A rethink about the environmental cost of lumber
Last week I read about the efforts of indigenous people and allies on Vancouver Island to save their old growth forests from logging. I find it very sad and frankly disturbing that we are still clear cutting ecosystems that are so culturally and environmentally important. And for what? I'm pretty sure there must be plenty of areas we've already destroyed that now have a monoculture of pines trees we can harvest for toilet paper and fence posts.
I looked up Home Depot's Wood Purchasing Policy (as this is my easiest option for lumber acquisition) and was surprised by how comprehensive it was, you can read it here: Home Depot Wood Purchasing Policy However, there were a few statements that concerned me, here's 2 examples:
'Our two primary suppliers of redwood both give a strong purchasing preference for FSC wood'
What does this mean? I have a 'strong purchasing preference' for good Champagne but I usually buy prosecco.
Home Depot have:
'Moved more than 90% of our cedar purchases to second- and third- growth forests in the United States. The remaining cedar purchases are sourced from coastal British Columbia...'
Which seems to infer that 10% of their purchases are Canadian old growth forest?
I haven't looked in depth at any other suppliers but I have come to the conclusion that hiding compost bins from view is rather less important than preserving old growth forests so long and short of it, while clear cutting old growth is still a thing I'm not buying anything made out of new wood for the garden, or anything else actually.
So where does that leave my screen to hide the compost bins? I'm going to use recycled materials only. This will be problematic right now as I don't think salvage yards are open yet so in order to get the compost going again I'm just going to rejig the current pallet arrangement and we'll look at the tires for another year.
Whats poppin' in the garden?
Bees are enjoying the perennial cornflowers in the front pollinator garden
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| I think this is a Common Eastern Bumblebee |
Thyme is flowering between the paving stones by the back door to the garage
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| Creeping Thyme |
I've been enjoying the first of this year's produce
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| I don't actually like radish that much but they grow so fast and are a lovely colour |
There are loads of dragonflies around, If one ever lands I'll try to take a photo
White aquilegias that self seeded under the feeder trees have been spectacular this spring
These little guys were poppin' at the pond this morning
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| 11 altogether I think |
Jacob and his mate were hangin' there too. Not wearing masks but physical distancing nicely. lol
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| Just vibin' |
Jobs for this week
Sort out the rejigging of the pallet and any other materials I can find on site to hide the compost and turn it. OMG done it on Wednesday (June 2) well kind of anyway. Moved the leaf cage, repositioned the pallet, sorted the new compost bin and cleared out the bokashi after it had sat all winter in the garage - Yuck. Also planted a loganberry and a blackberry in front to disguise all the recycled stuff and maybe make it look a little less allotment like.
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| Yes, I know, but it's better than it was before |
Ongoing maintenance of all the little things I've got growing in plugs.Plant up summer pots for the deck. Bought some potting compost but that doesn't really count does it?
Organize tulip bulbs from the big blue pot. Uh huh.
Sort out the new herb bed that I've left untouched because the chickadee nest box was above it. Yeah
Extra bits and bobs...
June 1. Potted on beans (no idea when I sowed these as I conveniently forgot to write it down, might have been last week) and wild geraniums to free up some 3" pots. Used the 3" pots to divide basil into 3 plants and sow buttercup squash and birdhouse gourds. Chelsea chopped shasta daisies in front pollinator garden and put some sticks in to prop them up. Also propped up the shasta daisies in the back yard. Did a bit of tidying up around the edges of the raised veg beds and removed the netting from the peas and lupins, hoping that something will come and eat all the tiny green things on the lupins now.
June 2. In addition to all the work on the compost area (and it was quite a lot of work, took me nearly all day) I clipped all the long leggy bits of the lemon balm that I bought on Monday and put them in a glass to see if they'll take root. Also ordered a hammock chair for the deck - will probably never see Rose again after it arrives.
June 4. The reason the potting jobs (see above) didn't get done this week is that Tom Pointed out that the 3 leggy trees that run down the property line between us and the neighbours were running rampant. Pruned them to try to lift the crown so we can all mow under them. sorted out the prunings:
- Kept the thickest pieces and made an eco pile
- Used long straight pieces and some of the young whippy bits to try to weave a hurdle to further disguise the composting tire stack. It didn't really work that well but was worth a try.
- Trimmed the short dead, twiggy bits to use as plant supports and pea sticks.
- Put the rest in a yard waste bag as I'm not sure if it will break down well in my small compost area.
Then mowed under the trees to try to tidy that area up a bit.
June 5. Planted out big blue stem and a cone flower hybrid called 'Mango Smoothie' in the mine field. The cone flower may or may not be what I think it is, I grew it from seed before I realized that because it's a hybrid the seed should be sterile. Also planted out 3 cone flower 'Feeling White' (also grown from seed) in the pond bed.
June 6. Mowed front lawn and part of the boulevard. Gave up because it was too hot.
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