Gardening for Earth Day!

Beginning phase of our garden

Happy Earth Day! What better way to connect with the Earth than to grow a garden full of flowers and edibles!

It starts as a seed that cultivates into a sprout and soon enough, it's food worthy. Learning different gardening techniques (raised beds vs. containers, herb spirals, etc.) and experimenting with all kinds of produce will allow for a harvest well into the fall. Growing your own food is a great skill to have! Don't just take my word for it.

Our Herb Spiral

                                                            Herb Spirals are another great way to create an appealing and functional growing space. The spiral, when done correctly, acts as a micro-climate for the herbs. The rock warms and dehumidifies the soil providing a wide diversity of growing conditions and productivity. Honestly, we just think it looks cool. Check out more information on herb spirals here.

Composting is something we've been doing at our house for awhile now. By burying our food scraps, we allow for the nutrients to be put back into the ground. Once the food decomposes, we are left with a nutrient rich soil that we can put in our garden. I must add that the worms in our compost pile absolutely love us! Learn more about composting here.

Snow Peas have sprouted!

   


    Here is what you'll find in our garden:
    - Chives
    - Basil
    - Oregano
    - Curry Leaf
    - Catnip
    - Broccoli
    - Peas
    - Tomatoes
    - Peppers
    - Onions
    - Carrots
    - Radishes
    - Squash

We love our garden and can't wait to share the food with family and friends! Check back for more updates and creative ideas!

An Hour or More for the Earth

What is Earth Hour? To me it's global awareness, a reminder to shut off your electronics and an excuse to choose candlelight over your incandescents. Every major landmark across the world from the Empire State Building, the Great Wall of China and the Eiffel Tower to the Acropolis of Athens, the Sydney Opera House and London's Big Ben turned their lights off for an entire hour. Although an hour darkness will not directly effect the energy crisis, It's a great example of the world coming together for the greater good of our environment.

Speaking of an hour or more for the Earth, the Middle Way House roof garden had our first big work day of the year. I was thrilled that the interior design student group came out to loan us their hands and creative ideas. We were able to plant several herbs and edibles, harvest our first batch of nutrient soil from our worm bin, and come up with artsy design ideas for the reuse of discontinued samples (that would have gone straight to the landfill otherwise) to make art and bird feeders out of.

Planting seeds on the roof

Sorting the worm bin for nutrient soil

Brainstorming ideas for the reuse of old design materials

To anyone and everyone who wants to make a difference but doesn't quite know how to: Find something you're passionate about and run with it. Give to the world and the world will give back to you!