Update - winter garden and NC data-gathering/planning
LJ seems to have changed their layout. Woah.
Anyway I've embarked upon a seed germination experiment. After dragging my heels, I finally had a bit of peace and quiet, and decided to test the old seeds in the gold packets - from 2009 - that I'd already planted out in the garden - to see what was up. Sure, I planted ancient seeds (greens) when it was already really cold, so why didn't they do anything, right? So last night I finally pulled out the papertowels and seeds and baggies and marker and H2O2. I checked them today, and so far nothing. The earliest they'll show signs of anything would be day 3. The weather here is so warm, and looks to be for the next week, that I'm wildly hoping that the soil will warm up enough to cause the seeds to germinate. Or something. The fresh seeds have been coming up nicely, the romaine is looking good, cilantro has shown up, and a few radishes are saying hello. Maybe a beet. The radishes and beets are in beds that I realized - too late - receive tons of sun in summer, but only morning light of the weak winter sun. The house next door casts a shadow over the beds, something I hadn't considered.
We have been refining plans for the NC house. The "boat room", V has decided, can be saved after all. Current tentative plan is to turn it into a cat room, and another plant space. I will also have a music area in the north part of the house. I cannot tell you how stoked I am, I just hope it will be large enough for all the musical instruments and sheet music. The mountains are full of musicians; I am hopeful that I can start to play again and even find groups to play with. We'll see. I've realized I need space for creativity. Since moving here to this small Kirkwood home I haven't been particularly creative, and that bothers me on some existential level, I think. The new kitchen will double as a sun room, and the deck will be extended. Some of the large trees that block the view of the river will be cut down, and they'll be used to create permaculture (hugelkulture) beds for the future garden.
Apparently deer are a big effing deal, require 8 feet fences and stuff. V tells me they'll rip plants right out of the ground. I've been researching plants they don't like to eat, but lots of stuff they do like to eat, we love to grow. Like my 'Queen of the Night' tulips.
V's part-time employer who horrifically underpays him has a few bonuses - one of which is at least 400 sq feet of good wood flooring, that we can have for free. Will require a lot of labor. But free is good. Bob hoards building materials, so we might be able to get a few other useful items as well. He has a sink graveyard. The sinks are so heavy I cannot move them even an inch. Rumor is he might have a fireplace mantle.
Local research: I have been delving into what I can discover about the area, not just Asheville, but Weaverville, which is 5 minutes north of Asheville. It really reminds me of Decatur GA, but with more mountain people. So far I've discovered what looks to be an excellent pizza place (for V) that has nightly local music (bluegrass, folk, country, and jazz), and a pub that has meat and vegan fare. Hell in Asheville there's a place that has TONS of vegan ice cream-type treats! Blows my mind. It really will be a better area for herbivore eating. The prices are where things are tricky - city prices, but small town incomes. I've also discovered a hops/animal fiber/bamboo/bee farm with a bunch of solar panels just down the small highway.
The most impressive community garden is run by a church, down on the south end of Asheville. They've been feeding lots of hungry folks at The Lord's Acre. The other community gardens are vaguely run by roving bands of well-intended hippies, from what I can tell. The thing with the hippies is that they're highly attracted to Asheville, but most don't stick around for long.
A bit southeast of Asheville is where the truly crunchy granola hippies are - Earthaven - not a commune exactly, they describe themselves as an aspiring "ecovillage". I heard about them years ago from ashlupa. Looks like an interesting place to visit, and at least a few people there look to be knowledgeable and experienced in Useful Things.
Hopefully I haven't bored you to death yet with all of this. One of the best things about moving to this area - and a huge motivator - is the air quality. Their media sends out tons of warning alerts when they have a "yellow" air quality day. Around here in Atlanta, living right off I-20, yellow air days are the good days.
We are still going to have guest space, so you all can come visit. Enjoy the clean mountain air, spring water, and get away from the relentless sound of leafblowers that all of our neighbors in Kirkwood are obsessed with! You can also help us to fend off the wild animals. This will all be such a new experience. I'm used to deer, but that was before I engaged in any sort of gardening activity, and there were very different issues going on then.
