Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

In this phase, I'd like to start with the passion that Lee shares with others in our community, on ecology, and living responsibly. We will continue to weave his feeling for the Gaia community into the discussion, so please come with your questions, suggestions, ideas.

In his blog 
What do you wish people spent more time discussing? 
Posted on Oct 11th, 2008 by Lee said:
“Positive changes to better our environments and passing simple ways to improve things for now and future generations.  I enjoy writing to schools and people about starting their gardens.”
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Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Copying your post here, Jeff so that Lee can respond to it.
Jeff said about 2 hours ago:

Lee, this is lush… for some reason or other I know of Rachel Carson and Silent Spring, maybe research I have done for environmental psychology, referred to as Ecopsychology, and Theodore Roszak's book The Voice of the the Earth… 
Two quotes from Rachel Carson that you offered about that sing to me are for those quotes capture the essence of my Photography work, and my experience while being present in that work. 

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth 
find reserves of strength for as long as life lasts.”

“One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself: 
What if I had never seen this before
What if I knew I were to never see this again?'”

I may not be much of a gardener, but I enjoy the life around me, I enjoy cooking using fresh veggies and herbs, creating with love a healthy meal, that is simple but good for us… and each day I am amazed by the wonder I find and have vision of in my little wood here in NJ…  


I am grateful and thankful for your work and your mentoring the young, as well as your peers… Thank you so much…  

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

While we wait for Lee to come to the feature, my mind is with him and ~KES and other friends in California whose air quality is so injured by the wildfires there. I do hope you are staying indoors as much as possible, and not breathing that air, and I hope the air quality improves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Q- Lee,How does your life offline impact your presence on Gaia?

Lee- I answer everyone's questions. Some of them need off line research to be certain all of their questions do get answered as promised.

Well, Lee has a Life Standard Designated Subjects Adult Education Teaching Credential so I'm sure that helps a lot in the way you help others.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-humanity

The firefighters are so brave, I have so much respect for them and what they do - risk their lives and work under intense conditions - could be a daily thing in summers like this.

Watching neighbors & 'strangers' talking to each other & helping each other over the past 4 days is a joy to see & experience.  Three cheers for humanity.

Forest trees will only get water from rain which has been very low, for years. Live oaks take decades to mature. Trees create more moisture and even more rain, so when they are gone, the drought conditions can accelerate. That is why desertification occurs when jungles are cut down. I hope we miraculously get enough gentle rains to get the trees to grow back.

A man is ethical only when life, as such, is sacred to him, that of plants and animals as that of his fellow men, and when he devotes himself helpfully to all life that is in need of help. ~ Albert Schweitzerpicture of our sky today

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-Burl

~KES, thank you for bringing the cycle of life around these fires.  Like you, I have so much respect for the courage of firefighters.

I wanted to get into the game we've sent out to our members, to find material about ecology around Gaia. I didn't have far to go, of course. One of our mutual friends - right, Lee?- Burl is such an original thinker and deeply passionate about ecology as we know from his group Deep Ecology: Reclaiming our Sanity in a Crazy World  has written:

“Death, I would say, is a living process.  Composting teaches this.  We put dead and decaying things into a heap, the heap cooks the decaying things, and, then, wa-la, the fertile soil of new life unfolds.  ” he says in his blog:

When Debate Returns to Dialog and Thence to Analog Posted on Jan 25th, 2009 by bensoph

Thanks Burl! Now who's next?

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-Burl

I posted how to start the legumes on Deep Ecology and the film Zephyr recommended: on greening the desert by harvesting rainwater. “You can solve all the world's problems in ecology in a garden.” Geoff Lawton of the Permaculture Research Institute on the challenges behind ”Greening the Desert” project in Jordan

By the way:  Happy Birthday dear Zephyr!!!

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-Burl

Zephyr asked me to post these on the Green Desert from her profile:


http://re-forestgarden.co.uk/index.html
and
http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/reflections-on-nature.html 
and the youTube Paul Stamets: 6 ways mushrooms can save the world
They have all been on her profile links for some time.  Thanks for these valuable pieces of data. ~Kes

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

I've been really appreciating reading this thread when I've had the chance to drop in.  Lee -  I'm deeply grateful for the work you're doing.


