tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42064486398970663782024-03-14T06:58:13.520-07:00FoodscapingHumming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-80944844251455841702014-04-19T16:19:00.002-07:002014-04-24T11:47:07.824-07:00Swarm time!<div style="background-color: none; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: Lora, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
In the springtime, there is a short window to catch a phenomenal activity. And if you’re lucky–like we were today–you can experience the swarming of bees.</div>
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<span style="color: #6b6b6b; font-family: Lora, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">A new honey bee colony is formed when the queen bee leaves with a large group of worker bees (~60% of the old hive). This process is called swarming. It is the hive natural reproduction process, the bees that stay behind make a new queen.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6b6b6b; font-family: Lora, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="color: #6b6b6b; font-family: Lora, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<span 0px="" 14px="" 20px="" arial="" b6b6b="" background-color:="" baseline="" border:="" color:="" elvetica="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" line-height:="" lora="" margin-bottom:="" neue="" none="" outline:="" padding:="" sans-serif="" style="background-color: none>A new honey bee colony is formed when the queen bee leaves with a large group of worker bees (~60% of the old hive). This process is called swarming. It is the hive natural reproduction process, the bees that stay behind make a new queen.</span></div><div style=;" vertical-align:=""><a href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/image_3.jpeg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="image_3" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1951" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/image_3.jpeg" height="240" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; clear: both; display: block; margin: 5px auto 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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The day started off perhaps more hectic than usual. It’s tax day here, after all. A lingering thought to check on the bees got us on our bikes and down a few blocks to the Algarden Demonstration Farm. And of course, the bees were swarming. We jumped into our suits and rounded them off the tree and into a box.</div>
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The ladies.</div>
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Patricia & her bees.</div>
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We set ten fresh frames into the box and guided as many of the worker bees in the direction of the queen…</div>
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We will name this hive: blood moon</div>
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…popped some fresh blueberries and back to our taxes!</div>
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Remember the bees everyone! And stay close for more news on Patricia’s new non-profit: International Natural Beekeeping Federation.</div>
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Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-52534876271646641322014-02-22T16:20:00.000-08:002014-04-24T11:48:48.129-07:00I ❤ SEATTLE. BEE GARDENS, FOOD FORESTS AND POLLINATOR PATHWAYS<div class="post-thumb" style="background-color: none; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: Lora, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2014-02-24 at 6.01.06 PM" class="attachment-thumbnail-blog wp-post-image" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Screen-Shot-2014-02-24-at-6.01.06-PM-378x340.png" height="340" style="-webkit-transition: all 300ms ease-in; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; transition: all 300ms ease-in; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 10;" width="378" /></div><div class="clearfix" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: Lora, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="entry-top off" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 670px;"><h2 class="entry-title" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #909c49; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">I ❤ SEATTLE. BEE GARDENS, FOOD FORESTS AND POLLINATOR PATHWAYS</h2><div class="entry-meta entry-header" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #8e8c84; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="author" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By <a href="http://baselandscape.com/author/patricia/" rel="author" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(191, 191, 191); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #8e8c84; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Posts by Patricia">Patricia</a></span> <span class="published" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">on February 22, 2014</span></div></div></div><div class="entry-content" style="background-color: none; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: Lora, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I took advantage of my recent visit to WSU in Pullman and decided to spend the weekend in Seattle. I had wanted to visit the Pollinator Pathway, the Beacon Edible Forest and the Bee Garden. I was warned that Seattle is not the best place to visit in the winter but I was happy surprised when I landed on a partly-sunny-with-no-rain-Seattle. It was gorgeous and I took advantage of the day by walking the city from side to side. First stop was the <a href="http://www.pollinatorpathway.com/" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">pollinator pathway</a>. A gorgeous hummingbird welcomed me and showed me the path to an urban farm along the way.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1813" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 346px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/hummingbird.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="hummingbird" class=" wp-image-1813" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/hummingbird-480x400.jpg" height="280" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="336" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">hummingbird at pollinator pathway</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> It was the Aley Cat Acres<span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> urban farm and it amazed me; it was totally open to the public and there was a hive and chicken coop! The coop had pictures of each hen with their name and a description of their personality. There was also a sign that described the do’s and don’ts with the chickens. Wow Seattle!</span></div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1834" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/photo.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="photo" class="size-medium wp-image-1834" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/photo-480x360.jpg" height="360" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Chicken coop at Alley Cat Farm in Seattle</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I continued along to the pathway, and although it was the middle of winter it was clear the difference in sidewalks that had transformed their lawn into a garden. There were some spots that had veggie boxes and others that had lavender and other pollinator attractive native species. I’m sure it is gorgeous in the summer.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1833" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/image.jpeg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="image" class="size-medium wp-image-1833" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/image-480x360.jpeg" height="360" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Food and herbs planted on the pollinator pathway</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">On Saturday, the weather was not as friendly and it showed me a truer, grayer, colder and rainy Seattle. I still went to the work party at <a href="http://www.beaconfoodforest.org/" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Beacon Food Fores</a>t. I was surprized to find about 50 people working hard under the rain.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1826" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-55-44-PM-e1393105191420.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo Feb 15, 1 55 44 PM" class="size-medium wp-image-1826" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-55-44-PM-e1393105191420-480x640.jpg" height="640" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Beacon Food Forest to do list on the door of one of the structures" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Beacon Food Forest to do list on the door of one of the structures</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There was live drumming and they had just finished serving lunch, which was donated along with coffee and tea. I had previously arranged an interview and tour with their community outreach coordinator; she welcomed me, introduced me to people and showed me around. It is really phenomenal what they are doing there.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1822" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-31-10-PM.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Beacon Food Forest" class="size-medium wp-image-1822" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-31-10-PM-480x360.jpg" height="360" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Beacon Food Forest</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The food forest is a collaborative effort that has become a reality thanks to a core group who created the vision, the P-Patch who serves as he umbrella non-profit, the Seattle Department of Public Works who has made public land available, a group of students from UofW who has designed/build a few temporary structures and a lot of volunteers who come out and help out at every work party.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1823" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-37-50-PM.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo Feb 15, 1 37 50 PM" class="size-medium wp-image-1823" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-37-50-PM-480x360.jpg" height="360" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Temporary structures</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1824" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-37-30-PM-e1393105235430.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Tool shed" class="size-medium wp-image-1824" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-37-30-PM-e1393105235430-480x640.jpg" height="640" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tool shed</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I was particularly interested in the political process to make such a project a reality. I was told it took about 3 years of visioning, planning and outreach before they broke ground which was about 1 year ago.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1827" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-57-39-PM-e1393105138821.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo Feb 15, 1 57 39 PM" class="size-medium wp-image-1827" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-1-57-39-PM-e1393105138821-480x640.jpg" height="640" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Temporary installations design and built by architecture students</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The project also has amazing signage that has been translated into 5 different languages. One of the issues is educating people about what is going o and getting them excited and on board. They want to have harvesting workshops to teach people how and when to harvest and to do it ethically, only take what you need and share with others etc. I’m really looking forward to see this project grow and succeed. It is a model to replicate in other cities.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1828" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-2-00-51-PM.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo Feb 15, 2 00 51 PM" class="size-medium wp-image-1828" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-15-2-00-51-PM-480x360.jpg" height="360" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Signage translated into 5 languages</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Last but not least, my dear friend Kate recommended that we go visit the bee garden. She knows me well…</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1829" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-08-11-PM.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Bee garden" class="size-medium wp-image-1829" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-08-11-PM-480x360.jpg" height="360" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bee garden</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The <a href="http://www.westseattlebeegarden.com/" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">bee garden</a> is located at the commons park of <a href="http://www.thehighpoint.com/news.php" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">High Point community</a>, which is is a 120-acre, ecologically-conscious, planned community in West Seattle. We were amazed to see all the curb cuts and rain gardens as we drove around.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1831" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-09-52-PM-e1393110148526.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Signage at the Bee Garden" class="size-medium wp-image-1831" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-09-52-PM-e1393110148526-480x640.jpg" height="640" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Signage at the Bee Garden</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The bee garden is part of the P-patch and it has a fantastic structure with lots of bee information in 5 different languages, the hives are located within the structure and there was a side room with equipment and lots of bee-keeping suits so I assume that they teach classes and do educational tours to the hives.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1832" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-10-17-PM-e1393110112925.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo Feb 16, 3 10 17 PM" class="size-medium wp-image-1832" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-10-17-PM-e1393110112925-480x640.jpg" height="640" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Close up of the signage at the bee garden</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The planting in the garden is all pollinator friendly and there is also lots of signage. Adjacent to the garden is a community garden where residents can grow food.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1830" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-08-09-PM.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo Feb 16, 3 08 09 PM" class="size-medium wp-image-1830" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-08-09-PM-480x360.jpg" height="360" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bee Garden</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I felt really satisfied and complete with my Seattle experience, I learned so much, saw great friends and feel inspired. Seattle I will bee back soon!</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_1821" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: italic; margin: 10px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 490px;"><a class="fancybox" href="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-11-32-PM.jpg" rel="gallery" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #909c49; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo Feb 16, 3 11 32 PM" class="size-medium wp-image-1821" src="http://baselandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Photo-Feb-16-3-11-32-PM-480x360.jpg" height="360" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; max-width: 960px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Signage at Bee Grden" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">Signage at Bee Grden</div></div></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-4315940996674793212013-08-14T14:02:00.003-07:002013-08-15T10:46:38.175-07:00ZomphaloThis will be my 10 year participating in the annual pilgrimage to the desert for the Burningman festival. For the past 5 years I have been a member of the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/zome/">Zonotopia</a> crew, working on and off the playa to create large art installations. This year is my great honor to be part of the Zonotopia team again. I am also excited to be contributing my own artistic vision to the project: the Zomphalo!<br />
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The Zompalo will be the center piece in one of the chambers of the <a href="http://bootiesattva.blogspot.com/2013/03/zonotopia-and-quasicrystalline.html">quasicrystaline conjunction of Zonotopia</a> and it is a collaboration with Chris Palmer.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBAvvJ-xdp0ZH76DBM3cDnzN65htiYIh22wo_b_MR1i5aDF9YypGpCW2xqW13kQil5AjDuay6cY80SLjbYvSgEVATOX-9m0zuhuVh0_Vz61QCX85cRfua3mb4HNdsbDlfaB8sHB6c-jY/s1600/WP_20130809_024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBAvvJ-xdp0ZH76DBM3cDnzN65htiYIh22wo_b_MR1i5aDF9YypGpCW2xqW13kQil5AjDuay6cY80SLjbYvSgEVATOX-9m0zuhuVh0_Vz61QCX85cRfua3mb4HNdsbDlfaB8sHB6c-jY/s320/WP_20130809_024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quasicrystaline Conjunction of Zonotopia 2013 - 3D printed model by Chris Palmer</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
INSPIRATION</div>
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The Zomphalo is a play on words from the Greek omphalos (ὀμφαλός) and Zonotopia. In Greek, the word omphalos means "navel." According to the ancient Greek mythology, Zeus sent out two eagles to fly across the world to meet at its center, the "navel" of the world. Very similar to the Aztec legend... The Omphalos stone at Delphi is the most important oracle in the ancient world. It resembles a beehive with crisscrossing rows of bee symbols. I have always thought that Zonotopia is a bee hive and I must say that the structure of Zonotopia is similar to the Omphalo.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIlUCmhkX8s11En-DB1mv-HdK9X6jrzCLIliWuEGXcmhnBY7gnJDawPx4gZjNHO6Kk0mnh_XKuKB-55hY0BEjxqqlcfgR9DFSwgXY_76qOmEv4d54o1BEuTzpayLZibY-BSxKH1F4c_o/s1600/omphalos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIlUCmhkX8s11En-DB1mv-HdK9X6jrzCLIliWuEGXcmhnBY7gnJDawPx4gZjNHO6Kk0mnh_XKuKB-55hY0BEjxqqlcfgR9DFSwgXY_76qOmEv4d54o1BEuTzpayLZibY-BSxKH1F4c_o/s320/omphalos.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Omphalo in Delphi archaeologic museum</td></tr>
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I saw the original omphalo when I visited Delphi years ago, I meditated in the oracles cave and I took a stone that I still have in my altar. I knew then that Delphi was a powerful spiritual place. Xeno, my good friend and host in Greece, explained that Deplhi was the belly button of the world (It was his idea that I take a stone from Delphi.) However, it wasn't until recently that I learned about the bee symbology and relationship to the Omphalos. I learned this from the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd8IeQBqnXI&feature=youtu.be">sacred path of the bee</a> class with Layne Redmond and Debra Roberts. Layne has done incredible work around bee mythology and frame drumming. She has been an inspiration and a great teacher, although I have not meet her in person. <a href="http://sacredpathofthebee.tumblr.com/post/22199293769/herlastflower">Layne </a>is getting ready to transition from this life and I continue to be impressed at her strength, stamina and gracefulness. She recorded a beautiful CD <a href="http://www.layneredmond.com/Hymns_from_the_Hive.html">Music from the hive</a> with her frame drum music mixed with the sound of the hive. The CD has an 18 minute track with just the sound of the hive. I will be playing her music at the Zomphalo. I would like to especially dedicate this piece to her and to all the amazing research, documentation and educational work that she has done around bees.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL8AtHZiHSko41f0XA7-F4QfnItPutzmEOzBvWIHhwzM3UeI0hiHkWOeL5ykjDTV3R3L-EsSysDF74IwMPzNDe4fNwtgKR2gQy5tv_S20mc_hlyhzYUMLB9xkOd-BPs0lvcYM9GwuFeA/s1600/sunnybee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL8AtHZiHSko41f0XA7-F4QfnItPutzmEOzBvWIHhwzM3UeI0hiHkWOeL5ykjDTV3R3L-EsSysDF74IwMPzNDe4fNwtgKR2gQy5tv_S20mc_hlyhzYUMLB9xkOd-BPs0lvcYM9GwuFeA/s320/sunnybee.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honey Bee by Sunny Solwind </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Bees have become a huge part of my life, and I have made a commitment to be a voice for the bees. <span style="background-color: none; line-height: 16.890625px;">Bees face many threats including habitat alteration, pesticide use, management practices, and pathogens</span>. One third of U.S. honeybee colonies died or disappeared during the 2012 winter, a 42% increase over the year before. Aside from honey bees, there are over 30,000 species of bees, (5,000 found in the U.S) all of them are experiencing population decline. Globally, up to 100,00 animal species die off each year...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: none; font-family: inherit;">Bees pollinate approximately 75 percent of the fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the United States, and one out of every four bites of food people take is courtesy of bee pollination. In sum, bee pollination is responsible for more than $15 billion in increased crop value each year.</span><br />
