Bushcraft and Survival Garden (updated)

 

We live in the bush and have created a garden that was unheard of in these parts. In fact, the old timers thought we were crazy (26 years ago). Cultivating wild flowers, greens and vegetables along with domestic greens and vegetables. Enriching the soil with what is around us, starting apple trees, doing it all by hand with the help from tools we've made. Simply. Leaving a light footprint. 

We live in the "working forest".  Logging, ranching and mining. Consuming.

We call it bushcraft gardening. I suppose you could call it survival gardening because that is how we survive.

Our tree limb greenhouse. 150lbs of tomatoes

Since we've been here the winter temperatures have gradually risen. We don't see a week or two of -30 or -40 anymore. When the cold began to move into our cabin anything on the floor froze.   

It might get down there for a few nights now. We might get a week or two between -20...-28 with a -18 in there. Still cold but it's an easier way. How fragile we are.

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We're more relaxed now. We still live in our 800 sq foot cabin. We would not live anywhere else.

Fruit trees have been difficult but now we have a small orchard. Between moose, deer, bears, voles and mice it has been a challenge.

Honey bees have been emotionally draining because they die from causes we can't control.  We don't raise them now. Instead we've been cultivating our relationship with wild bees. Every year there are fewer. This year we had bumble bees. The 5 or 6 species of wild bees usually pollinating our plants were missing.. We've been using a feather trying to pollinate. 

Growing our own food has taught us about survival. In between frost, hail, bear, moose and deer, birds, rabbits, mice, voles, bugs, hillbilly pigs, the dreaded free range cattle and the government spraying herbicide over the forest we try to relax. The boreal forest is filled with animals that want almost everything that we grow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He's a young adult now. 

After a judo tournament he skyped us,

" My body is aching, my fingers and toes skinned

My face hurts to touch and I can't make fists due to ligament injuries 

My spirit is unwavering 

Looking forward to getting my Nidan and making knives".

 

This gardening method is sustainable, organic and has very little impact  except birds, bugs, mice, snakes and worms have never had it better.

It's a state of mind going into the wilderness with nothing but seeds and a shovel, an open mind, relaxed and keenly observing your surroundings with a sense of freedom and balance.

Everything around you may have a use for your bush garden. Rocks act like sinks storing heat energy from the sun that can offset cool nights. They are fertilizers slowly giving important nutrients to the soil. They collect and trap water. They can also be protection from animals and cover for others, like toads.
That old stump – do I remove it, or can I plant a garden around it and let it slowly fertilize?

Rocks picked for a garden wall

now

The fence is to keep out free range cows. For 26 years the free range livestock has been the greatest threat to our garden.

Rotten wood has got to be the supreme bush fertilizer adding organic material and fluffing up heavy soil.There are droppings from animals like deer, moose and rabbit which are good "on the spot" fertilizers.

Harvesting what you need with care and never taking more than 1/3 of anything.

Surviving with respect and again, with a light foot step

Those “weeds” or wildflowers – pull them out or cultivate them, let them flower to attract the bees.

If the location of your plot is covered with grass or weeds turn it over and leave it in place. It will decompose and become food for your plants.

Fireweed shoots--Excellent greens

  Cultivate dandelions, wild onions, wild parsnip, lambs quarters,

We've been fertilizing by mulching with green grass (before it goes to seed) covered with an inch of sand then covered with rotten wood. We have some chicken manure that we fertilize beans and greens with. After the crop is harvested plant rye grass or Chinese vegetables. When the thick head is 6 to 8 inches high we turn it over.

a young adult now learning about the city and people. The old timers are dead. It will be our 27th winter. Not much has changed here. We're older and still thriving in the bush. We wonder and ask ourselves.

Regards,
Aki and Scott

Our business, http://www.caribooblades.com/