Sustainable SW Blogs

Launching this weekend. 91,95,73,0,B

Second drone test since my crash.  Hovered nicely at 400 ft. (part way to the moon).  90,96,76,0,B

Proverbs 27

This guy was about 3 inches long.  I thought it was a hummingbird when he flew by me.  92,98,79,0,B

video tomorrow...91,96,72,0,B

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The first time I visited the area, I got to this point on Highway 118 and thought to myself - who the hell could live out here?  I think about that every time I pass this spot...since moving here 11 1/2 years ago.  75,103,94,0,W

Psalm 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

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The Mer-Girl Garden Tour will be this Sunday from noon to 3 pm in La Villita north of Espanola by Alcade.

We are really looking forward to this field trip tour. If anyone wants to carpool, we will meet in the La Montanita Co-Op parking lot on the far east side (by the Womens Health Center) to join together and follow Alessandra and Steve up to the property. I will be there in the parking lot 10:45 and we will leave at 11:15 sharp. So don’t be late!

BRING WATER AND A HAT!

If you want to go on your own, be up there at the Mer-Girl Gardens in La Villita by noon.

Here are the DIRECTIONS to get there. 
directions to Mer-Girl Gardens

  It is not too late to sign up below:

Sunday, Aug 11th
12 noon to 4 pm

Mer-Girl Gardens Tour
This is going to be a special field trip this year just north of Espanola in La Villita. This tour will be well worth the drive.  They practice sustainable and bio-dynamic farming with a focus on open-pollinated varieties. Ron Boyd and his wife Debora started Mer-Girl Gardens on about 6 acres and have expanded it. They have developed it into a beautiful farm with Certified Organic orchards, vineyard, culinary herbs, seasonal vegetables, fruits and flowers.

 

Debora has an image of a water bearer who brings water to their oasis in the drylands. Everything they’ve done started in 2001 from pretty much bare, lifeless, overused conventionally farmed fields. The old orchard was about 1 acre with 15 old apple trees.

In the last 20 years they’ve added 350 or so fruit trees, about 100 different varieties of apples 20 varieties of peaches 15 varieties of pears 15 varieties of cherries and plums and a few other curious additions. Around the same time they had restored the old fields, they added another acre, plus a bunch of berries and vegetables.  Debora and Ron did the Taos farmers market for about 10 years with piles of berries, 70 or so varieties of tomatoes, greens, garlic, and fruit when they were lucky. About five years ago the interest and focus has been about producing seed contracted by retail sellers, Baker Creek heirloom Seeds in particular.  Inspired by grain school in 2018 and the grain team, they are beginning to educate themselves and learn about old time varieties of small grain, wheat, rye, barley. They currently run and irrigate in the neighborhood about 12 acres.  They have a large focus on how to feed themselves with minimal fossil fuel and off-farm amendments. They’ve explored small farm tools and techniques. They welcome visitors and include school classes regularly in the spring and fall.

Instructor: Ron Boyd and Debora
Location: La Villita, NM (between Alcalde and Los Luceros) (directions given to participants)
Fee: Free to members/$10 for non-members

Please sign up through Eventbrite below:

 

 

This time of year it is brutally hot and the only way I can get any work done on the casita is by setting an alarm and getting up at 5AM.  I was resisting the notion until I decided it has been so long since I had to get up daily with an alarm...at this point it is a novelty that I am willing to try out for a change.  The goal for now is to be on the job before the sun pokes over the mountain.  93.99.75,0,B

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