Allogenic Dance

6 Years on 0.6 acres In Maryland I progressed through the history of gardening ideas from the Victory gardens of my grandparents, in something of a revival today with several twists, through organic, to polyculture, and intensive rotational companion planted urban farming on an acre.  Arriving at permaculture (growing perennial and woody plants for food to reduce resource requirements and soil disturbance) and the related edible landscaping (intermixing edibles throughout the entire landscape) by way of xeriscaping (focusing on native or ecologically appropriate plants to reduce water, pesticide and fertilizer applications).  Finally arriving at regenerative agriculture and the idea of improving or creating a soil ecology that supports the plants with such diversity and biological activity there is not room for disease or pests.  This had spawned the need for garden planning software that incorporated basic facts about fruits, vegetables, and other plants; the ability to map out th

Updated July 8, 2019 for 2019 hurricane season As an island chain in the center of the Pacific Ocean, 5000 miles from anything, Hawaii is understandably concerned about sustainability, resiliency, and independence in the face of disasters.  And the potential disasters are many: cyclone, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, nuclear missile impact... Hawaii Hazards Awareness and Resilience Program (HHARP) I lived or worked in every state on the East Coast.  I've visited every state in the union except North Dakota.  I have never encountered a State sponsored neighborhood Disaster Preparedness Team before, nor a statewide training program.  Hawaii has 2 statewide training programs.  The first is HHARP.  This is the training and planning process every neighborhood Disaster Preparedness Team (DPT) goes through.  Most DPTs are on Oahu, we have the highest concentration of people and state and federal resources that would have to be mobilized to the other islands in

"Anything you stick in the ground grows..."  Updated 12/01/2020 Not quite in my backyard.  The soil is very mineral rich but, particularly in my part of Oahu due to the long history of plantation agriculture prior to large scale residential development, often lacking an organic layer.  Which makes water retention and root growth difficult.  However, many things will grow if you start them in some nice potting soil in a pot, and then plant them out with the full pot of potting soil once they are established.  There is the wonderful ability to plant out your expired / used produce to make more.  Much much much more. Coconut, Cocos nucifera Monkey's Bellow's Beach Coconut Bellows Beach is East facing and lots of interesting things, and tons of plastic, wash up when the winds and tides are high.  Monkey always brings treasures home for his collection and Monday sharing at school.  One day he managed to sneak a coconut the size of my head into our beach basket and fo