Inner City Farmer

So, yeah, I’ve been a little removed for the past month or so. Just surviving, really. The heat came early this summer and hit hard and won’t stop. Living in Texas, as far as I can tell, used to be all about counting the number of 100-degree days in July and August. This year, like last year, the 100-degree days started in early June, and all-time record highs continue to be set what feels like every other day. 105. 107. Oof. My trees and plants have all gone into shock. My garden is dead, save for a sweet potato vine that’s flourishing and some hardy basil that’s contributed to five or six batches of pesto (along with the pecans off my tree) and that I am now propagating, piece by piece, in cups of water scattered throughout the house. My relationship with the outdoors has been pretty much put on hold lately. All projects stopped. And then the other morning, when it was only 90 degrees outside, I made this fence thing at the very front of my front yard. It’s going to look much cooler, at least from the street, once I have attached the pieces of weathered cedar fencing I scavenged several months back. I intend it to function as more of a berm than anything, a little hill that keeps rainwater on my property instead of trickling off. Plus, in the process of digging the dirt to make these berms I will be creating little depressions where that water will hopefully end up. Here, I intend to plant hardy native plants that can survive on their own from one good soaking to the next. This was something I have been wanting to do ever since I saw Brad Lancaster speak. He transformed his tiny lot in Tuscon from a barren desert into a lush oasis simply by designing his landscape in such a way that every drop of rain that hit his property stayed on his property. Sinking water into your soil, our soil, may be the greatest investment you ever make, for there vegetation and the creatures that feed on it will flourish. Meanwhile, the City of Austin continues to chop down trees because, get this, they were getting old. As if trees don’t know how to die on their own.

I just published this little story on CNN.com. Anyone can do it. The beauty of modern technology.

I dropped the ball on this one. I’ve been spending so much time tending to the garden I forgot to hype Brad Lancaster’s visit to Austin. For those not familiar with him, Brad is a rainwater-harvesting guru from Tuscon, Arizona who preaches (and practices) taking the path to “a bun dance” (you have to see him to understand this joke) and not scarcity when it comes to water conservation. He’s also pretty damn funny.

I first saw him speak at the 2007 Natural Building Colloquium and was so impressed I swore I would drop everything to see him speak again if he ever came within 100 miles of Austin. Well, he spoke at least four times last weekend so odds were good that I was going to get to see him, and I did. His talk at the AMD campus just off Southwest Parkway was every bit as enlightening and inspiring as I hoped it would be. The event was well attended, and I got the sense that it could serve as a real lightning rod for change. When Brad explains how much water we waste as a society flushing our “waste” down the toilet, it makes you want to scream. The important thing is to remember who to scream at.

Fortunately for those who missed him speak, you can still learn all about him at his website or by ordering one of his books.

The solar oven I bought last fall is quickly turning into one of the best purchases I have ever made. While others curse the brutal summer sun, I am embracing it as the cleanest source of energy around. Last week, I cooked a pan full of chicken and potatoes and I never had to use a drop of natural gas or electricity to do it. All I did was put the pan in my solar oven, close the door, and situate it so it was facing the sun, and a couple hours later dinner was done. These things are becoming increasingly popular in places like Africa where fuel for cooking can be scarce, but I don’t see why they shouldn’t take off here as well. Using one is easy, efficient, and just plain smart. Mine is made by Sun Oven, and I only have good things to say about it.

All the talk on my neighborhood’s listserv right now has to do with traffic calming. No one likes cars whizzing by their house, but let’s face it: in our society cars have more rights than people. The logical way to put an end to this would be to call up the city and request they put a speed bump on your street. The problem is that the city of Austin has no budget for this right now, which means it’s up to us to make the change we want to see happen.

A great solution to this problem is to erect some sort of art installation in your front yard, something so visually arresting drivers will simply have to slow down to check it out. The rock wall and rock pathway I am making have done a pretty good job of making drivers hit the brakes, but I think I could do better. For example, my neighbor Jim (of JimHatesWork fame) has a giant lollipop in his front yard. Even though he lives on the busiest street in the ‘hood, drivers practically slam on their brakes as they pass by and you can almost hear their thoughts: what the hell is that?

If only Jim would take some of the treasures he has hidden in his back yard and stick them in the front, traffic wouldn’t be a problem at all. Check out some of these goodies. The Christmas Scene:

The Aquatic Bear Man:

The Outdoor Bathroom:

I am hoping to talk to someone who works for the City to determine what they can or cannot do to help with the all the cars that speed through our hood. If they can’t help, then I believe it’s time to start taking matters into our own hands. I am hoping to motivate some others to help me with a project very similar to what City Repair does in Portland, Oregon. Who could complain about citizens beautifying the neighborhood, fostering a better sense of community, alleviating crime, and calming traffic?