My strengths tend to be much more in the areas of communal connection and activism than in growing things - a beloved friend who is president of his local farmer's market encourages me *not* to grow things, in fact ;-).  So in the interest of protecting plants and supporting our fragile world in general - I just posted a blog sharing an activism alert leading up to the global warming gathering at the UN on September 22nd.

peace and blessings -


Sylvia

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Watching the video you posted Kathy on greening the desert in Jordan reminded me of Bill Mollison's work in Botswana. He is an Australian who began the permaculture techniques in the 70's. Here in Australia we also have a problem with dryness and salination in large areas. 

In spite of the work people like Bill and Geoff Lawton, people in powerful places still aren't really getting it. Just the other night on TV I watched a “scientist” debunking the “myth” of permaculture as he termed it. Very disappointing.

I was very interested in ecology and sustainability back in the seventies when I studied Physical Geography and Town Planning at uni. I seem to have drifted away from it a bit since then but I'm really glad Lee is encouraging us to get back in there. Today we cleared the yard in preparation for a raised garden bed to plant veges. I started worrying about the rabbits eating it but when we put all their old bedding of hay and toilet box contents into some of our garden it was beautiful. 

I also found some self sown Kumara (sweet potato) under the soil when I was digging, beautiful creamy white ones. I wondered what the strange leafy plant was. Its odd because we usually eat the orange ones. I guess its one way to learn what will grow here.

Heres the Bill Mollison video.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-community garden

Thanks Jenny! I subscribed to their channel. I rented King Corn where corn is traced from planting to market.  Worth watching too. 

Thank goodness we can't believe those that try put humanity into an apathy about doing something about permaculture & sustainability. Good reporters offer sane solutions that something can be done about it to bring up public awareness. 

It's great you've discovered potatoes & are preparing a patch of garden. There is a Chinese proverb: Life begins the day you start to garden. There are a large percentage of environmentally-minded people here like yourself on Gaia, so together we will & are making a difference.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks Meenakshi for continuing to Phase III where we can share and find out more on the environment right here on Gaia.

Have you ever wondered why so much public space seems to go to waste? Even apparently 'natural' green areas are carefully cultivated, requiring time, energy and water. However, these only produce a return if people are sitting, interacting, or playing on them. A great deal of urban green space is never used for these purposes. However, such spaces can be (and many are) subverted through guerilla gardening: the act of seeding useful plants in public spaces. The kind of guerilla gardening addressed here, though illegal, rarely gets people into trouble. Other higher-profile types such as moss graffiti and mayday actions have caused conflicts with the law. For more information on guerilla gardening, take a look at Guerilla Gardening: A Manualfesto.

At this point in time urban gardening for public places is easier to get a city permit to and is being encouraged here in the US. Here are Tips on Starting a Community Garden.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Thanks for bringing up guerilla gardening Lee. Thanks for the tips on lettuces and other veges for my conditions too. After seeing the kumaras today and realising my rabbits may be a bit too helpful in my new garden I decided more root veges would be good. Then decided I am happy to share with the little fellas. Since their first frantic foray into the cabbages which I had grown for them anyway, they have settled down and only eat what they need. Hazel loves tomatoes but even she now only eats small amounts. I might try those grape tomatoes, then if they chew on one its only a small loss.

I am already feeling my old enthusiasm for gardening coming back. 

