needful things

    i need stuff.
 chicken wire and other metal fencing
 2" by 6" by........not treated
 garden hoses
 straw
 plastic sheeting
 food grade 5 gal. buckets........maybe thriftway can give me theirs.....
 organic manure
 55 gal. food grade drums
 275 gal. water totes
 old windows
 bamboo
 old wooden ladders
 clay
 concrete mix
 metal roofing.....................


   i don't need every item, but i could really use most all of it.

greenhouse construction begins

the long outer wall rests on treated sleepers

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the rafters attach to three existing posts set in concrete

some fancy details

using every bit of wood

taking shape

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okinawan purple sweet potatoes

    I'm thinking about growing some OPSP's this year.  a super-food, that stores well.  it needs a long growing season, but i have that.  it needs warm soil to start; i have that.  right where the compost has been cooking all winter. i'd put down black plastic after i break down the compost heater.  i found a guy in hawaii that will ship for free, but i also found someone in Pa. who grows organic okinawan purples.  i'm waiting to hear if he/she will ship to me.  and maybe glean some info on successful growing in our climate.  they're out by lancaster.  anyone headin' out that way?  the leaves are also edible as greens.  i totally dig them.......no pun.


    yes............the place in jonestown, pa does the farmer's market in west philly every saturday.  i'm going to pick up some tubers to grow slips.  i was up-front with the farmer about my intention to grow them.  i feel that's important.  farmers have to trust each other.

more compost pile

today on the farm

the solar panel tower

melon mitosis

some decor

an old fire mark

my new scavenged farm gate

the tower is about 12 feet high

fig cuttings

hooray!

    found a 12v dc diaphragm pump in the basement.  i'm going to see if i can make it work for compost heat project.  i would love to catch a break, and cross a pump off my list for free.

    looks like a pretty good pump, from what i could glean on-line.  as long as it works!

    just ordered the solar panel..........$50.

finished compost pile! thank you shafiq, and my coffee ground connect, deshaun

grrrrrrrrrr

i've seen to many episodes of walking dead to fool with this for too long

a kink in the plan..........

....leads to innovation.  using both sides of grid to make milder bends

i used found plastic twine to attach the hose

cardboard......

straw

the hoses

i covered the pile even when taking coffee breaks and such.  it really dries out fast

coffee

time for the micro farm's microbes to earn their keep!

inlet and outlet protruding from the pile.  i have bubble wrap and then more straw for insulation

i hope i don't get hobbits :)

the mess.......tomorrow

ordered my seeds!

all organic, of course.

delicata winter squash
red bull beets
nectar carrots.....for the garden and micro greens
red rambo radish.......for micro greens
toscano kale
sylvesta butterhead lettuce
sugar snap peas
pigeon spinach
cress.....for micro greens
tatsoi......for micro greens
arugula........for garden and micros

$120 with shipping

coffee anyone?

before

after

the worms all tucked away for the winter

i'll top off the worms with more straw.

a few more trips to wawa, another bale of straw or so, and i can give the compost pile a final misting, and a cap of wet burlap bags.  then i'll wrap the reed fencing around it, secure it, and wait for it to start cooking.  i need the solar pump, and the PV panel next.  i found a nice pump, but its AC.  i knew i had one.  i have bubble wrap to insulate the hoses coming out of the pile, and there will be straw above and below for added insulation.

keep your trash-pickin' hands offa me..........

the price we pay for free heat...............

built first half of compost heater pile, to see where i'm at with materials

entire pile will be wrapped in the reed fencing

wet straw

coffee and cardboard

grid that hose will be attached to

worm poop for inoculating the pile

all dosed up

half-way there; time to attach the hose to the grid

as in.......later, when it warms up :)