post ideas - let's squeeze some of this juice out

there are a lot of things going on that i've wanted to share. things in my head, things on the interwebs, things in the real world nearby me... all sorts of things. i'm going to start with this one in particular, and then end with a list. hopefully the list will encourage me to post about more of these subjects in the coming days. 

seed to seed - growing challenge, from one green generation

i just noticed (eight months late, i know) that one green generation linked to my blog from this post, about the results of the 'seed to seed' challenge. i signed up for the challenge in 2009, from northeastern missouri. how did i do? well...

i emptied out over two dozen seed packets into our gardens there. we harvested two wheelbarrows full of produce in two late-summer trips to the gardens, and i brought vases of flowers to friends and allowed neighbors to come by and harvest while i was gone. as far as Seed, i gathered a few seeds from our four o clocks (variety 'marvel of peru') and many seeds from my favorite marigolds, 'scarlet brocade', a french type marigold. i've sown many of those seeds in my gardens this year already, and still have more saved up in jars for future plantings.

 marigold seeds, harvested in 2007.

not only that, but the seed that i sowed Last year was saved from the previous year, which was saved from the year Before! i started with a fresh packet of seeds from southern exposure in 2007, and planted them first in my mom's backyard in richmond, virginia. i watered them faithfully every day while they were sprouting, and then they grew lush and beautiful throughout the summer and fall. i harvested a huge bowl full of seeds, and passed a good chunk of that harvest on to family and friends as christmas gifts (i poured seeds into small, beautiful jars, complete with a poem on how to plant them). the rest i saved and planted in 2008 at acorn, along the walking path to the barn, where i slept. these were harvested again later in the year, and saved for planting in missouri in 2009. 2010 brings us to kansas, where i've sown many handfuls in my gardens, though i haven't seen any sprouts yet.

 a marigold blooming in my missouri garden, 2009

i know the seeds are viable because i also seeded many handfuls at my grandfather's house in pennsylvania, while i was visiting my grandmother during her last days battling cancer. my grandfather first taught my mother how to grow and save seed from marigolds, and she told me about them as a child after i read about gardening in 'little women' and later on, when i lived at acorn community in virginia.

so really, for me this has been grandfather to seed to flower to mother to daughter to seed company to seed to garden to seed to family and gardens to seed to other gardens, to seed and more gardens and back to the grandfather.

other things i wanted to post about:

-herb harvesting/infusions/use of fresh, wild herbs/tinctures

-making pants/making clothing

-growing herbs in the garden

-growing veggies, garden details

-my work vs. hogwarts

-burn salve

-scarification

-the view from laundry day

-awesome natural builder blogs

-the search for land/money/building credit

-dental health/sustainable toothcare

-sustainable clothes washing

-sustainable home/dishes/cleaning

-shampoo/deodorant/wipes/etc
-embroidering project (jeans)

there are probably others i can't think of. surely this list is long enough for a good leaping start. (important note: if you post comments, i am way more likely to feel acknowledged and therefore excited about posting. so if you're interested, say so! your words, however simple, are deeply appreciated).