Heres a guerilla gardeners video

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Hi Jenny: Regarding scientists debunking permaculture, I think that we need to rely more on OUR truths than those of the experts. Our lack of evolution in the past couple of thousand years is that we have surrendered to externalized powers. I truly recommend “Ishmael” by Daniel Quinn who states that human beings have in essence, stifled evolution for the past 5,000 or so yrs. Evolution, as I talk about in the blog, ”Revealing Revelation” has been stifled which if one attends to the mystical Christians entails the anti-Christ for Christ is seen as the evolutionary potential of humanity. The fact is, through standardized farming practices, genetic engineering and the like we are further killing evolution for it is through diversity that Nature works as one system. What we are doing to the environment is akin to saying that the lungs are the only part of the body that needs to exist. For a body to exist, for you to exist, you need multiple systems, cells and organs working as a whole. Likewise, we need variety in Nature for a healthy planet. Hope I'm making sense.  Burl 

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Hi Sylvia:  Welcome to our Garden Party.  Everyone does what they can energy wise on this site; and what you bring is extraordinarily valuable!  “YES, let's go all out on climate this month and commit to a “global wake-up call” to world leaders on September 21st.”  Thanks for the link to funding the largest climate event ever.

Pass this forward…

Hi Kathy: Thanks for covering for me while I was away and for posting the legumes & film from Zephyr.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-DVD

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” – Chinese Proverb.

Many of you have read or heard this famous proverb. It has many applications, but one that I thought you should hear about it again. I freely give away most of my (thoroughly organic) gardening techniques and tricks right on my web site & on Gaia.

You wouldn't think gardening or learning to take care of our environment could be so easy, but with 25 years of gardening experience, all the trial and errors already sorted through, make this “hobby” one of the most beneficial activities you can easily and quickly implement for yourself or your whole family in no time. Whether you have acres of land to work with or a postage stamp yard, you can start something this weekend and feel the pride.  Even picking up trash on this side of the planet effects the other as we are creating less trash and handling our areas.

“Organic Gardening Made Easy” DVD has been incorporated into the curriculum of a number of schools in the US, UK and EU and the students are having a ball learning and growing their classes fruits and vegetables fully organically for the first time. You can e-mail me & I will send you the form to get this into schools in your area.

My latest DVD, “The Organic Tomato” is now being distributed on many channels as well. My home garden area in Los Angeles. In about the size of a three car garage in which I grow hundreds of pounds of the most delicious and nutritious vegetables I'd ever tasted. Many of which I never ate before or even hated as a child.

I can't think of a healthier, more appropriate and rewarding thing to share. Once you ask any of your friends to remember a garden from when they were a child most everyone just lights up and has a pleasurable story to share.  Please feel free to bring over any of my blogs to share and I will also be sharing links of others. Thanks. Lee
http://www.organichomegardener.com

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Hi Lee!

We're just getting to know each other, so I can't draw on the well of personal experience, but I have to say I'm stoked over this much attention on living in harmony with the planet.   I grew up with a “victory garden” and with the exception of the past year, have gardened everywhere I live.  Thanks for sharing here at Gaia!

phil

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Oh- I remember- I wanted to ask what is a 'victory garden'. Can you tell, Phil?

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-Book!

Lee - I just became a member of this group so that I could leave a comment for you.  This feature has been a fantastic read!  It contains a wealth of knowledge that I've already started using.

In addition to your DVD's, have you ever thought about writing a book?  It would make a wonderful table-top reference tool for the rest of us.

Thank you again.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Hi ojiisan!  Laurie revealed to us  that this means Len!  It is so nice to meet you in writing and in essence here too and to have you on board.  I am so looking forward to seeing more of your gardens very happy to got the DVD's. I have enough material for a book… it's taking the time to just organize.  If I do I will be certain to let you know. It would be a joy to create a table-top reference you envision.  I can imagine the colorful pages of organic life.  Wow… what a picture this gives me.  Thanks! Lee

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Thanks Phil for encouraging and setting a trend to build a garden wherever you live. That is so inspiring to let others know too.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-Victory Garden

Meenakshi, 

A Victory Garden was a garden planted during the first and second World Wars, so that food was more readily handy to people, the local PBS stations have had a show called The Victory Garden for years…

Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit and herbgardens planted at private residences in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany[1] duringWorld War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. In addition to indirectly aiding the war effort these gardens were also considered a civil ”morale booster” — in that gardeners could feel empowered by their contribution of labor and rewarded by the produce grown. Making victory gardens become a part of daily life on the home front.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-Victory Gardens

