Medicine Wheel Herb Garden #1

     The next project is a medicine wheel herb garden. The herbs will be medicinal, culinary and aromatic therapy.  The herbs are not specific to the medicine wheel per se but will inhabit the same space and contribute to the energy of the circle.  A medicine wheel in a place of meditation and personal ceremony and ushers spiritual significance to the land. I have a ceremony circle on my property and want to expand the spiritual arena and landscape. This ground parcel has been used for an herb bed before so it wasn't hard to till up at all. I tilled the dirt to a few inches deep and removed the sod and grass. Currently, there is oregano, thyme, and sage growing. 

     The garden is all tilled and is about 18 feet wide. The ground is very welcoming to this circle. After making the circle I have a ceremony with cornmeal, drum, and rattle. As soon as I finished the ceremony a rainbow appeared in the southeast!

I consider this a sign of the intent of this circle and reveals the love Creator has for his people and honors our offerings and prayers. I have no doubt the Ancestors were present while having this ceremony.  I am not sure you can feel the welcoming this circle has in the below picture. If you were to stand in or near this parcel you can feel the joy of Earth Mother and the excitement of future circle ceremony on the medicine wheel.

   
     Below is a schematic of how I plan to build the wheel, directions, colors, and meanings for color sections.

The only change may be in the south direction with the animal spirit (totem) from deer to wolf. Other than that I feel really good about this layout in my spirit. Once I start planting and building it more I will type at yaz later. 

Wildflower Garden #1- Haley"s Heaven

    

 I decided to put a wildflower garden in this year. This plot is called "Haley's Heaven" because of my daughter in law Haley. She thought it would be a good idea to use this hard to mow hill for a flower spot.   I have been saving seeds for the last few years. The seeds I have gotten all over Indiana from people's homes. I literally rang the doorbell and asked if I could harvest some seeds.  I have also taken seeds from around businesses and commercial buildings when I see them. The seeds were put on the back porch screen room outside for a month during February because I am not sure if they needed that cold exposure so they would germinate better. 

     This is the wildflower seeds I have been saving it is 1.8 pounds. It may not look like a lot but it was a labor of love to gather this many seeds over a couple years. It is a bit cold right now in the lower middle 40's. A bit too cold for me to plant the seed yet. I plan on next week if the lunar calendar is right.  My Son Caleb asked me what kind of flowers I have and I have no way of remembering. I know there are zinnias, black-eyed Susan's, marigolds (tall kind) and many other kinds as well. 

     The ground in the video has never been tilled before so it was a massive undertaking to till hard ground on a hill! The first round I broke up the sod and raked it down the hill. The second round finished up the grass that was left and raked again. Lastly, in the third round, I only tilled 2-3 inches deep. Never having tilled to sow wildflowers before my research revealed that loose soil is good just not too deep. Research also told me the major thing that goes wrong when sowing wildflower seeds in contact with the soil. Once the sowing is complete it is important to pack the soil pressing the seeds into the soil very well. One video I saw the guy actually rolled the seeds in the ground with a pull-behind roller! Once sowing is done I plan on using boards to lay down and walk on to pack the ground. I would just roll over it with y riding mower but that hill is such a pain to mow. 

     Thanks for reading I will type at you soon.

Tilling it up! Vegetable Garden #1

     The garden is all tilled up this year. I got an early start on April 7th we have been having a dry spell for a week or so. I was able to get good till on this 28x45 plot.  Our daughter is helping me and bringing me the gas can. Gas is down to 1.24 and at .97 cents in Henderson KY. 

   

     Susan my wife is in the red shirt and Trinity our daughter are planting potatoes. We have never planted potatoes before. They are so cheap in the stores we never wanted to waste space planting them. We plan on building a root cellar this year in the basement so I thought we would give em a try.   We also planted a couple rows of purple onions. Even though we are in the first week of April it has been pretty warm in the mid 70's most of the week. I've been letting the grass grow and have not cut it yet.

     I believe in planting according to the Lunar cycle. A good friend of mine Turtle reminded me about this practice I had forgotten all about. I can't stand read almanacs cause the font is so small but he linked me to an amazing app for my mobile device. 

 

Click here for application

     With just a quick glance I can see what I can plant or so and with one tap get more information. It also lets me take notes and upload images as well. There is a community of pictures to look through other users have uploaded. It is free (not an affiliate) so if you like that kinda thing you should give it a try.

     The location the plot is in was used for a pet run, hog and goat pin. I am of hopes they gave it is some good fertilizer! The tilling has been terribly hard. The pig made ruts everywhere and the rear tine tiller does not like hilly ground very well. I had to knock the ruts level with a front tine then followed behind with rear tine. Susan helped me with rear tine tilling some. Overall it has been good as far.

     I will be posting my other 2 gardens as well we have a vegetable garden, herb garden, and wildflower garden all login hint his year. Type to you soon.