0 Living off the fat of the yard

…Food? Pish-tosh, who can afford that anymore? Especially healthy food (and not HA’s beloved Kraft Dinner Recession Favorite, which is palling even for her).

…Fran Sorin, USA Today Weekend (May 9-11, 2008), talks about some forms of organic gardening that do not require you to plow up the back forty.

…First is permaculture gardening. In this, plants, animals, people, buildings and nature work together. You remove the lawn, she says, and plant fruit trees and veggie beds.

…HA would also add shade trees, but then again, HA lives in Arizona, hell’s waiting room. (Her new mesquite tree-let is beginning to recognize her, she is so proud.)

…Sustainable gardening is another approach. This conserves water, no chemicals, and doesn’t pollute.The garden sustains itself, Sorin says. This seems to involve compost and natural fertilizers like kelp. Personally, HA thinks only weeds sustain themselves.

….Biointensive gardening is both Eastern and Western. You grow cover crops, such as alfalfa or oats when the veggies are not growing. Make hexagonal beds, which is said to eliminate weeds.

…Why does that eliminate weeds—or does it make the weeds closer and easier to throttle while screaming the Die Die scream?

…HA is at war with her weedeater. They don’t get along. The weedeater is a demon, is why.

…One epilogue. When HA moved to AZ 12 years ago, she (hope brimming) read a book on organic gardening. It said that compost will eventually become compost, no matter what.

…She recently looked in the composter. Still twigs and sticks in there. Let’s give it another 12.

…Second epilogue. You can eat cactus. Some Mexican neighbors sometimes come over with a card that reads: Can we have cactus? HA has big prickly pears in her front yard (pix). She says yes. Once she tasted the salsa they made…yummo!

...They live off HA's yard. It all works out.