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The zomphalo is an offering of reverence to our beautiful buzzing pollinators, it is an altar, a meditation space, a prayer, a place to bee. Blessed bee!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtjaBFGioeUhFPGIQdALMBkOXUqXm9HSKzqK44XJB3eUpKOegpakt2mTW0ypYfeRkidHtbvyCtRw1m8pkfZLJYGnTF4I9YQUeG1ADnrMve_pN5JYfsZGEqQ9cdfi_boLCyvQICEiAEwY/s1600/Native-Bee-Comb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtjaBFGioeUhFPGIQdALMBkOXUqXm9HSKzqK44XJB3eUpKOegpakt2mTW0ypYfeRkidHtbvyCtRw1m8pkfZLJYGnTF4I9YQUeG1ADnrMve_pN5JYfsZGEqQ9cdfi_boLCyvQICEiAEwY/s320/Native-Bee-Comb1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Native Australian Bee Hive</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
HISTORY</div>
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Omphalos stones were said to allow direct communication with the gods. Leicester Holland (1933) has suggested that the stone was hollow to channel intoxicating vapours breathed by the Oracle. Erwin Rohde wrote that the Python at Delphi was an earth spirit, who was conquered by Apollo, and buried under the Omphalos, and that it is a case of one god setting up his temple on the grave of another.<br />
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The Omphalos at Delphi came to be identified as the stone which Rhea wrapped in swaddling clothes, pretending it was Zeus. This was to deceive Cronus, his father, who swallowed his children so they could not grow up and depose him as he had deposed his own father, Uranus.<br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">While hiding from his father, Zeus was raised by<span style="background-color: none; line-height: 18px;"> two sister nymphs. One of them was Melissa, she fed him honey. When Cronus discovered this, he turned her into a worm. After Zeus came into power, he changed her into a queen bee, not being able to change her from an insect form. Melissa is the Greek word for honeybee.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333300; font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span> The bee, found in Ancient Near East and Aegean cultures, was believed to be the sacred insect that bridged the natural world to the underworld.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333300; font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span> The priestess of the oracle at Delphi were known as the Delphic Bees - The Melissea. The emblem of a bee was placed on Delphic coins in her honor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJx_uDNIgTcK1R1vndztxChPIrCwhKtUyHNpTRIdXe1lKMoPd-rP_9K899XkEZ1JCszz4dBQK8cFN8hDeUHb5KGSNnDboDYVgDTbNuDgBvxRvVxwfm-RyAIKeRO60A0EZiFYQs2RedMo/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJx_uDNIgTcK1R1vndztxChPIrCwhKtUyHNpTRIdXe1lKMoPd-rP_9K899XkEZ1JCszz4dBQK8cFN8hDeUHb5KGSNnDboDYVgDTbNuDgBvxRvVxwfm-RyAIKeRO60A0EZiFYQs2RedMo/s320/images.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Minoan Bee Goddess, golden plaque, British Museum. Found at Camiros, Rhodes, 7th century BCE.</span></td></tr>
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Bees have been revered as a special spiritual animal in many cultures, traditions and mythologies beyond the Greek. The Hindu great goddess, Kundalini Shakti, manifests as a queen bee surrounded by a swarm of bees and is called Bhramari Devi. When Shakti awakens in a buzz of energy at the base of our spine we experience ascending consciousness to the crown chakra.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uoUYg3sMVeo5ilSybgGWEW5P39Apc6b1AXFmsv1YwXxQTiMagjlHbCAdo9w3mPyvs_5VxvTQz7yAha8Y_JMcoUgblerirDdTO3iksr0DrftKC7HPzmCQeaJ9B0okQVirSp-7FfUq7YE/s1600/bhramari+Devi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uoUYg3sMVeo5ilSybgGWEW5P39Apc6b1AXFmsv1YwXxQTiMagjlHbCAdo9w3mPyvs_5VxvTQz7yAha8Y_JMcoUgblerirDdTO3iksr0DrftKC7HPzmCQeaJ9B0okQVirSp-7FfUq7YE/s320/bhramari+Devi.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
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Bhramari means bee in Sanskrit. Bhramari pranayama is a traditional yogic practice derived from the buzzing of bees which vibrates and realigns the entire nervous system, brain and body by buzzing the vocal chords.<br />
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It is believed that the sound of the hive is the same frequency of the buzzing that we hear when we are in complete silence or when we do bhrameri. This frequency allows us to open a connection to our spirituality, our higher self. More information on Bhramari and the connection to the sound of the hive at this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65KyNjT7u40#at=49">workshop</a> by Layne Redmonds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kxcAsNRirY1RzpfjBcqnh-F8pN00sWo6tw41KXvuH6rtWPtdavvb6DLlZ-KJXRWlwG9bC2iO1AIIKjAXqpjdT1Y0c02PJpCqgOnW-Bac9vaQlUYBYkTS9kZX_BPFhHwUMVXXLevn8dM/s1600/photo+(6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kxcAsNRirY1RzpfjBcqnh-F8pN00sWo6tw41KXvuH6rtWPtdavvb6DLlZ-KJXRWlwG9bC2iO1AIIKjAXqpjdT1Y0c02PJpCqgOnW-Bac9vaQlUYBYkTS9kZX_BPFhHwUMVXXLevn8dM/s320/photo+(6).jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee altar with Zomphalo, CNC cut bee and spell jar with honey from my hives</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: start;">My idea is to create a sanctuary where one can meditate and allow for that spiritual connection through the buzzing of the hive. A Place to connect with ourselves, with our higher being, our calling. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">A Place to bee!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPGqBhL4sGZGb7liGktbKj55k9uukohd1tQ3jVPVFjE_yjR-d3EsonmUKJB7tg8_nTBPxfwAscXwPJaUWq1_f-1k_E2PKHwVGFktOTDLopu9qGpeJlXfbIipf3rm9hbKZIxCKKWKFXu8/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPGqBhL4sGZGb7liGktbKj55k9uukohd1tQ3jVPVFjE_yjR-d3EsonmUKJB7tg8_nTBPxfwAscXwPJaUWq1_f-1k_E2PKHwVGFktOTDLopu9qGpeJlXfbIipf3rm9hbKZIxCKKWKFXu8/s320/photo+(7).JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laser cut Zomphalo</td></tr>
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PROCESS </div>
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The concept was to create a zomphalo with carvings of the Greek bee goddess and small holes to insert amber-like jewels with bees in them. The bee jewels are my way of honoring the bees and place them in their own special shining place. I also wanted to have enough hidden space at the center of the piece to have a sound system playing the sound of the hive. We wanted it to be easy to assemble using a similar technic to Zonotopia where the wood interlocks and there is no metal used.<br />
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Chris created a mock up model with with laser cutter and we liked it so we built a full scale model for the pre- compression event.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLeffWmnxWPvE6OUETEgmYYWszHqJuyOhg-iC0yGBE8bRhHhYbZEizNKzGSyQuvllxITIk35-pPjFDBdTzqgcSiigS-Z4wCp193qKESdLXmUOdTDsR3U7w8VoB33NBmuz_2QD44E6ZJD4/s1600/WP_20130813_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLeffWmnxWPvE6OUETEgmYYWszHqJuyOhg-iC0yGBE8bRhHhYbZEizNKzGSyQuvllxITIk35-pPjFDBdTzqgcSiigS-Z4wCp193qKESdLXmUOdTDsR3U7w8VoB33NBmuz_2QD44E6ZJD4/s320/WP_20130813_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wozzel being 3D printed </span></td></tr>
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The full scale model also had 3D printed hexagon honey combs to allow for small viewing spaces into the zomphalo and for the light to shine outwards. Chris also 3D printed the <span style="text-align: center;">wozzel (This is a word that he coined for the geometrical hive-like 3D prints)</span> to hold the RGB LED lights. The lights were programed to run from white to red, mostly on the yellow, gold colors to resemble to color of the hive.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wozzle</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: none; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Here is Chris' description of the Wozzles: "...are made from a 2d polyline that is transformed each small step in the z direction with rotation and scaling controlled by a sine wave function (sometimes sum of sine waves). Sometimes the 2d motif is the same throughout changing only rotation and scale other Wozzles have a dynamic motif that is itself controlled by a sine or cosine wave. Each loop/ polyline is written straight to gcode instructions for the 3d printer by a program so unlike many 3d printed models there is no mesh (made of triangles) model."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wozzel honey comb on side panel </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Top view of Zomphalo with wozzel</span></td></tr>
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For the jewels I collected dead bees outside of the hive. It was a battle with the wasps and the spiders who are constantly waiting to eat the dead bees. I had to go back to the hive many times to collect enough bees for the project. This was a really beautiful part of the process as I spent a lot of time outside the hive, just listening, smelling, observing and practicing my bhrameri with the bees.</div>
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I also used bees from my mother's hive to represent and honor all the bees that have died to pesticides.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Collecting dead bees outside the hives</td></tr>
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I tried making the jewels with hard candy first, but that did not work so well. The candy got all sticky even after I sprayed it with laquer. I decided to use <a href="http://www.entropyresins.com/">entropy resin</a>. It is a bit of a process and it is dangerous if not mixed properly. It needs to be done outside with a mask, gloves, googles and perfectly mixed otherwise it wont harden properly. I also added an amber dye. I used candy molds to pour the mix and placed the bees with wire. The bees kept floating to the top. It might work better if done on two pours but I did not have the time for 2 pours (nor the patience.) </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDIXlRtkxhBBLqtF6ouXDFQhHhX3sJFHvA5RbBpbUrhAVBwaMjTQQ4lpFTmCPmeRTl9SwnJYfPweSC41-cey1XbBRP1fBv3drwbMYXhi-d2X5zFJiTDyOX9G_5WWTAupflhyphenhyphenhpuB3PeU/s1600/971435_10151529422030950_2015828908_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDIXlRtkxhBBLqtF6ouXDFQhHhX3sJFHvA5RbBpbUrhAVBwaMjTQQ4lpFTmCPmeRTl9SwnJYfPweSC41-cey1XbBRP1fBv3drwbMYXhi-d2X5zFJiTDyOX9G_5WWTAupflhyphenhyphenhpuB3PeU/s320/971435_10151529422030950_2015828908_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ambar-like resin bee jewels </td></tr>
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The resin worked really well. I'm happy with the result.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Uv1ARLQi6B9vPWREh9B9ARI97pMpR3Tj2G7l48BBHXjsfN68EmfajUc1-tUsatGer7nKsfxsXC3jjM_S_pkRXk1SzXjFoJJe1iiuA6GmY_lPJmoiWoZ59U3RqxO5q5HZBgMBAXcTUUo/s1600/934699_10151529415355950_1456826207_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Uv1ARLQi6B9vPWREh9B9ARI97pMpR3Tj2G7l48BBHXjsfN68EmfajUc1-tUsatGer7nKsfxsXC3jjM_S_pkRXk1SzXjFoJJe1iiuA6GmY_lPJmoiWoZ59U3RqxO5q5HZBgMBAXcTUUo/s320/934699_10151529415355950_1456826207_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ambar-like resin bee jewels </td></tr>
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The jewels were inserted into the sides of the zomphalo panels and hot glued.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hv_ZGV2_AG2uBXnOkPfI0f2yH4W1VrA8FRdjUQ21Lp1F4OWzat9TyPwFQgSbnhFq7bacC5lnr2m2Aq1Tt19oMr1Ng7Mj9IwfKMz4gyOOwdlM5ocgvKORoK5Tc-6jkIQTxhVoxoAgBPQ/s1600/1149627_10151529591360950_1780612108_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hv_ZGV2_AG2uBXnOkPfI0f2yH4W1VrA8FRdjUQ21Lp1F4OWzat9TyPwFQgSbnhFq7bacC5lnr2m2Aq1Tt19oMr1Ng7Mj9IwfKMz4gyOOwdlM5ocgvKORoK5Tc-6jkIQTxhVoxoAgBPQ/s320/1149627_10151529591360950_1780612108_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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This is the trial build of all the parts before heading out to the playa. The test built work and all the parts fit together perfectly and the tolerances are right. There is space to run all the wiring for the lighting and sound.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEoQUpyfcFuzdO61CmpZ8odVaRzq7hZBYwq6TkIH7K4yngX9a96DKxl8YUwJL4HF_-jUUKTktHOWp_Vr24FC9Xk28rNA5chHsLLYft7QrnX6FXmR47OSrnufKsafbUpUJFjtqQHifORM/s1600/image+(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEoQUpyfcFuzdO61CmpZ8odVaRzq7hZBYwq6TkIH7K4yngX9a96DKxl8YUwJL4HF_-jUUKTktHOWp_Vr24FC9Xk28rNA5chHsLLYft7QrnX6FXmR47OSrnufKsafbUpUJFjtqQHifORM/s320/image+(1).jpeg" /></a></div>
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The woozel was illuminated and it seems as if the zomphalo was on fire.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEtKNkW0A2NJv2dApm5f1-aSftuVqHBNNCSq4J2NsMaJgLiQbufgGrU4zFy5mEQjvXSQI9B6lOdRld0f01m1cZnNCZObN73AFQtgcoL7dhcAxtCZ9-ZjjlEuHkuRl8tfLwYJNWdSoxnU/s1600/image+(3).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEtKNkW0A2NJv2dApm5f1-aSftuVqHBNNCSq4J2NsMaJgLiQbufgGrU4zFy5mEQjvXSQI9B6lOdRld0f01m1cZnNCZObN73AFQtgcoL7dhcAxtCZ9-ZjjlEuHkuRl8tfLwYJNWdSoxnU/s320/image+(3).jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RGB LED Illuminated Woosel</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We also did a mock up of the <span style="background-color: none; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Quasicrystalline Conjunction </span>to make sure that it works and we checked to make sure there is enough space to hold the Zomphalo and for people to walk around it.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvKQsOFbPviGosaYXvM_gy8k0pFUflLIUcqi9QyMIMKbzXX-9KD_NBojn_7bOcV_0zAmQh5mEUmY9KCwXMgpd8pPgZKYYEeeMypclQAAcngRrq1mfR-RAYntgzCwwnkyeBCzSipRg_YA/s1600/1147091_10151532428325950_475624358_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvKQsOFbPviGosaYXvM_gy8k0pFUflLIUcqi9QyMIMKbzXX-9KD_NBojn_7bOcV_0zAmQh5mEUmY9KCwXMgpd8pPgZKYYEeeMypclQAAcngRrq1mfR-RAYntgzCwwnkyeBCzSipRg_YA/s320/1147091_10151532428325950_475624358_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Quasicrystalline Conjunction and Zonotopia s.w.a.g </span></td></tr>
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It is looking awesome. I can not wait to see it all built.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCMSXH-ct-RitV6w_MRsRXrN68T_3LsvbfmkiFx7sIr25sBYC7zmxlCNSMumdphuj-gYG2w9gMkjl6caPcT_Uhc2oMjkCqlonIK4XHIDFKhDxVvaLkoVQFC14Zg_xkvaT2GF_sTGeTIg/s1600/image+(2).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCMSXH-ct-RitV6w_MRsRXrN68T_3LsvbfmkiFx7sIr25sBYC7zmxlCNSMumdphuj-gYG2w9gMkjl6caPcT_Uhc2oMjkCqlonIK4XHIDFKhDxVvaLkoVQFC14Zg_xkvaT2GF_sTGeTIg/s200/image+(2).jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zomphalo test build</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_qtCq9fN2mpBH7lczcDZUdepKDxP2PPZiN2U2iGmrYq9yoR2OREKm_v8fPmIWGq6qPl1MyDgO8N53BjI4fjwNJ4Cnnwa5RN2pCv_EOxVJqfxZfHndLb7tYNJGvzqYYpgtWhmsHP8sr0/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_qtCq9fN2mpBH7lczcDZUdepKDxP2PPZiN2U2iGmrYq9yoR2OREKm_v8fPmIWGq6qPl1MyDgO8N53BjI4fjwNJ4Cnnwa5RN2pCv_EOxVJqfxZfHndLb7tYNJGvzqYYpgtWhmsHP8sr0/s200/photo+(5).JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zomphalo ideas on trace hanging on my window</td></tr>
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Infinite gratitude to Chris Palmer who has made it possible to manifest my vision into the physical realm with his incredible skills and access to amazing tools (3D printers, laser cutters and CNC routers.)<br />
And to Rob Bell for allowing me to play and express myself in his space. Thank you for believing in me and holding my hand.<br />
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I hope that the space we create allows for many experiences to happen. I hope it serves as stage for life. I hope that love is transmitted and radiated. I hope people can find a refuge and an opportunity to bee still and listen. But beyond all, I hope my bee altar brings awareness to the bee Colony Collapse Disorder situation we are faced with and creates a space for people to appreciate, connect and think of actions they can do to <a href="http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/the-buzz-on-native-bees/">help the bees</a>. Plant a garden, stop using pesticides, be mindful of your food and avoid GMO's.<br />
<br />
This Zomphalo is a seed that I'm planting and I am hoping it will become a bee sanctuary, a place for bees to thrive, a place for all bee-ings to connect. A place to bee!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
With honey in my heart,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Patricia Humming Bee</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfQCIU5YNN7NYNtvu-ovJDrogAJpr2o7glnNZSkoQ2Q-qpnY2I38PGLQakNu5YYnG474rUPJEv3HlRaitYbDfV0POw4oX0nqNWiOcixypwaSx5oyOjPezEbGFQRavgtLKtX12VbIZNso/s1600/With+honey+in+the+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfQCIU5YNN7NYNtvu-ovJDrogAJpr2o7glnNZSkoQ2Q-qpnY2I38PGLQakNu5YYnG474rUPJEv3HlRaitYbDfV0POw4oX0nqNWiOcixypwaSx5oyOjPezEbGFQRavgtLKtX12VbIZNso/s320/With+honey+in+the+heart.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Zome Mani Padme Zome</div>
Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-9489136760224061352013-05-27T21:42:00.001-07:002013-05-27T22:05:52.820-07:00Spring work party and making compost tea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="text-align: center;">We had a beautiful spring day work party at the Algarden. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">The event was great and one amazing thing happened, none of my friends were there. I say that not because I don't want my friends to be there, I love my friend there! But because at the begging of this Algarden adventure, almost 5 years ago, my friends were the only people there. Now, the Algarden has kind off a life of its own and new people show up, friends of friends and the community grows around the garden. It is beautiful to witness. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFG2-gyCi9aW76UCDFAu2KItKXmHu5Z4FlKPmnzecnjfnh4HTKiD8aVqjiBXsF12Bx4-HBzSv0CjQON_bQ45HVIsOzUlFWgP2IcPtwG8_AnTbptN8apiYYA1pfb6KcoJY0g2Coit9ieA/s1600/IMG_9383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFG2-gyCi9aW76UCDFAu2KItKXmHu5Z4FlKPmnzecnjfnh4HTKiD8aVqjiBXsF12Bx4-HBzSv0CjQON_bQ45HVIsOzUlFWgP2IcPtwG8_AnTbptN8apiYYA1pfb6KcoJY0g2Coit9ieA/s320/IMG_9383.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lots of maintenance was needed, weeding, pruning...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjELZGHgSNYVeIhLp_IFgo8OagamMX1FDTYba20RaBRN2L4-Ruo2jVGGMzI__IA6paz7QYrUBEm7pItMIz1jB_rSUhWzmxR1l_4tc8uAROBl1VLKY2mqAWV3HMAIuVBdXlVDm5cMX3d8/s1600/IMG_9385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjELZGHgSNYVeIhLp_IFgo8OagamMX1FDTYba20RaBRN2L4-Ruo2jVGGMzI__IA6paz7QYrUBEm7pItMIz1jB_rSUhWzmxR1l_4tc8uAROBl1VLKY2mqAWV3HMAIuVBdXlVDm5cMX3d8/s320/IMG_9385.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and harvesting!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5mIclSz8p9aNB9gT9oVbp9N380LnGlJ0WGfn2QGr4EMLNl4NmrZtf5NvwO6fw-TugP5lK6nkh9NMoQZmYUdlk7D2Io4r4C5EHPaFNGgMB42koMvYdsB04UBpkVxtbhNYKGA-YNQFH6s/s1600/IMG_9389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5mIclSz8p9aNB9gT9oVbp9N380LnGlJ0WGfn2QGr4EMLNl4NmrZtf5NvwO6fw-TugP5lK6nkh9NMoQZmYUdlk7D2Io4r4C5EHPaFNGgMB42koMvYdsB04UBpkVxtbhNYKGA-YNQFH6s/s320/IMG_9389.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bees are looking good. They made it through the winter and now they are building up their hives.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are hoping to avoid swarming this year.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70tbLtVi0Cyghix8G4reooaO-pcCkG8rRg5DlsRc5UoiIWFGVY0uTo5TRe5Vn2JqKmOhwZUYrdGLW-1Q3tOu76XOuMV6cypqbPoih6GHvPJnfZAsaoJxcN20NKnuejzoDKy6ERh6T__o/s1600/IMG_9392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70tbLtVi0Cyghix8G4reooaO-pcCkG8rRg5DlsRc5UoiIWFGVY0uTo5TRe5Vn2JqKmOhwZUYrdGLW-1Q3tOu76XOuMV6cypqbPoih6GHvPJnfZAsaoJxcN20NKnuejzoDKy6ERh6T__o/s320/IMG_9392.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The amazing garden fairy Aya, made us lemonade with the abundant Mayer lemon tree and honey</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHh7xlW-GkgWTKuGHEomGpmfGUCwQoqsmRoZVvfRYMXxm-M7fkOjCq3yoaCO4XgeX8dbihY-qPz8bc_vF4ykliY4CniDrL2GIt9BNUSBM1vCZRuEPs8btpo_ch5p1wDQ_OE_kx2v91yBI/s1600/IMG_9408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHh7xlW-GkgWTKuGHEomGpmfGUCwQoqsmRoZVvfRYMXxm-M7fkOjCq3yoaCO4XgeX8dbihY-qPz8bc_vF4ykliY4CniDrL2GIt9BNUSBM1vCZRuEPs8btpo_ch5p1wDQ_OE_kx2v91yBI/s320/IMG_9408.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Such an abundance of year round lemons</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHQb1SWzfeyd3Pl9NrMtAN0sV8s2MDAYbs5aGnUjPo53kEXN4nW5_dnwq8NRew04s8aJF1wD2M8hScJw1MTqX42RQ16WCdTTjid7dhsUlVQlOHhiD1wms-v-2dc7Gz1-cteD20rtYIWg/s1600/IMG_9393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHQb1SWzfeyd3Pl9NrMtAN0sV8s2MDAYbs5aGnUjPo53kEXN4nW5_dnwq8NRew04s8aJF1wD2M8hScJw1MTqX42RQ16WCdTTjid7dhsUlVQlOHhiD1wms-v-2dc7Gz1-cteD20rtYIWg/s320/IMG_9393.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The compost is looking great. Filled with bugs!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7o1CUSurAP5SOuSrygTxYl2Ju7idg061SUk4w9YRO4LFn_0PnaPklhkuml6dd0PiRMTiH61L2ARREmFNvc-8Ui07NNPD49_XD2mcBObjQGYGKttWmTFc4vH7BYRC8ay1UV4uuBwgGR0s/s1600/IMG_9410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7o1CUSurAP5SOuSrygTxYl2Ju7idg061SUk4w9YRO4LFn_0PnaPklhkuml6dd0PiRMTiH61L2ARREmFNvc-8Ui07NNPD49_XD2mcBObjQGYGKttWmTFc4vH7BYRC8ay1UV4uuBwgGR0s/s320/IMG_9410.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colan helped us to turned it and sifted it to get it ready to put on the beds.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTzJsiNF8w5UaPB2otiqf4nVb_sAiARuW40U7U2aYbeCy-xhHTLYV2EvmPJBWsX0FWVapbBivq5Nn4EXO_XXk5XkZfxPBehEO9BcTv20ZXUKmPIOCxvC37L8FRLSMWTegLscQ6RYdKP8/s1600/IMG_9436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTzJsiNF8w5UaPB2otiqf4nVb_sAiARuW40U7U2aYbeCy-xhHTLYV2EvmPJBWsX0FWVapbBivq5Nn4EXO_XXk5XkZfxPBehEO9BcTv20ZXUKmPIOCxvC37L8FRLSMWTegLscQ6RYdKP8/s320/IMG_9436.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lots of weeding</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_7CUr6FkLJak9H68cc8RqINLsmpTfXqu4O-SDKnNMaOO43lODyAR9qctYiDCxHNCJsuyi5NG5VKjEOJdknK5SrDgU0z1V1vd7m9CRYoJj_I2vpOqALhSuHHP7P6bDBW3eqaq2DXCY-A/s1600/IMG_9416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_7CUr6FkLJak9H68cc8RqINLsmpTfXqu4O-SDKnNMaOO43lODyAR9qctYiDCxHNCJsuyi5NG5VKjEOJdknK5SrDgU0z1V1vd7m9CRYoJj_I2vpOqALhSuHHP7P6bDBW3eqaq2DXCY-A/s320/IMG_9416.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Check out the white butterfly against the wall</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gOG5ZNzcd2gA2o3HYiIu47oEMBpjdZrTG11OF0Y5QKyHDCOzPzHLuE3XPA43TVDI0zQrdt2FgyO2RpuRa3xVQbBowaQeoBuvuyIxhj2etUkTstShxRmYkXT9tqvgm65cd9qX4uxcG64/s1600/IMG_9419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gOG5ZNzcd2gA2o3HYiIu47oEMBpjdZrTG11OF0Y5QKyHDCOzPzHLuE3XPA43TVDI0zQrdt2FgyO2RpuRa3xVQbBowaQeoBuvuyIxhj2etUkTstShxRmYkXT9tqvgm65cd9qX4uxcG64/s320/IMG_9419.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The chickens were out roaming arround</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAO5XEAILzzC2gTQ8LLqSC8y0raT-u5-UFlG7ixQkc9NcFNHvWLszhZ5aorIwaEluAAE12IUhJkx_mpwZhdiKQPQWB7jAFXbbhxFrEzBvmf0mTtvGZbgT-9YLdWdzOSTynUU5eiPrhwl0/s1600/IMG_9433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAO5XEAILzzC2gTQ8LLqSC8y0raT-u5-UFlG7ixQkc9NcFNHvWLszhZ5aorIwaEluAAE12IUhJkx_mpwZhdiKQPQWB7jAFXbbhxFrEzBvmf0mTtvGZbgT-9YLdWdzOSTynUU5eiPrhwl0/s320/IMG_9433.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCWzg8HyRD8yYXbIG4NHaKvpWRZyd_1APKe-mkSd5hyZYu1uo3Ki82jQw9wYwFXQchHNlh3UgRXIAPwBI7g8xtEP0mOSAzPuhnWjlpJG2S6mo4SwrFHJwdjMQ_-vwvyYmEKhVE627Wwo/s1600/IMG_9435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCWzg8HyRD8yYXbIG4NHaKvpWRZyd_1APKe-mkSd5hyZYu1uo3Ki82jQw9wYwFXQchHNlh3UgRXIAPwBI7g8xtEP0mOSAzPuhnWjlpJG2S6mo4SwrFHJwdjMQ_-vwvyYmEKhVE627Wwo/s320/IMG_9435.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Got some starts on the ground</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczV7cHVwH3NenFnYluPaibJfBMfJItN-yHpaReXXeO6bqBlVsyCjtrLaSEVCLihEOleSHGFbB2Ym_UC1KpzXeoHqWekhLCnxpS9g4vFmlmyP1JvkDVm9PsGIKU-ArimdWm6U0O4cSR0E/s1600/IMG_9439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczV7cHVwH3NenFnYluPaibJfBMfJItN-yHpaReXXeO6bqBlVsyCjtrLaSEVCLihEOleSHGFbB2Ym_UC1KpzXeoHqWekhLCnxpS9g4vFmlmyP1JvkDVm9PsGIKU-ArimdWm6U0O4cSR0E/s320/IMG_9439.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its a good sign when your friends bring their parents, who are visiting from far away, to see the garden. There are so many sights in the bay area, I'm honored the picked the Algarden as a stop.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pCduX2f1Y6rqnmhgPdnc6mbpmPIMhlAqLUPZ52J7hqepyC_aDd6VJhvNezpuVKKYxhsZzR1-5hgFivu5qKm-zfGVpl2k0LJ1XR6H01SV5Nl8s8vwXtsUstK6oO7fHTNfDiUQFPxHUQw/s1600/IMG_9449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pCduX2f1Y6rqnmhgPdnc6mbpmPIMhlAqLUPZ52J7hqepyC_aDd6VJhvNezpuVKKYxhsZzR1-5hgFivu5qKm-zfGVpl2k0LJ1XR6H01SV5Nl8s8vwXtsUstK6oO7fHTNfDiUQFPxHUQw/s320/IMG_9449.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friends of friends, making new friends</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzgJjz6-tf4cSYmN-p3To6bEQkP9kg2zhQqA4RI4uo_5OEJ5smm31eAGxE6_tpoTI6WdIuduMcqWOkMcJA0JsGo_wm3upSFKqnAUCUkR9N40rU3NjgfybbXn0KiAbqI1yraaF2U0F_6g/s1600/IMG_9451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzgJjz6-tf4cSYmN-p3To6bEQkP9kg2zhQqA4RI4uo_5OEJ5smm31eAGxE6_tpoTI6WdIuduMcqWOkMcJA0JsGo_wm3upSFKqnAUCUkR9N40rU3NjgfybbXn0KiAbqI1yraaF2U0F_6g/s320/IMG_9451.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the nice fresh stirred compost Giancarlo showed us how to make compost tea.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_5EqvHOtAoy1EvmgNHJhNHIzShYCz6mGfsMPqcPTnJzxWBZ82s2pqVGguEk9oQOSf8Pmu8watfMfbIOFplagmOBiHMOFEToiDRKdFrRATikSFwLc9n8jjeb5TvLk5PrPIufqfJjedeo/s1600/IMG_9452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_5EqvHOtAoy1EvmgNHJhNHIzShYCz6mGfsMPqcPTnJzxWBZ82s2pqVGguEk9oQOSf8Pmu8watfMfbIOFplagmOBiHMOFEToiDRKdFrRATikSFwLc9n8jjeb5TvLk5PrPIufqfJjedeo/s320/IMG_9452.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Start out with a ball of compost in an old piece of fabric</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUnrh8-ZpMwx39_ZfZr4JuTMMNGMbGyPyGqusqHjBc8skJAMNCupXPI0il1ucFevcMphVJdqgOAQZhcnLFeUSah4LyVVEQ7xra1TeS6dqQ_GKXp8FEW2tmVFEjOi5IAfFQYQVCXbVxj8/s1600/IMG_9457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUnrh8-ZpMwx39_ZfZr4JuTMMNGMbGyPyGqusqHjBc8skJAMNCupXPI0il1ucFevcMphVJdqgOAQZhcnLFeUSah4LyVVEQ7xra1TeS6dqQ_GKXp8FEW2tmVFEjOi5IAfFQYQVCXbVxj8/s320/IMG_9457.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That gets tied up and placed in a large container which gets filled with water</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41VOQ-75af9-cRCy8fWhDPDhOKNtzmtmPdqtMBZ0zcsH767CQ254VNHbFOqQyGBqhYrK8_XlX0gCpO0ynphY5JUZo335F6NMdhX_VG7ZPEOLRozbTAl1VmDAzHc8gKfP3pX_NCYdRgzY/s1600/IMG_9467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41VOQ-75af9-cRCy8fWhDPDhOKNtzmtmPdqtMBZ0zcsH767CQ254VNHbFOqQyGBqhYrK8_XlX0gCpO0ynphY5JUZo335F6NMdhX_VG7ZPEOLRozbTAl1VmDAzHc8gKfP3pX_NCYdRgzY/s320/IMG_9467.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition to our compost, Giancarlo added a few more things to the mix.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSQyvwNOWCMHUoIXgY5clkcO2gCRYnp2ir6umyRWDxMzFGzUE9gkKTZkZ1zyQQhFnt0vsnuBi7utufebySVGmzSPI66mCHoXc_Qtx389nRJTrFAXjvGQ2RuvDL8xkFoO22z3lMj6yr4M/s1600/IMG_9475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSQyvwNOWCMHUoIXgY5clkcO2gCRYnp2ir6umyRWDxMzFGzUE9gkKTZkZ1zyQQhFnt0vsnuBi7utufebySVGmzSPI66mCHoXc_Qtx389nRJTrFAXjvGQ2RuvDL8xkFoO22z3lMj6yr4M/s320/IMG_9475.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beneficial bacteria such as <span style="line-height: 20px;">Trichoderma and mycorrhizae</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIUtwpBrs7_io7OBORHBhcB-UH3By-dI_LocvxVAk2atbdykEl_UD8tuNjFTEprsgDlaUN6mSI3HIB0E8q2qYqLupLu2ewyIobQ5alhUsdNLUSMUBRlEoz-_9g_LAhjVszF_GK4YVSEI/s1600/IMG_9476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIUtwpBrs7_io7OBORHBhcB-UH3By-dI_LocvxVAk2atbdykEl_UD8tuNjFTEprsgDlaUN6mSI3HIB0E8q2qYqLupLu2ewyIobQ5alhUsdNLUSMUBRlEoz-_9g_LAhjVszF_GK4YVSEI/s320/IMG_9476.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He also added some of this <span style="line-height: 18px;"> formula of complex carbohydrates and soy protein extracts to encourage plant vigor, reduce stress, accelerate growth and increase yield</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-93VRIyoXWZ3Ioqk-vxQNbkX9zkUyR3Agmq5x_B8jn7PSLhkaK701hpUWm_Pv39Bh6qt083rl48ZPBlquezN1hB44VKZ2rwvXdYpWpYNa03rkp8JnTfuYuldY5XGAjBDZy6ZCl7yN-M/s1600/IMG_9477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-93VRIyoXWZ3Ioqk-vxQNbkX9zkUyR3Agmq5x_B8jn7PSLhkaK701hpUWm_Pv39Bh6qt083rl48ZPBlquezN1hB44VKZ2rwvXdYpWpYNa03rkp8JnTfuYuldY5XGAjBDZy6ZCl7yN-M/s640/IMG_9477.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add molasses for the bacteria to reproduce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFw0Z7b093UreecRigNIxg9yUxUXed8ZC-gVkW6sV962Uc5TZ0UjiRES5nVMoFdh3N1UaJRdHLyChqZe_CVKAeMH-Jp9d8hvCIqC-ztc4Hog8TaMWg1uRGr_eUWRfETqtOImAQqGQQ9Q/s1600/IMG_9478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFw0Z7b093UreecRigNIxg9yUxUXed8ZC-gVkW6sV962Uc5TZ0UjiRES5nVMoFdh3N1UaJRdHLyChqZe_CVKAeMH-Jp9d8hvCIqC-ztc4Hog8TaMWg1uRGr_eUWRfETqtOImAQqGQQ9Q/s320/IMG_9478.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And an aerator to accelerate the process and your result is the best organic fertilizer ever!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTvyjxWOy2hD20IcEEgBugJ7-EDBufEVncg_ZkMOr2zhodCxVhz3lvNGAhyGDFrXrXG_S63WmVcrRa-1IcHqu6MJ7h-bLmCm-VS2qG361UwzY2X0SC-F8wVtBGveiJW-Ee4e7_YFcajc/s1600/IMG_9482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTvyjxWOy2hD20IcEEgBugJ7-EDBufEVncg_ZkMOr2zhodCxVhz3lvNGAhyGDFrXrXG_S63WmVcrRa-1IcHqu6MJ7h-bLmCm-VS2qG361UwzY2X0SC-F8wVtBGveiJW-Ee4e7_YFcajc/s320/IMG_9482.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the benefits of using Compost tea in your garden:</span></div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"></span><br />
</span> <br />
<ul><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: none;"> </span>
<li><span style="background-color: none;">Increases plant growth</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: none;">Provides nutrients to plants and soil</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: none;">Provides beneficial organisms to the soil</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: none;">But mostly it helps to suppress diseases on the plants and the soil. It can be applied directly to the leafs of infected plants</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: nonee;">Overall it makes your plants and your soil stronger</span></li>
</span></ul><span style="background-color: none; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-24573851383789666182013-03-29T00:56:00.001-07:002013-03-29T17:37:01.788-07:00Melipona Beecheii, the Mayan sting-less bee<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPFYzGrLNoNCaGFzi4QbbVFv9-2AqtEqV_qssN4PQUBx-LM5O3YCZRq7PO9n7la-7GB2EzK-7xUFOuY_yNRQsUaSqI4iXkgtBsMiZWqoG8EyiU-a0cSih_d-OsvU5a_Y6kZfY7Ck2Qas/s1600/IMG_9224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPFYzGrLNoNCaGFzi4QbbVFv9-2AqtEqV_qssN4PQUBx-LM5O3YCZRq7PO9n7la-7GB2EzK-7xUFOuY_yNRQsUaSqI4iXkgtBsMiZWqoG8EyiU-a0cSih_d-OsvU5a_Y6kZfY7Ck2Qas/s320/IMG_9224.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Melipona Bee guard at hive entry</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just got back from a heavenly vacation in Tulum. The trip was planed around a woman's goddess retreat. The retreat was based on working with our chakras and the archetype of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixchel">Ixchel,</a> the Mayan goddess of the moon, fertility, midwifery, etc. Basically a week to reconnect with our feminine intuitive energy. The timming was set to coincide with the galactic spring equinox! We joined the locals ceremony at the Mayan ruins of the observatory at the edge of the blessed waters of Yemanja. I had the great pleasure and honor of actively participate in the ceremony by translating the entire ceremony. During our retreat, we also did a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temazcal">temazcal</a> in the jungle </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">next to a </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenote" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cenote</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and a Mayan clay ceremony where we buried ourselves in the beach to release everything that we no longer need to mother earth and then jumped in the ocean to rinse the clay and the sand and play in the waves. The retreat was followed by visits to great childhood and high school friends and a surprise visit from my beautiful cousin Diego. A gift from life to be able to allow myself such experiences. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5zxES6REusnMPNArgod8hgETBuT6YTAALkNZs6yQUAxMk-UNbYDCkCpyot_FM2TnpfG53iPUxB9YKNmcHGSQZcOxepf_AryjbD-CmlnV3RVzPrzMI9Lu2hZlKUpTgnjLmWgs40qXW90/s1600/gold_g74+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5zxES6REusnMPNArgod8hgETBuT6YTAALkNZs6yQUAxMk-UNbYDCkCpyot_FM2TnpfG53iPUxB9YKNmcHGSQZcOxepf_AryjbD-CmlnV3RVzPrzMI9Lu2hZlKUpTgnjLmWgs40qXW90/s320/gold_g74+(1).jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Ah-Muzen-</span><wbr style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"></wbr><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Cab, the Mayan </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Bee God</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is hard to explain exactly how but, I was guided to Tulum by the bees. Images of what archeologist believe is Ah Mucen Cab appear throughout the ruins of Tulum. Archeologist belive that Ah Mucen Cab was the patron of Tulum and that the region produced a lot of honey. Bees are a symbol of fertility and abundance. For the Mayas, bees also represent a link to the spirit world. I can see that, as they have become that spiritual link for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bees have become my guides and teachers. I wanted to visit the bees during my visit so I did some research and found the </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Melipona-Maya/427678103972077?fref=ts" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Research and Rescue Center for the Melipona Maya</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in Tulum. The </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingless_bee" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Melipona beecheii</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is one of the native sting-less bees which is an engendered species. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Melipona Maya Centro de Investigacion y Rescate - Tulum, Mexico</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I set up a visit to the center with Stefan Palmiere, the bee keeper and director. Stefan was really nice and not only spent lots of time talking to me about the bees, he also opened the hives for me to see and experience the bees. He poured honey on my hand and the bees came to drink it. Most precious experience and feeling. So beautiful and sweet.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Melipona beecheii</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I talked to Stefan about my spiritual connection with the bees. He said he was only a farmer, a simple bee keeper and that he did not have such a spiritual connection with the bees but he knows that there is a lot to be learned from the bees. He told me that back in France he had over 600 Apis hives but that it is very hard to keep Apis bees in that area because they are all Africanized. He has to wear two bee suits to work with them and it is so hot in that region that</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> it is almost impossible</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to do the work.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Melipona brood hive and Mayan god Ah Mucen Cab holding a hive</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He told me about all the challenges with the bees, the veroa mites which affect all bees. Also the beetles are destroying entire apiaries. Many apiaries have been quarantined and some are talking about burning all their hives to try to prevent further infection and eradicate the beetle, which spreads easily from apiary to apiary.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Melipona Beecheii</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another big challenge that all bees are facing is the loss of habitat due to human deforestation. And now, the introduction of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) corn and <a href="http://contralinea.info/archivo-revista/index.php/2013/03/21/soya-transgenica-contamina-miel-mexicana/">soy</a> to the Yucatan peninsula, which is a real shame and a crime in the land of the corn people. Corn GMO seeds threaten the native corn diversity, the pollinators, and in turn the livelihood of farmers and the health of the consumers eating them. We all need to get informed about GMO's and stop consuming them. It is one of the biggest things we can do to help our furry buzzing friends, our ecosystem and our health. This issue is especially timely as Obama just signed H.R. 933, which contains the </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=549138945125920&set=a.482231601816655.113449.478981558808326&type=1&theater">Monsanto Protection Act</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into law. You can sign a petition requiring mandatory labeling of GMO's</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> </span><a href="http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/call/obama_signs_monsanto_protection_act_label_GMOs/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Melipona hive</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The mysterious sudden disappearance of apparently healthy hives, known as Colony Collapse Disorder is a global problem at all scales. I have lost a few hives to CCD. It is the most unsettling feeling and all bee keepers are experiencing it. Unfortunately it has become the standar to expect 50% loss of all hives. This is a huge problem for comercial bee keepers who's livelihood depend on the health of bees. There are many theories about this problem, most of them, I believe, are made up ideas to cover up the big white elephant on the room: pesticides. </span><span style="color: black; line-height: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">E</span></span><span style="color: black; line-height: 0.2in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">specially
the powerful new class of pesticides known as neonicotinoids,
which are incorporated directly into the plants themselves. That is
what GMO seeds do, they have their own pesticides. Bees are driven to
different mono-crops all over the country to pollinate.
Some of this crops contain neonicotinoids or are sprayed with
other pesticides. Bees have no other source of nectar or pollen and
they consume what is available. It seems pretty clear to me, if you
feed pesticides to your bees and other pollinators they will die. We
are also being fed the same, it is just killing us slower than
the bees, but they are a good indicator of the unbalance of our food
