International Rewilding Discussion Forum

While I support the idea, I still need the knowledge that books provide until I can be surrounded by people that can teach me instead, so I still hold great value in field guides of edible wild plants, instruction books about how to make things, and books like that...

But I definitely hear you! Less "stuff" = more freedom! Good job! And good luck!

-emily

the more I think about it, the less-hierarchical system seems better... but I guess it really doesn't matter so much?

yeah, it might be better to go "hasn't spoken much" as Emily speaks a lot : )

haha! uh, I will take that as a compliment?

Oh and I loved collecting the exoskeletons when I was little it's a favorite pastime!

Is it "true" that women have a better sense of smell than men? I saw an experiment once (on tv? don't know where...) where both men and women were blindfolded, and each couples' baby was held to each person to smell. All of the women picked out their baby's smell amongst all the other babies, but none of the men recognized their baby's smell...

I've always disliked the terms "taker" and "leaver." Everyone takes from the land. It's just that we don't give back anymore. Sustainability nuts are all about reducing how much we take, but even that means nothing unless we start to give back. Sometimes I think that taking less is not that important if we can learn to give back more. I think giving back should be the focus.

I agree, or "trading" for things that are needed. Other animals do this as they live in nature, so why shouldn't we? It's all about a balance.

here we go, all the info needed:

http://www.wwmag.net/wapato.htm

it appears that the foliage does die back...

Vicky, treated lumber does leach toxins into the soil, and your plants! Do not use treated lumber (or salvaged wood from construction sites, unless you know it's untreated). You do not have to use wood for raised beds, they can just be raised dirt beds, but you can also get untreated wood from the hardware store, just ask someone that works there. Also, you can use other things like bricks, cinder blocks (and plant herbs in the holes), sticks, bamboo, rocks, etc. to line your beds... I will probably just use piled compost, dirt, mulch for the beds this year, as I won't have a lot of money to spend for the wood, but my dad does have a lot of bamboo growing in the yard, so that could be useful too...

-emily

So I have been trying to plan the foraging garden design for this spring... I have a fairly large space (my parents are allowing me free range of half of their large garden, and all of the small garden in the front of the property, which will be the berry garden)... has anyone established a foraging garden before? I am most concerned with pathways throughout the garden... I really want it to not only be a beautiful, functioning perennial edible garden, but also want to have pathways and a bench in the center so that we can spend time in the garden and relax and enjoy it. So I am thinking about have a spiral walkway and raised beds in the planting areas, so that the ground does not get compacted and hinder root growth. I have always been a lot more interested in raised beds, and I think that it is the best method for gardening. I want this to last year after year so I think it's important to have a really functional, lasting design... I am gonna go search for some books on the topic! Any suggestions?

-emily