TGN Update 2021 07 04 - from Marjory uh, the fearless leader???
Hi,
Here is an update on a behind the scenes of TGN... or at least one project.
Hey, in the comments drop me a line is you have a question you would like answered, a project you think would be good for TGN to do, etc. I am going to try and create weekly updates.
Comments
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Very interesting.
I am familiar with the Koppen regions. I was amazed with what areas were simular to mine. A bit of a shock in ways and very interesting. It opened my mind what what other plants could grow in my area.
Looking forward to hearing more about this~
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@Marjory Wildcraft I’ve never heard of Koppen but look forward to hearing and seeing more. Take care Marjory. As a side, with a lot more people homesteading/hobby farming throughout the world, would it be possible to provide a Regenerative Agriculture course at TGN academy in the future?
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I love this idea and am super excited. I have not heard of Koppen before. I am in other groups of gardeners from my area, but they don’t always seem to be as helpful as everyone on here is.
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That sounds very interesting, great idea!
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Hi Jodie,
YOu know I think of almost everything we do here as regenerative agriculture, LOL. Are you looking for more specific topics like cover cropping, rotational grazing, livestock feed trees, growing compost crops? That kind of thing?
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Hi Gardeneto76, I've spent a lot of time looking into different systems for defining bioregions. Some permaculture type naming systems such as "post oak savannah" or "blackland prarie" are very accurate but I would bet that almost everyone living in those regions have no clue what it means. Other systems had way too many divisions and not workable from that perspective.
I gotta say, I found a lot of ecological textbooks are really boring. And that's a shame.
For a while I was thinking I might have to make up my own system and drilled it down to temperature ranges and rainfall patterns as the key drivers for plant life. And as you know, the plant life dictates animal life, fiber, building, heating, all sorts of local possibilities and limitations. I was working on how to define those key factors, and especially how to make it easy for anyone to be able to identify where they are. But even that had some troubles. It shouldn't surprise most of the TGN community that the vast majority of people do not know their approximate frost dates or what their average annual rainfall is. We have a large population that is extremely disconnected from their relationship to the earth they live on.
So how to find a way to help people know what their region's capabilities are?
Then I discovered that German botanist who had similar understanding and way more time and education on the topic. Koppen devised this system of defining regions by the plant life they supported. Then I found an online map center run by two guys who simply do it for donations - James Lee of Climate Viewer News http://climateviewer.org/ and... uh oh, I've got to find his name... Anyway these two know the tech side of making maps and put something together for us where you can just spin a globe or type in your address. The map and Koppen region is color coded which since I am officially 'color confused' which a code for really being color blind I wanted the letters to come up, but that won't be possible in this first version.
Anyway, stay tuned! I'll have the beta site up soon for you to ravage... LOL
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Great idea and I cannot wait to try it out, I love learning new things about our environment and possibilities!
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I can't wait to see this. Most gardening books and groups base everything on either warm or slightly cold climates. It is rare to find anything for far north.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas with us all.
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@vickeym A lot of information has been written on gardening in New England, but anything north of that is hard to find. And comparisons between North America and Europe are difficult unless you have much more information that latitude, because the Gulf Stream has a huge warming effect on Europe. When making comparisons of plant varieties between these continents, you need to know whether temperature or daylight hours is the limiting zone factor, because the relationship between temperature and daylight is VERY different on the two continents.
I'll look forward to learning more about Koppen zones.
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Always something new to learn and read. I have not heard of Köppen and immediately started reading. A very interesting theory and a very good idea to have clusters from the similar climatic zones as then the cooperation can be even more fruitful, although it is so interesting to exchange views and opinions with people living in a very, very different world.
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The name Koppen jolted my memory. I took a lot of Geography classes in college and our textbook was based on his system. I'll have to see if I still have it in the basement somewhere.
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@Marjory Wildcraft I have the letter for the regions - somewhere. Let me do some digging. They may help you. It seems my area was a DBA - don't quote me, I have not had enough coffee yet! I am glad you are suing this. It really makes a difference in understanding climates
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quick update: @Jimerson is working away on the beta site. Should be up iwthin a week? stay tuned.
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Sooner than you might think!!
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@Marjory Wildcraft I’m a retired farmer with over 40 yrs up my sleeve. About 25 yrs ago, I gave myself an attitude adjustment and went organic and sustainable/regenerative. Had to change my mindset, do things very differently AND have low input costs. I was lucky enough to have the advice and resources to do so. These days I grow vegetables and fruit, as best I can.
Imagine today people with possibly not much experience, trying to do the “right thing” where to start, what to do? Sure, getting involved with TGN, reading your new best seller or something similar is a great help but how do they tie in all that knowledge and there’s so much out there. Organic, sustainable, regenerative, natural sequence farming, permaculture. Chickens, rabbits, cattle, goats, vegetables, fruit, bees etc. People, Marjory Wildcrafting, Joel Salatin, Bill Mollison, Peter Andrews, etc. It can seem daunting or too hard for some.
I believe if TGN could do your book in a course form within the Academy with even more info! Visual and the written word for learning new skills. Teaching people to aspire to healthy ecosystems therefore healthy soil and ultimately healthy humans. Your book and course, hand in hand. Beginner, intermediate, advanced stages. Anyway just thinking out loud.
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@JodieDownUnder You are reading my mind... I forsee that many people will want to start growing food in earnest very soon.
Growing half with a garden some chickens, and rabbits is a simple three part system that is achievable by anyone. I know because I've taught kids, elders, and everyone in between to do it. I specifically chose the easiest, simplest, most calorically dense, and nutritionally dense parts for this system.
That is where people should start.
The Grow Half program is designed to help them do just that. The book gives a good overview and enough info to inspire them. Then I am working on creating a package with the three academy courses on gardens, chickens, and rabbits, which takes them step by step through setting everything up.
From there I recommend they learn some home medicine, enough to treat at least 12 common ailments.
Then branch off into what interests them - mushrooms? bee's? goats? It's all in the Academy. Then later farming?
It's all here. I've just got to put it together. We are working on it.
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@Jimerson wow you were not kidding when you said "might be sooner..." I just did a refresh and the forum looks complete different!
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More new little surprises to come :D
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I am excited to learn about the Koppen regions. I have never heard of this before but it sounds amazing!
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@Jimerson I cannot wait to see what you are creating next!
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VermontCathy The light factor can be huge here. In June we really don't get "Dark" in my area, we just get to almost dusk when the sun comes back up. Of course we only get a few hours of daylight during part of the winter, so we kinda pay for all that light.
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So, I am a bit slow to comment here. It is good to hear what's up. Thank you for your excellent update, @Marjory Wildcraft!
We need updates, no matter how informal, to keep us connected to the happenings in the greater network & to keep reminding us that you are a big reason our awesome community of great folks worldwide even exists.
I remember talk of something like this quite a while ago on here, pwople saying thus sort of things is desperately needed. Perhaps it was mentioned just before the forum switch?
This development sounds very exciting & practical...the key word. Let me know if there is anything that I would be useful at with this new chapter and how it might also impact the forum so that I can just go with the flow & help keep things be seamless from my end.
Excellent. Marjory will conquer the world. Haha 😉 Will it be done before Paul Wheaten does? My bet is on Marjory. Keep on going!
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@LaurieLovesLearning hah! Let Paul have the world. Too much trouble for my taste!
I'm working on creating an update every week. Going to go shoot one tomorrow.
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Here is another profile to comment on! Please make sure to visit the thread and place your critique in the comments section.
Thanks, y'all!
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