Hi Meenakshi-

I'm going to riff from Jeff's most excellent reply!   (Hi Jeff)  In my community, (of about 500) there would be those who “specialized”  in a commodity.  We had an apple orchard and would donate apples to the common cause.  Those who weren't able to garden would “can” and make jelly or baked goods.  Some had herbs, others flowers or unique vegetables they had a green thumb for.   We all shared in the bounty.  Our neighbors were, for all intents and purposes extended family.  Rarely did anyone go “without”.   This happened well after 45, I think it was around 65 that people began getting more isolated and less co-operative.  Those traditions lived on in the Grange Halls for a while, now we have “progress”.

phil 

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-Victory Gardens

I think, Phil, that we are going to have to get back to community based agriculture.  My wife, Merry Stetson Hall, just wrote a book published through http://amazon.com called “Bringing Food Home:  The Maine Example.”  This gives the reader the example of Maine's thriving and growing local food movement.  For those out of state or country, it could provide useful information about the variety of creative ways in which we can retake charge of our own lives.  I personally see us heading for a “perfect storm,” between economy, ecology, incesstant warfare, etc.    We can no longer count on politicians, experts, and businesses to take care of us.  They've done a lousy job of it, in my humble opinion….it's now time for US to take charge of ourselves.  Here, don't think I'm calling for a revolution for that provides the impulse for a new version of the same thing (as happened in Russia and other places).  I'm saying we have to empower ourselves from within and allow Nature to empower Herself from within.  Hope I'm making sense.  I feel lke a fanatic.  Take care.  Burl

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-Victory Gardens

Thanks for this addition of Bringing Food Home Burl.  I appreciate you comment on seeds.  That is such a basic topic for all to be aware of on some level. I have read your input and appreciate all you have to say helping others to do their part with environment.

I recommend others joining your group Deep Ecology where more discussions can be addressed in Food, Farms & Gardens for starters too. This truly is just the beginning of more and more movements on environment. 

The Shift is a part of this movement where they are attracting a lot of viral marketing.  I truly hope all of our grass roots movements go beyond just the public that has been in a very small niche up until now.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Lee - Just above's Jeff's comments, is Ojiisan – that's my husband, Len Buchanan.  He joined this group specifically for the purpose of being able to leave a comment on this wonderful feature.  We have both learned so much from you and are implementing it as we speak!

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

Jeff, thanks for the info. I enjoy getting the personal perspective. Phil, what a wonderful spin-off that was! And perhaps something worth remembering and following at this point of time. Maybe more percentage of people then had land than do now; but in numbers, I'm sure we're many more. And if we can follow Zephyr's tips for all kinds of containers, it's as natural as planting a seed in a container you have, and allowing it to grow!

Yes, Lee  is definitely a visionary; as he says in his blog Introducing organic Living Posted on Mar 31st, 2009  

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-fire

Hi Friends, I wanted to add something about the fires as the happened during this time we have been conversing.

Fire has decimated over 150,000 acres of Southern California forested areas over the past week, and we have more to lose over the next week or two before they’re all out.

While some thousands of homes had to be evacuated, we lost about 60 homes, a relatively few compared to the numbers threatened.

What is the damage to the soil; the air, the wildlife and what lies ahead for all that denuded land?  The air quality here has been horrible for over a week.  The smell of smoke permeates my office, my home, and we haven’t been able to see the mountains above Pasadena in over a week.  The smoke is still very thick in many of our mountainside communities, communities that may still exist because our occasional Santa Ana winds weren’t blowing at their sometimes 20-40 mile an hour clip.  The destruction could have been-would have been immeasurably worse.  The damage to health, not only to those of us who live here, but to those up to 1,000 miles to the east of us, is immeasurable. 

Wildlife loss isn’t yet measured, but the numbers of animals that perished will be staggering.  With the loss of habitat, it will be many years before any balance is restored.