Anyway I've embarked upon a seed germination experiment. After dragging my heels, I finally had a bit of peace and quiet, and decided to test the old seeds in the gold packets - from 2009 - that I'd already planted out in the garden - to see what was up. Sure, I planted ancient seeds (greens) when it was already really cold, so why didn't they do anything, right? So last night I finally pulled out the papertowels and seeds and baggies and marker and H2O2. I checked them today, and so far nothing. The earliest they'll show signs of anything would be day 3. The weather here is so warm, and looks to be for the next week, that I'm wildly hoping that the soil will warm up enough to cause the seeds to germinate. Or something. The fresh seeds have been coming up nicely, the romaine is looking good, cilantro has shown up, and a few radishes are saying hello. Maybe a beet. The radishes and beets are in beds that I realized - too late - receive tons of sun in summer, but only morning light of the weak winter sun. The house next door casts a shadow over the beds, something I hadn't considered.
We have been refining plans for the NC house. The "boat room", V has decided, can be saved after all. Current tentative plan is to turn it into a cat room, and another plant space. I will also have a music area in the north part of the house. I cannot tell you how stoked I am, I just hope it will be large enough for all the musical instruments and sheet music. The mountains are full of musicians; I am hopeful that I can start to play again and even find groups to play with. We'll see. I've realized I need space for creativity. Since moving here to this small Kirkwood home I haven't been particularly creative, and that bothers me on some existential level, I think. The new kitchen will double as a sun room, and the deck will be extended. Some of the large trees that block the view of the river will be cut down, and they'll be used to create permaculture (hugelkulture) beds for the future garden.
Apparently deer are a big effing deal, require 8 feet fences and stuff. V tells me they'll rip plants right out of the ground. I've been researching plants they don't like to eat, but lots of stuff they do like to eat, we love to grow. Like my 'Queen of the Night' tulips.
V's part-time employer who horrifically underpays him has a few bonuses - one of which is at least 400 sq feet of good wood flooring, that we can have for free. Will require a lot of labor. But free is good. Bob hoards building materials, so we might be able to get a few other useful items as well. He has a sink graveyard. The sinks are so heavy I cannot move them even an inch. Rumor is he might have a fireplace mantle.
Local research: I have been delving into what I can discover about the area, not just Asheville, but Weaverville, which is 5 minutes north of Asheville. It really reminds me of Decatur GA, but with more mountain people. So far I've discovered what looks to be an excellent pizza place (for V) that has nightly local music (bluegrass, folk, country, and jazz), and a pub that has meat and vegan fare. Hell in Asheville there's a place that has TONS of vegan ice cream-type treats! Blows my mind. It really will be a better area for herbivore eating. The prices are where things are tricky - city prices, but small town incomes. I've also discovered a hops/animal fiber/bamboo/bee farm with a bunch of solar panels just down the small highway.
The most impressive community garden is run by a church, down on the south end of Asheville. They've been feeding lots of hungry folks at The Lord's Acre. The other community gardens are vaguely run by roving bands of well-intended hippies, from what I can tell. The thing with the hippies is that they're highly attracted to Asheville, but most don't stick around for long.
A bit southeast of Asheville is where the truly crunchy granola hippies are - Earthaven - not a commune exactly, they describe themselves as an aspiring "ecovillage". I heard about them years ago from ashlupa. Looks like an interesting place to visit, and at least a few people there look to be knowledgeable and experienced in Useful Things.
Hopefully I haven't bored you to death yet with all of this. One of the best things about moving to this area - and a huge motivator - is the air quality. Their media sends out tons of warning alerts when they have a "yellow" air quality day. Around here in Atlanta, living right off I-20, yellow air days are the good days.
We are still going to have guest space, so you all can come visit. Enjoy the clean mountain air, spring water, and get away from the relentless sound of leafblowers that all of our neighbors in Kirkwood are obsessed with! You can also help us to fend off the wild animals. This will all be such a new experience. I'm used to deer, but that was before I engaged in any sort of gardening activity, and there were very different issues going on then.