Compost Corral

Now our compost has new stomping grounds. Here is our new compost corral modeled by Talia (she'd be in every pic if I'd let her, maybe I should, she is cute (and hilarious)). This spankin' new corral, built by Byron, will keep our compost from roaming and getting into trouble. They kept busting out of the three little Rubbermaid stalls I kept them in before. They almost seem small in their new quarters.
Another view of Byron's compost corral.
Look at all the little compost!!! Give this compost collector a little time, and soon it'll be full of compost gold! I can just imagine the towering corn and waist high collards. Now I have to resist the urge to grab grass clipping filled bags off of the curbs in neighborhoods. Byron gently reminds me, "Kristi, they probably use chemicals." Rats!!! Anyway, I'll keep Dad's horse field clean. You can compost horsey poop, huh?

Here are the things you can compost:
veggie and fruit peelings and parts
coffee grinds
coffee filters
tea bags
tea bag papers
egg shells
leaves
pine needles
grass
chicken poop
cow poop
paper (sheet and news, I shred mine and also use it for chicken bedding)
feathers
garden clippings and debris
weeds that haven't went to seed

I don't worry about speeding up the process. I just toss it all in, turn it occasionally, it rains here a lot so I skip watering it (it must be kept moist), and wait. For this compost corral design, you shovel the finished compost from underneath the bottom landscape timber. I have a video of this corral being made by someone else on a previous garden post.

Dishwasher Powder and First Day of School

Here it is. My first batch of dishwasher powder. The important thing first- Does it work? I washed two loads with it and yes it does work. My glasses and flatware turned out sparkly and didn't have any spots on them. The cheese grater that I grated some chedder cheese on didn't come out completely clean. In honesty, it never does, even with other brands of tabs, gels or powder, maybe it's just my washer which is on the old side. I threw the grater in with the second batch and it did come out clean after the second time.

Cost Comparison:

According to my best calculations, the batch of powder cost $1.05 to make (this price does not include the essential lemon oil). Each batch makes enough for 41 loads. So load cost is .03 cents. For comparison here is the load cost of several popular brands:

Cascade tabs- .15 (Sam's club price)

Gain Liquid- .14 (Sam's club price)

Ecover tabs- .25 (Whole Foods price)

Homemade Powder- .03 (Significant Savings)

The powder was extremely simple to make, took very little time, and the lemon essential oil makes it smell wonderful. It also does not contain phosphates like most other dishwasher soaps.

Here is the recipe again:

Dishwasher Powder

1 cup of Borax (usually can be obtained locally also can buy on internet)
1 cup of sodium bi-carbonate (baking soda easily obtained at grocery store)
1/4 cup of salt
1/4 cup of citric acid (can find at health food stores, cheese supply, soap making supply and other sites on internet-this is also used in making cheeses and bath fizzies)
30 drops of lemon essential oil (I buy mine at Wholefoods)

Mix all ingredients together. Stir well and store in air tight container. Use 1 tblsp per load.


Oh yes, today was the jittery, squealy, skipping, jumping first day of school. Look at all the groovy shoes and book bags.

Today's Harvest

True signs that summer's almost over, persimmons and pears. My children love the squishy when ripe persimmon and crunchy and drippy sweet pears. The pear trees are simply overburdened with pears. If you haven't planted pears yet, do it yesterday. They are very easy to grow, take up very little space and mine have had no disease problems (unless you count termites). They are not exactly beautiful, except in the fall when the branches are practically dragging the ground with green golden sugar bombs. Then there are a few late figs and some white scallop squash.

Red and Green in The Garden

A hurricane lily has finally bloomed. It's such a beautiful flower and only lasts a couple of days.

A red dragonfly. In some places red dragonflies are considered lucky. I must be a lucky girl, because there are many of them in my yard.
A green anole with groovy blue eye shadow. This up-to-date lizard is leading the bright eyeshadow trend. There is an abundance of green anoles in my garden, and I've noticed this year there are quite a few babies running around. It's always a blast to watch the antics of these color changing lizards. The other day I enjoyed the best fight I've seen in a while. Two old males took turns grabbing each other's heads in their mouths while they wrestled and fought. For what reason? Territory? Females? Not sure.

Here's a close-up of my crybaby tree's blossoms. I first discovered this on Milan street off of St. Charles while riding my bike. It's really a stunning tropical tree. The cutting I took didn't take. Luckily I found some small trees in a local nursery.

This is Pride of Barbados. Given to me by my neighbor Sandy. It's frilly orchid looking flowers are so beautiful. They look like little fairy skirts.

