Not sure what kind of “beat” we are following now, as I haven’t personally absorbed the biodynamic approach to gardening, but Joseph has (he used to live on a farm with an old woman who followed this method) and we are following its planting schedule for our 2023 season. (Joseph has promised to talk about biodynamics a bit at one of our Community Dinners. Will have to remind him. Maybe this Thursday?)

For last Tuesday’s work party, we discovered that, according to the biodynamic calendar, there was nothing to plant that day, so we watched several videos on permaculture instead. (I’m the only one who has formally educated myself through the Permaaculture Design Course. But: there are plenty of internet sources now, to at least begin to learn. And: though I took the course, and absorbed its philosophy, which basically teaches us to recognize and interact with Nature as a brilliant, interwoven system, where everything is both related to and depends upon everything else, i.e., “all waste is food,”  I had little experience with actual gardening, and I still don’t really understand “timing,” especially as to when and how to “start” various plants in spring. So much understanding of the way Nature works comes with experience and practice. 

Okay, so enter biodynamics, for us, this year, since we no longer depend on an experienced “garden manager.” After our last one, Daniel, moved to be on his own in I think it was August 2022, we’re finally getting the hang of what it means to operate as an Aquarian group of equals, depending on each others’ strengths and deficiencies as we relate to what we’re doing here “on the farm.”

Yesterday morning, according to the Moon, it was time to plant fruiting vegetables; so we decided on okra, tomatoes and peppers. Two trays total.

There wasn’t enough to do inside the green house for all of us, so Joseph and Camden stayed in there to prepare the soil mix, make soil blocks and plant, while Marita and I headed out for a bit of “terraforming,” i.e., in this case, repositioning soil along the edge which is about to get a new fence. 

If you recall, that edge used to be where we kept the compost bins. We took them to the back yard of the third house a year ago.

Meanwhile, Joseph was out in front of the house he lives in, in the forest garden whose pathways he designed, pruning the queen of this little village, our wonderful elderberry.

So that was that. Two hours went by in a heartbeat.

This morning, I checked on the greenhouse, and found Camden and his girl friend Sam, at Marita’s instruction, removing the overnite covers (besides the covers, they were on heating pads (see the blue stretching out from below the right hand tray) and a fire Marita built for overnight), plus checking to see if any of them need watering this morning. No. Those covers kept them moist.

Until Tuesday, when it looks like we plant “roots” i.e., carrots, onions, leeks, beats — and potatoes?