system. Check out this article on the</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/science/earth/soaring-bee-deaths-in-2012-sound-alarm-on-malady.html?smid=fb-share&_r=1&">New York Times</a> about the increasing loss of comercial bees this year. This is a critical time to save our pollinators.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back to Stefan. He was delighted to find the Melipona in Tulum and be able to continue his work with bees. He is working with the Melipona not only because they are so docile but also because of the historical reference to the Maya bee keeping tradition in the region. He is now focused on propagating hives to preserve the species and teach people about the Mayan ancient tradition of Melipona bee keeping. He says most local people can remember their parents or grandparents having Meliponas but not so much on this generation. He thinks is important to continue the tradition on this generation to preserve the tradition and prevent a lost art by skipping a generation. The Meliponas are endangered and it is necessary to get more people involved in the care of the bees.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Melipona hive</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hives of the Meliponas are very different than the Apis. The create their hives in empty logs with a brood pyramid on the center and oval container on the sides to hold the honey and the pollen. They produce a lot less honey than the apis so they are not as commercially viable. However their honey is believed to be extremely medicinal and used by midwifes to induce labor and after birth to heal. It is also used to cure cataracts and skin and throat issues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Native bee hive on wood log</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stefan is working on propagating the bees so he has created a wood box to keep the hives that he is dividing. He had just taught a workshop the weekend I arrived so he had a lot of new hives on his garden. I liked the water channel he created around the hives area to keep the ants out.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Melipona hives</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Melipona queen also looks very different than the Apis. She has a really wide abdomen. The Apis queen has a longer abdomen but no so wide. We were lucky to spot a few queens as we opened the hives.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Melipona Queen</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I was leaving, saying good bye to Stefan, I looked down to my chest and there was one bee holding on to my dress right on my heart. I was so excited and Stefan mockingly said to me "You probably think there is some big spiritual meaning on that right?" and I said "of course, there is a bee holding on to my heart, she wants to go with me" we both laugh and he said he thought the bee was lost and I should take it back to hive, so I did. I spent a little while alone with the bees, thank them for their time and promised to visit them again.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Melipona beechiis</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stefan named me the San Francisco Melipona ambassador. I received the title with great honor and commitment to help him on his cause. He is starting a foundation and needs funds to do the work. I promised to help him find supporters. So keep your eyes out, for soon you will be able to adopt a hive and help Stefan continue his great work to preserve the Meliponia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you Stefan. I hope to see you and your bees very soon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In case you are not inspired about pollinators yet, I leave you with this beautiful video</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xHkq1edcbk4#!">The beauty of Pollination</a> and if you want to read more about the Melipona check out this article in <a href="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/mexico-honey-traveler/">National Geographic</a>. And if you are wondering what you can do to help the bees, plant a garden with local blue and purple flowers, they love those colors and they need the healthy nectar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whith honey in my heart, blessed bee.</span></div>
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Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-65550063150778646412013-03-14T15:29:00.002-07:002013-03-14T15:47:24.717-07:00Lessons on bee-ing <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">Back in October, while winterizing the Algarden hives, I got stung 3 times. I have been working with bees for 4 years now and have been stung many times. But this time, I had an unexpected, unfortunate and much dreaded <span style="line-height: 16px;">anaphylactic </span>allergic reaction. I had to give myself the epipan shoot. The experience was shocking, scary and an absolute adrenaline rush. Fortunately, I was ok, and the bees were ready for the winter so I had some time to think about what to do with the bees and how to re-establish my relationship with them before having to open the hive again.</span><br />
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<span arial="" font-size:="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" xx-small="">artwork by my dear friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SunnySolwind">Sunny Solwind</a></span></div>
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<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">I would had never thought it was possible to fall in love with an insect. Nor would I had thought that I would get so depressed and overwhelmed over a lost relationship with them. But there I was, sobbing in my couch, feeling as if they had "broken up" with me and their "medicine" had become my kryptonite. I had to stay away from them, but I could not bare the idea of giving them up or not having them in my life. </span><br />
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<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">Bees have thought me so much. The way I garden has been affected by the bees, I always make sure to let my vegetables go to seed so the bees can enjoy the flowers. I make sure there is nectar available for my bees year round, flowers have a new meaning. My view of our integral interconnections with nature, with food, with the universe, with all bee-ings has been forever transformed. I have learned about the "Bien" <span style="line-height: 16px;">(</span><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;">bee</em><span style="line-height: 16px;"> in German is: Biene) </span><span style="text-align: justify;">The concept of the bien </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">represents the undividable entity of the hive,</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> as something which is beyond the sum of its small and many parts. B</span><span style="text-align: justify;">ees have taught me lessons about social life and how to treat each other. I learned about the different mythological and symbolic expressions of bees throughout the world. Nowhere to begin understanding the perfect geometry they are able to create to maximize space and storage. Their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTOs1fQPcOs">zonohedral geometry</a> has set me on a magical journey unlike any other. It will be impossible for me to describe the spiritual connections and experiences that I have had with this magical bee-ings so I won't , and no words can describe the sweetness of their honey and how much I have enjoyed it...</span></span></div>
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<span arial="" helvetica="" justify="" sans-serif="" text-align:="">Needless to say, I agonized over my lost relationship with bees. I would wake up from dreams saying apis mellifera. I was so sad and trying to understand what they were trying to say to me. I would sit in meditation and try to listen but kept being distracted by my ego in pain. It took me a while but it is slowly coming to me. It first came on the way of three great friends who wanted me to teach them about the bees. I felt so honored to get that request and figured that by teaching others I can keep my bees and have them do the close up work with the bees while I stand on the side. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="text-align: justify;">Later, in a ceremonial journey, I became a bee! I was able to experience the immense grief that the bees are experiencing. The tremendous loss not just to their species but to ours and the great devastation we are inflicting on our beloved pacha mama. It was a sadness unlike any I have ever experienced, the sadness of an entire species. At that moment, I surrendered to the great mystery and asked what I could do. How I could be of service. The answer was not clear, but later that month I received an invitation to join the <a href="http://www.collegeofthemelissae.com/">College of the Melissae</a>. I was so excited to learn about this group of like-minded woman working around the magic and mystical wonders of the bees. I signed up right away to the one year program on sacred bee keeping. </span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><span style="text-align: justify;">I knew it then, that my calling was to be a bee priestess. To teach and protect our bees. My dream is still formulating but I want to create a bee sanctuary, a sanctuary for bee-ings. A place to bee with the bees and learn about them, heal with them and through them. I do not know the specifics yet, I'm letting the mind wonder and dream for the time bee-ing and I trust that the bees will continue to guide me in the full manifestation of this space. </span></span><br />
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</span> <span style="text-align: justify;">For the time being, I'm finding ways to stay involved and connected to the work that is being done to preserve and educate about bees. I attended the </span><a href="http://www.beekind.com/2013BeeSymposiumFlier.pdf" style="text-align: justify;">bee symposium</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> and we talked about ways to implement flower rows to industrial agriculture, especially for the almond industry in California which produces 95% of almonds in the US and is dependent on bee pollination. Thousands of hives from all over the country get trucked to the area for the 3 weeks that the trees are blooming and then trucked somewhere else as it becomes a food dessert for pollinators. As a Landscape Architect I see myself as being able to play a role in the environmental planning and design of large agricultural spaces to build habitat for pollinators. That is, after all, the quintessential goal of Foodscaping, creating productive landscapes for all species.</span></span><br />
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Next week I'm going to visit the "Centro de Investigacion y Rescate de la Melipona Maya" The Research and Rescue Center of the Meliponia Maya Stingless Bee in Tulum. The Melipona is an endangered specie and this center is working with local people to teach them how to establish hives, care for them and promote habitat. I'm looking forward to meeting the Melipona and learning some lessons from this group and what they are doing.</div>
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<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><span style="text-align: justify;">I also took the first steep in my educator role and taught my first bee-keeping class, I could not be happier! My students are phenomenal and a great motivation. We opened up both hives (Estela and Gloria - my grandmothers,) we found the queens. They looked great, big, healthy, laying eggs, and ready for the spring. I'm so grateful that they survived the winter. The bees bee-haved like the true ladies that they are and no one got stung. We were all gentle and the experience was beautiful. I had missed my bees so much. Bee-ing in their buzzing is the best medicine. Bee-coming one with the hive is an experience unlike any other and I highly recommend for everybody to experience it at least once in their life time. </span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span arial="" helvetica="" justify="" sans-serif="" text-align:="">I believe that the allergic reaction I had was a call for action from the bees. It is a big challenge but I'm feeling inspired and up for the task. It is a project that will require the help of many and I'm infinitely grateful for all for your constant and future support through this experience of bee-ing.</span><br />
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<span arial="" helvetica="" justify="" sans-serif="" text-align:="">With honey in my heart, blessed bee!</span>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-64289663557635706452012-09-07T14:50:00.003-07:002012-09-07T14:50:43.011-07:002o Coloquio Ambiental<div style="text-align: center;">
Earlier this summer I was invited to speak at a conference in my home town San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The conference was organized by my cousin Marcos Algara and hosted by the Environmental Engineering Department of the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi.</div>
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At the conference with my cousins, Dr. Paola Algara and the organizer Dr. Marcos Algara</div>
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Other special guest in the audience cheer-leading me, my beautiful aunt Laura and cousin Laurie, thanks for your support!</div>
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I gave two presentations, one was part of a round table where I spoke about Urban Agriculture. </div>
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I wanted to talk about local examples because when I talk about the Algarden, people always say its only possible to do such thing in Berkeley. And the best part was, that I did had lots of real local examples. A year and a half ago, when I last visited San Luis I was invited to speak at <a href="http://www.eaton.com/Eaton/index.htm">Eaton</a>. That talk was the opening of a company wide series on health and well being for their employees. My talk was on healthy eating habits. Most of the attendants to my talk were low income workers who complained about not being able to afford organic healthy veggies and of course we ended up talking about my passion: urban agriculture. They all got pretty excited when I instigated them to grow their own food, but told me that they did not had any space to grow food in their small houses and did not know where to do it. </div>
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The room where I was speaking, at the Eaton campus, had huge windows opening to a very large expanse of lawn and so I pointed to that and said what about there. Everybody got really excited and wanted to know the details of how to do it. But I could also sense the uncomfortable looks coming from management. At the end of the talk I explained to management the social benefits of having a urban farm in their campus. Growing food, builds community! So we explored the options and they found a site on campus that was totally underutilized. They started a pilot garden project. They had a community day, families were invited to help out start the garden. Children came by to help and it was a really beautiful event.</div>
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Francisco Ybarra who is the main organizer of this project came to my talk. He shared this pictures and his experience in urban agriculture on a corporate campus. He told the audience that they just harvested tons of onions, everybody on the company got onions and they still had extras. I got a small taste of their garden while I was visiting, they send me zucchinis, tomatoes and delicious peaches!<br />
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Here are some pictures of their garden after only a few months.<br />
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Another great example of local urban agriculture is the garden of Aventura Culinaria, the culinary academy of my good friend Alejandro "Birdman" Medrano Puga. This is his garden in the front of the school where is growing chiles, culinary herbs and Papayas!!!</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">He also came to my talk and took great pictures and made sure I stayed real by texting me in the middle of my talk and constantly reminding me not take myself so seriously and laugh at myself...</span></div>
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Birdman introduced me to Ricardo Vélez from Ruta Ahimsa Colectivo from Querétaro who is doing great things and teaching amazing workshops on natural building, urban agriculture and green roofs. </div>
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Ricardo had just taught a class on beer brewing at Alejandro's school so we hit it off talking about the importance of being sustainable and learning to make the things you really love, like beer. And by doing so, avoid giving your money to the giant corporations that make most of the beer, especially in Mexico. In the bay area we are lucky with all the choices we have. But thanks to that workshop, Alejandro has now started a new beer "nachomyson" if you are ever in San Luis don't miss it.</div>
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I also showed pictures of Doña Mary's "garden". Doña Mary has a taco stand outside of the hospital and so she spends most of her day there. She decided to take over the median strip and plant a garden there. She waters it with the left over water from her dish washing. She had planted basil, corn, tomatoes, pumpkins, beans, an avocado and peach tree, she was so proud to show me her garden! She said sometimes people harvested her veggies when she was not there. I asked her if that bother her and she said, no, she was happy that her garden was feeding people who needed the food. THAT's the spirit!</div>
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You can see the taco stand on the background</div>
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My main presentation was on corporate landscapes and how they need to evolve from their romantic garden lawns and car oriented settings to the new paradigms that we are confronted with. I talked about Bishop Ranch as an example. Bishop Ranch is one of the largest business parks in the west coast and we are working with them to turn it into a more sustainable environment and a place that supports community and not just a work space. I, of course, keep pushing for a farm with a full series of classes, workshops and programming, hopefully next year there will be one :) </div>
Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-41623562289464566602012-06-10T14:33:00.000-07:002012-06-10T14:33:42.344-07:00Urban Farm Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Last Saturday June 9th was the East Bay Urban Farm Tour. We were excited to be a part of the tour.</div>
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There were many other wonderful urban farms on the tour and the only down side was that I was not able to go visit the other farms, but here is the map of the other locations. If you missed it this year make sure to go next year</div>
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We had a surprising turn out, about 400 people came to visit our farm</div>
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It was a beautiful warm summer day, the Algarden was at it's best, full of flowers and the trees heavy with ripening fruit</div>
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My favorite garden helpers, Muluk "the bee smoker" and Aya "the garden fairy" made strawberry lemonade from the garden for the visitors</div>
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We had lots of kids visiting the farm, foraging was only allowed for those under 12</div>
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And forage they did, I don't think there was a berry left by the end of the day</div>
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The other favorite kid attraction was the tree house</div>
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Adults had fun too, we told the history of the site, the importance of sharing as a model, talked to them about permaculture and how we implemented those principles in the garden</div>
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We showed them our crops</div>
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The shiitake mushroom production on oak tree logs</div>
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The compost pile and how to make one at home</div>
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Giancarlo explained how to make compost tea and the multiple benefits of it for soil and plant health</div>
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Yes, he is a total compost show off</div>
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They got to see the chickens</div>
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And the bees, who were also on their best behavior and no one got stung. We talked about the importance of bee keeping in the city to establish a closer connection with them and to encourage, 6000 bee keepers caring for one hive rather then the current situation which is the other way around</div>
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The tour through the Da Terra food forest (next door) was also really exciting. People got to see how a garden can look like after 10 years of caring. The also saw the relationship of a high tree canopy a medium shrub and a low ground cover of edibles working together </div>
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One of my favorite professors Clare Cooper Markus came to the tour, I was very happy to see her there</div>
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The farm cat "Big brother" disappeared for most off the day but finally showed up to play for the last tour with a lot less people</div>
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Thank you so much to everybody who came out to visit the Algarden, it was wonderful to see you.</div>
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I also want to send a big thank you to Ruby "Sparky bee grirl" from the Institute of Urban Homesteading for organizing this farm tour and inviting us to participate</div>
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Huge thanks to Jane "the owner" who kindly allows us to use her property, do this work and who also did a fantastic job welcoming the visitors. Thanks for volunteering Jane!
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And my most sincere deep gratitude to my friend and mentor Giancarlo Muscardini "farmer in chief" for all that he has taught me and for being an amazing partner in this urban farming adventure.</div>
