water.  It's important to make sure that water is not coming over the top of the flats as the seeds would otherwise get washed and uncovered.

Flats were placed on top of a warm compost pile

and then gently watered with a fogger.

Our first three flats were then covered with a small hoop house.  Temperature will be monitored to make sure the flats don't get too hot.

All our plants are doing well.  Several bags of greens were harvested yesterday.

Organic donuts courtesy of Whoo's Donuts.  Thanks Tia for the delivery!

NEXT GARDEN PARTY
Sat. Feb. 25
1:00-4:00pm

Compost-Powered Seed Incubator

For the past week, I had been pondering how to create a warm hoophouse to begin our germination process.  I started clearing one area of the garden to make room for a new structure and was moving some of the seed flats that we built last week.  I put the flats on top of one of the compost piles and immediately realized that's where the seed flats ought to be.  It made sense as we have four full compost bins with temperatures ranging from 90 to 140 degree!

We leveled all four piles to accommodate as many flats as possible and covered the piles with black plastic to retain the heat.

Three flats fit perfectly over the width of the piles.

We started building mini hoop house with 1"x1" recycle lumber (that was donated earlier that day, thank you Kevin!), thick gauge wire and plastic.

Brian, engineering our mini hoop houses

Voila!  We'll be able to set 21 seed flats on the 4 warm compost piles = 10,000 plants

Just a few days ago, I was talking with friends and mentioned my curiosity about the influence of a healthy compost pile on a neighborhood.  What kind of resonance do millions of bacterias making soil have on our psyche, evolution and creativity?  When I realized yesterday that I could germinate our seeds on top of the warm compost pile, it was a profound confirmation that these billion year-old organisms living in our back yard have all the answers we seek.  All we need to do it seems is to put our questions out and be willing to listen...


NEXT GARDEN PARTY
Wed. Feb 22
1:00-4:00pm
(we'll be starting seeds in flats)

Soil Mix, Seed Flats and the Birth of a New Urban Farm

Last Saturday, Juaquin demonstrated how to make a good soil mix for the seed flats.  

 

Using three equal part of sifted compost, sifted arroyo soil (pretty sandy) and a good quality potting soil, the piles are thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly!) mixed together.  

Between 500 and 1000 seeds can be planted in a seed flat.  The soil must be fine so the roots can easily grow.  If twigs are left in the soil, the roots will grab onto them and make the separation of the tiny plants difficult when they are ready to be transplanted.

The seed flats are then filled with the new soil which is compacted with a wooden trowel.  A 1/2' lip is left to accommodate the thin layer of fine soil that will be sprinkled over the seeds.

Flats ready for seeds...

Today, 6 more flats were built, and more arroyo soil and compost were sifted (thank you John and Brian!).

Carmen harvesting greens for our friend Daryn.

Carmen and Sobia (Indian Summer Farm) discussing seeds and herb garden design.

Next Garden Party

Sat. Feb 18

1:00-4:00PM

BREAKING NEWS!

We are pleased to announce the creation of Gaia Gardens, a new urban farm in Santa Fe.

Delivering Green Medicine

This morning, Dominique and I went to visit Daryn Curtis who has been paralyzed from the waste down for months, following a cancer surgery on her spine.  We brought her two bags of fresh greens from the garden and half a dozen eggs from Dan's chickens.
Just before we arrived at her house, during her physical therapy session, she was able to wiggle her toes for the first time in months.  Her spirit was high to say the least!
Since we had talked about helping people with life-threatening disease by bringing them some of our greens, I committed in your behalf to get her fresh greens each week.  Her helper will pick them up.
Daryn is an incredible spirit.  An architect, painter, dancer and mother of two kids, the youngest being 12, she has shown incredible faith and courage in her journey with cancer.
She asked me to publish this image that she drew. She said that a lot of folks printed the drawing and it has helped her tremendously.

Go Daryn! You'll be dancing again soon.  We love you.

Sat. 2/11 - Teaching - Making Soil mix for Seed Flats

On Saturday Feb. 11 from 2:00-4:00pm, Juaquin will be demonstrating how to make soil mix for the seed flats that we will soon be sowing.  Using our own compost, sifted horse manure, arroyo soil, sand, leaf mulch and other magical ingredients, we will prepare all the soil we need for our flats.

If the weather is balmy, please know that the yard gets muddy, so please wear appropriate shoes!!

Important Development

The New Mexico Community Foundation has agreed to be the fiscal sponsor for Dandelion Ranch, which essentially means we have a 501(c)3 non-profit status and can write grants and solicit donations.

Donations can be sent to: New Mexico Community Foundation-Dandelion Ranch, 502 West Cordova Road, Suite 1, Santa Fe, NM 87505.  Tax-deductible donations of construction material, water catchment barrels and cisterns, garden tools, garden tools and wheelbarrows, and irrigation material are also welcome! 

Bella, John and Carmen cleaning dead plants in one of the hoophouses

Brian and Gary discussing master plan and construction

 

On the left, Mark Nelson (from Biosphere 2) and Juaquin discussing greenhouse design

Jaeyda on the swing 

NEXT GARDEN PARTY

Sat. Feb. 11  1:00-4:00pm

 

These are the seeds we need to find or purchase

(thank you John and Maria for sorting through our seed bank and compiling this list!  And thank you Maria and Thure for your generous gift of seeds (above))

FRUITS
Strawberries
Raspberries

ROOTS
Potatoes
Yams

GREENS
Dandelion/Chicory
Spinach
Cilantro

COLD HARDY
Onions
Leeks
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Celery

NIGHT SHADES
Tomatillos
Bush Cherry Tomatoes

LEGUMES

FLOWERS
Nasturtiums
Snapdragons
Cosmos
Primrose
Dahlias
Peony
Chrysanthemum
Borage
Morning Glory
Pansies

WEEDS
Amaranth

HERBS
Angelica
Tobacco
Rosa Rugosa
Eggplant Amaranth
Artichoke
Vervain
St. John's Wort
Monardia
Mullein
Chamomile
Mugwort
Lamb's Ear
Lavender
Peppermint

 

More Flats, Amarillys and a Visit from Biospherians

As our seed sowing time approaches, Dominique, Joan and Nicholas built more seed flats last Saturday

while John and Maria sorted through our seed bank...

A late visit from Nicholas Monday evening, delivering worms for our compost piles

Next Garden Party
Wed. Feb 8
1:00-4:00PM

REMINDER:  Open space meeting every Wed. 4:30-6:00pm at SF Baking Co.  to discuss on-going topics (crops, seeds, construction, mission statement, etc.)

NOTE: Freddie Dempster, one of the engineers for the Biosphere 2 project in Arizona, and his colleague Mark Nelson, one of the 8 biospherians who spent two years in the sealed Biosphere 2 experiment, will be visiting Dandelion Ranch at 3:00PM on Wed. to install temperature sensors on our hoophouses in order to monitor their efficiency.

NOTE: Our friend Juaquin is selling beautiful Amarillys flowers for Valentine's Day.  (See his announcement)