Playing Grapes

 The "Mother Plant" in Urunga in 2013

I took a cutting from a Grape Vine that grew in the lane behind the Library in Urunga NSW where we used to live.  I did this about four years ago.  It stayed in a pot for 3 years pretty well and then we planted it into the ground last year after we moved to our new home.

It seems to  love it where it is and I am building a trellis for it to train on down the side of the car port.   There was so much growth it looked a little odd.  My friend Bruce Derkenne was so helpful when I posted an image of the vine and questioned to do this on social media.  He came straight back with the best information.  So easy really and common sense if I had thought longer about it.
I was keen to keep this conversation where I could refer to it again and to perhaps help others with the same task if they are new to this.

Bruce: Generally you nip all the side shoots off until the vine (terminal bud) is where you want it to go and then let the side shoots (auxiliary buds) sprout for cover and fruit. Each year cut back side shoots after fruiting has finished.

You can have as many terminal buds as you like depending on what area you want to cover or screen xo

Me: you are a god send. Thank you! How will I know which is which... there is a lot going on there?

Bruce: Go back to the start and track them and train them to where you want them to go. Any excess shoots just cut off from the point at which they shoot.

You can be pretty hard on grape vines so don't worry too much about pruning here or there. You do, you learn.

Me: Okkie dokie ... going to have a look now!

You are gold.

They be those ones at the front for example , am I correct?

There are side ones but those front ones are just going straight ahead not sideways.. is that what you mean Bruce, to take those off?

When we first planted it into the ground last year at Deepwater NSW.  Planted with lots of love and hope.  It seems to have responded wonderfully, its flowering now and making tiny grapes.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Medicine from Cannabis

Lets define the word 'Medicine'.

From Latin medicina "the healing art", medicine; a remedy. 

So what is a REMEDY then? 

From re-, intensive prefix (or perhaps literally, "again;" see re-), + mederi "to heal", from Late Latin remedialis "healing, curing," from Latin remedium.

Quote 

Hemp supplement maker says full spectrum extract works better, allays regulatory issues

By Hank Schultz, 30-Sep-2016

A new line of dietary supplements from hemp bases its message on the full suite of phytocannabinoids in the products, as well as its aim not to push the edges of the regulatory envelope, its founder says.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Manufacturers/Hemp-supplements-use-full-spectrum-extract

image - Nathan Richter

So, its pretty clear to the average bear that all of the above definitions talk about healing.  There is nothing in any of the definitions that even remotely say's medicine is something that can kill you,  (ie Chemotherapy, Anti Psychotics, Shock Therapy, SSRI's, Anti-Depressants) the list grows.

Back to the Cannabis / Medicine subject.  The government has been controlling this substance for more years than many of us care to remember now.  For far too long a basically harmless plant has been held back from human kind when our loved ones are ill and are in need of the medicine to survive the conditions of modern living.   This has occurred because of greed and the inability to control the use of the plant in order to make corporations huge profits!   We all know the pharmaceutical companies are not in the business of health.  There are no huge profit margins in healthy people who no longer wish to swallow the jaded therapies orchestrated to keep a certain percentage of the population under control via the use of seriously dangerous mind altering substances that can result in death.  This is done under the guise of "medicine".

Presently, the government want to control this plant for medicinal use and start fiddling around with this part and that part and blah blah blah.  This is a death knell on the empirical value of the plant and its extraordinary  healing capacities.  They are simply barking up the wrong tree doing this and once again wasting time when people could be well.

I have lost count how many times I have said in the defense of Cannabis that only the full spectrum plant extract or the use of the entire plant matter in ingestion will do the healing job effectively!  

The people pushing the fiddling agenda, mainly the under educated passionate do gooder's  pushing for extracts who are blind to the basic facts of medicinal plant use and how and what makes this MEDICINE are responsible for this mess!    It has to cease. These people are simply ignorant because they don't want the science, they are not nescient.  The information has been clearly outlined from countless corners.

Once again we see mankind looking to make a quick dollar and greedy corporations willing to forgo the true benefits by hurtling down the path of extracting and isolating the CBD's and ignoring what the THC compounds do simultaneously to cause healing to happen in the body.  They are willing to go this far all for profit.   An evil section of humanity would partake, motivated by the suffering of others and the ridiculous time wasting testing band wagon created by governments.
 
