Grow! Community

Last week we attended and shared about the Good Neighbor Iowa event.  This is one way to be a good neighbor by not using harsh chemicals on your lawn.

Being responsible with what we put on our lawns is important, but even more important are the personal relationships we develop.  People Care is one of the Three Ethics of Permaculture.

With the tragic news out of Las Vegas and lots of other bad things going on in our country, cultivating a feeling of community is critical.  Communities with strong relationships are stronger, more resilient.  People who feel part of a community are not likely to lash out violently. 

You and I are empowered to help stop these acts. 

Lets reach out to the loners and outcasts!

Community food forests and healing gardens are also places where people can interact with their community and nature.  They can also be beneficial helping people overcome traumatic injuries and experiences.

"Even if a person is unwilling or unable to be active in a natural setting, studies prove just living near nature and trees can have such effects as better test scores for girls and decreased instances of domestic violence. Access to nature simply makes people exhibit “more pro-social behavior.”  Read more "Heal the Landscape and Ourselves"

Community organizer Nimrod Hochberg, of the Kidron Food Forest, is building relationships through their community food forest in Tel Aviv, Israel.

“Every Friday people come here, get together and plant.
We are creating a community.
And people need it.”

Why we should plant food forests instead of gardens

Although I'm not a huge country music fan I do like certain songs from all across the music spectrum.  I remember I liked this one that makes me think about being a good neighbor and building strong communities.  I wonder how things would've played out differently if the people we see as monsters had spent a little more time in nature or with their neighbors on the front porch.

https://youtu.be/SrAJS8wBd1A

I hope you'll take time to visit with your neighbors, coworkers and maybe those you don't normally interact with.  We may never know the impact we'll have!

Good Neighbor Iowa, Des Moines Kick-off

Yesterday was the Good Neighbor Des Moines Kickoff Event.  Good Neighbor Iowa is a statewide public education campaign to reduce children’s exposure to commonly-used lawn pesticides. It involves school districts, park managers, childcare centers and other community leaders who are demonstrating that it is possible and practical to manage large areas of turf without the use of pesticides such as herbicides, insecticides or fungicides.

 

 

Their ultimate goal is to transform our culture so that we appreciate diverse lawns as a way to protect child health, water quality, and biodiversity.  These goals align with Abundant Design's work and I was glad to attend and promote their mission.
 

 

 

 

Four main tips for a healthy lawn without pesticides:

• Mow high (at least 3”) so that grass develops strong roots to compete against weeds.
• Over-seed and add compost periodically. In Iowa, late Aug-Sept are the best times. If there are bare areas, rough them up and seed them.
• If you have high foot traffic or athletic fields, aerate and seed.
• Consider converting certain lawn areas into native Iowa prairie plants.

You can do it yourself or have your maintenance service do it and encourage your school local parks and churches to take part as well.  To learn more, please see their Resources page.

For even more resources on natural lawncare practices visit RichSoil.com

Dogpatch Urban Gardens (DUG) hosted the event, with other organizations attending who support Good Neighbor Iowa's mission. 

Kids Yoga in front of DUG's new Hoop House

Farm Baby Foods had their local, organic baby and toddler food

 

The Cutler Kitchen had energy bites, Brightside Kitchen brought treats and local coffee. Des Moines Children's Museum brought their "Let's Play Outside" exhibit.  The Des Moines Water Works provided refillable water bottles to the first 100 guests.

Urban Ambassadors shared their mission to empower and inspire sustainable living

I talked to a lot of great people interested in healthy yards, and healthy landscapes like Abundant Design provides. Brandon from Browne Atlas joined me and shared information about their worm castings.

Chatting with visitors interested in sustainable & regenerative land use and permaculture

 

 

Good Neighbor Iowa will provide you with a yard sign (in various colors) to show your support and invite conversation with your neighbors.

 

Here's our yard sign in purple and gold for Waukee, even if they said UNI :)

 



National Hunting and Fishing Day

National Hunting and Fishing Day got its start in 1972 after President Richard Nixon urged all citizens to join with outdoor sportsmen in the wise use of our natural resources and in ensuring their proper management for the benefit of future generations.

“A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” Aldo Leopold A Sand County Almanac

Politics aside, the Nixon Administration actually had a pretty good environmental record.  National Hunting and Fishing Day is celebrated on the fourth Saturday of every September and is designed to promote others to get involved in hunting and fishing.

https://youtu.be/Y9HS92UtV74

My hunting (and fishing) background is one of the reasons I am passionate about the environment and conservation.  If I can bring a bit of nature to your backyard where you can also forage for fruits, nuts and berries in an environmentally sound way that's a win-win.  If you have a bit more land, we can design it for abundant and diverse wildlife, that includes wild game.

