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Title: Leaves as mulch.... Post by cathy on Dec 25th, 2002, 6:56pm ??? Leaves as mulch Author unknown... UPON OBSERVING THE WAY WE WASTE OUR NATURAL RESORCES.... Imagine the conversation the creator might have with St.Francis...... "Frank, you all know about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there.... ??? where are all of the dandelions, violets and stuff I planted eons ago ...? I had the perfect, no maintenance garden plan. My plants grew in any type of soil, they withstood drought and multiplied with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms, attracted butterflies, honeybees and flocks of songbirds...!! I expected to see a vast garden of colour now, but all I see are these green squares." "Its the tribes that settled there, Lord. The suburbanites. They started calling your flowers "Weeds", and went to great extent to kill them and replace them with grass...!!" "Grass... ???, but its so boring. It's not colourful. It doesn't attract birds or bees, only grubs and sodworms. It's tempremental with temperatures. Are you sure, they really want all that grass growing there..???" "Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. In the spring they fertilize the grass, and kill any other plants that crop up." "The spring rains and cool weather probably make the grass grow really fast, that must make the suburbanites really happy." "Apparently not Lord. As soon as it grows a little.....they cut it." "Cut it... ???, do they then bale it like hay ???" "No not exactly, Lord. Most of them rack it up and put it in bags." "Oh. Is it a cash crop... ??? do they sell the bags..??" "No sir, just the opposite. They pay taxes for the bags to be hauled off." "Now let me get this straight. They fertilize the grass so that it will grow, and when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away." "Yes sir." "Then, these suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain, and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work." "Sit down, Lord. When the grass stops growing, they drag out the hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to have it hauled off." "What nonsense...! At least they kept some of trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself, the trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form a compost to enhance the soil." "You still sitting, Lord..?? The suburbanites have grown a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall they rake them, bag them and pay to have them hauled off." "You're kidding!!.. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter, or keep the soil moist and loose." "After the leaves are hauled off they buy something they call mulch and spread it around under the trees." "And where do they get this mulch....??" "They cut down the trees and grind them up." "ENOUGH !!!!!! I don't want to think about this anymore. St.Catherine your in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight..??" "Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about..." "Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story." Cathy ;) |
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Title: Re: Leaves as mulch.... Post by suzy617 on Dec 25th, 2002, 7:26pm Cathy, Thank you very mulch for that story. ;D Merry Christmas, suzy |
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Title: Re: Leaves as mulch.... Post by cootie on Dec 25th, 2002, 9:41pm Mulchin appreciated cathy.....enjoyed readin it very mulch...... mulchin 'A story.....I think I drank to mulch Xmas cheer .........mulchious gracious............Pam ;D |
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Title: Re: Leaves as mulch.... Post by Jarvis on Dec 26th, 2002, 2:52am Great story Cathy.... It doesnt really need comment but for you gardeners and nature folk out there.... I bought a little farm a few years back that was way overworked like the story above. Fertilizers and chemicals kept it going for the last 130 years. I removed miles of old and down barbed wire fencing and invited the wild critters back in. Put in new fences so that the wild citizens could get under or over. Let the cattle and sheep graze selectively to control the woods and maintain the fields. Slowly the weeds began to share with natural grasses, The native trees ash, oaks, elms and maples started to grow every where.I cut selectively, otherwise I let them control there own destiny. Every other year I burn off a 10 or 20 acre section and this controls undergrowth and non native weeds. Allways I leave a portion untouched. I installed a dike at the end of a big valley that was drained 40 years ago. This is now a 12 acre pure water pond with a drain by the dike that I control to vary the water levels as nature intended. My kids and I canoe, sail, play and skate on this..... All the leaves, small branches and grasses are left where they lay to decompose and enrich the soils. I do mow a small 5 acre lawn of natural growth. Not a penney has been spent on chemical since day one. I did plant a lot of apple trees as the only non native species........To make a long story and process short..........Now the natural crops that the birds have planted on this land are extensive. Rasberries amounted to an 8000 dollar windfall for my children last summer, Blueberries are starting strong again, I found native plants for harvesting and expect a good crop in a year or two. Apples are said to be the best around and the trees bear abundent crops. Plum trees grow wild as well as grapes, blackberries and boysenberries. Firewood is used to provide heat for many many homes. The variety and population of songbirds is tremendous. The duck and waterfowl varieties are many, the geese are strong. I even have some fish in my small lake now that birds have dropped. There are a pair of nesting bald eagles in the high up trees, There is a cougar that moved in a few years back and he [or she] controls the rodents and is fat and happy. The native wildflowers grow rampant and paint my world. My place here looks as good and maybe better than any well maintained park in a city. I put in trails under the trees and people come to ride horses, walk, sit and enjoy.......... When nature is allowed to do its own thing, If one is patient and helps a little the end results are staggering. The expenses are so little its scary. My neighbor a couple miles down the road maintains over a million dollars of eguipment and applies big dollars in chemicals to grow and maintain his place, without these nothing grows there but weeds..... My garden may be larger than most but this works on small gardens as well as big.... This place that once looked like scorched earth is now akin to the garden of eden. I play on it only weekends and commute to a city for real work. Every morning the deer and pheasants bid me good day down the driveway. Nature really does do the best job of all. |
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Title: Re: Leaves as mulch.... Post by SommelierCH on Dec 26th, 2002, 4:02am WOW!!! |
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Title: Re: Leaves as mulch.... Post by woobie on Dec 26th, 2002, 7:22am WOW...SommelierCH is speechless... LOL LOL ;D ;) :-* Jarvis.. you got pictures?? It sounds wonderful!! How big is your place? How long did it take to get to the point you are now? and... a cougar?? Good story Cathy! Tina |
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Title: Re: Leaves as mulch.... Post by Peppermint on Dec 26th, 2002, 7:25pm Jarvis... that sounds quite magnificent and beautiful. Its amazing that nature really did have the right plan. (just make sure the rodents aren't phased out altogether.... the cougar will always be hungry :) ) I'm with Woobie... please post some pictures.. sounds like you have a paradise around you. Pep |
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