The Facts

We have an Endocannabinoid system very similar to our Endocrine system (hormones / switches) and we have Cannabinoid receptors in our bodies.  

Do you for some reason think this is just is in our body by accident?  No, you would not be that silly would you? This plant was used as a medicine for thousands of years up until the 1940's when the DuPont corporation cooked up a good story to sell the public inaccurate information demonizing the plant. This was a strategic business decision in order to make a fortune.  Common sense should tell you something is terribly wrong.

Children who suffer from endless seizures have been cured, soldiers plagued with PTSD have found solace and relief.  Cancers have been cured, eliminated and remitted.  One would have to ask what is wrong with that?

It is a sad indictment of our society to take this laying down and think it is alright.    I have  been concerned by what I have seen regarding this entire subject since 1975 when I first understood the prohibition that occurred in the USA and how successive governments were chided to follow the lead of the American fools.  I joined NORML and learned what I could from reputable sources.

Image

macrocannabis

Today, I will say again and again.  Don't fiddle with the medicine. If it works, don't question why.  

You are blessed to have the courage to use Cannabis as medicine if you are new to this type of treatment.  I can imagine that fear would play a great part in not trying it.   When its life and death and this dilemma is faced on the daily, then fear plays an increasingly smaller factor when health is all someone wants to achieve. 
 
What ailments Cannabis has helped with already....

PTSD.. Shell Shock .. More precisely known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a serious ailment effecting a huge percentage of the population.  243 Australian soldiers have committed suicide after coming home from the Middle Eastern War with extreme cases of PTSD.  They take the meds, and a lot take their life. This is all the government offer for these people who risked their lives, supposedly for us all as a nation. 

We have another large slice of the population trying to cope with PTSD as a direct relation of being brought up by government and church institutions in care, suffering the endless abuse incurred just being a human being and being a helpless child. So many of these people commit suicide too.  Once again the 'Big Pharma' medicine the doctors prescribe is clearly not working. 

In my 57 years I have not seen a positive outcome with friends who have been good patients and taken their meds.  Many are now dead, took their own lives because they could no longer cope with the side effects layered on top of the trauma.

I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  I know this condition way too intimately.  I am aware I would not be the person I am today had I not done what I have had to do over the years and refuse their medications.   This is my life and my  body and my emotions and my pain.  Its not their body, it is mine.  People should be able to use a harmless plant that has so many benefits and not be penalized like a criminal for attempting to find peace and health.  None of that is sensible and all of it is psychotic.

On the use argument, people who don't find benefit  have the free will to cease using the plant with no adverse side effects if they so choose. This is unlike the Big Pharma Medications that can be lethal if you cease to medicate with these.  

Like all substances deemed medicines, not everything is a cure all for everyone. However, not being able to try is basically GENOCIDE on the part of the various lawmakers of the worlds different governments while ever they withhold this from the sick public and waste money making its use a crime.

People are waking up on the daily to the corruption that keeps a few people filthy rich.  Those that haven't woken up will have to catch up or be destined to shrivel via their own heart / brain decisions that  destroy the soul.  

Read more about the Full Spectrum use here https://www.energytherapy.biz/2016/09/01/rick-simpsons-cancer-busting-high-thc-cannabis-oil/

More of my Images @ Flickr

Using Sugar Cane Mulch in the Chook Pen.

Two of our chooks, Blondie and Atila!

So far so good and they all seem to love it.  It seems to be clean and easy to use. The original straw which was in their boxes I collected with much enthusiasm and breath holding.  I put this over onto the newly created garden space ready for Garlic planting when the time comes for this.  All of this Sugar Cane mulch used now in the boxes when used will be put there also and replaced with new straw. 

Ever since I spent time in hospital about nine years ago with as serious case of Pneumonia brought on by working with bird droppings in a laboring job, I hold my breath while inside of their house where they roost.  I do not want to breath into my lungs any of those harmful spores that cause so much trouble to humans.

I had hoped Sugar Cane mulching material was good nesting material because its all I had access to.  I had done some reading  online where others had a lot of success with this material. So I decided to press on and use this.