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Next Saturday we are celebrating 4 years at the Algarden and teaching a Permaculture crash course, don't miss it! You can sign up <a href="http://iuhoakland.com/madskills.html#permaculture">here</a></div>
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<br /></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-72394401559533041572012-02-27T13:33:00.003-08:002012-02-27T13:41:26.059-08:00Early Spring Work Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is hard to call this an early spring, it was more like we had no winter. I used to complain about not having summers in San Francisco but not having winters is worse, we really need the rain!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite the lack of rain, we had a beautiful spring day with all the fruit trees in bloom. We took advantage of the great weather to have a very needed work party at the Algarden, lots of people showed up and we had a wonderful and productive day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My favorite garden helper Muluk came back from his Oaxaca adventure and was at the garden helping out</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So good to have him back!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There were mushrooms growing everywhere, which is great as it is a sign of healthy soils.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We started by clearing out some areas that had overgrown weeds and doing sheet mulching. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sheet mulching consists of layering recycled card board at the bottom and then a layer of mulch on top. The card board prevents light from reaching the weeds and this kills them. The card board will eventually decompose but in the process it helps to retain moisture and it attracts lots of worms that are </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">beneficial</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for the soil break down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We added straw on top of the planted beds to help retain the moisture on the soil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trimmed down the strawberries to get them to fucus their energy in producing fruit</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We planted a new plant guild. A guild is any group of species that exploit the same resources, often in related ways. Guilds are groups of plants that work well together. Some plants may be grown for food production, some to attract beneficial insects, and others to repel harmful insects. When grouped together these plants form a guild.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />In this case we planted an apricot tree at the center to help pollinate the existing apricot tree. A few pollinator attractors, the bee hive is right next to this guild so we planted budleya, borage and rosemary which the bees love, also a pineapple sage for the butterflies and hummingbirds. Some raspberries for the humanoids and a few cover crops to keep the soil moisture such as thyme (also a bee lover, bees love blues and purples) </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And speaking of bees, we did loose one hive this winter but the other two are surviving and hopefully at this point this means they have made it trough the winter, now lets get ready for swarm season</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Overall it was a lovely day to enjoy the garden</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks so much to every one who came out to join us</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There were lots of winter veggies to share and people took home baggies full of greens </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is that a dinosaur eating my dino kale forest?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">oh no, just Tiago...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who, by the way, had the most fun in the garden</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking forward to the next work party.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy Spring!</span></div>
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</div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-17752352499859776572011-11-14T16:46:00.000-08:002011-11-15T11:15:21.822-08:00Mission High School Greening Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been a long time resident and fan of the Mission District, and of course the Mission Basilica, the birth place of the city of San Francisco. When I found out I had the opportunity to work on the design of the gardens for Mission High School, I was absolutely honored, such a beautiful and historic building.</div>
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I wanted to do a design that reflected the history and the architecture of the building</div>
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The courtyards were built in traditional Spanish style, beautiful but in different stages of disrepair. I had this odd feeling of having just stepped into Havana, Cuba.</div>
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I took my first design clues from the ceiling of the main lobby, which was covered in Moorish geometry</div>
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I wanted to incorporate that same design pattern and apply it to the courtyard. Can't go wrong with geometry on a traditional Spanish courtyard</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K1N6sXF8wqo/TsFa9ThlM-I/AAAAAAAAEJw/OVier21-42w/s1600/10_07-29_MissionSiteVisit+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K1N6sXF8wqo/TsFa9ThlM-I/AAAAAAAAEJw/OVier21-42w/s320/10_07-29_MissionSiteVisit+026.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So here are the initial concept designs </div>
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The Jay Pugano and the students at Mission High created this video where I present the concept ideas to the school community </div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN7KsaUqF_c">Full Design Description Video</a></div>
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The original design has a <a href="http://zomadic.com/">zome</a> at the center, which everybody loved. Unfortunately the funding we had was not enough for the <a href="http://zomadic.com/">zome</a>, but we are looking at ways to fund-raise and make the <a href="http://zomadic.com/">zome </a>a reality as an outdoor classroom/ art piece. <br />
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The design was approved by the school community so we moved forward with the construction, which had to be completed during the summer while the students were out on vacation</div>
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It was very exciting to see all that concrete broken down and allowing the earth beneath it to breath again</div>
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The funding for this project came from <a href="http://63.123.68.230/sfusdweb/" target="_blank">Proposition A </a>Bond
Program which is financed, in large part, by two local bonds passed by San
Francisco voters in November 2003 and November 2006. These are
facilities bonds, intended to improve SFUSD school sites by bringing
them into Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.</div>
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The San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance was able to successfully advocate for schoolyard greening by
securing a portion ($7 million) of the Proposition A voter-approved
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This money was distributed amongst 45 elementary schools in SFUSD which received $150,000 to green their schoolyards. Mission High School was allowed to apply for a grant to get some of this funding too.</div>
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They were awarded $100,000 for this project, which might sound like a lot, but turns out that concrete removal in SF is very expensive. So we focused our funds on the removal of the concrete and the placing of infrastructure (planter beds, irrigation, etc)</div>
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The planting was going to be left out to be done by the students and the school community.</div>
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That is the fun part anyway, so basically we wanted to create a canvas for the students to be able to plant and create a garden</div>
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It was exciting to the stars from my design come to life</div>
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Accessible raised planters were installed</div>
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Sub drain irrigation was installed for the stars </div>
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The pathways were filled with decomposed Granite and the planting areas with soil</div>
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The stars were planted with no mow turf</div>
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The small courtyard got planter beds with wide seating edges so that the students could sit on them and eat their lunch there.</div>
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By the end of the summer the students came back to two remodeled courtyards with plenty of space to plant a garden, however much work still needs to get done by them. </div>
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They got started right away and most of the planters on the small courtyard have been planted.</div>
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It is beautiful to see this space get transformed by each of the students giving it a personal touch.<br />
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For the past four years I have built a public altar for day of the dead at Garfield Park. This year I had surgery and I was not up for the task. I was excited when my friend Karina Borgogno shared her idea of building an altar for Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize recipient and founder of the <a href="http://greenbeltmovement.org/index.php">Green Belt Movement</a>. Wangari was an inspiration to Karina and her idea was to have an altar made of all living edible trees, plants, herbs. I was happy to participate at the altar building as support and help her. I suggested we donate the trees and plants to Mission High after the event.<br />
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Here is Karina talking to the kids about Wangari and telling them the story of the hummingbird. <br />
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With the help of the students, we planted 2 fig trees and two plum trees. 2 on each courtyard.<br />
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Big Thanks to Susan Boshoven, Biology teacher who coordinating the planting with her students and who has done a lot of work for the Greening project at Mission High<br />
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It was a really fun day and Karina showed those kids how to plant trees<br />
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Thank you to all the students who participated.<br />
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Thank you Karina for being a humming bird with me</div>
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<br /></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-23416947406916697032011-10-26T11:00:00.000-07:002011-10-26T11:03:13.641-07:00GIVE AND TAKE: THE EAST BAY’S GROWING FOOD-SHARING CULTURE<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">Edible East Bay Magazine wrote this nice <a href="http://www.ediblecommunities.com/eastbay/harvest-2011/give-and-take-the-east-bays-growing-food-sharing-culture.htm">article on Sharing</a>, and the Algarden Urban Farm and the work that Giancarlo and I have done there is featured.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">Give and Take: The East Bay’s Growing Food-Sharing Culture</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">By Sarah Henry</span></div>
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<em><span style="background-color: #6aa84f; font-size: 8pt;">Pictured: Some of the homemade goods offered at the East Bay H<span></span>omemade Food Swap. (Photos courtesy of Becky Spencer.)</span></em></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Sharing has made a comeback. East Bay residents are now bartering, trading, exchanging, swapping, or simply giving away an abundance of homegrown prod</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">uce or homemade food in a variety of creative ways. Of course, gardeners who grow their own veggies have always doled out surplus squash and spinach to neighbors (or as the San Francisco Chronicle recently wisecracked, arugula and cilantro, the Berkeley equivalent of summer’s backyard bounty).</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">But these days, guerrilla gardeners and DIY preservers and picklers have raised the bar on the sharing circuit. Hardcore urban homesteaders exchange honey and eggs for goat milk and rabbit meat. Some even give their excess goodies to local restaurants or food artisans on the sly, in return for a share of the finished product—handing over, say, a bag of Meyer lemons that will find their way into fresh pasta dough.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">Resourceful local residents who don’t have land but are willing to offer their labor use local email lists to find homeowners who have a place where a produce plot could thrive, if only somebody would plant one. Happy produce matches have happened this way, with both parties reaping the harvest. Similarly, Neighborhood Vegetables, a loosely organized garden work group overseen by veteran organizer Laurence Schechtman, pairs people in Oakland and Berkeley who need help with their gardens with people who want to till the soil. Beans and beets have been known to change hands at these gatherings too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library lets people “borrow” seeds, Albany hosts a garden swap on Tuesday nights where folks drop off fava beans and snap up Santa Rosa plums. A similar crop swap started in July in Berkeley on Monday evenings; Phat Beets holds a produce and plant exchange in Oakland on Saturdays.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">Some folks help themselves, others a whole community. Anna Chan in Clayton (also known as the Lemon Lady) and Natasha Boissier of North Berkeley Harvest take the sharing concept a step further: They glean excess produce in their areas and drop off bags of fresh fruits and vegetables for hungry mouths at community soup kitchens and homeless shelters. The newly opened Urban Adamah, a one-acre educational farm with Jewish roots in West Berkeley, plans to give away much of its produce to people in need in the neighborhood.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">Here are three local efforts to share resources that result in good grub for all.</span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: #6aa84f;"><img alt="giancarlo" height="317" src="http://www.ediblecommunities.com/eastbay/images/stories/articles/harvest11/giancarlo.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 2px;" width="475" />Patricia Algara and Giancarlo Muscardini: Algarden</strong></div>
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<em><span style="background-color: #6aa84f; font-size: 8pt;">Pictured: Giancarlo Muscardini at work in the borrowed West Berkeley garden space he shares with Patricia Algara (with bees). (Photos by Nicki Rosario.)</span></em></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">She’s a landscape architect with an urban ag focus, but without land of her own. He’s a proponent of permaculture who wanted to plant produce in his neighbor’s yard. Patricia Algara and Giancarlo Muscardini met a few years ago when they were both eyeing the same double lot of lawn in West Berkeley that was crying out to become an edible oasis. They decided to team up, approached the owners about borrowing part of the yard, and after a legal agreement addressing liability concerns was drawn up and a fence with a locked gate was put in place, a demonstration urban farm was born.</span><img alt="patricia_bees_159" height="317" src="http://www.ediblecommunities.com/eastbay/images/stories/articles/harvest11/patricia_bees_159.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; float: right; margin-left: 2px;" width="475" /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">The homeowners provide the land, Algara much of the ongoing labor (the initial garden design and buildout was a joint effort by Algara and Muscardini), and water is piped from Muscardini’s residence next door. His permaculture principles, which emphasize using resources on hand rather than bringing in supplies, informs the entire space. Old cardboard boxes, for instance, form the sheet mulch.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">Currently, the space holds a greenhouse, beehives, and garden beds boasting loads of vegetables, herbs, and flowers. A rainwater catchment project is in the works.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">It’s a win-win all round. For homeowners Matt Haber and Jane Diamond, who both work full time for the Environmental Protection Agency and have spent a lot of their off-work hours gutting and renovating their 1880 Victorian home, it’s a delight to have an aesthetically pleasing edible garden in their formerly grass-filled yard. “We had grand plans to put in a garden, and we did plant a lot of fruit trees when we first got here,” says Haber, who has lived here since 1984. “But fixing up the house took up so much of our time we just didn’t get to the yard.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">Algara, who grew up in Mexico, where her grandfather tended a family garden full of tomatoes, lettuce, and corn, is grateful to now have a space where she can grow her own food. The fact that she can also share her knowledge and excess bounty with others makes it all the more satisfying. Up until recently she hosted weekly Friday lunches in the garden, which featured foods grown on site. (The local chef who cooked for these meetups has since relocated, so Algara has moved her community meals to San Francisco, where she lives.) Algara and Muscardini hold regular garden work parties and permaculture workshops that are open to the public, at which visitors are educated on the myriad benefits of growing their own food. (Check Algara’s blog for details on upcoming events.) “We’ve done so much with this garden in such a short amount of time,” Algara says. “I hope we serve as an example to others about what can happen when people pool their resources.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #6aa84f;">There have been unexpected benefits to the cooperative project. “I enjoy having people spend time in the garden; I’m glad it serves the community,” says Haber. “And even though we ate pretty healthily before the garden, I eat a lot more kale now. When you have food that fresh you feel like you just have to eat it.”</span></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-51093240553981375392011-07-11T15:10:00.000-07:002011-07-11T15:10:11.659-07:00Zonotopia<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
I know this is not garden related but.... </div>
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This summer we are working hard on the design and production of Zonotopia for burningman 2011 </div>
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Check out the design video and if you can help us by donating to our online fund raising campaign </div>
