Founders Practical Series #1

From Founder, Machei Matysiak

Greetings, Living Earth Gardeners! My name is Machei (pronounced 'Ma' as in ma and pa, 'ch' as in church, 'ei' as in vein or reign, and with stress on first syllable. I am Head Gardener & Project Director at this Living Earth Garden Project. Nyna, my wife, and I decided that as a means of gathering interest for our Project, I will begin writing weekly entries on this blog page, describing some of our activities and experiences here on our land, located in Taos, New Mexico. Aside from gathering interest for our project, this blog will help us to begin fulfilling our mission of becoming an Educational & Demonstration Center. With this in mind, I hope to engage you all in thoughtful discussion. I will do my best to answer all questions and to address comments that I receive between these weekly entries. I invite you to participate in this discussion. In this day and age, key words and catch phrases have increased in importance. Many people type such words and phrases into their computers and almost instantly receive a list of corresponding matches. The obvious risk in such a method is that it can lead to superficiality and a glossing over of deeper meaning and substance. Yet we cannot ignore the necessity of positioning ourselves in such a way that those who are looking for us can actually find us. With that in mind, I asked Nyna about a phrase that would honestly and accurately describe our experiences during these first 14 years, as well as to act as a guide for future growth and development. She agrees that the following phrase is honest and accurate: DEEP SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH RADICAL SIMPLICITY. Please understand that Living Earth Garden Project is a work in progress, very far from finished. This is the work of a lifetime, if not many generations. One of my farming heroes, Wes Jackson, has said, "If you are only thinking about what you can do in your own lifetime, you are not thinking far enough ahead!" As an introduction this week, I have decided to list all the parts of our Project that we have begun work on. Of course, all these 'parts' are interconnected, yet for not it may be easier to address them one at a time. These are listed roughly in the order that we have started on them:

• Border - extensive planting of small trees and shrubs

• Tipis - as simple but durable and effective shelters

• Orchard - fruit trees for now, with nuts in the planning stage

• Yurt - as more substantial, but still simple shelter

• Vegetable Beds - for diet and nutrition

• Outdoor Kitchen - including ramada for shade and other miscellaneous structures

I look forward to hearing your responses and will use them as a guide in determining the direction that this blog takes. With best wishes for this week, Gardener Machei Taos, New Mexico