I am just feeling my way around with our four chickens and one rooster.  Its all new to Brice and myself.  Our first chooks... and they do seem to love us.  Brice calls them over and they come to him.  
They are well versed in escape artistry.  They are fly away chickens and the mischievous  rooster is often up in the trees above their pen area.  

I trimmed their flight feathers when they were younger but I would say they have all grown back again.   It will be fun trimming these feathers now they are bigger.  I will have to do this chore because of dogs in neighbouring properties and this also includes our dog who would think nothing of chasing these feathered members of our family.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Magnesium Sulphate in a hydrated form for the Garden

Epsom Salts is magic stuff and it has many uses in the bathroom and laundry and for sore muscles and joints, but what about the 'Garden'?  Yes!  Epsom Salts is perfect for those annoying garden problems too.  Epsom Salts is just hydrated Magnesium Sulphate.  It isn't a nasty chemical or poison but of course it can be if used in the wrong manner.  Magnesium is one of the most important minerals of the 12 minerals.   Do a PH test on the garden's soil to see what is lacking before dumping with anything.

Recently I have aquired about thirty rose bushes and I  will be using Epsom Salts to bring some life to the tired look they are all sporting at the moment.

Nutrient absorption
Add Epsom salt to soil to improve the absorption capability of the soil.

Seed germination
Mix 1 or 2 tablespoons into the soil at the bottom of each of the holes before sewing the seeds.

Eradicating Weeds

Mix up 2 cups of Epsom salt with four litres of vinegar then add approx four tablespoons of dish dishwasher and shake well in a spray bottle 

Yellowed leaves
Yellowing is often caused by a magnesium deficiency.   Magnesium is essential for the production of chlorophyll (the green stuff).  Spread 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts around the soil basically once a month.   Mix one tablespoon of salt into three litres of water and spray directly on leaves.

Curling up leaves
Curling can be from a lack of magnesium.  Mix up and spray with the above mix of Epsom salt and water.

Tomatoes
During the growing season, tomatoes can become deficient in magnesium.  Applying Epsom Salts will promote a much healthier plant with a greater yeild.  Add about 1 tablespoon of Epsom Salt granules in each hole before planting any seed or when  transplanting seedlings.
Every couple of weeks top up with a mix of one tablespoon of Epsom Salt into 3 litres of water.  Bottle and spray the plants.

Peppers and chillies
The pepper family (chillies capsicums etc)  are well known to become  deficient in magnesium as well like tomatoes.   Do the same Epsom salt treatment as used for the tomatoes.

Roses
When planting a rose bush first soak the roots in a mix of half a cup Epsom salts to three litres of water.
Sprinkle Epsom salt in the hole prior to planting. Every four weeks during the  growth period, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per 1 foot of plant height.  Place this all around the base of the rose.

Full Article located here :
Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Bagasse - Sugar Cane Mulche

I was told it was bad.  Now I gotta do an investigation on this now.

Bagasse, or residue of sugar cane, after sugar is extracted (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bagasse, also called megass ,  fibre remaining after the extraction of the sugar-bearing juice from sugarcane. The word bagasse, from the French bagage via the Spanish bagazo, originally meant “rubbish,” “refuse,” or “trash.” Applied first to the debris from the pressing of olives, palm nuts, and grapes, the word was subsequently used to mean residues from other processed plant materials such as sisal, sugarcane, and sugar beets. In modern use, the word is limited to the by-product of the sugarcane mill.

Bagasse is burned as fuel in the sugarcane mill or used as a source of cellulose for manufacturing animal feeds.   Paper is produced from bagasse in several Latin American countries, in the Middle East, and in sugar-producing countries that are deficient in forest resources.

Bagasse is the essential ingredient for the production of pressed building board, acoustical tile, and other construction materials and can be made into a number of biodegradable plastics.

Bagasse is also employed in the production of furfural, a clear colourless liquid used in the synthesis of chemical products such as nylons, solvents, and even medicines.

Bagasse is readily available as a waste product with a high sugar content and has potential as an environmentally friendly alternative to corn as a source of the biofuel ethanol (ethyl alcohol).

Sugar Cane Mulch has lots of benefits

Chemical Residues: Tested by AMAL Laboratories as NIL. Certified Organic by NASAA (National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia).

PATHOGENS

: Tested free of Pythuim, Phytophthora, and domestic plant diseases.