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<a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/Zonotopia">http://www.indiegogo.com/Zonotopia</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Zome Mani Padme Zome </span></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-25695756348495915002011-06-20T19:28:00.000-07:002011-06-20T19:28:53.157-07:00Permaculture crash course<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">On Saturday we had a permaculture crash course at the Algarden. It was taught through the Institute of Urban Homesteading and Ruby Blume (aka sparkybeegirl) was there co-teaching with Giancarlo and I</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was a beautiful day for an outdoor class and the setting was really charming</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is impossible to cover all of permaculture in a one day class, so we focused on the principles and some of the design elements</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We started the day with a tour of Giancalo's food forest and the Algarden History</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He talked about bamboo, where to plant it, how to plant it, and why to plant it, or not...be very careful with bamboo</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bamboo is great for carbon sequestration and great to build garden projects but if not planted carefully and the right species it can take over.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He showed us his plant guilds and how stacking functions worked in his garden</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Showed us the chicken coop</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The rain water catchment system</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The relationship between nitrogen fixers, dynamic accumulators, and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">Insectaries<strong> </strong></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He is a wealth of information</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And at the Algarden tour: potato towers, sheet mulching, mushrooms</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Planting beds with cooper edges to prevent snails</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Quick stop for a strawberry tasting </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The herb garden to attract beneficial insects and to create magical potions</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> We talked about gardening for the bees allowing everything to go to flower and seed. The bees love it!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After the tour we moved on to class discussion on the permaculture principles and how to apply them in our life</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After that we took a lunch break with an amazing pot luck</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My favorite garden student/teacher Muluk came to join us for part of the class</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After lunch we had some Personal Ecology/ community building activities led by Ruby - very California </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(not on the Permaculture manual) </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After that we moved on to some design elements and a soils demonstration.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Check out our compost. It's about 110F hot, hot, hot</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sparkybee girl was feeling at home teaching next to the hives</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hey you got a matching hive! Did you call the bees before coming to class?</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n0tvbrjPjHo/Tf_v0RNjO_I/AAAAAAAAEEI/SjIjGl9tnZ8/s1600/IMG_2304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n0tvbrjPjHo/Tf_v0RNjO_I/AAAAAAAAEEI/SjIjGl9tnZ8/s320/IMG_2304.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Giarcarlo showing off the soil in his garden. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He has been working this beauty for nine years. 100% organic matter. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WbGhGwjmrYY/Tf_xCOUG-QI/AAAAAAAAEEg/w2BQcj5iZkY/s1600/IMG_2310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WbGhGwjmrYY/Tf_xCOUG-QI/AAAAAAAAEEg/w2BQcj5iZkY/s320/IMG_2310.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have never seen any body so proud about their soil</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">They were impressed!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> We finished the class by planting a guild under the apricot tree. Nitrogen fixers, dynamic accumulators and insect attractors</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I hope you had as much fun as I did during this class.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thank you so much for coming to our class</span></div>
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<br /></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-48301693382353684662011-06-15T21:09:00.000-07:002011-06-15T21:29:18.070-07:00Algarden Cafe Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had our first Algarden Cafe "Candlelight Dinner" at the Zomicile and it was beautiful!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm really delighted with the outcome, it was delicious and charming. And overall I believe everybody had a really good time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want to start by thanking the team that made this possible. Starting from the left Pei-Yee working on the awesome desserts, Chef Stephanie did and outstanding job converting my veggies into delicious culinary combinations and the amazing Rob Bell, who made the tables, the Algarden cafe sign, helped me set up and bar-tended.Thank you so much! I also want to thank Giancarlo Muscardini, our head farmer, who was not able to make it to the dinner, but he is a huge part of making all this food a reality.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ReKTWt1IfVo/TffoDBEbjlI/AAAAAAAAD70/HuasN1aRHTU/s1600/IMG_1809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ReKTWt1IfVo/TffoDBEbjlI/AAAAAAAAD70/HuasN1aRHTU/s1600/IMG_1809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ReKTWt1IfVo/TffoDBEbjlI/AAAAAAAAD70/HuasN1aRHTU/s1600/IMG_1809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ReKTWt1IfVo/TffoDBEbjlI/AAAAAAAAD70/HuasN1aRHTU/s320/IMG_1809.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here is the spread</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Grilled favas</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lettuces, strawberries, blue cheese, edible flowers</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Red beets, beet greens, chard, chives</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dinosaur and russian kale, lemon, borage</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Daikon radish, radish greens, preserved lemons, arugula</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Parsnips, chipotle aioli, parsley, lemon</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">French lentils, fava greens, onions, roasted potatoes, eggs</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The flower arrangements came from the garden too, cilantro and carrot flowers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The desserts were equally impressive</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was really delicious and people were happy and excited to be participating in this true farm to table experience</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The setting was lovely and I was amazed at the incredible combination of flavors and the amount of food that we got from the garden. We served dinner for 20.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is how the veggies looked before, freshly harvested the night before the dinner</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We talked about our mission for doing this work and bringing people closer to their food source. In this case the produce traveled 13 miles, a mere one percent of the national average for any food item on the grocery store!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was very happy to see every body enjoying themselves and I'm looking forward to planning another one later this summer</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep your eyes open for the next Algarden dinner, you do not want to miss it!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you very much!</span></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-44767901664312095212011-06-01T18:16:00.000-07:002011-06-01T18:29:53.542-07:00Algarden Candle Light Dinner<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm joining forces with <a href="http://chef-stephanie.com/">Chef Stephanie</a> for this special farm to table candle light dinner </span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What: An </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>abundant buffet dinner</b></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When: Thursday<span style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px;">, June 9th at 7:00pm</span>. Limited Space, RSVP through your spot here:</span></b></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where: The </b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Zomicile</span><b> 2149 Harrison St. (At 18th St. Mission District, SF)</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>How Much: Dinner is $30 + cash bar (non alcoholic mint iced tea included)</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those of you who have not experienced the Algarden because it was in the East Bay, you now get to enjoy it in the Mission, as a 4 course candle lit dinner at the Zomicile, Foodscaping's new home.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are unfamiliar with the Algarden cafe history and Mission here is a little bit of background.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the winter of 2010, after two years of working the soils at the Algarden, we had a bounty of food, way more than what I and the neighbors could eat. I teamed up with Julia Abbassi creator of the community supported bread box "Pandora's box" to collectively advance our passions for urban agriculture and local food production through the establishment of the Algarden Café. We prepared meals that celebrate local agriculture, fresh ingredients harvested at the peak of ripeness, and strengthened of the relationship between producers and consumers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 13px;">For this event I'm joining forces with Chef Stephanie. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 15px;">Chef Stephanie's cuisine honors the organic, local and seasonal ingredients abundant in the bay area. Her approach to cooking is with a balance of positive intention and playful ingenuity.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The meals for the Algarden cafe are composed nearly entirely of fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, honey and eggs from the garden, and each course is intended to showcase the ingredients so customers can fully appreciate the flavor, texture and experience of eating farm-fresh food. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Algarden Cafe’s goal is to build community and increase awareness and value for locally produced, organic fare through the common medium of food. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Join us fot the Algarden cafe dinner in San Francisco on Thursday June 9th.</span></h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">RSVP at </span><a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1609282407"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1609282407</span></a></div>
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</div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-10604559837944587362011-05-31T08:21:00.000-07:002011-06-02T14:14:19.536-07:00Irrigation work Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank you so much to everyone who made it out to our work party on May 7th. We had a great day and got a lot done.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Special Thanks to Jose de Jesus Leal, who arrived with a huge amount of irrigation materials which he donated to the Algarden and he helped us get started with the irrigation process.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The water for the Algarden, as I have mentioned before, comes from Giancarlo's house next door. One of the first projects at the Algarden was rerouting the water line and installing 3 hose-bibs. We used one of those to set the irrigation line.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alex and Megan were amazing helpers in digging the irrigation trench</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At one point Alex, in his usual inquisitive skeptical self, asked if adding all that plastic tubbing for the irrigation was congruent with permaculture principles. Giancarlo who was walking by and heard the question jumped in to answer with a big YES, because having that irrigation was going to free us from having to spend 3 hours everyday watering the garden, and that is a huge energy saving. I also added that drip irrigation is a lot more water efficient and we do not loose any water to evaporation. I think he was satisfied with the answer.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We also worked on building another raised planter bed. We are doing this because we have a pretty bad slug infestation which makes it impossible for us to get plants started from seed, the slugs just eat them away. So Giancarlo's brilliant solution to this is having a cooper edge on the wood and that way the slugs can not enter the planting beds and eat our starts.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Almudena and Lisa did a great job at pruning the fruit trees</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jaime was the sheet mulching star! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The garden is looking great and it is thanks to all of your help. Thank you so much for helping us keep this garden going!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You never leave empty handed when you visit the Algarden.</span></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-45634706854936893732011-05-20T10:22:00.000-07:002011-05-20T10:31:44.823-07:00Varroa mites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ez4G7l8MLGA/TcHJuuhmCKI/AAAAAAAAD4s/pEElpVnMVTA/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ez4G7l8MLGA/TcHJuuhmCKI/AAAAAAAAD4s/pEElpVnMVTA/s400/026.JPG" width="400" /> </span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bees have been a wonderful addition to my life. I can say that I have been forever change because of them, my perception of the world, the environment and relations has been altered in a way that can not be undone. I continue to learn and bee amazed by them. However, this no simple hobby. I jumped into becoming a bee keeper without much thought and with the understanding that bees are easy, you just get the boxes going, they do their thing, and then you just take the honey. WRONG!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps, there was a time when it was that simple but, Veroa mites have really changed everything in bee keeping. There are chemical ways to treat the mites but the mites have become resistant and are now a huge problem affecting our bees. I had a mite problem last year and a tried the powder sugar method and it kind off work keeping the mite levels down but they were not gone. however I got away with it. But this year the problem can not be avoided any more, I have a serious mite infestation. I knew this because I could see many bees with deformed wings. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you can see in this images, the mites get into the larva cells to lay their eggs. And they cal lay up to 4 or 5 eggs per cell, they especially like to do it on the drone cells because they have the same incubation period. The mites attach to the pupa and feed from it which cause the bees to hatch with deformed wings.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This are drone cells which were completely infested with mites. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tried to remove all the drone cells from the hive and then fed them to the chickens</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The chickens love it!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So that takes care of some of the mites, but there are still a lot of them in the hive, and lots of them attached to the bees. I was resistant to using any chemicals to treat the mites, I have read and heard all kinds of information, everybody has a different opinion. It is hard to know what to trust, so I'm going with my intuition and with the comfort of knowing that this is the process of learning and some mistakes can be made on that process. All I knew for sure was that I had to do something with those mites. I went to a lecture by Randy Oliver from Scientific bee keeper and he pointed out that although mites themselves won't kill your hive, their presence will debilitate your hive and can be a factor to cause its death. He suggested a few natural miticides made out of acids and oils. You can read all about them here. </span></div>
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<a href="http://scientificbeekeeping.com/varroa-management/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://scientificbeekeeping.com/varroa-management/</span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I decided to use <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Apilife VAR mostly because of all of his suggestions this seemed like the easiest to apply and after some research it seemed to be a safe option. It is a tablet made out of concentrated Tymol oil. The bees are resistant to the amount of oil but the mites are not so they leave the hive. I used half of the recommended amount and repeated the treatment after 10 days. Here is a research paper I found on this product used in Switzerland.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.culturaapicola.com.ar/apuntes/sanidad/varroa/timol_varroa_i.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.culturaapicola.com.ar/apuntes/sanidad/varroa/timol_varroa_i.pdf</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I broke the tablets into small pieces and placed it on top of the brood. I did noticed that the bees moved away, the smell is strong and the bees did not like it. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm very happy to report that after the treatment, I have not seen any mites. Lets hope it stays like that.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After I finished dealing with the mite problem on Stella, I checked on Gloria (the new captured swarm) and noticed that there was no queen, not sure how that happened but I could not find a queen and there were no eggs so I knew there was no queen. I immediately got on the phone to try an order a queen and everybody in California and Hawaii was sold out till mid June. I could not wait that long so I needed to have the bees make a new queen. Any fertilized egg can be made into a queen, the bees feed that egg royal jelly and make a bigger cell for a queen and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;">Voilà</em></span> you got a queen. The problem is getting that queen to survive her nuptial flight and get fertilized. And then not knowing who she's mating so you do not have any guarantees on the type of bees that you will have, the queen can mate with up to 10 different drones. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is another one of those controversial issues in bee keeping. Ideally you want to have a mated queen that is hygienic, mite resistant, and docile. But then, there is the other argument you want to develop genetic diversity in your hive and have bees that can adapt to your local environment. Yes, I want both, I do not have an answer on this issue. As I was dealing with the mites on the other hive, I could see the benefit of having a mite resistant breed, but at this moment I had no choice, I had to take the risk and try to get a queen made by my bees.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To do this I had to transfer a frame with fertile eggs from Stella (who has a queen) to Gloria (Queen-less)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I checked the brood on Stella I found a few queen cells already made. This was good news for Gloria, I queen was already being made so I transfered those frames.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But it was bad news for me, having queen cells is an indication that the hive is ready to swarm.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ideally you want to prevent your hive from swarming, so I took a few brood frames and moved them over to Gloria and placed empty frames in Stella giving her more room to grow and hopefully preventing it from swarming.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Queen cells, as you can see in this picture, are much bigger than a regular bee pupa cell</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the reflection of the sun on the nectar in this images</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were two queen cells in this frame and a some fertilized eggs, I hope Gloria gets a queen soon. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spring is a very busy time for a bee keeper, if you are thinking of becoming a bee keeper allow yourself plenty of bee time in the spring. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you very much to Aimee Goggins who took the mite close up pictures and the picture of me in action. </span></div>
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<br /></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-71164603411212723192011-04-22T19:52:00.000-07:002011-04-22T19:52:59.517-07:00Urban Homesteading- The book<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">My friend Ruby Blume from the Institute of Urban Homesteading along with Rachel Kaplan wrote this beautiful book on urban homesteading</span></div>
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<a href="http://urban-homesteading.org/">http://urban-homesteading.org/</a><br />
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The book is awesome, full of colorful pictures and great description on how to do things and why to do them, they have a good explanation on the politics of why to do this type of work, join this movement and remove your self as much as you can from the established system.<br />
