Higgenbotham's Dark Age Hovel

[aedens]

If you have groundsel weeds in a target zone you got good soil.
Since 2019 we are tracking fallow areas to what we need.
As we are to date we will see what we have time for.

[Higgenbotham]

For mulch, it will depend, but my preference so far is to put blackland prairie soil in trays or pots to a depth of 3-5 inches, plant hard red wheat in it, then when it grows to a height of about 6 inches in about a week, to place it roots up as the top layer.

The bigger stuff is outside. This is a quick, cheap source of green nutrition. The wheat is about a dollar a pound. One planting uses a cup of wheat, about 40 cents worth. Three plantings are shown here.
The Wheatgrass Book by Ann Wigmore: https://pdfcoffee.com/ann-wigmore-the-w ... -free.html The blackland prairie soil is pretty good based on the taste of the wheatgrass. The roots help break up the heavy clay. It's something that can be done in the extreme heat. I'll photo some roots in a day or two.

When the weather breaks, hopefully this month, I'll do cover cropping outside. This is what we're facing down here for the next 10 days:



Next year I will try to do some more study and work on developing microclimates to battle this heat. Currently above about 97 degrees everything is going dormant or dead here.

Similar to my idea:
Growing Wheatgrass Pads for Worms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC2UAbgpTV0
We'll see how it performs when the weather breaks and the Fall rains come.

Next is how these specifics fit into the general dark age discussion.

[Higgenbotham]

Next is how these specifics fit into the general dark age discussion.

As mentioned this Spring, the new dark age hovel is in a farming area, primarily pasture land on the Blackland Prairie. It's known to be some of the best soil in Texas. About a month ago, some land was being prepared near here for construction of new homes. The builder is KB Home, one of the largest home builders in the country. Homes in Texas are primarily built on slabs, and I've noticed the slabs KB Home puts down are very thick; they appear to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 inches thick. It's common in this area to have foundation issues due to the shifting of the clay.

Over the past few months, I have learned that it has become standard practice throughout this area to strip the black clay off the lots and put soft white caliche as the primary soil, not only under the slab, but across the entire tract of land. As this land was being prepared over the past few weeks, I saw this process unfold. There was no black clay on the surface anywhere when they got done. Then I was able to discuss this with an employee of KB Home. I asked him what they are doing with the black clay they are stripping off these lots, if I would be able to have some of it. He said they use it all and he verified that they are bringing in the soft white caliche to stabilize the foundations, using several feet of it. He also said the black clay is only 6 inches thick in some spots. I would assume at least some it is being used to make sod that will be laid over the caliche.

Moving toward Austin and west of Austin, the Blackland Prairie ends and a lot of that area is hard caliche. You would need a jackhammer to get it out of your yard, then there would be nothing in the immediate area to replace it with.

Now I'll take a guess as to what most of these new homeowners out here are thinking. It's probably been just a fleeting thought. That is, if food gets really expensive or if there are sporadic shortages, or, God forbid, severe shortages, they can just dig up the sod in their back yard and plant a garden. You know, like the Victory Gardens during World War II. After all, they are out in a farming area. But if they have several feet of white caliche in their back yard, they won't be able to. Nothing can be grown in it. Maybe grapes if you are really skilled and lucky. You can't blame the large tract builders for taking steps to keep the foundations of these homes stable. In my opinion, it was the right thing to do and the only practical way to do it.

That's the immediate problem someone out here runs into if they want to be a little more self sufficient. Let's think about how many will try to handle that if they become determined to do so.

[Higgenbotham]

The first and best gardening option where there is no adequate soil is to use raised beds. The second would be to hire a contractor to dig it out. The third, and not really a practical option for most, is to dig it out by hand.

Awhile back, I linked to a study that said home gardening leaves a 5-6 times greater carbon footprint than producing the equivalent on large commercial farms. Most of the online reaction I saw said, well, "they" don't want us to have the freedom to garden. That wasn't my opinion. With the population moving south and west, and with the poor or nonexistent soil and drier conditions found there, it really is a lot more energy intensive to garden if someone is to use the typical fallback solutions to get around that.

I opted for the third option above. Digging it out by hand is OK as long as there is enough rainfall to soften the soil. To get rid of the soil, I placed an ad on Facebook Marketplace and, after awhile, found someone who was installing an above ground pool for his grandkids and needed some fill dirt. He hauled everything off that I had dug out so far. Some of what I dig out in the future will be used to construct clay walls to keep rabbits out and keep the area cooler. Finally, I am able to source good materials for free and without making special trips to get them, mainly because there is a field right behind with black clay on it. The whole process is too time and labor intensive to be practical for most people.

It's been said that Victory Gardens provided 30 to 40 percent of the vegetables consumed by the US in some years during World War II. Probably it was accomplished with less energy usage than on commercial farms. To repeat that today would be more difficult.