HAZARD INFORMATION

Direct contact with, or inhalation of organic material or its dust may result in skin or eye irritation or, more rarely, respiratory illness including hay fever, asthma or pneumonia.

FIRST AID

If irritation occurs wash eyes with water, wash skin with soap and water. Seek medical advice if skin, eye or respiratory irritation persists.

PRECAUTION FOR USE

Certified organic sugar cane mulch is made from materials, which may contain micro-organisms, such as bacteria, fungi and protozoa.

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION

This product may contain micro organisms and bacteria. Avoid breathing dust or mist. Wear particulate mask if dusty. If irritation occurs move person to fresh air.

SKIN PROTECTION

Wear standard duty gloves (AS2161), loose comfortable clothing and boots. Long sleeved shirts and long trousers are recommended if skin irritation occurs. Wash skins with mild soap and water immediately after working with these materials.

We used five bags of sugarcane mulch on Kathy's beautiful Vegetable Garden.   First we put down a thick cardboard covering that was well soaked and then put on the mulch and soaked it with water,  this will do the garden well.

Eminpee Fotography!

Cocus Palms

A sunset and the silhouettes of palm trees. The photo was taken from the Transportation and Ticket Center, looking toward the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Now there has to be some purpose to these annoying palm trees and there annoying seed pod bat attracting flowers, leaving a fermenting mess.

Alas I can't find any and the bats make it worse.  We did the gardening today at Kathy's near the pool and shaded the new vegetable seedlings with palm fronds to give them some reprieve in the hot afternoon sun.

The only way is to be vigilant with the flowers.

STOP RUINING THE BOTANICAL GARDENS . . .

Stop ruining the Earth.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

The Absolute importance of understanding Spiral Energy

From RealFarmacy.com


What a garden design, this one above is and I was besotted when I saw this and the reason I wanted to reblog this for them and for me to remember just the details of such a beautiful piece.

Spiral Energy is repeated all through nature and the Universe.

Liber Abaci  (1202, also spelled as Liber Abbaci)

Ths is a historic book on arithmetic by Leonardo of Pisa, known later by his nickname Fibonacci.
Liber Abaci was among the first Western books to describe Hindu–Arabic numbers traditionally described as "Arabic Numerals". By addressing the applications of both commercial tradesmen and mathematicians, it contributed to convincing the public of the superiority of the new numerals.

The title of Liber Abaci means "The Book of Calculation". Although it has also been translated as "The Book of the Abacus", Sigler (2002) writes that this is an error: the intent of the book is to describe methods of doing calculations without aid of an abacus, and as Ore (1948) confirms, for centuries after its publication the algorismists (followers of the style of calculation demonstrated in Liber Abaci) remained in conflict with the abacists (traditionalists who continued to use the abacus in conjunction with Roman numerals).

In mathematics, the Fibonacci numbers or Fibonacci series or Fibonacci sequence are the numbers in the following integer sequence:

(sequence A000045 in OEIS)

By definition, the first two numbers in the Fibonacci sequence are 0 and 1, and each subsequent number is the sum of the previous two.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

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The greatest change we need to make is from consumption to production, even if on a small scale, in our own gardens. If only 10% of us do this, there is enough for everyone.

Bill Mollison. . .   On Food, Living and  Permaculture:

Ancient astrologers divided the heavens into twelve houses.  This influence is evident in the philosophy of permaculture.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Permaculture is Permanent Agriculture.

Uncle Bill (Photo credit: London Permaculture)

"To empower the powerless and create a 'million villages' to replace nation-states is the only safe future for the preservation of the biosphere. Let interdependence and personal responsibility be our aims."

Bill Mollison, an Australian jack-of-all-trades, developed an agricultural systems strategy after extensive research on the Tasmanian aborigines. He and David Holmgren coined the phrase permaculture (permanent agriculture), while attempting to create an "interdisciplinary earth science with a potential for positivism, integrated, and global outreach" (Mollison ix).     

