An Experiment in Back Yard Sustainability

Peak Moment 51: Tour Scott McGuire's "White Sage Gardens" in the back yard of his rental home -- a demonstration site for suburban sustainability. He ponders, "How might a household produce and preserve a significant portion of its own food supply?" Composting, a water-conserving greenhouse, and seed-saving are all facets of this beautiful work in progress. [http://www.cocreativeliving.com]

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People & Blogs

Tags:

• sustainable
• sustainability
• garden
• gardening
• seed
• saving
• renter

[simonk512]

the video ended just when he started talking about what i wanted to know, you should do a show about how to save seeds

[peakmoment]

@simonk512, great idea. I'm planning to do that, and talk about seed swaps and coops, too. Any suggestions of experienced seed savers in North America, for when we take to the road to tape more shows? ~ Janaia

[Forsure3333]

Do you have a show for nordic countries where winter is on for 6 months a year? With a lot of snow, it seems impossible to have a garden.

[peakmoment]

@Forsure3333, good idea. You might take a look at our show "A Geodesic Garden - Year-Round Gardening at 6000 Feet". Set in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, pretty short season.

We may get up to Alaska...or the opportunity appears. to northern Europe. Anyone know successful short-season growers anywhere, that we might tape?

[csimm48891]

I would love an update to this video on how much the plot yielded. Do you expect and update anytime soon?

[peakmoment]

@csimm48891, the updated show is "Beyond Back Yard Sustainability", Peak Moment episode 178, taped summer 2010.

[TomBrown360]

I am all for growing my own food but not for bugs. kill the bugs love don't keep the termites from eating your house poison does.

[artistbeinghuman]

Peak phosphorus is a much bigger concern than nitrogen... do a little looking into that and you'll find that it's potentially a nightmare scenario for the future of agriculture.

[biospharms]

Learn to be self sustainability study permiculture and appropriate technology to live in a crisis or natural disaster situation. Biospharms has the info you need to thrive and survive. Both on and off the grid. BIOSPHARMS

[fudgedogbannana]

@HitfulVids Wish I can help but its been a while since I read "Carrots love tomatoes", good luck sounds like a fun project.if I run into any info I'll pass it on to you.

[HitfulVids]

@fudgedogbannana Most backyard gardens are just mini-farms that will die off after a bit of neglect. I've been looking for information about mixing and matching plants to grow an "edible forest" and introduce edibles to surrounding woodlands, and hopefully to protect against weeds and pests with minimal maintenance. "Carrots Love Tomatoes" looks like a great resource to get started. Do you (or anyone else reading this) know of other similar sources of information?

[joshthewhistler]

If that's not permaculture (Earthcare, peoplecare, fairshare) then I'll eat his hat.

[Superfudgeism]

18 people work for monsanto watched this video

[merismos111]

If I am not mistaken, Home Land Security have laws on the book that limits and ultimately halts growing your own food. The big seed company(s) if not already are allowed to put seeds on the marker that produces one crop only. Please update or correct this information. Thanks!

[curiosidadesextrano]

This is a wonderful video! I hope more people can change their thinking and use their city spaces more efficiently like this. You show them what's possible. Unfortunate that in a lot of cities they don't allow chickens :( I'm going to look for your videos on gardening in the north. Thanks very much!

[GoldenEars69]

Thanks for a really interesting video and for interviewing an interesting gardener who hasn't completely committed to permaculture, but is picking the most useful components of it. Greatly appreciated!