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Back to New Mexico..

We've just come back from our journey West visiting friends, family and
farms only to find the greenest place we've been is right here in NM.  The
rains came-torrential, I understand-while we were gone and we're in a sea of
green and mosquitos right now.  No complaints..we love it after our drought.
Almost every day we have varying amounts of rain by late afternoon and if we
can just get snowpack this winter we should be in better shape next year.

Meanwhile, we are putting together cistern building workshops for the
surrounding communities so folks can be gathering water in case there is
continuing drought. We appreciate the water gathering formulas some of you
have shared. 

 Also, on this trip, Jesse met some strawbale builders who shared valuable
technologies to introduce in seminars on strawbale techniques.  He's got so
many ideas for using recycled materials and cutting back on having to use
lumber and keeping costs DOWN. I am excited to begin a project promoting
municipal composting here.  Lots we're excited about and this little corner
in New Mexico seems to be a ripe area to get these systems going.  After our
trip we apppreciate where we are.  Discussing the creation of a permaculture
village north of here that will be a place to implement all of these
ideas..that is what we need ..a place to join with other likeminded
individuals towards the actuation of our visions.

Currently designing a strawbale and glass greenhouse to experiment with
extending our growing season so we have (hopefully) the ability to grow food
year round.

I want to start using more soil-blockers for starting seedlings.  Have used
this in the past with limited success, mostly limited because I never really
felt the soil mix was satisfactory.  Does anyone have a good soil mix for
soil-blockers?  Along with this inquiry goes the question of a good organic
fertilizer mixture that can be added to the soil in a particular ratio for
seedlings to get off to a good start?  Understand that Elliot Coleman has a
book out with suggestions of mixes.  Does anyone know this book?

When we arrived home one of our computers had the stealth C virus..wiped out
our whole system..spent three days restoring it.  So be careful of this
one..no idea how we got it in the system..we are very cautious about
downloading and the technician here said it could come through e-mail.  

Loved the suggestion of a mailing list based on VISIONING.  This is
certainly what we need to create within ourselves and *when two or more are
gathered*
we know that very powerful and special things can happen.  So, YES, lets
create, build, vision and HOLD the future how we know it can be.

Peace and keep growing..

Vicki and Jesse Garland
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