The soil?  With the ground cover gone, when our rainy season begins in November, there will be inestimable erosion, landslides, destruction and damage to creeks, rivers and waterways.  Much of the topsoil will be lost.  It took nature 100 years to make an inch of it, and it will take only a few rains to wash it away.  The wood ash will possibly nourish the soil to some minor extent, and have the effect of raising the pH, meaning that other nutrients won’t be available to new vegetation.  Most of the micronutrient benefits will be lost through exposure to sun and rain.

According to our latest scientific reports, many of our North American wildfires are necessary to the native eco-systems.  We’ve been able to trace the existence of wildfires for 420 million years.  We’ve been studying wildfires for only a few years-the blink of an eye.  I doubt that the full effects of wildfires are measurable, or even if we understand what we think we know about them; no matter how authoritatively we say it. 

We’ll find whatever positive things might be said of our disaster of the week, and we’ll look for silver lining.  Hopefully we’ll help Mother Nature repair the damage, rather than just get in her way—again. Lee O’Hara

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-gardenjools

Lee, thanks for updating us. The loss of air quality is one of the most difficult to bear in the short term, I think. And in a way the long-term effects can be studied for a while. I laud the humans who have been doing what they can for the environment and in fighting the fire. I also take inspiration from what you wrote in
What do you love that others don't necessarily understand? Posted on Sep 14th, 2008

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-water

I recommend watching & reading the comments where:
Siona said in her article in The Power of Water
“For those of you who haven't seen it, I'd recommend this film, as I think it related, deeply, to the work of this Group. It's not about light, though, but water–it's about the way in which water retains 'memories,' how deeply and powerfully it connects us, and how it influences our lives and bodies at tremendous levels. Even though I'm not wholly convinced by the science, it is provocative and inspiring. Have a watch!”

Artemisilke has the short version there of the outcome on water when giving love and gratitude to our water.

Rachel has a group called The Ocean Village  keeping some posts on water. Their room on Q&R is good reading to learn more of water.

I recommend drinking 4 oz. an hour. Thanks for these blogs & groups on environment.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-films

Films on environment that are inspiring & have the knowhow to change things.
The Cove
The 11th Hour 
The National Parks
Crude
The Age of Stupid 
Tapped website & their trailer
Dirt the movie
End of the Line
Food, Inc. the Movie
The Garden Movie

The reason I made the film Organic Gardening Made Easy is to make it easy for anyone just starting or those that want more data on gardens to just have one.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

I'm going to upload them into Gaia videos.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

…and I invite you to get lost in the magnificent trees.  It would be lovely to have you with us for a walk.  I keep your visits tucked ever close at heart. How special it is to just be One…with you. Gratitude for stopping by.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- ecology connection-recycled gardening

Just a word of encouragement for those who think gardening is costly to start up. It can be as expensive or cheap as you make it.

Equipment -
     I have seen equipment offered for nothing on Freecycle, including cloches and even greenhouses. Bootsales are another source of cheap secondhand equipment, and be adventurous and imaginative, old goldfish bowls and similar make cheap mini cloches. Tools, quality second hand will last longer than cheap new.

Containers -
     Keep an eye out for attractive containers, an old hamper lined with moss or plastic can make a very attractive container with herbs or tumbling tomatoes spilling from it, Or an old galvanised bath ot baby bath with holes drilled in the bottom can make useful containers, use your imagination and have fun, just make sure you have the right depth container for your plant, shallow for shallow rooted deep containers for deep rooted.

Seed trays, etc. -
     Plastic supermarket containers, make holes for drainage then use as seed trays  Cardboard rolls from the centre of toilet rolls and kitchen rolls can be filled with compost and planted with beans etc, the cardboard will rot when planted out in the garden and roots will grow through with no disturbance.

Seeds -
     F1 seeds don't reproduce true, but if you choose Heritage seeds you can save seeds from year to year, choosing seed from your best plants, and they will be accustomed to your local conditions. Last year I purchased a pack of supermarket heritage tomatoes for £1. 

