As the Garden Grows so does The Gardener’s Rake.

Fall is a time when most gardeners are putting their gardens to bed and dreaming of the new seed catalogs that will fill their mailboxes. But here at The Gardener’s Rake the website is being revamped, please be patient – It’s getting a major wake up call and overhaul.

In the last few years I have changed some of the styles of my gardens and added new layers. Animals, an Urban Garden and Food Forest are a few changes. The most exciting are the plans for a chinampa and building micro climates to help extend the growing season. My climate is a bit on the short side here in Pennsylvania.

Chickens, rabbits, goats and a worm farm have been added. They give new depth to what I do and a constant supply of fertilizer for composting and lasagna raised bed building techniques

The ducks and chickens help with ticks and other bugs and the goats keep the grass down. There are many other benefits from having animals, the most unexpected is the continual humor they add to the days. The other day I fed the last of the tomato harvest to the chickens and the goat decided she took try one. The one chicken did not want to share and took the tomato right out of her mouth.

I am in the process of adding a urban garden to the property. It provides ease of harvesting, better use of space and time saving benefits. To be abler to step outside the door and harvest a complete meal and fruit for desert is a wonderful feeling. I have also added or are in the process of adding Permaculture design and practices to the land.

Head foreman checking out work detail, making compost

So what is Permaculture and why would it benefit your garden? Here is a description of Permaculture. For me it is working with nature and simplifying and uniting what I do. Making gardening, care of the animals and use of land easier has simplified my life and I see huge benefits to the land.

All these new processes and adventures will be documented here. So pull up a chair, grab a seed catalog and pen and paper and lets plan out winter garden or summer garden, depending on your location.

Today’s thought: To plant a tree is to believe in tomorrow.