Surprising Azolla Harvest

     The azolla in the newly built pond is finally growing up to the expectations claimed by numerous sources on the internet. Though the little pond is perhaps about 10 square feet of surface area, and even with the floating  planters, I was able to harvest a full pot of azolla last week and another pot of azolla today.
     I have been steaming to destroy bacteria (and  tadpoles) on the plants before draining and freezing into ice cube trays for ease of feeding to the rabbits. But it just brings up the good point, that if a person was starving, here is an extremely prolific food source for a survival garden.
     The only way to find the betta fish is by harvesting the azolla. It might not be a good idea to add this particular floating plant to decorative koi ponds. Now that my pond is up and running, I find myself wondering why not grow edible snails? They eat algae and won't disturb the floating planters, azolla, or fish.

Azolla, Azolla spp.

 Uses: Edible, Fodder, Fertilizer. Native to: The Cretaceous Period, worldwide.
     This floating water plant is actually a tiny, prehistoric fern with amazing properties. It fixes atmospheric nitrogen due to its symbiotic relationship with cyanobacteria, like an aquatic version of our more common legumes. Due to its nitrogen-fixation, it is also an extremely protein-rich plant, making it an excellent choice for home-grown fodder. In fact, there are very few land-based livestock animals that will not eat azolla, if any. Chickens, rabbits, goats, ducks, and cows are reported to gorge on this aquatic plant.
     Historically it has been used as a wetland green manure crop in the warmer parts of Asia. In the spring when taro or rice is planted in the boglands, the azolla would be innoculated to the water's surface. There the little ferns would fix nitrogen and proliferate, crowding out any competing algae or weeds via shading. Since the rice and taro have most of their foliage above water-level, it does not hinder their growth. The azolla will thrive, then self-mulch, then die down when the cooler weather comes. The farmers harvest some and shelter it for next year's use. The green manure properties of azolla make it possibly the six most valuable ferns on the planet.

A close-up of the roots which hang into the water.

     It's culture is simple - grow it in clean still or gentle water. Wind and water turbulence can fragment and destroy azolla, so sometimes floating beds are used. Like duckweed, under the right conditions it can become weedy if it escapes into waterways, so care should be taken to prevent escape. Since it provides it's own nitrogen, phosphorous can be a limiting factor to optimal growth. "The symptoms of phosphorous deficiency are red-coloured
fronds (due the presence of the pigment anthocyanin), decreased growth and curled
roots." A quick search of the webs reveals a superior organic source of high quality phosphorous can be made by burning animal bones at high temperatures to ashes. Never has a rocket mass heater in florida sounded more appealing!
     Azolla species can be used as a very nutritious survival food for humans, but it will need to be cooked to destroy any pathogens that might be living in the watery growing media. For animals, this compilated table shows it to have 16.5% crude protein and a bevy of other useful vitamins, like leucine and alanine. This Australian study lists many of the benefits of using azolla as a large-scale fodder source, but points out a simple drawback to commercial production - that contamination of the plantings by tiny freshwater shrimp can occur. This accidental animal protein renders the azolla illegal to sell as a feed source for ruminants in Australia, as they have strict legislation prohibiting animal proteins for ruminant consumption there. They also recommend the azolla be fed fresh or refrigerated, but within a week of harvest.
     A very nice synopsis of azolla research here.

Some free aquatic snail contamination.

I don't speak this language, but the video is very informative even muted.

Can Permaculture sustain us?

     Toby Hemenway is one of the best-known Permaculture advocates available. He is quite knowledgeable on the subject, and gives talks and teaches courses over there on the west coast. An article from his website was probably the best gardening article ever written, which is to say most horticultural information is content-milled. That article really inspired me to find out what is native and useful here, and I can't imagine living anywhere else.

     But can Permaculture really sustain us? Some people think of it as more of a religion rather than an agricultural technique, which is definitely a problem. And the answer, which Mr. Hemenway sidestepped a bit, is that it cannot. Unless we change every aspect of our lives to really coexist with the planet. That would include less future children, and not more. Less fossil fuels, not more. Less air conditioning and heating, and not more. Less can be more with proper design, hence, permaculture.

      It really comes into perspective when you attempt to figure out the acreage it would take for a family to feed itself. More than one acre, for sure. At least one adult working  full-time on that acreage to plant, harvest, and maintain production. Families would be forced to to move to be spread out in order to have that land for use. The surface area of the arable parts of the planet is known and can be calculated. The calculations do not add up to the population numbers that we have now.

