GARDENS OVERVIEW

GARDENS

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We have three basically different types of Gardens here. We have raised beds, that we use to grow tomatoes, pepper, melons and cucumbers, mostly. We have an aquaponic system that grows greens. And we have what we call our crop beds, since we do use them to grow grains, as well as large quantities of squash, corn, okra, potatoes, onions or whatever the mood moves us to. We have too many garden beds to do old fashioned weeding. In Texas, the weeds can grow faster than our animals can eat them, so we gave up. All of our beds use landscape fabric and mulch. The fabric is used year after year until totally worn out. We use soaker hoses, for watering. Each bed has it's own tap, so nothing gets too much water. Our main fertilizer is rabbit manure. All plants are fed with compost tea through the summer, made from the worm castings from our worm bins. Below is a picture of the raised beds, just as we are starting to plant out this year. The grey of the landscape fabric is still visible on the closest bed, and the soaker hoses, that are waiting to be hooked up and turned on.
		Materials Used Yes, we do use concrete. In some cases, it is the most sustainable material. We plan on using these gardens, not just to feed us, but to support the farm for many years. We did try raised beds that were just heaped dirt, with the wind and sun, half the bed would not grow anything. The beds dried out so fast, from the top and the side. When the heavy rains came, the edges crumbled, the mulch wouldn't stay on.... Well, you get the picture. Treated wood is not allowed on the property, except for the occasional gate post. Definitely not in my gardens. To use ordinary wood, would mean replacing it every 5 years. To me, this is hard on the enviroment and my wallet. We went through every option available, but kept coming back to concrete blocks as the longest lasting, able to take a string trimmer, to keep the beds cool, to reduce the amount of irrigation needed, and to all around out last everything else. Sometimes, industrial products are the most sustainable answer. We do use metal t-posts and metal re-mesh for our trellises. Last year we tried using bamboo. We really hoped it would work, since we have six varieties planted on the property. We did have to replace many of the poles with t-post half way throught the year, they broke. We shall continue to look for alternatives to our metal posts and remesh, but right now, it doesn't look promising.
No Till Farming The raised beds are perfect for no till farming. Yes, the tiller was used to build the beds in the first place, but never since. Our crop beds are still being tilled, but they were just started last year and we need to build up the soil and erradicate a few weeds, before we can go no till there too. That, and the landscape cloth to cover 5400 sq. ft. is not cheap. In time, they too will be no till. Except the one which we hope to turn into a bed of alfalfa. It would be lovely to get the farm built, then be able to sell the tiller. We are trying to produce food that is not dependant on oil, at least our tractor runs on waste veggie oil and not much diesel.