Permacultural aspect: helping animals in a veggie garden; harnessing and maintenance (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The agricultural system that he developed involves a comprehensive paradigm shift that includes the development of an ethical and moral approach to the natural world. The foundation of this ethics begins with the adoption of a "sophisticated aboriginal belief system." By looking towards the aborigines, we can develop a more holistic approach to the world around us. Mollison summarizes this belief in his book Permaculture: A Designer's Manual:

English: permacultural aspect: co-operating niches at a small scale – photo made on an organic farm on the Swabian Mountains in Germany (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

"Life (according the aboriginal people of Australia) is a totality neither created nor destroyed. It can be imagined as an egg from which all tribes (life forms) issue and to which all return. The ideal way in which to spend one's time is in the perfection of the expression of life, to lead the most evolved life possible, and to assist in and celebrate the existence of life forms other than humans, for all come from the same egg" (2).

With this belief system, which is inherent to Mollison's form of permaculture, the "prime directive of permaculture" can be met. This directive is acceptance of responsibility for our own existence and that our offspring (1).

Seed Savers Australia - All we are saying is Give PEA'S a Chance!

Growing our healthy futures ( Seedsavers Australia Network)

Seed is the foundation of humanity's evolution. Cultivation of seed and planting material is the basis for our food systems: in other words, seed saving is at the root of our capacity to thrive.

Broccoli going to seed next to the Silverbeet

I never knew there was a seed savers network before the other day.  Carol Vernon who is standing for the Greens party against Luke Hartsukyer is apart of this group.  I was pleased to hear that others thought saving seeds was an important task. 

I wonder where Jack ( my great uncle) used to keep his seeds?   He had a garden that fed the street and many others as well as his family.  What a garden it was to.  A place of magic and joy.

Broccoli Flowers in the Garden at Urunga NSW

There is a book called the Seed Savers Handbook and it can be purchased online securely (CLICK HERE) and I also see very well known people in this gardening game say this book is a must.

Bill Mollison, founder of Permaculture and recipient of the Australian Achiever Award 1993, says in the book's preface:
"I believe this book to be essential for all caring farmer, gardeners, cooks and parents, and I trust that it will speed our return to good nutrition and a healthy society."

Images @  Eminpee Fotography

Great reasons why you should Save Seeds.

Saving Lettuce seeds are easy because they are contained in a tiny capsule below the flower when the flower dries out.

Lettuce Seeds in the making.

The most important seed saving rule is to save seeds from the best plants and to eat the rest.

"It's important to only save seed from non-hybrid plants and these are commonly referred to as heritage, old-fashioned or open pollinated plants. They are the plants most likely to produce offspring - in the form of seed - that closely resemble their parents."  Jerry Coleby-Williams

Once upon a time the Seed Tin was one of the most valuable things in the house or shed.  This held the food for the next year.

 

 Saving Seed can become addictive especially in this day and age where cheap food has done away with the need to collect seeds for food.   I find this abhorrent.  I think it is another severed connection with the planet and her vibrations. 

Gardening and especially for food and medicine is what seems to come naturally to me.  I love to attempt to be self sufficient in raising my own plants from my own seed I have saved.  I truly believe you do save some money from doing this, especially if you plant those boutique plants.  Therefore,  when I hear stories of Monsanto trying to outlaw seed saving, my blood boils and then I realize getting stressed is giving them the power. 

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog about making your bag of onions last forever.  CLICK HERE to go to this and read how to make your onions last forever.

Calmly we will take back the natural food of the world.  There is absolutely no need for people to be hungry in the world anywhere.  This world has been run for the profit of a small few at the burden of the people of the world.  Some benefit just enough to keep them unaware of what is going on.  Proof of this in Western society with the numbness that is apparent.

Images @ Melonpopzdropz  Flickr

Chrysanthemum.

Etymology...  I love etymology: The name "chrysanthemum" is derived from the Greek words, chrysos (gold) and anthemon (flower)
I have many in my garden and they are so wonderful.  I got a tiny cutting from a friend awhile back and now I have so many gorgeous plants.  I wanted to know more about them and so I set out to do so by the way they seem so hardy as well. An Autumn flower.  I searched the old Wiki

  
Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are perennial flowering plants of the genus Chrysanthemum in the family Asteraceae which are native to Asia and northeastern Europe. About 30 species have been described. Florists sometimes abbreviate the spelling to "xants".

In Australia,the chrysanthemum is traditionally given to mothers for Mother's Day, whilst men will wear it in their lapels to honour mothers, as the flower is naturally in season during autumn.

