Author Archives: zack

Mushrooms and Bonsai

Spent some time today working on a long-term bonsai project.  For the last few years, I’ve been pruning and training some in-ground plants for eventual repotting as bonsai. From left to right, I’ve got crepe myrtle, dogwood, some kind of … Continue reading

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Does a Bear Plant in the Woods?

Apparently so.  A visiting bear was apparently gorging on some sort of prunus – likely a wild (native or escaped) plum – and deposited a pile of seed-laded droppings in the fall, east of the garden, right outside the trail … Continue reading

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Future Mushrooms

I’ve decided to try my hand at growing mushrooms. I don’t care for them, but I do like gardening challenges. This oak, a fine specimen save for the fact that it was too close to the house, will hopefully provide … Continue reading

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An Embarrassment of Acorns

After many years – five, maybe six? – the drought is officially over. The big live oak adjacent to the garden put forth an unprecedented number of acorns this year. With the near constant rain and warm temperatures, thousand of … Continue reading

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Milling Again

Spent a few hours today getting the Alaska mill up and running again, and crafted this beautiful cedar beam: It’s more or less 7 1/4″ x 7 1/4 ” x 8′, and it will be part of the framing for … Continue reading

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Banking Rainwater

Over the summer, I set up a 1500 gallon tank, fed by the roof over the greenhouse.  Just checked the level, and  as of now it’s full of 1500 gallons of pure rainwater!

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The Cucumber That Got Away

If you’ve gardened for any length of time, you’ve probably found a huge zucchini hidden under a leaf, too big to be edible, but fun nonetheless. I saw this Armenian cucumber weeks ago, too big already to be very good, … Continue reading

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Summer So Far: Fire, Raised Beds and Potatoes

I’ll start with the fire. The Trailhead Fire continues to burn, with lots of choking smoke starting usually around 11 PM and continuing through morning, although it’s looking like it will skip torching my house (fingers crossed).  This fire is … Continue reading

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A Not Insignificant Serpent

Wandering the garden this afternoon, I surprised this beautiful and LARGE California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae), the first snake of any kind I’ve seen this season. The beast quickly retreated to the safety of a hollow space under a nearby … Continue reading

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Spring Flowers

It’s warming up here, and many things are flowering. Pictured below is the very first flowering of the Felix Gillet quince. The fall-planted cabbages are flowering as well. I harvested most of the plants for sauerkraut, but let a few … Continue reading

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