この日始めて雑草を鎌で刈りました。
I usually check on my organic garden beds every day or two, but my shizeno (natural farming) beds are a bit further out of my normal area of life that I see it once every 3~5 days. At Akamejuku in Mie prefecture, where Kawaguchi teaches natural farming and lends land to anybody for practice, I heard some people will come from far away (like Tokyo) and only be able to check their gardens once a month. I think that is part of the beauty and lure of natural farming, the fact that you don't need to baby your plants. You grow strong plants that can retrieve necessary nutrients, find enough water, and not become overwhelmed by vigorous neighbors. Anyways, the experiment is going well and I think I'm learning a lot from this experience. You just got to do it to have a better understanding.....like anything else.
The plants are definitely smaller than my organic garden beds, and a few past away. Kale, shiso, corn, chard, winter squash seem to be doing well, but the onions are struggling a bit.
So, these are my pictures when I finally decided to help the transplants out and kama the volunteers, especially comfrey. Here are a few before and after pics from both the prepared beds and the straight-into-weed-jungle area. One of the challenges at this stage is finding your plants and cutting around them. Comfrey is definitely tricky as it is vigorous and they send out large sun blocking leaves persistently.
before
after
These are closeups of the areas I transplanted into weeds on the perimeter of the ditch weed barrier.
Lets play an observation game, so scroll slowly and try to find the veggies in the before screen.
Can you spy the bush beans, red russian kale, and shiso?
豆、ケール、と紫蘇はどこに行ってしまったのでしょうか？
before
after
There are a few bunches of corn sprouts.
Can you find any of them?
このジャングルの中にいくつかトウモロコシの集団が植えられています。
before
after
This is shirahime hatsuka (white princess 20 day) daikon from Kitazawa seed company. They are tiny daikon radishes that can be harvested in 20 days! Great texture and flavor. Pretty happy about them.
白姫二十日大根の写真です。あまり辛くなくシャリシャリした可愛い大根です。植えて二十日後に収穫をする事ができます。アメリカで新鮮な大根が食べれて嬉しいです。
I'll get back on more translating but I will probably be too busy with the Permaculture Design Course and time with family for the next month. lo siento.
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