Chrysanthemum plants have been shown to reduce indoor air pollution by the NASA Clean Air Study.

INSECTICIDE USES INTERSTED ME GREATLY
 Pyrethrum (Chrysanthemum [or Tanacetum] cinerariaefolium) is economically important as a natural source of insecticide. The flowers are pulverized, and the active components called pyrethrins, contained in the seed cases, are extracted and sold in the form of an oleoresin. This is applied as a suspension in water or oil, or as a powder.

Pyrethrins attack the nervous systems of all insects, and inhibit female mosquitoes from biting. When not present in amounts fatal to insects, they still appear to have an insect repellent effect. They are harmful to fish, but are far less toxic to mammals and birds than many synthetic insecticides. They are not persistent, being biodegradable and also decompose easily on exposure to light.

They are considered to be amongst the safest insecticides for use around food. Pyrethroids such as permethrin are synthetic insecticides based on natural pyrethrum.

Further to this post it is dedicated to my late great mate Texsy who sadly lost her life on the road at Bellingen.  She would have loved  this post. She loved gardening.
Images @ Melonpopzdropz Flickr

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Bananas : The Super Food

Banana's stimulate the immune system to produce various agents, including  the magical substance TNF. 

According to Japanese Scientific Research, full ripe banana with dark patches on yellow skin produces a substance called TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) which has the ability to combat abnormal cells.

The more darker patches it has the higher will be its immunity enhancement quality; Hence, the riper the banana the better the anti-cancer quality. Yellow skin banana with dark spots on it is 8x more effective in enhancing the property of white blood cells than green skin version.

Eating 1-2 banana/s a day increases immunity.

These are loaded with the good stuff and I grew these organic banana's

One medium-sized (around 126 grams) banana contains:

• Vitamin B6 (.5 mg)
• Manganese (.3 mg)
• Vitamin C (9 mg)
• Potassium (450 mg)
• Dietary Fiber (3g)
• Protein (1 g)
• Magnesium (34 mg)
• Folate (25.0 mcg)
• Riboflavin (.1 mg)
• Niacin (.8 mg)
• Vitamin A (81 IU)
• Iron (.3 mg)

The reason potassium is singled-out among all the other things in the banana is because that 450 mg of potassium in a single banana is actually more than 10% (more precisely, around 13%) of the adult human body's minimum daily requirement of potassium. It's unusual (though not unheard of, of course) for a single serving of any fruit to provide quite so much of any one nutrient like that. Nutritionists, then, sometime refer to a banana as a "super fruit," because of its inordinate provision of so much of the minimum daily adult requirement of the single nutrient potassium.

Hoax or Fact?  Fact!
Please pass on and share and stay healthy.

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/fstr/15/3/15_3_275/_article
Images @ Melopopzdropz Flickr

PLANTING via the 3 Sisters Method

"Three Sisters" planting (Photo credit: net_efekt)

Planting the Three Sisters

The ancient Native American technique of growing Corn, Beans, and Squash together in an arrangement called the Three Sisters is the

ultimate in companion planting and helps increase harvests, naturally!
Corn acts as a support for climbing bean vines, the beans fix nitrogen in the soil for the high feeding requirements of corn and squash, and the squash provides mulch and root protection for the corn and beans! After cooperating beautifully in the garden, corn and beans form a complete protein when eaten together! How's that for a mutually beneficial relationship?
The Three Sisters are all easy to direct sow in the garden and are a great project for children, teaching them about the beauty of natural harmony while providing a fast-growing reward for their efforts.
Make the best possible use of your garden space this season, and try growing the Three Sisters! Just follow the easy steps listed below, fertilize well, plant other companions like herbs to assist with pest control, and you'll be harvesting your best crop in no time!
The Iroquois believe corn, beans and squash are precious gifts from the Great Spirit, each watched over by one of three sisters spirits, called the De-o-ha-ko, or “Our Sustainers". The planting season is marked by ceremonies to honor them, and a festival commemorates the first harvest of “green” corn on the cob. By retelling the stories and performing annual rituals, Native Americans passed down the knowledge of growing, using and preserving the Three Sisters through generations.