     I spread out the seeds on a sheet of kitchen paper, one variety on each sheeet labelled with description and allowed them to dry gently and naturally in a sunny spot, kept dry overwinter, they were planted this spring, I had masses of seedlings and picked the best to plant, there were many varieties in the pack, plum for bottling, golden cherry, orange plum cherry, green gold stripe, red gold stripe, giant red,  

     Wow, this year the ones I grew exceeded the commercially grown ones in size, and I have saved seed from the best plants for next year, so for just £1. I now have many varieties that I can save seed from for successive years. Cape gooseberries, bought from a supermarket, just a few will produce enough seed for a good crop. Tomatillo seed can be saved in the same way. Pea and bean and squash seeds can be dried and saved from year to year, so the only outlay is the initial packet.

     Another way to save money is to make your own compost and fertiliser, comfrey leaves or nettles soaked in a tub of water till liquid makes a better fertiliser for potatoes than commercial ones. When purchasing a root of comfrey make sure you don't get the invasive variety.

Propagation -
     Get a little book on propagating and learn to reproduce what you need, some are really simple, for example loganberries reproduce by laying the tip end of the cane onto soil and it will root, then it can be cut from the parent plant to make a new plant.

     Old wine bottles necks buried in a row can make an attractive edging, use recycled wood for raised beds, Old broken pottery or tiles for a garden mosaic, there are endless opportunities for recycling that helps keep stuff out of landfill
Others will probably have more money saving tips, these are just a few of mine.

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Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-drip system

This is so special Zephyr! I really appreciate all of your tips and agree with your methods too.

One thing I forgot to mention earlier, is that you can attach a drip system to your hose or install one separately. You don’t want to spray or sprinkle your plants because you’re gonna spread diseases from leaf to leaf.  You’re also gonna do a little leaf damage.  And you’re gonna develop an environment or an atmosphere for funguses and diseases to take root.

If you flood irrigate you’re going to force air, again, out of the soil and that’s going to suffocate the roots to some extent.  It’s going to drive the air out of the soil which the roots need too for the oxygen, the atmosphere.  It’s very important to a healthy plant to have the air circulating.

If you can’t put in a drip system the next best thing is to use trenches.  So you would do your planting along ridges like this, and you would water in the trenches between. It comes in a box at your gardening store for under $10 & is easy to install.

If my work remains in someone's mind, and touches someone's heart and soul, I am grateful for the opportunity to share my work with you. Warmly, Lee

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-drip system

Thank you Lee, grins  We have the opposite problem here. The last summer we had heavy rains, a lot of cloudy days and high humidity, great for cucurbits but not for tomatoes. The outsde tomatoes were so wet they split while still green, although in raised beds. This summer sunny spells and rain alternating, with plenty of rain outside and high humus content in the soil I haven't needed to water outside.

However in the greenhouse yes, a drip system is better and we are planning a larger outside greenhouse with a watering system collected from the roof water. I also have a large south facing lean to greenhouse at the back of the house. It needs shading as it gets too hot. At the moment with the weather we get, our tomatoes do better under cover, too many damp and humid days encourage disease as you say. 

Hoping the summer improves again next year, at the moment the jet stream has shifted and is right above us bringing rains from the west pretty regularly. I would love to have your climate for growing toms!!!

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-drip system

Lee, this reminds me of how we water between the vegetables in India - in our home gardens. We have what are called 'kyaari' or trenches. There isn't usually a drip system in homes; and I remember the childhood fun of switching on the hose at one end of a trench, and then outrunning the water as it flowed like a stream down a trench!

The gardeners taught us how to put little mud-dams when a particular vegetable bed was filled, and we needed the divert the water to the next one!

There is such fun in gardening and that is what's coming back from this feature.

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Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection-drip system

Oh Meenakshi, there is simply nothing like even now like a kid, playing in the mud…

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- ecology connection-recycled gardening

Gael, I really enjoyed seeing yr tips - combining recycling and gardening. It's  showing directly how to reuse rather than fill garbage dumps.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- ecology connection- Victory Garden

Victory Garden?
 
A couple of youngsters asked what that means, and it finally dawned on me that not everyone knows & Jeff gave a good description too above.   

