My Sustainable Odyssey

2009-02-02T22:36:01Z

Lately, I’ve been thinking about a popular buzzword in our world of growing and greening: sustainability. Using the ecology definition for sustainability that would mean: conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resource (especially in development, exploitation, or agriculture). I am struck by the compromises we all need to make, in order to institute such a tall order in a culture that has not given much consideration to such ideas in the recent past.

The Nowicki’s Circle Gardenfarm in Downer’s Grove, IL

Broadfork used on the Circle Gardenfarm – a tool which helps maintain soil structure (unlike rototillers)

This past year I had the opportunity to spend time with some wonderful people who are ardently taking actions to increase the sustainability on their own little piece of land on a daily basis. They are modeling stewardship: being personally responsible in taking care of something (i.e. the land they live on); and the best part is that these people want to share what they know to help others do the same. As the research for new themes for my TV show expands, the list of sustainability enthusiasts is growing. My first find last year was Midwest Permaculture. The organization’s work in the Chicago-land area is shepherded by the generous and spirited Bill Wilson; the organization gives workshops all over the Midwest. One of those workshops entailed the homesite of Ron and Vicky Nowicki, the first people in Downer’s Grove in 1979 to create a landscape that differed from the typical suburban lawn. The landscape includes a mini woodland area with native plants and a productive food garden called Circle Gardenfarm. The same day that I attended a tour of the Nowicki’s garden farm, I went to the illustrative workshop at the home of Marcus de la fleur, a landscape architect who has developed his 168 Elm. Ave. pilot project for maximizing water retention on a home’s property in tight city spaces. These pictures highlight his water retention project: Rainbarrels collect water to be distributed during drier periods with an easy to clean filters help keep mosquitos out. We have before us the task of changing our minds and actions. In my own personal journey I am always considering what is “fair” compromise? How can I practice having a more sustainable garden and still have time for my life? How can I apply the concept of sustainability to my home and garden? One simple answer given by Marcus de la fleur is this: ”Leave your property in better ecological shape than when you arrived”. The how to’s are as unique as each individual property. Shifting my thinking about certain chores is a beginning. Learning to care for and use my own rainbarrel seems daunting, but shown step-by-step how to do it, I feel I can begin. One new step at a time makes it all seem more manageable. Other ways to retain water where it falls, are to use permeable pavers, water retention swales and/or gravel-grass areas for occasional driveway or parking areas. Perhaps that concrete pad beside my garage could be changed to a permeable surface. Right now it is pitched to drain into the alley, which most likely will end up in Lake Michigan A simple way to construct a permeable surface with easily found materials like Hollandstone Pavers.An Illustration of the water retention reservoir under a grass/pea gravel drivewayA 5’ wide swale pitched away from the foundation with native species plants While visiting a new friend, Connor Shaw, at Possibility Place Nursery in Monee, Illinois we got to talking about this idea of sustainability. Mr. Shaw is in the business of growing native species plants from seed, and I gathered from our time together, that woody shrubs and trees held a special place in his heart though perennial plant species are recognized as an essential part of the holistic ecology he strongly supports. His business partner, Kelsay Shaw, was busily working on their website when I visited, and, as a trained botanist, was compiling the extension of each plant’s “profile” to include when a plant served as a host for the growth of the native insect larvae and caterpillars. We tend to look to see that there is nectar for the butterflies but have forgotten that we are not supplying the more essential plants which host the growing larvae of some of these magnificient native species. As a result of our limited and uninformed thinking, we can actually witness the diminishing bird population’s diversity, which needs these food sources to survive. (Audubon Society’s Annual Bird counts). This Ostrya virginiana growing on the property in Monee, is known as Ironwood or Hop Hornbeam and is a member of the Betulaceae or birch Family. Other members of this family are larval hosts to the Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly according to the Possibility Place Nursery catalogue. My instinct as I returned home is to select a few of theses native species shrubs from The Possibility Place Nursery to put in my own city garden in the coming year! What I took away from my time with Vicky Nowicki in addition to my introduction to the broadfork, was to continue upgrading my composting skills. I was able to do this with the gift of some worms she gave me to start my own compost bin! My Red worms or Red Wigglers, scientific name: Eisenia Fetida or Lumbricus rubellus, are now doing their jobcomposting under my sink. For more info check out: Stephanie Davies, The Urban Worm Girl. Composting keeps the naturally recyclable elements from entering our giant garbage dumps and creates nourishment for the plants around us, be they indoors and potted or in the gardens that surround our homes. So by tossing my scraps of veggies, egg shells, etc in the compost bin, I am on my way to building a sustainable environment where my garbage becomes the food that fuels the growth and wellbeing of my little city garden! My odyssey will be on-going; as I grow and integrate these new ideas into my daily practice, I will patiently wait until they are habits which I do without having to think about them. Doing a little at a time makes it all seem much more do-able.

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My Sustainable Odyssey