The Demo Site

Here in our high-alpine, wind-swept desert, our gardens need all of the water they can get. When shoveling paths and driveways, those who appreciate the importance of moist soils shovel toward the root zones of plants, into veggie beds, or onto the compost pile. Since about nine inches of snow equals about one inch of rain, you can add an extra year’s worth of precipitation to a three-by-three-foot compost pile simply by delivering snow from a 60-foot by three-foot path after a six-inch snow storm. Of course, it’s much more convenient to dump snow in the immediate vicinity of the path you’re making, so I typically chuck it as close as I can to the root zones of nearby plant material. The compost pile is just too far away from the front walk. Another benefit of harvesting snow in this manner is that it’s great exercise, and so it’s a perfect way to spend your gradual greening time. One busy session of snow shoveling can save you a trip to the neighborhood gym, and this will save on gas and gym fees while it makes your home a more safe and comfortable place to be.

Also: Please catch me out on KSFR (101.1 FM) Saturday, January 22, 2010, at 10am. I’m being interviewed by the president of the board of the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute, Robert Ross, who hosts a show called, “Gardens, Food, and Santa Fe.”