America had been devastated by the Great Depression, which began with the stock market crash of 1929.  It hadn’t recovered by December of 1941, when Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan, and our Navy in the Pacific was all but wiped out.  We declared war on Japan, which was the excuse for Germany, who had an alliance with Japan, to declare war on us.  

Plunged from Depression into World War, we had to produce an army, equip it, and feed it.  If we were to survive as a nation, every resource that could be mustered was desperately needed.  There was little of anything to spare. I watched my grandfather peel the tin foil from the inside of cigarette and gum wrappers and roll it into a ball that grew with each bit of foil he added to it.  He’d take that, along with grandma’s cans of leftover cooking oil, metal products that had broken or were no longer needed, old newspapers and scrap material of any and all kinds, to the modern equivalent of a recycling center.  It was all needed for “the war effort.”  

With hundreds of thousands of people needed for our armed forces, the labor force was diminished.  Production of anything not directly related to our survival was minimized, if not stopped completely.  There were no new cars, no new refrigerators, no new stoves made for “the duration” of the war.  That’s how we referred to it, “the duration,” meaning until the war was over.  We had to do without this or that, “for the duration.”  

A very large Army and Navy needed fuel, clothing, equipment, ships and guns.  And they needed to eat 3 times a day.  Most of the nation’s food came from small farms, a large percentage of the men, suddenly soldiers and sailors, came from those farms, and the food supply was diminished.  The demand for food production increased.  Anything that could be done must be done, if we were not to become part of Nazi Germany or Fascist Japan.  

Every American needed to pitch in, however and whenever they could.  If you could help the war effort by reducing your demand for food that was needed by our armed forces, you did just that.  Anyone who could grow some or all of their own food had a duty to do so.  Our fighting men shouldn’t have to compete for food with those at home.  Front yards, back yards, anywhere people could grow some vegetables was planted.  Such gardens would help ensure Victory, and were called “Victory Gardens.”   

There were Victory Gardens in England, Canada and Germany during World War I, but came into greater significance during the more protracted 2nd World War.
We may be in as much jeopardy today, not by an invading army, but by our environmental ruination through the many avenues of chemical destruction of our air, water and soil.  

Victory Gardens of my earliest childhood were vital to our survival. They were a way in which almost anyone could contribute to our continued freedom.   

Home gardens today, I think, are no less vital to our survival.  We aren’t likely to poison our own soil with chemicals, nor poison our own food with deadly pesticides.  Each of us who can have a vegetable garden today should consider it a Victory Garden, because today we’re fighting for a Victory over the ruination of our environment.

Below is a typical ad from back then.
   

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- ecology connection-recycled gardening

I REALLY encourage seed saving.  If it hits the fan, this could mean the difference between survival and a harsh death. More importantly, seed saving will help Nature get back to enticing diversity which has been the central enemy for industry, and for much of western culture (e.g., standardized education, monoculture cropping, etc).  Nature; however, works on diversity.  Walk into any forest, and with every step, your walking into a different world.  Burl   

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

In UK we had victory gardens too. Everyone pitched in, the men were at war so the farms were manned or womanned by the land girls, some of whom were boarded with us as we lived on a farm. 

One of my earliest memories was being in an orchard, full of very aromatic apples, and helping to pick apples from my push chair, picking fruit from the lower branches.  

Food was scarce, sometimes one egg was shared by four, to eke it out bread was soaked in egg and milk then cooked in a pan, or the egg was made into a fritter batter and eked out with veg or fruit. Sugar was scarce, and cakes were sweetened with sweet veggies - carrot cake or beet root. Nothing was wasted, bones carcase and giblets were not discarded, but made into soup. Stale bread was used in mock goose a savoury bake with herbs and onion, or bread and butter pudding or a cheese pudding.