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The most exciting part of this book, for me, is that there is a write up about me and the work that I have been doing at the Algarden with Giancarlo<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Here is what they wrote about me, Giancarlo and our project at the Algarden. Enjoy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"Patricia Algara is a landscape architect who practices urban agriculture on a double lot in Berkeley,
CA that she borrows from a
neighbor. Having come from a family of farmers in Mexico, working the land is
instinctive to Patricia, but when she came to this country, she felt
overwhelmed by the difficulties of finding a place to farm. During a winter
storm a fence got blown away revealing an empty lot with perfect sun exposure
two blocks from where she works. She met Giancarlo Muscardini the neighbor to the right of the unused lot, she asked him about the empty space that was a huge contrast to his own lush garden, edible garden and orchard. He knew the neighbors and had dreamed of doing something on the next-door site for a long time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"It drove him crazy to see the neighbors mowing the weeds
every other week. So together we wrote a formal proposal for the use of the
land," Patricia recalls. “We met with the neighbors. They were excited but
had some issues. I had a lawyer draft an agreement so they aren’t liable if
anyone gets hurt. They didn’t want an open community garden, so they fenced the
property in a way to keep it private for them and usable for us. I have keys and can bring people and we
have work parties and events, but always in collaboration with the owners’
needs.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Together,
Patricia and Giancarlo designed and built the garden. During the first work was done on setting up infrastructure—putting in a
greenhouse, and garden beds, but mostly amending the soil which was really hard
clay so that things could grow. Water was piped into the garden from
Giancarlo’s place next door. “When we first started, it was all grass so we had
a lot of work to do," Patricia says. "It’s been two years and it’s finally a working garden. We
sheet mulched, and did compost and used a chicken tractor and did what we could
to build the soil. Everything here is done through permaculture principles and
the soils are much better now. They can still improve, but now they are
productive and there’s a lot of food.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Patricia and Giancarlo get food from the
garden, as do the owners and people who live in the units below Giancarlo’s
house. To share the excess produce, Patricia hosts an informal Friday lunch where
all the food is prepared using the fruits and vegetables from the garden. The
food gets harvested the night before to assure the freshest and most ripe
flavors. The menu changes every week depending on what's in season. The lunch
is also an opportunity to show people how the vegetables plants look while they are growing, their
benefits to the garden and their nutritional properties, is mostly a way to
expose people to local, organic, fresh flavors and get them excited to grow
their own food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> As this demonstration urban farm project keeps growing, Giancarlo is inspired to deepen the permaculture design of the garden, as well as his own garden on the other side of the fence. He’s looking toward planting more fruit trees, trees which can be coppiced (cut back to encourage the growth of straight suckers which can be used for building and garden projects), a more evolved food forest, and planting biomass-producing trees which add further nutrients to the soil. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Patricia’s success with this garden leads her to work on food security projects in Richmond, one of the most impoverished communities in the Bay Area. “The more I learn, the more I see how this needs to happen everywhere" she says. "It is so daunting at an environmental level to understand what is going on, and sometimes it feels like a huge thing I can’t do anything about. But growing food is something I CAN do."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The more research I do, the more I see what a big impact food production has on so many aspects of the environment. We can have an impact every time we eat, breaking away from industrial agriculture, the fuel to transport the food, and the toxins that are used to grow it. If everyone grew something, one little small thing, it would matter. Food is basic. We need it 3 times a day. At least! Even if you just have a little window, you can grow mint. And that’s one less thing to buy at the store.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> “Food is the gateway drug to a more sustainable lifestyle. You start to become aware of the cycles of nature, the cycle of the moon, what’s happening with the seasons and the climate, and you start to pay attention to the world. And it has a trickle down effect—just doing this changes your behavior. It happened to me. Seeing this garden and the changes it’s brought me makes me want to work so that more people can see this and do this. And it’s not that hard. It’s a basic human thing. It’s easy and we should all be doing it."<br /><br />Here is a scanned version of how the page looks on the book. I highly recommend you buy the book, it is a great resource.</span><br />
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<br /></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-3204313318251685952011-04-17T18:24:00.000-07:002011-04-18T08:06:35.600-07:00Capturing a swarm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is not every day that a swarm of bees finds you.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last Tuesday as I was walking to work, Luis, one of the day laborers on the Algarden street, who sometimes helps us out at the garden, ran to me and asked me if I wanted I swarm of bees. It was early and I was still waking up so I was trying to understand. what, where, when how?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So he explained that a swarm had landed at the base of an avocado tree on the yard of his friend and that he could take me over if I wanted to go capture it.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQ8ksQZP9ro/TaZACvaMjBI/AAAAAAAAD1E/HGHa8c2ZtcQ/s1600/2011-04-12+12.37.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQ8ksQZP9ro/TaZACvaMjBI/AAAAAAAAD1E/HGHa8c2ZtcQ/s320/2011-04-12+12.37.11.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my hives died over the winter so I was down to one hive. I had been thinking of getting a second one but had not had the time and mental bandwidth to coordinate it. I think it is always good to have at least two hives, that way if you loose one you can always make a split and continue being a bee keeper. In my case, my hives are named after my grandmothers, Stella and Gloria, and I would not want to be without either of them. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This event was very serendipitous.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had an extra small box at the garden so I went to grab it along with my suit and smoker and off I went with Luis and Maria (who took all this pictures and videos - Many thanks!) to find the bees. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xjpKr9nhFbI/TaZAFqOnqCI/AAAAAAAAD1I/0_fWDonEXig/s1600/2011-04-12+12.37.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xjpKr9nhFbI/TaZAFqOnqCI/AAAAAAAAD1I/0_fWDonEXig/s320/2011-04-12+12.37.49.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So exciting, there were about 10,000 to 20,000 bees hanging on to the leg of a plastic chair, the owner of the house put this wood box over them to protect them and his kids from being stung.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b28J31sbhwI/TaZBI99f3CI/AAAAAAAAD1M/1uibW1L-Lw8/s1600/2011-04-12+12.41.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b28J31sbhwI/TaZBI99f3CI/AAAAAAAAD1M/1uibW1L-Lw8/s320/2011-04-12+12.41.58.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OKe_DFfvwrk/TaZBMZ5GS-I/AAAAAAAAD1Q/wtOfnfnaOqg/s1600/2011-04-12+12.42.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OKe_DFfvwrk/TaZBMZ5GS-I/AAAAAAAAD1Q/wtOfnfnaOqg/s320/2011-04-12+12.42.36.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I grabbed first a piece of wood that had a good bunch of them and moved them to the box, I could tell the queen was not there because they were not staying they were flying back to the chair leg.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9cpE8mGdAc/TaZBQoqjN0I/AAAAAAAAD1U/aVMS83JyfB8/s1600/2011-04-12+12.43.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9cpE8mGdAc/TaZBQoqjN0I/AAAAAAAAD1U/aVMS83JyfB8/s320/2011-04-12+12.43.13.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I pulled the chair out carefully and placed the leg on top of the box and jerked it so that most bees fell into the box. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hqa9n465FAg/TaZBVNHP-mI/AAAAAAAAD1Y/WUE0y98_Ke0/s1600/2011-04-12+12.44.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hqa9n465FAg/TaZBVNHP-mI/AAAAAAAAD1Y/WUE0y98_Ke0/s320/2011-04-12+12.44.11.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I could tell the queen was there because the bees were staying on the box this time. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YdyG4YgFpLM/TaZBf23LNrI/AAAAAAAAD1c/FMCZpmEQN3o/s1600/2011-04-12+12.46.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YdyG4YgFpLM/TaZBf23LNrI/AAAAAAAAD1c/FMCZpmEQN3o/s320/2011-04-12+12.46.04.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However there were still a lot of bees on the other box that needed to be moved to my box.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wFbt9jafXwg/TaZBsDUH2tI/AAAAAAAAD1g/xnOe0AJDfvs/s1600/2011-04-12+12.48.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wFbt9jafXwg/TaZBsDUH2tI/AAAAAAAAD1g/xnOe0AJDfvs/s320/2011-04-12+12.48.02.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used a piece of cardboard to carefully pick up the bees and move them to my box.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OpFLF6lweb4/TaZB2PJJOKI/AAAAAAAAD1k/K9RYekJxJV0/s1600/2011-04-12+12.53.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OpFLF6lweb4/TaZB2PJJOKI/AAAAAAAAD1k/K9RYekJxJV0/s320/2011-04-12+12.53.17.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And there is most of them</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8MOsK-uN3As/TaZB4IJeEEI/AAAAAAAAD1o/qN2mvgfZYog/s1600/2011-04-12+12.53.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8MOsK-uN3As/TaZB4IJeEEI/AAAAAAAAD1o/qN2mvgfZYog/s320/2011-04-12+12.53.26.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hard to tell exactly how many but a lot!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BwdKAxi6ZGU/TaZCCYe2LqI/AAAAAAAAD1s/ynKiabg_OJk/s1600/2011-04-12+13.00.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BwdKAxi6ZGU/TaZCCYe2LqI/AAAAAAAAD1s/ynKiabg_OJk/s320/2011-04-12+13.00.38.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I covered the box and Luis helped me to tie it up and take it back to the Algarden.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Luis was pretty excited to be a part of the action, his son-in-law is a beekeeper in Guatemala so he is used to being around bees and I think this brought back some good memories for him.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-at7UXVbMnxY/TaZCHdAjP5I/AAAAAAAAD1w/7sURu2SQ254/s1600/2011-04-12+13.07.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-at7UXVbMnxY/TaZCHdAjP5I/AAAAAAAAD1w/7sURu2SQ254/s320/2011-04-12+13.07.34.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I left the 5 frame box with only two frames for two days. I had to build new frames so it took me a while, but after two days I came back to transfer the bees from the small box to a full 10 frame box and I had all the frames ready to go. This video shows what we found when I opened the box, the bees had already built a beautiful comb on the empty space of the box and it already had some nectar and pollen. Very hard working bees.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yHP6UVZs4II?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/JHuMsjL_hOs/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JHuMsjL_hOs?f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's good to have Stella and Gloria back together at the Algarden. Welcome!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many thanks to Maria for taking pictures and video and to Luis for his help and for connecting me with the bees. </span></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-29704630849138440682011-04-17T16:52:00.000-07:002011-04-17T16:52:49.754-07:00Arigato gozaimasu Japan!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">PechaKucha was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creative worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace.</span> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.pecha-kucha.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.pecha-kucha.org/</span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This month's PechaKucha was a special world wide fundraiser for the earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, with the theme "Inspire Japan." </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was invited to present my work and even though it was lots of work to prepare I was very happy to thread the story of how I have been inspired by Japan to do the work that I do. It was beautiful to have an opportunity to go back and look through my over 2000 pictures of Japan and remember my time in that beautiful country.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is the 20 slides that I created and the text for each slide below.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I was
being born and my family was waiting for me looking at babies in the nursery
room, my grandfather kept commenting on the cute Japanese baby. When the nurse
came out to correct him, I was the Japanese baby.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I’m
not Japanese, I just have small eyes. But that has not kept me from fully embracing
Japanese culture. Geisha and Hello Kitty
are just some of the characters that I have impersonated and I often dream of
becoming an anime heroine and fly the skies with Astro boy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">My first
summer of graduate school I went to Kyoto to study Japanese gardens. I was in
heaven, spending my days strolling through some of the most beautiful gardens
in the world. There are 4 basic types of gardens in Japan: Pond garden, Zen
garden, Tea ceremony and Paradise garden.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However most
of them share elements, particularly as it relates to traditional Japanese architecture
built to frame the landscape, and the raised floor which can be used for
sitting and observing. This creates a connection with nature, a place to
contemplate the change of the seasons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yhtubMRozTU/Tat0eIpL8NI/AAAAAAAAD2k/HtSLwuaSVok/s1600/PA_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yhtubMRozTU/Tat0eIpL8NI/AAAAAAAAD2k/HtSLwuaSVok/s400/PA_005.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another
characteristic of Japanese architecture is no walls, so the inside and the
outside are always connected. The landscape is intended to be seen from a
seating position; the layout design of the tatami mat is an important element
of the space. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ojmODZ0Rec8/Tat0fI21CfI/AAAAAAAAD2o/P7rABkvpEZY/s1600/PA_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ojmODZ0Rec8/Tat0fI21CfI/AAAAAAAAD2o/P7rABkvpEZY/s400/PA_006.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Paths
are an important element of the garden, they are set in a naturalistic way to
make you feel as if you are in the country side, a place to relax and forget
the city. Paths create the transition mood in people to prepare them for the
tea ceremony. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Stepping
stones need to be placed for short stride considering a woman in a Kimono.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BzKaxJJGTg4/Tat0gPSlxsI/AAAAAAAAD2s/1VH_pi7Sjn0/s1600/PA_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BzKaxJJGTg4/Tat0gPSlxsI/AAAAAAAAD2s/1VH_pi7Sjn0/s400/PA_007.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Barrowed
scenery is another common element where gardens take advantage of the mountains
beyond the property. Beyond the walls of the rock garden are cherries, maple,
evergreen trees and pines that change through the seasons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NSEpHkVmMiw/Tat0hRmstYI/AAAAAAAAD2w/7XJRJrrrcO4/s1600/PA_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NSEpHkVmMiw/Tat0hRmstYI/AAAAAAAAD2w/7XJRJrrrcO4/s400/PA_008.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Zen gardens
represent different elements in nature. Gravel represents the ocean; the racking
represents the ripples in the water. Rocks represent mountains or different animals based on their
arrangement and the mounds of grass represent the land.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kHsXNJ4YdHM/Tat0iOCUfjI/AAAAAAAAD20/CLBciIP31ZM/s1600/PA_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kHsXNJ4YdHM/Tat0iOCUfjI/AAAAAAAAD20/CLBciIP31ZM/s400/PA_009.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You must
always have a washing basin in front of the tea house to wash hands and mouth
to purify yourself before having tea. Another important element is having a
place for fire to heat the water and a sink to wash the bowls.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n9V3ubLZnSY/Tat0jaQfD3I/AAAAAAAAD24/fdqTcKyljDw/s1600/PA_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n9V3ubLZnSY/Tat0jaQfD3I/AAAAAAAAD24/fdqTcKyljDw/s400/PA_010.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My first
real project out of school was a play area for a school in Tokyo. The project senior
designer of the project said to me “you have been to Japan and studies gardens,
you can design a tea house right?” And I confidently nodded but ran back to
look at my notes in panic. This was exciting and yet terrifying. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EZZyYzXxl-8/Tat0k_4TVoI/AAAAAAAAD28/eh4Rj8FMmFg/s1600/PA_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EZZyYzXxl-8/Tat0k_4TVoI/AAAAAAAAD28/eh4Rj8FMmFg/s400/PA_011.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The tea house
for this project was to be an outdoor classroom and the garden a play area with
borrowed scenery of play equipment. The tea house had to stand to the test of
hundreds of kids, and meet American ADA regulations so traditional materials
like paper walls and paths with stepping stones were out of the question.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R_58R3Z5BFE/Tat0l2J_lLI/AAAAAAAAD3A/pjZ6td0ikxs/s1600/PA_012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R_58R3Z5BFE/Tat0l2J_lLI/AAAAAAAAD3A/pjZ6td0ikxs/s400/PA_012.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We tried to
incorporate as many traditional elements in our outdoor classroom/ tea house
but using different materials and being creative about the representation. The
wash basing was a rain water catchment. The path was an ADA ramp to the
elevated platform. The concrete floor was scored in the same size and pattern
as a tatami mat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5K8Amnk5IL0/Tat0m30GZRI/AAAAAAAAD3E/3x2VUlOcHlM/s1600/PA_013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5K8Amnk5IL0/Tat0m30GZRI/AAAAAAAAD3E/3x2VUlOcHlM/s400/PA_013.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our garden had
a climbing wall and a play mountain to provide space for seating and gathering.
A “river” flowed from the mountain into an ocean of sand play area with rippling
concrete colors. Instead of stepping stones there were characters scored in the
concrete.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SxNphUo9eG8/Tat0n0lxnEI/AAAAAAAAD3I/n0BWYVmc-5s/s1600/PA_014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SxNphUo9eG8/Tat0n0lxnEI/AAAAAAAAD3I/n0BWYVmc-5s/s400/PA_014.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Working
on this project was great but it also confronted me with the realities of working
for a landscape design studio – Lots of time in front of the computer! As I
searched my notes and looked through my pictures I kept being reminded of the
Japanese idea of connecting people with nature, building restaurants on top of
rivers, eating next to waterfalls.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dtCtFobdiLw/Tat0ozoZ31I/AAAAAAAAD3M/JcbMCv9_MqI/s1600/PA_015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dtCtFobdiLw/Tat0ozoZ31I/AAAAAAAAD3M/JcbMCv9_MqI/s400/PA_015.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eating
with and in nature, growing food in the city. Feeling nature, being surrounded
by it. I realized how much I needed that connection with nature in my own life.
