Alternative Community Farmer/WPB.FL

DEAR SANTA:

Here I am still waiting for my wishes come true..As an Urban Farmer who lost his land ,his car and still in business only to prove that Santa one day will come with a Christmass Tree and lots of unwrapped gifts for farmers like me:

1-Bring me "A small  farm or land" to grow food for the needy and those who have lost their homes and jobs and now labelled as Homeless!Instead of giving one a fish teach one how to fish or garden and grow their own food.

2-Bring me a truck to haul compost and horse manure and load up garden accessories who wish to transform their lawn grass backyards into bountiful organic gardens that feed them and their families and help save on the grocery bill!

3-Bring me stability so I can get grounded rather than keep moving around rent

4-Bring me students ,volunteers and avid gardeners who wish to  learn how to grow their own food and have a land to experiment on what they have learned at my classes.

5-Bring me job opportunity in Sustainability or at a farm  to work ,grow,teach and spread the awareness of Urban Organic Farming .

6-Let there be peace on earth and let it start with me and my garden or simply you and yours if you have already added your wish to Santa's Christmass list !.

7-Revise and Publish my Urban Gardening Book !

Have a Merry Gardening

Ho Ho Ho

Merry  Christmass

Here are some of my Observations from lately doing a consultation to a Raised Bed Garden both at a community garden and a private backyard .

A Problem vs B solution approach.

I-Private Backyard Previously built by farmer  X:

A-Problem:

1-Raised beds RB were built six inch high on top of plastic cover sheet to deter weeds and roots.

2-Land topography was sliding a downward slope. No action for correction of sloping ground initially.

3-RB Location was surrounded by trees,shrubbs and lawn grass .Underground roots were rampant.

4-Tree branches were blocking sun and covering the sky space above the raised beds .Leaves and debris were falling at the Raised bed garden and disturbing plant growth.

5-Soil ground was not dug to excavate roots and debris.

6-RB added soil mix lacked :nutrients,organic matter,friendly soil worms organisms and loaded with perlites and weeds seeds.

7-Irrigation system used was  decorative/ornamental rather than practical.

B-The solution-Remedial work:

1-New raised beds were introduced by adding extra height to the existing RB structure .This was necessary to protect top soil nutrients from overflooding and secure more room depth for root system .Before RB looked like a BONSAI compartment with plants like ELEPHANT plants dwarfed in a BONSAI way due !

2-Land to topography was corrected to secure and establish RB base and prevent loss of soil nutrients  irrigation deviation  and provide more structural balance.

3-Raised beds were relocated and rearranged to asuitable location.

4-Trees were trimmed,and some RB  raised beds were relocated to sunny and less invassive ground .

5-Ground was dug below the Raised Beds and invassive roots and debris were removed.

6-Organic matter and nutrients were added to enrich the soil. Weeds and debris and roots were dug out.

7-A new irrigation system was put in place .

It was a second hand attempt remedial work to a raised bed designed and executed with so many flaws initially by a professional X who collected a good sum of money and left the homeowner with a raised bed garden with lots of weeds to say the least!

. My consultation advice to new comers to S. Florida: Do a professional background check on whoever you hire to set up an organic garden prior to blindly .Find out about education and experience and ask for samples of previous work !