Amazingly, it was quite a healthy diet.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile,
nor the joy of companionship. It is the spiritual inspiration that
comes to you when you discover that someone else believes in you, and
is willing to trust you with a friendship.” - Emerson

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

I am grateful Meenakshi for you running this feature as well as everyone that has contributed or read the conversations in this three part thread, & feel that that same youTube that continues to be in the various groups by Paul Hawken still inspires us to do more and to look around our areas & find things we can do whether practical or encouraging others to help inspire others.  Lee

“The first rule of sustainability is to align with natural forces, or at least not try to defy them. Paul Hawken

I recommend anything I have seen on the web that he is involved with & find it's true when he says “You are brilliant & the earth is hiring” Paul Hawken official site.  Watching this you can feel validated that we are doing something & will continue with our own global spontaneous actions.

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the Gaia connection

I took Lee aside from this garden fest, and asked him a few questions about Gaia, and posted his replies on different places in this group.

Fridnds,, click on the links take a l^_^k at Lee's answers to the questions below and to give your own answers:

What do you most like about Gaia? 
How are you helping to maintain/enhance it?

What do you believe the community could contribute more, toward your ideal world?  …What do you see as the future of the community?  What do you see the community doing one year from now?  …

”Lee-This community already does do that for it's members in a very nurturing manner making this social community safe.
”

And to balance it out, I asked:
What do you most dislike about Gaia/wish would change?

And then he answered my questions about Gaia Networking group and its role in his experience of Gaia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for taking time to share your answers, Lee!

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection blogs

I wanted to put together  some of the quotes from your  blogs that really stood out for me about ecology, Lee, and look forward to reading more:

What do you wish people spent more time discussing? Posted on Oct 11th, 2008

“Positive changes to better our environments and passing simple ways to improve things for now and future generations” – I think we have done this here, and will continue to do so, now that more Gaia members know the groups and members to go to for these discussions.
~~~~~

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

On the eve of your first Gaia anniversary Lee, we are formally closing this feature –but it's informally open in case anyone comes and posts.

Words can't convey the delight and joy I've felt each day, interacting with you and our friends who have come to this garden party that turned to a fest of gardening, intermingled with ecology and concern for our external and internal environment.

What is so inspiring about this feature, is that you have revealed your sense of response-ability with a light touch, in talking to us, answering questions, showcasing other members around the site, and bringing your work to Gaia.

I know that interacting with you all has brought a firmer sense of resolve in my actions, and I feel such a sense of bliss and blessing that we are just a few keystrokes away from connecting with the amazing inspirations I've found in this feature.
How are you going to celebrate your first Gaia Anniversary?
Img srce

Re: Featuring Lee O-Hara- the ecology connection

This has been quite a journey this past week.  I am thrilled with all of your responses making this feature a success. [grins :-)]  Thank you all for coming to our garden fest! Also, thanks so much for visiting my website and my blogs here on Gaia!!! This article in TIME is very accurate, per data I have from other sources. You
should of course investigate and look for yourself.

Food security has become a major issue amongst agriculture, water & other
related specialists because they know the state of the soil, water, etc. Not
trying to scare anybody, but on the other hand, it is something that needs
to be confronted. The good news is that it is so easy to do something about
this as we have woven throughout these three pages of organic threads.

We do not have to handle the world bankers, or the major corporations or governments. All we have to do is plant gardens in our backyards.

If enough of us did this, and did it right (which means a lot less work than doing it wrong, plus more abundant crops), we could make a big dent in this problem and also enjoy fresh, highly nutritious and organic food.

Of course, we would need to trade or buy certain foods (like rice)
elsewhere but having one's own crop is a really nice thing from many angles.

Let's create regularly to assist people to start their gardens or improve the yield in existing gardens, or hook up with a piece of land they can grow stuff on if they live in an apartment, or find out where the local food sources are & farmer's markets. This thread will remain open for further conversations. I look forward to the next feature player & have enjoyed contributing on the other threads on GN too.

I have opened a group on Gaia sorta by default as I truly enjoyed the old one too. It's called Realizing Health with a Room exclusively for organic lifestyles. Feel free to join all of us over there for a once a week chat on how things are going for you. We will also discuss other survival strategies and how to overall increase the quality of life with all members exchanging or just reading the contributions. Meantime, keep foods natural; your thoughts healthy and your hearts light. Lee O'Hara

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
 Eleanor Roosevelt