[aedens]

Takes time as we are just thankful for what we have and slowly walking away as they live the bish
bug cults since they are just simply what they are. Demented.
The narrative has already shifted in the seven steps. Dealing a full deck does take time will pay
dividend as you prepare your future away from those distraction that do offer little to nothing.
https://media.patriots.win/post/iDgTJ5bU.png

Years and sent more to just get blown up anyways is just another alleged reality in doom loops.
https://www.woodmac.com/news/opinion/4- ... -in-sight/

We will stick to ice vehicles since really other than the bish 15-minute cost sinks deceptions what do they offer than toe tags and brandon
educational failures for such a rather very long time is past clear. They just rub it in your face living the dream.

Nope impossible to see that coming will be shouted.
Germany's largest automotive component manufacturer is set to lay off 800 employees from its plant in Cristian, Romania, by the end of this year.
This decision comes in response to significant financial challenges caused by the severe economic downturn in Germany.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/355917901605?_ ... R8TJlcDNZA

Listen not they did as they take you out.
viewtopic.php?p=86118#p86118

Nothing but rot top down.
https://www.dailysignal.com/author/robert-schmad/

[aedens]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb2jGy76v0Y

https://cms.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inli ... k=obUvOeKY

Don't allow aliens to buy out your country was mentioned,
and yea its dated.

Ours shot dead is fact.
Now you pay.
Bitter, Lord no.
He will seek those who hear His voice.

Anyways,
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-sta ... e-of-trade BOT numbers and circular economy needs right in your face now.
Good luck as they pissed away more that they should of.

[Higgenbotham]

The roots help break up the heavy clay. It's something that can be done in the extreme heat. I'll photo some roots in a day or two.

Some critters working under an old pad. Most of them ran off before I could photo it. No earthworms yet. They are still further below.

[FullMoon]

It's been said that Victory Gardens provided 30 to 40 percent of the vegetables consumed by the US in some years during World War II. Probably it was accomplished with less energy usage than on commercial farms. To repeat that today would be more difficult.

Good work Higg on your documentation. I dedicated myself to learning to garden for semi self-sufficiency, and with more mouths to feed I've found that animal husbandry is probably more important. Also foraging and hunting. Potatoes are easy to grow and I wish up North someone would select for a cold hardy sweet potato/yam. But we have lots of good choices, just not as yummy. Rabbits and eggs are the focus.

[aedens]

https://whalewisdom.com/filer/scion-ass ... gement-llc
Back test would be a riot.
The only thing invested in is a foreign water treatment company for a long-term hold.

[Higgenbotham]

I've heard the same, Navigator, and I certainly hope our sources are right.

The following clip is worth watching, although I found it a little terrifying. Fox interviewed Harris supporters at a rally, and asked them which candidate was better on immigration. They all said Harris was, and listed reasons such as "She has a detailed complex plan to deal with it, Trump has only rhetoric." Their almost universal disconnect from reality defied belief. Clearly, they never watch any news except MSNBC, as even CNN isn't that biased.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/harris ... der-crisis

This comment is going into the dark age hovel because my observations are probably minority opinions among minority opinions. Reminds me of when I was at a conference once and participants were asked to name the biggest environmental issue facing the US. The majority said "land use" whatever the hell that is supposed to mean. My issue was that with the Free Trade agreements going in at the time, companies could move their operations across the border to Mexico, where they didn't have to comply with the stricter US environmental regulations. That response was cavalierly tossed into the pile of "Other" and not mentioned.

From the article:

"Harris is better on immigration because she’s experienced in border security, the policies and legislation that are necessary to result in a secure border," a voter said. "Border security is a complex issue which requires a plan that’s very specific, detailed, and complex. A complex problem needs a complex solution… what we hear from former President Trump is essentially rhetoric and simple verbiage that’s not going to solve a complex problem."

If you want to know why the US is teetering on bankruptcy, look no further. From the standpoint of the country that is being overrun, while the problem can be considered to be complex, it doesn't have to be.

Now I'll digress again and talk about Reginald Denny, the truck driver who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time when the LA riots happened and got his head smashed in, but survived. Some years later, Denny was on a talk show and he hugged the guy who smashed his head in. I said, "What the hell is wrong with him?" and the person who was watching it with me said, "He got his head smashed in." Very simple.

The Fox interviews on immigration took place in Flint, Michigan. In addition to all the sources of contamination Americans are typically exposed to, Flint's water supply was poisoned with lead a few years ago. Also, several decades ago, a flame retardant, PBB, was mixed with animal feed in Michigan, getting into the food supply across the state. It was obvious that several of the interviewees, while they may have been somewhat intelligent at some time in the distant past, are suffering from cognitive impairment.