Wahhh!!!

Here is my beautiful Moon and Stars watermelon. It must weigh six or more pounds. It had all the indications of being ripe: yellow underside, dry tendrils, bloom on rind, hollow sound when thumped.....I just couldn't wait.

Wahhhh....It wasn't quite ripe. Hopefully I'll restrain myself for the next ones.

Geoff Lawton

This is an interesting video on Permaculture. Geoff Lawton is a permaculture consultant and designer. He has taken over and continued the permaculture work after Bill Mollison retired. His website is Permaculture Research Institute of Australia .

I find Permaculture so intriguing.


The definition of Permaculture by Permaculture Solutions.

What is Permaculture?

Permaculture is a method for designing sustainable, human-supporting landscapes that mimic the operation of natural ecosystems. By linking the different parts of each system in ecologically sensible ways, permaculture achieves high yields for low energy inputs while actually building fertility over successive seasons. For some, permaculture means a backyard garden that for relatively little work supplies an abundance of organically produced food all year round. For others, permaculture means a drought and flood-proof rural property ensuring food, water and energy security into the coming decades.

Around the House and Garden

A view of the potager from the levee.
Round number two. Our long growing season in New Orleans allows for a second crop before the colder temps kick in. So today I planted six tomato plants, Henderson's Bush Lima beans (an heirloom), and purple hull peas (an old Southern staple). I have been trying to buy seeds that are heirlooms from the deep south. My burgundy okra. Little buds are beginning to form. So we'll have okra soon.
The eggplants I planted this spring are still doing just fine. They usually continue to bear until the first cold weather. I love to slice and fry them, spoon red sauce on top, and sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan cheese. That alone makes a wonderful meal. My sister gave me a recipe I am going to try. Slice the eggplant, sprinkle with Montreal grill seasoning and grill. Sounds yum to me.
Here is the Southern White Crookneck Cushaw Pumpkin. This one just keeps getting bigger and bigger. This is the only variety of pumpkin I planted that made it through the summer. It also was the only one from the south...so....maybe that's a hint to me.
This is a French Charentais melon. An old heirloom. It seems to be doing just fine here.
Here is a peek at the front garden. See the two tiny red dots. That is "naked ladies" or "hurricane lilies" about to bloom. They are called "naked ladies" because their foliage disappears in the summer to reappear after they bloom, and "hurricane lilies" because they bloom during hurricane season.

Early Silver Line Oriental Melon

Here it is! The first melon this year. In fact, I believe it's the first melon I have ever harvested! It's an Early Silver Line Oriental Melon. You harvest the melon when it turns yellow. After cutting it, I believe I should have left this melon a little longer.
It has seeds in the center like a cantaloupe. The heart of the melon was sweet, and the outer edges tasted somewhat like a cucumber. That is why I believe I should have left it a little longer. The picture on the packet showed the melon with thinner white lines and more yellow. There are many more on vine still so....

The Rooster and The Hen

A Depression Era Poem

The Rooster and The Hen

Said the Little Red Rooster, "Believe me things are tough!"

Seems the worms are getting scarcer and I cannot find enough,

What's become of all those fat ones? It's a mystery to me.

There were thousands through that rainy spell,

But now, where can they be?"

But the Old Black Hen who heard him didn't grumble or complain,

She had lived through lots of dry spells;

She had lived through floods of rain.

She picked a new and undug spot, The ground was hard and firm,

"I must go to the worms," she said. "The worms won't come to me."

The Rooster vainly spent his day,

Through habit, by the ways

Where fat round worms had passed in squads back in the rainy days.

When nightfall found him supperless, he growled in accents rough,

"I'm hungry as a fowl can be, conditions sure are tough."

But the Old Black Hen hopped to her perch

And dropped her eyes to sleep

And murmured in a drowsy tone, "Young man, hear this and weep.

I'm full of worms and happy

For I've eaten like a pig.

The worms were there as always

But, boy I had to dig!"

Dishwasher Powder Recipe

Finally! I found a dishwasher powder recipe. I'll let you know how it works. I'll try to calculate it's actual cost as well and post my findings later. Dishwasher powder is the only cleaning item that I still currently buy and do not make. Most every cleaning supplies you will ever need can be made from very simple cheap ingredients: Vinegar, sodium carbonate, sodium bi-carbonate, essential oils, jojoba oil, soap, and borax.

Dishwasher Powder

1 cup Borax
1 cup bi-carbonate soda (baking soda)
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup citric acid
30 drops citrus essential oil

Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight plastic container. Use 1 tablespoon at a time.