guildfordcycads

I quit doing the normal job thing two years ago, one because my back is busted and two because I want to live a better life where I’m more self sufficient. I do odd jobs when I need cash but other than that I work on my own stuff. My garden keeps expanding, my tools and knowledge grows as well. Looking back I’ve made a lot of progress. Despite all this I still get looked down on by certain people because I don’t have a job. I try to tell them I still work, but they automatically assume I’m lazy. My project pile keeps expanding and I keep chipping away at it. I get great satisfaction knowing I’m not filling up landfills or contributing to greenhouses gasses, plus the simple joy of doing it yourself.

I see other people miserable working their 9 to 5 and it seems like they misdirect that anger towards people like me. Instead of being upset at their shitty bosses, this society built on indentured servitude, or the failing politicians and rising cost of living, they look at people who “don’t work”. It’s easier to get angry at the powerless people struggling to survive than to challenge the system that oppressed us all.

I wish there was some way I could make them understand. There have been many times I wanted to go back to being a wage slave. It would be a lot easier to buy new stuff rather than fixing or making my own. I hate that we live in a society where people are only seen to have value if they work for some company. That if I choose to withhold my labor for myself it’s a moral failing.

This really is something new too, go back just a couple generations and being self sufficient was just the way of life. You wouldn’t be looked down on for having a garden, sewing your own blankets, or making your own furniture. It’s only taken a couple generations and now being a wage slave is considered normal, so much so you’ll face ridicule if you decide to break free, even if everyone secretly wishes they could be free too.

I have a friend who owns a 20-hectare avocado farm with 6,500 trees. While he’s not currently interested in transitioning to regenerative farming, he does want to move away from using Roundup and is looking for an organic pesticide to manage spotting bugs.

In India, I’ve successfully used neem oil and IMO made with inknut to control leafrollers, aphids, and mites on avocado farms. However, these farms were permaculture-based, incorporating companion planting and other ecological factors, which likely contributed to the success. Additionally, neem oil and inknut aren’t readily available in Australia. Neem oil, although accessible, is quite expensive.

Given that his farm is large-scale and neighbouring farms are macadamia orchards, I’d appreciate any suggestions for effective organic pest control solutions that could work in this context.

Hi all,
We are building a new garden, on top of a long ago abandoned spot. We’ll be using downed alder trees (good idea?) for posts to keep out the elk and deer that are out to trample and destroy. Q’s for all you sexy permaculturists:

-I’m thinking 10′ tall should do it?

-how far apart would you space the posts?

-whats a good fence material, square metal welded stuff?

-for raised beds, whats a good method? we have MAJOR volage so I was originally thinking to line it with galvanized hardware cloth, but now I’m reading that that stuff is toxic as it degrades?! UGh. maybe gravel and ground out seashell bits as I’ve read somewhere?

-would love to keep grass out of the raised beds too, should I think about treating the entire garden footprint in a certain way, or just the raised beds?

-we have a greenhouse I’m rehabbing. treat it same as raised beds or what? if you can point me to a good method for greenhouse setup that would be so appreciated.

We’re in NW Oregon, USA. If you are around these parts come through!