After years of declining numbers a new emphasis on clean food and ethical sources of meat, hunting is on the rise with younger generations.

“It feels more responsible and ecologically sound to eat an animal that was raised wild and natural in my local habitat than to eat a cow that was fattened up on grain or even hay, which is inevitably harvested with fuel-hungry machines,” writes Christie Aschwanden, a self-described “tree-hugging former vegetarian.” 

 Read more: "Hipsters Who Hunt" on Slate.com

Now the question is how will this renewed vigor for locally produced food affect hunting in America? 

Experienced sportsmen may be rolling their eyes at all of this, imagining a bunch of yuppies tramping through the woods and scaring off all the deer. And they’re probably right—these new hunters will inevitably foul opportunities at game, as would any nascent sportsman. But despite however self-important or naive these hipsters may seem, their presence should be embraced nonetheless, for the sake of the sport and wildlife, both of which they seem bent to encourage. These eager, engaged sportsmen may provide the jolt of enthusiasm needed to combat the misguided and poorly informed anti-hunting rhetoric that too often proliferates through the creative class. Now we’ll just have to wait and see how deep their convictions run if shooting game doesn’t stay in vogue. 

Read more: "The Rise of Hipster Hunters" on Sporting Classics Daily 

If you want to discuss and learn more from a Permaculture perspective head over to the Hunting and Fishing forum at Permies.com

25 Reasons Why Hunting is Conservation

from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

So enjoy the day afield (or consider doing so later this Fall if the 90° temps don't inspire you), be part of the time honored tradition and celebrate the conservation successes brought to you by America’s hunters and anglers.

Resplendent September - amazing opportunity and potential

Things are HOPPING! 

And I'm not just talking about the rabbit that lives in my herb garden :) 

We are working on several projects from rain gardens, back yard retreats and patio rebuilds with functional plant design.  Multiple jobs at once is pretty rare for Abundant Design, but the weather has been good and material scheduling and available help has worked out well.  I'm energized by people excited for new functional landscapes, healthier lifestyles and the benefits of natural settings.

I also treated my own lawn with predatory nematodes as a chemical-free way to help control Japanese Beetles

September is Preparedness Month, which is a big deal with hurricanes and wildfires in the news, and although not really tornado season, we live in an area prone to them.  Besides, winter is approaching and several years ago, although not too far off the beaten path my mom and dad were out of electricity for over a week following a blizzard!

View in FEMA Multimedia Library

For lots more tips listen to "Why Practical Preparedness Wins the Race"

on The Survival Podcast

Here in Iowa, some troubles for Versaland, a permaculture styled regenerative farm near Iowa City, with the Johnson County supervisors. Grant Schultz messaged me Friday, Dan Grubbs asked me to share, and here's The Urban Farmer Curtis Stone's video call for support along with Grant's video.

If you are nearby, Grant would appreciate your support at the Johnson County Board of Supervisors rezoning meeting September 14th (This Thursday) at 5:30pm

Johnson County Administration Building

913 South Dubuque Street

Iowa City, IA 52240

Blank Park Zoo's Plant.Grow.Fly. Monarch Festival will be held at Blank Park Zoo on Sunday, September 17 from 12-4 p.m.

Enjoy the exciting transition from Summer to Fall!

Privacy Screen with an Abundant Spin

The home owner talked to me at the Home & Outdoor Living Show about her need for a privacy screen and wondered if I could do it within her budget and short time frame. 

Before-

They didn't want mulch as their dogs tended to dig, and river rock also matched their neighbors border which they liked.

Although the whole back property line was to be done, particular lines of sight were drawn in to prioritize. 

Two drawings were made, one with slight variations and shared.  The alternate drawing with evergreens for winter screening, was selected.

The Arborvitae will also provide a nice dark backdrop to contrast the spring blooms on the Serviceberries.

The low spot included more water loving native plants like Blue Flag Iris and Elderberry.




Work begins- Including 15+ tons of rock!




NF said it, on a few of those hot, late nights

 

After- Over 50 trees, shrubs and plants, many natives, some edible, medicinal and superfoods!

 

We finished up right in the peak heat at the beginning of this drought, conditions were not ideal for plant establishment.

However, the recent rain, although not near enough, has given things a healthy natural drink and renewed vigor!

Privacy Screen with Natives, Edibles, Medicinals and Superfoods!