So I found a skeleton in my closet yesterday. Well, not really a skeleton in that they weren’t dead, but it seems that I ‘misplaced’ a paper sack of potatoes that I planned to use for seed this spring in a dusty corner. Now, looking at the facts here, it’s the middle of March, not long after a new moon. I could very easily claim … Continue reading Optimism and Forgotten Potatoes
If you need a primer on what black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are, peruse the background write up I posted a few weeks back and then join us below. As I mentioned before, black soldier flies, particularly in their larval state, are tireless, delightful eating machines specializing in the avid consumption things that most people find revolting. Yes, they are nightmare fuel, but ridiculously useful … Continue reading Black Soldier Fly Larva BioDigestor! (BSFL pt 2)
I recently went to help a friend install some more growing beds for perennial and annual vegetable production. One of the most exciting things that we got into the ground once we had the new beds shaped and amended with compost was asparagus crowns. Asparagus is a perennial, meaning that once its root system is established in the soil, it will continue to produce year … Continue reading How to Plant Asparagus Crowns
So, let’s talk about what’s going on right here! What is this all about, exactly? It’s about black soldier flies, and their larvae (BSFL) specifically. They are bugs, insects. Not only are they insects, they have super powers! Among their many amazing abilities, like tolerance to freezing temperatures and ability to withstand foul odors, I am most enamored with and convenienced by their ability to … Continue reading Black Soldier Fly Larvae: Perfect Eating Machines! Some Background…
Getting a new batch of mycelium growing on any new medium is a lot like flipping over an hourglass or putting a kettle on the stove to boil. Based on the conditions, they have a schedule of their own that you will have to follow. (If this is just word salad to you, but you’re curious, get started here) I’m working with mycelium from pink … Continue reading Let the Mycelium Run!… But Keep Up!
As I mention in the page on Mycology, I have wanted to grow mushrooms for a long while now, mostly because they are a great combination of creepy, delicious, and miraculous! Information on home-scale mushroom cultivation is abundant, all over the internet and in several great books that are very accessible to anyone new to the field. The first step for me was outlining the … Continue reading Homegrown Mushrooms! My steps so far…
Here’s one of my favorite old sheet mulch installations from some old photos. Before: And After: Since I moved into my new community garden plot last fall, I have been trying to scrounge, gather, or acquire, by mostly legal means, the materials to lay down a sheet mulch. I’m not talking about some Johnny-come-lately sheet mulch that the established bermuda grass is going to laugh … Continue reading Sheet Mulch is the BEST MULCH!!!
