Double-Digging Dirt & Doubt

Okay, I admit it. I'm an impatient gardener. I woke up this morning feeling more than a little frustrated and doubtful. I had been waiting for some money to start the garden, and realizing that the check isn't in the mail, I had a defeating little script running through my head.

But then I recalled a visit to the Cultural Learning Center at Ka'ala. Their philosophy is simple: Work is Medicine. So Giovanni and I made a spontaneous stop at Home Depot and purchased some locally-sourced, organic compost. We packed some tools and headed to the garden to "cultivate" the soil.

Some soil does not want to be cultivated. It wants to be coaxed, massaged, and teased out of it's dormancy. This soil did not want to be some kind of afterthought. It wanted real effort and intention. To be more precise, it wanted three hours of effort and double-digging.

The Double-Dig Process is used to develop soil structure so that plants will have a "living sponge cake" in which to thrive. This is what the process entails:

1. Spread compost over the entire area to be dug.
2. Remove the soil from the upper part (12" deep) of the first trench.
3. Loosen the soil an additional 12 inches.
4. Dig out the upper part of the first trench and move it forward to the first trench.
5. Loosen the lower part of the second trench.
6. Continue the double digging process for the remaining trenches.
7. Shape the bed by raking it.

We added an extra step by covering the beds with weed control cloth, since we aren't planting right away. After it was all done, my body hurt but my mind was at ease. I no longer felt frustrated, I got my exercise, and I can now move on. Work is Medicine. Let's keep growing! - Stacey Casco

Jenn & Krystle's Notes from the 2010 Body & Soil Conference

Among the several speakers at the conference was Michael Martin Melendrez who talked about how healthy soil is the foundation of a successful garden. Having healthy soil encourages plants to grow and to produce lots of fruits and veggies for all of us to enjoy. Adding humus (humic acid), decomposed organic matter, to the soil helps to fertilize the plants naturally. Simple steps can be taken to help increase the richness of the soil. This includes adding scraps from the kitchen and leftovers to the compost. Instead of throwing away onion peels and unwanted parts of fruits and veggies, they can be put to good use! Some plants, such as coffee, alfalfa, beans, broccoli, and others, are high in vegetable protein, which is especially useful because it promotes the levels of humic acid in the compost.

So instead of throwing away any unwanted onion peels, fruit rinds, and any other leftovers, let’s put them to work in the compost and back to the earth, so that in the future, the garden will flourish and give us more delicious food to eat!

There were also several vendors including, Jason "Buffalo Boy" Harris (left), from The Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics. Buffalo Boy demonstrated how to prepare an organic fertilizer using a blend of esoteric traditions and scientific methods. The fertilizer is a mixture of cow manure, egg shells, and basalt.

Attendees of the conference took turns volunteering to mix the fertilizer using a shovel on a piece of plywood. It was then placed into a hole lined with brick and patted in by hand.

Another vendor we feel is worth noting is Non Toxic Solutions, LLC. They promote green alternatives for pest control, weed control, and wood preservation. Products such as Yardsafe, which is a ready to spray cedar oil based solution used to safely repel mosquitoes and other insects, are out there for everyday consumers to purchase.

Its important for people to know the availability of alternate solutions to good gardening. Learning to utilize composting and alternative natural pesticides and fertilizers will grow healthy sustainable gardens.

Weeds!!

Saturday's weed patrol consisted of Giovanni Rosati, Robin Garrison, Malaika Garrison, and Stacey Casco. They successfully cleared three gardens beds that are now ready for cultivation. No herbicides - just a little bit of exercise!

Malaika's Garden Bed BEFORE

Malaika's Garden Bed AFTER

The beautiful Malaika Garrison graces the garden, after helping her mother, Robin, weed and clear a garden bed early Saturday morning. Malaika has already planted three gardens prior to volunteering at the Women Helping Women Shelter.

Stacey's Notes from the 2010 Body & Soil Conference

Mahalo nui loa to Vincent Mina, his lovely family, and the Maui Aloha 'Aina Association for sponsoring the 9th Annual Body & Soil Health Conference 2010 last weekend. Hi'ilei, Jennilin, Krystle and I were amongst over 200 attendees fortunate to attend, and now it's our kuleana to spread the message of aloha 'aina: healthy soil is the foundation of sustainable, healthy communities!

The first lecturer of the conference, Jerry Brunetti, agrees with Hippocrates, "all diseases begin in the gut." Sparing you the science of healthy micro-flora and digestion, here's a summary of Jerry's suggestions:

• Avoid simple carbohydrates, grains, and high-fiber diets
• Consume fermented foods (kefir, yogurt)
• Take enzymes & probiotics
• Eat slowly
• Eat small, but frequent meals
• Regular, moderate exercise
• Minimize stress
• Sleep 8 hours (or more)
• Avoid fried foods
• Avoid meals 2-3 hours before bedtime
• Candida-free diet
• Bone broth soups!
• Eat healthy fats (coconut, butter, pastured lard)
• Correct hiatal hernia with Chiropractic/Acupuncture
• Meditation/Yoga/Prayer

That's enough to "digest" for now. I'll discuss the benefits of biochar, humus and mycorrhizae in a future post.

Site Visit to the Garden

Stacey M, Stacey RC, Robin, Jenn & Krystal had a successful visit to the garden on January 8, 2010. This was a kick off to "Third Path to the Garden" project which aims to develop organic, sustainable gardens. The goals of 3rd Path to the Garden is to:
• Begin analysis of the relationship between environment, health, poverty, and empowerment of women of color.
• Provide a source of healthy food and activity for shelter residents.
• Engage youth and expand 3rd Path sustainability and social
entrepreneurship efforts.
• Improve nutrition and health of residents of the Women Helping Women Shelter;
• Educate and empower residents to have control over their food choices and sources;
• Reduce family food budgets and encourage self-reliance.

As such, there will be an opportunity to help clean up the garden shed on Tuesday, January 12 and Wednesday, January 13 at 10:00 am.

Also, members of Third Path Maui will attend the 2010 Body & Soil Conference. Stacey RC and Hi’ilei Casco will be attending on January 16. Jennilin and Krystal Alcain will be attending on Sunday, January 17. For more information on the conference, please visit http://mauialohaaina.org. We will learn, connect, network, engage and EDUCATE our fellow gardeners.

Some priorities that emerged from our site visit are implementing a recycling program and composting of green waste, start with existing raised beds, portable “garden in a bucket” for residents, request for bananas, papayas, and other kid friendly crops, request for egg laying chicken coop.

Above is the iphoto of our beautiful workspace for your enjoyment and VISIONING *;)