Planting instructions

In November / December in Australia  when soil has warmed nicely :

Shape a flat-topped circular mound of soil about a foot high and 2 feet across at the top, sloping outward toward the base. Plant a circle of Corn seeds on top, about 5 or 6, and water them in well, tamping down your soil mound firmly so it doesn't wash away in the first rain. Space the mounds 3 or 4 feet apart in the garden.

Since all corn grows on sturdy, dependable stalks, the variety you choose depends on the flavor, disease resistance, and holding ability you want.

About two weeks later:

When your corn reaches about 5 or 6 inches high, plant Bean seeds (6 to 8 of them) around the edges of the flat top or about halfway down the sloping sides of the circular mound. Push the seeds down deep into the soil and, if you're planting on the slope, make sure the soil is nice and firm. Add a bit of Thrive or liquid enhancer  at planting time to help the Beans fix nitrogen.

To get your Beans to climb up the cornstalks, choose Pole rather than Bush varieties.

One week or so after that:

Plant Squash seeds around the base of the mound, on flat ground. You can make them radiate around the mound, or just go in the direction you have available space! 6 to 8 seeds in a ring around the base of the mound is usually plenty.

The traditional Squash family member for this Sister is Pumpkin, with its all-American flavor and long growing season. Rumbo is a unique Korean variety that looks like an heirloom Pumpkin but tastes sweeter and more succulent than a Butternut Squash! For a quicker harvest, grow Summer Squash  or Zucchini

When everything begins growing . . .

English: These pits are remains of community storage cellars for corn, beans and squash. Used by the Iroquois Indians (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thin the plantings to 2 or 3 Corn stalks, each with no more than 2 Bean plants winding around it. (You'll need to help the Beans get started growing up the stalks). The Squash is going to vine along the ground, so the number of plants you need depends on how far apart your mounds of corn and beans are, how long the vines get, and how much walking space you need in the garden.

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I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done.

Buddha

The soil all ready - best $22.00 spent

This is no tiny job, and we have been doing this since last Saturday.  Interruptions happened here and there and bad weather happened yesterday.  Today though, we got it finished.   All but a few tiny ones that need some new pots to separate them.

It was fun to see the plants all talking together in a group discussing the new soil that was caressing their parched root systems. All that was keeping all of them alive was the constant watering.  The worms had gotten into the pots and stripped them bare of any nutritiousness or real soil. 

Anyway, given it smells delicious, they should love what has happened. All of the old soil got mixed in with the mulch and put onto the garden.  Its fine for there but not good for potted plants.  I need to feed them all with liquid fertilizer tomorrow and re assign them all to their new positions.

Newly potted and happy

First we need to weed the area near the shed on the rocks.  It would be good to finish that job off one of these days.  I am going to re model the front door entrance as well with some extra sun tolerant plants.  It is so hot there every after noon.  Lots of bright strong geraniums in good soil should do fine there.  This will brighten things up there somewhat.

We have had two storms in as many days.  Yesterday we lost power for a couple of hours and we were in the dark.  I have gas so the biscuits I were cooking were safe from disaster and cooked on in the darkness.

Images @Melonpopzdropz Flickr

Earth is my Garden .... and I groove in it!

Today's post is all about the image and what it means and what it is.  First off this image was photographed right here on the hill.  It is the leaves and moss on a wet part of the bitumen road. The rest of this image is my creative aspect.

The words are closely related to the fact that I do feel that this is my garden and I did grow in it. However, Bliss N Eso already sort of said that.  I thought for a second and I realized that at my age I have pretty well stopped growing.  I have been small for a long time now and that what I do here on this earth is groove.  I groove in the Garden.

I love the representation of Earth being intrinsically the same as the rest of the universe only we are dealing in color here and out there it does appear rather dark at times.  We are but a hairs breath from that reality of the infinite universe every second of every day.

Anyway that's how we feel at the On the hill today.  Like this world needs to take a long look at who are their advisers then if they plead such innocence because those advisers are not good with their advise. 

They are ruining our planet faster than we have any hope of fixing now.  The Amazon is still being chopped down and mutilated like a serious victim of this world full of madness surrounding this stuff.  The world is in addiction.  If it is addict behavior to want things immediately, then therefore the world demanding everything instantaneously as it does is then in serious addiction. 

Words by Mezza -  Earth is my garden and ...I groove in it!

Image by Mezza - The road near the gutter out front / PLANET EARTH in the UNIVERSE

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