So I began searching for land and during a winter storm a fence was blown away
revealing an empty lot 2 blocks away from my work.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zvPfSSU8Y5g/Tat0pzJvrfI/AAAAAAAAD3Q/VmgwbBN8P6A/s1600/PA_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zvPfSSU8Y5g/Tat0pzJvrfI/AAAAAAAAD3Q/VmgwbBN8P6A/s400/PA_016.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I meet the
neighbor of the empty lot who had been dreaming about doing something with it.
Together we designed and drafter a phasing plans to present to the owners. They
liked the idea but had some liability concerns so we got a legal agreement and
they allowed us to use the space to grow food.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QIj-mmUofmg/Tat0rKo24LI/AAAAAAAAD3U/CLxeDzGNXOk/s1600/PA_017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QIj-mmUofmg/Tat0rKo24LI/AAAAAAAAD3U/CLxeDzGNXOk/s400/PA_017.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had lots
of help from friends and neighbors to convert the space into a beautiful
garden. We composted to build soil nutrients, planted seeds, got chickens and
bees and created a habitat for pollinators.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7o8d1yGRNlE/Tat0sI3nToI/AAAAAAAAD3Y/4SqljX7O8Pw/s1600/PA_018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7o8d1yGRNlE/Tat0sI3nToI/AAAAAAAAD3Y/4SqljX7O8Pw/s400/PA_018.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After two
years we had an abundance of food from the garden, more that we could eat. So
inspired by the Japanese idea of eating in nature, my friend Julia and I started
the Algarden café, an informal Friday lunch at the garden with food from the
garden.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rr1UV4J367Y/Tat0tYfFIiI/AAAAAAAAD3c/pcSl7EDrQjs/s1600/PA_019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rr1UV4J367Y/Tat0tYfFIiI/AAAAAAAAD3c/pcSl7EDrQjs/s400/PA_019.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The lunch is
an opportunity to show people how the vegetable plants look while they are
growing, their benefits to the garden and their nutritional value. Mostly the
lunches are a way to expose people to local, organic, fresh flavors, get them
excited about growing their own food and outside connecting with nature and one
another.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u2yf3ntR0VM/Tat0uRsGgGI/AAAAAAAAD3g/HdFyfoDLZd0/s1600/PA_020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u2yf3ntR0VM/Tat0uRsGgGI/AAAAAAAAD3g/HdFyfoDLZd0/s400/PA_020.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food is the
gateway drug to a more sustainable life style. You start to become aware of the
cycles of nature, the moon, the seasons, and climate. It changes your behavior.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got
inspired by Japan to do this work and I hope my work can inspire Japan to
rebuild and restore its beautiful nation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Arigato
gozaimasu Japan!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
</div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-39200520632199325442011-04-10T22:49:00.000-07:002011-04-10T22:50:51.748-07:00Preserving Mayer Lemons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As every good Mexican, I love limes! I put lime juice on pretty much everything, limes are wonderful.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have now discovered Meyer lemons and I have to say, there is something really special about them, they are tart yet sweet and their peel is almost as good as the juice. They are delicious.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I also have an abundance of them so I'm always looking for new recipes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F84wumS_VSk/TS-Nhl2v0GI/AAAAAAAADwo/q3FZ4qHuXxE/s1600/Pecha+Kucha-+Garden+133.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F84wumS_VSk/TS-Nhl2v0GI/AAAAAAAADwo/q3FZ4qHuXxE/s320/Pecha+Kucha-+Garden+133.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Mayer lemons (<i>Citrus × meyeri</i>) is a citrus fruit native to China thought to be a cross between a true lemon and either a mandarin or common orange.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">It is great to have such an abundance of this wonderful fruit but I needed to figure out how to preserve it. I looked up recipes for mayer lemon preserving and found a few, I'm trying them all.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F84wumS_VSk/TS-NJgX3PpI/AAAAAAAADvk/oVux7QhpRnc/s320/3_16_10_+Site+Visit+005.jpg" width="320" /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm starting with Limoncello, I have done this before and it is pretty easy, it also makes for great conversation when shared with friends. Peel the lemons and add the peels to the vodka, let it sit for about 40 days in a dark area and enjoy with simple syrup. I hope this one will be ready for my friend Juan's wedding. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I made two types, I added mint leaves to one and scented geranium to the other for a more herbal flavor</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it is also a good reuse for tequila bottles...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So now the question is what to do with all this left over lemons with no peel.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lemon Jam!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You have to completely take out the white part to avoid bitterness and add other lemons with peel for flavor. Just take off the ends and cut them in very fine slices.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mix that with sugar and cook at low heat. I added ginger slices too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let it simmer until it looks cooked</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And jar them</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's great on toast</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also did some Moroccan lemon preserves, which is kind of like pickling them. To make the preserves the lemons get cut in 4 (like a cross from top) but not all the way and then stuff them with sea salt. They are placed on a glass jar and covered with lemon juice. They do not get boiled on the jars, they will ferment and the jars need to be opened every week or so to allow the air to get out. It is hard to know at first if it is working or not because they are fermenting and it seems as if things are not working but if you are patient and wait two months your lemons will be ready. I made a few jars with different spices, chili peepers, bay leaves, coriander, cinnamon.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once the are ready I chop them up small and use them in pasta or to marinate fish or chicken. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They will last all year on the jars, no need to refrigerate,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another way to preserve lemons, which I learned today from a client, is juicing them and putting the juice on ice trays to freeze, and then keeping the cubes on a freezer bag. That way the cubes can be thawed and used whenever they are necessary.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take advantage of the lemon abundance now by preserving them and enjoy them all year.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good luck and send me some more recipes if you have them.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-70904370738493665182011-03-20T20:58:00.000-07:002011-03-20T21:06:45.621-07:00Algarden Cafe debut in SF<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Algarden Candelight Dinner</span></h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What: 4 course <span style="color: teal;">Vegetarian dinner</span>, featuring mustard greens, snap peas, kale, chard, cabbage and meyer lemons<br />When: Saturday<span style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388;">, March 26th at 7:00pm</span>. Limited Space, RSVP by<span style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388;"> </span><span style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px;">Wednesday morning</span><br />Where: The <span style="color: teal;">Zomicile</span> 2149 Harrison St. (At 18th St. Mission District, SF)<br />How Much: Dinner is $30 + cash bar (non alcoholic mint iced tea included)</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good news City people: the Algarden Cafe is coming to you!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those of you who have not experienced the Algarden because it was in the East Bay and on a week day, you now get to enjoy it in the Mission, on a weekend night as a 4 course candle lit dinner in the Zomicile, Foodscaping's new home.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are unfamiliar with the Algarden cafe history and Mission here is a little bit of background.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the winter of 2010, after two years of working the soils at the Algarden, we had a bounty of food, way more than what I and the neighbors could eat. I teamed up with Julia Abbassi creator of the community supported bread "Pandora's box" to collectively advance our passions for urban agriculture and local food production through the establishment of the Algarden Café. We prepared meals that celebrate local agriculture, fresh ingredients harvested at the peak of ripeness, and strengthened of the relationship between producers and consumers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately Julia had to move away but chefs Rachel Brand and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; line-height: 13px;">Anna McGaraghan took over and were able to continue the tradition with new recipes.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The meals are composed nearly entirely of fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, honey and eggs from the garden, and each course is intended to showcase the ingredients so customers can fully appreciate the flavor, texture and experience of eating farm-fresh food. The lunches are served at the garden itself and include an educational lesson, which typically focus on the ingredients used in the meal. Topics have included seed saving, cross-pollination, the wide world of Brassicas, the use of chickens in a garden for fertilizer, pest management and egg production.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Algarden Cafe’s goal is to build community and increase awareness and value for locally produced, organic fare through the common medium of food. The café is a small-scale endeavor but since its inception we have attracted a wide range of customers, some already interested in local food and others who have become interested since experiencing the café and eating in the garden. We have also catered for a local conference on Regenerative Landscapes in Urban Areas for staff from cities of the greater Bay Area. At the conference, our</span></div>
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Join us fot the Algarden cafe in San Francisco this Saturday.</h4>
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RSVP by Wednesday to patricia@food-scaping.com</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-51048507659865941662011-02-14T13:39:00.000-08:002011-02-14T13:39:27.592-08:00Blessed Bee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After 2 years of being a bee tenderer, I finally decided it was time to join the <a href="http://www.sfbee.org/About_Us.html">San Francisco Bee Keepers Association</a>. Over this last two years I have read and researched a lot about bees, I have gone to classes and workshops, and I have asked many questions to a lot of people. I went into this with pretty much zero knowledge and two years later I can tell you I know a lot about bees, but as with most things in life, there comes a point when you know so much to realize that you don't know anything.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week as I was inspecting my new hive 'Gloria' I noticed something really odd. There were multiple eggs per cell. See the picture below, you can see the multiple eggs per cell.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This can happen when working bees start laying eggs if there is no queen. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0a7okL9QtvY/TVmOxXzG38I/AAAAAAAADyw/AomZEeaE2wk/s1600/close+up+multiple+eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0a7okL9QtvY/TVmOxXzG38I/AAAAAAAADyw/AomZEeaE2wk/s320/close+up+multiple+eggs.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was not the case with my hive because the queen was present in the hive. Here's a picture of my lovely queen. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrug8SDi16U/TVmQ-h3I-2I/AAAAAAAADzE/4P7g5rN_7Lc/s1600/queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrug8SDi16U/TVmQ-h3I-2I/AAAAAAAADzE/4P7g5rN_7Lc/s320/queen.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a picture of a normal egg laying patter. Only one egg per cell.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did some research on this and I could not find any answers, so I went to the bee keepers meeting to ask the experts. Turns out they were just as perplexed as I was and did not know what was happening. One possible answer might be that because my queen is new (I got her last year in September at the end of the season, so she is just starting to lay eggs) she is still learning how to do this and might correct her behavior. Hopefully that is the case otherwise they recommended I get a new queen. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am happy I finally joined the SFBA, there was some really good information presented as well as the devastating news of so many hives dying in the city. It is really important to continue our efforts to learn and understand what is causing the deaths of this hives.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am looking forward to another year with my bees and continue to learn about them and contribute to the bee association.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206448639897066378.post-70167498732883208762011-02-05T19:42:00.000-08:002011-02-05T19:42:43.447-08:00Foodscaping the business is born<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friday February the 4th was the official birth date of Foodscaping as an official business. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found this to be an auspicious date as it was Chinese new years and a new moon, a good time to start new things. Plus spring is everywhere in the city and I can't help but feel inspired with so much beauty.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Foodscaping will offer design and installation of edible landscapes as well as consultation on any urban farming related issues.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been doing this for awhile but I have finally registered as a business. There are many factors for me doing this now, but one of the biggest ones is having a beautiful space to run my business from. Last month we signed the lease on a shop on Harrison St. and 18th which will be the headquarter for Foodscaping. I will be sharing the space with Rob Bell and we will eventually have a store/gallery selling local artist stuff as well as urban farming paraphernalia. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's lots of work to be done to remodel the space before we officially open it, but for now I want to invite you to celebrate the opening of my business and a soft launch of the space Tuesday night, starting at 6:30 at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;">2147 Harrison St.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope you can join us to celebrate the birth of Foodscaping.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a while since I have written. I have no good excuses, simply that I've been busy and unmotivated to write. Today after I heard Obama's speech on the attack in Tucson, I felt moved to write again, his words summed up what I have been feeling and have not been able to express.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a lot to tell about what has happened at the Algarden and what I did this fall. I taught a Foodscaping 101 class at the Algarden, built <a href="http://www.bootiesattva.blogspot.com/">Zonotopia</a> at burningman, taught a Social Factors in Design class at UC Berkeley Extension. But today I will focus this blog entry on the bee altar for Dia de Muertos that Rob and I built at Garfield park. While an altar might seem like an unrelated post to Foodscaping, I will try to explain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year was a difficult year for me, it was a year of hard decisions that kept me up at night. I had the opportunity to move back to my home town in Mexico and pursue a long time dream of researching the work of my grandfather while teaching Landscape Architecture at the State University, in the very same Architecture Department started by my grandfather and my great uncle. At the same time I was personally confronted with the reality of the devastating war on drugs. Something that had seemed far and unrelated to me became a reality check when my 15 year old cousin, Miguel Ramon "Mike" was abducted by members of organized crime.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I grappled with this reality and tried to make sense of the situation I realized that there are tens of thousands of people feeling like me, frustrated and powerless against a headless monster, victims of this senseless war and there is nothing we can do.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a tradition that bee keepers should always communicate good and bad news to theirs bees, so I have been doing that. I find it therapeutic, and during the most difficult part of my grief, it became a routine, a meditation, I would talk to my bees almost every day. Nothing made sense, but during my time with the bees the world would stop. I could tell them anything and their buzzing calmed me down.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interesting anecdote: I have rarely been stung by the bees, but on the day I told them I was considering moving to Mexico I got attacked like never before. Coincidence? or can the bees actually understand what I tell them? I don't know...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, in July the bees at Hayes Valley Farm were massacred. They were <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">sprayed with pesticides at the entrance of the hive, wiping out two thriving hives and killing about 60% of a third hive. I was quite shocked by the news, I still cannot understand why anyone would do such a thing. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">It</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">is bad enough to be losing our bees to Colony Collapse Disorder but this saddened me even more as I saw it as a vicious criminal act against innocent creatures.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">We had a ceremony for the lost bees at HVF shortly after it happened.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F84wumS_VSk/TSk5DnIwW2I/AAAAAAAADus/FsLrPnyQ2Tc/s1600/IMG_1480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F84wumS_VSk/TSk5DnIwW2I/AAAAAAAADus/FsLrPnyQ2Tc/s320/IMG_1480.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently became reacquainted with the term <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_ecology">social ecology </a>which </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">holds that "<i>present ecological problems are rooted in deep-seated social problems, particularly in dominatory hierarchical political and social systems.</i>" I thought about this as</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I grappled with the realities of organized crime in Mexico and the real reasons behind Colony Collapse Disorder. It became apparent that they are similar, both my cousin and the bees are victims of corruption at different magnitudes; victims of a big headless monster.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F84wumS_VSk/TSk5Tn5dQvI/AAAAAAAADuw/0ICOdpLK5WQ/s1600/IMG_1506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F84wumS_VSk/TSk5Tn5dQvI/AAAAAAAADuw/0ICOdpLK5WQ/s320/IMG_1506.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bee altar was my best attempt at building something beautiful to honor and celebrate the tradition of Dia de Muertos. I wanted to build an altar for the loss caused by organized crime in Mexico and for all the victims of this senseless war. I had a hard time conceptualizing the altar, I had a lot of pain on my heart, but</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted to keep the festive mood of the celebration. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so the altar became a hive, and it was dedicated to bees; to all the bees that we have lost due to Colony Collapse Disorder, and even more so for the bees that were killed at <a href="http://www.hayesvalleyfarm.com/blog/324-two-killed-and-one-attempt-at-the-farm.html">Hayes Valley Farm</a>. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One might say, metaphorically, the bees represent the souls of the innocent victims of senseless wars and conflicts.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We still don't know where Mike is. This altar was built thinking of him. I hope that he is at peace where ever he may be. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was hard to write, it is actually the third time that I have written it. The first time I wrote it, I was cynical and angry, but as I said in the beginning, I got inspired by Obama's speech and rewrote it because "we must speak to each other in a way that heals." I have had a lot of reflection on many fronts and just like Obama, I urge you not be discouraged and I ask you to look forward, to live your life to the fullest even when confronted with things that are beyond our understanding. See the beauty that surrounds us, and nurture the relationships of those who are still with us. Have kindness, generosity and compassion for all bee-ings. Let's live up to our children's expectations. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I leave you with this <a href="http://www.tonehammer.com/?p=5027">inspirational music made by bees</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and I ask you to sign this petition to ban the pesticides that are killing our bees</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees_usa/?rc=fb">http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees_usa/?rc=fb</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F84wumS_VSk/TSk68HaKHFI/AAAAAAAADvE/EjB53t6LOhI/s1600/IMG_9774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F84wumS_VSk/TSk68HaKHFI/AAAAAAAADvE/EjB53t6LOhI/s320/IMG_9774.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish I had a petition for you to sign that would stop the killings in Mexico...</span></div>
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<br /></div>Humming Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12268653826694355896noreply@blogger.com0