It's not an easy life, but it's a good one - and there's the rub. What a lovely post as usual. I'd love to come and help out on your farm - it sounds a lot better than teaching, that's for sure!
Do you put diatomaceous earth under the mulch to stop the bugs? Does that work?
Sorry about the ten photo limit - you can cheat and use collages or put them side by side - I feel so mean, but the scrolling kills me, especially when some posts had three or four versions of essentially the same plant - aaagh. But your posts are always awesome.
Have you ever tried morroccan preserved lemons? They are GREAT for a salty citrus burst in couscous. And then there's citrus pickle, or lime pickle - yum. I have a lemon and a lime - it strikes me how similiar our environment is!
If I told you that the DE is to debug the chickens that free range through my garden, would you believe me? I wish I could say absolutely that it prevents bugs. Many people say so. I can't with certainty. I think it deters them. But what I am discovering is that DE is also a wonderful addition to building up denuded soil. And ours is. So here's hoping.
Please don't fuss about the photos. I'm teasing - I totally sympathise with your scrollllllllllllllllllllllling. Some people's children ;)
Please share the citrus pickle!!! Sounds delicious. I've never tried morroccan preserved lemons. But with those three buckets of lemons still waiting (and more on the tree) I guess there's no time like the present. Or maybe the day after that.......
Hahah - yep, some people's children! Oh, the pickle - it's so easy! I actually found some pickle spice at the Indian grocers, so it was just a matter of salt, lemons and pickle spice!
https://www.naturalmedicine.io/hive-120586/@riverflows/i-am-a-self-confessed-lime-pickle-addict-a-recipe-for-nimbu-ka-achaar-plus-moong-dal
and morroccan lemons are even easier, but kinda the same thing without spice!
I can't find my own post for them, but here's one:
https://nourishedkitchen.com/morrocan-preserved-lemons/
I didn't fuss with how she cut the lemons - I just cut them into rough eigthss as they were big lemons and massaged them with salt so the juice runs out, pop them in the jar with the salty juice to cover them (might need a weight) and voila ! Great in couscous! Great sub for olives really, it's that salty taste that we crave sometimes? Tell me if you make them - I usually put peppercorns and bayleaf in mine. They last for ages, and great for chicken, couscous, rice, salads etc (potato salad with preserved lemon and capers? yum)