     That's sad, right? Not really. I can't even tell you all the people that I've met that never want to have kids. They are a product of our industrial society, and they don't want to give up the luxury they would miss out on  if they had to raise children. Then there is also the fear that this industrial society isn't worth living in, that it would be a shame to bring a child into this. Personally I think that's why zombie flicks are so popular, because people secretly long for a less complicated life where the threats to your welfare are clearly visible. Children are an investment no matter what your ethics and religion, of time, energy, even patience.

     But that's just one aspect of how lives must be changed to have a future for our race. Toby Hemenway  forsees a potential future for us that he describes well in this video. What do you forsee?

Backyard Foraging

     I may have said it before, but the gentleman over at Eat the Weeds is doing some good work. This particular video is my favorite one yet.

Aquaponics, are we missing the point?

     Aquaponics, the art of using recirculating pumps to provide habitat for fish growth and nutrition for soil-less agriculture, is commonly becoming available to everyday people via the information exchange on the interwebs. It is potentially a viable gardening technique for apartment dwellers and others who don't have access to even a small plot of semi-arable land, but does require electricity.
     After reviewing systems and advice for days on end, I have decided that aquaponics practicioners are completely missing the big picture...that Humanity needs start utilizing other plant sources more effectively, and that using electricity to run pumps to grow tomatoes IS STUPID. Besides, when have Tilapia ever produced an attractive pumpkin? The answer, of course, is never.
     Cattails, on the other hand, are efficient bog plants that have been staples in Native Americans' diets for thousands of years. Managed effectively, Tilapia could probably make some huge cattails, taro, watercress, duckweed, azolla, water chestnuts...and probably dozens of other potentially delicious yet unexplored margin plants. Even without fish farming, more bog plants should be explored as efficient (space and resource) fodder and food sources.
     The electricity and equipment cost of aquaponics is another factor that is best forgotten until afterward, largely because the majority of people that practice aquaponics seem to be aquarium lovers who want to take their fish raising large scale, or hydroponic plant farmers who want to take their nutrition dollars away from store-bought salts. The pumping power to mechanically aerate and filter the highly stocked tanks will never be cheaper than just buying fish meat, expecially when you factor in fish feed and time. And frequent chemical tests. And the possibility of fish disease ruining your whole crop.
     Just think about it.

     There are very few people working on doing this sort of thing sustainably. Perhaps the best and easiest solution would be custom-built ponds with floating plant beds on the surface, with only inexpensive bubblers for aeration and circulation. There is still the fish feed issue, but perhaps it could be lessened with Azolla, Duckweed, Black Soldier Fly Larvae, and Redworms. All of which would need support systems and engineering, but are currently being done well on the small scale. There is still the solids issue. Solids are not really a problem if you have a garden, which everyone who can probably should have anyhow.

     A few (mostly) sustainable residential backyard aquaponics practitioners:
Garden Pool - eggs, tilapia, vegetables. Run on solar power.
Aquaponics HQ - fish, duckweed, rabbits, Black Soldier Fly.

Preparing to Raise Rabbits in Florida

     As we try to move toward a more sustainable urban landscape, we will be putting rabbits in the backyard. We decided to try rabbits because fowl are illegal in this suburb. There are a lot of great reasons to raise rabbits though, and a huge one is that eat leafy stuff that we cannot, and turn that leafy waste into very usable fertilizer.
     Not a lot of information can be found about heat stress in rabbits, but the conventional wisdom says that too much heat decreases their productivity and can lead to dying off. We may have to implement a rabbit free summer zone if the heat is too much for them.
     Rabbits need protection from the sun and rain, and should not be allowed to stand on wastes.

     Traditionally rabbits should be given five square feet of cage space. We have turned some sturdy, large dog crates into rabbit cages by lining the floors with a mesh that should provide adequate drainage and feet protection. Chicken wire is not recommended for rabbit cages due to the larger size and feet damage issues, and that rabbits have been known to escape through it. Our cages are tied down to concrete block, for now, and secured with locks to prevent theft (after the break-in a few years ago, I'm not taking any chances).
     At about 5-6 months old the doe can be bred. Conventional rabbit raising call for putting the doe in the bucks cage and then watch the first mating to be assured everything is going well, then afterward to return the does to her pen for an hour. Then let them be together again for another round. This is to ensure ejaculate quality and to prevent territorial fighting.
     Palpate the does 14 days after breeding to check for pregnancy. At 28 days after breeding, provide a nesting box for the little mama.  20” long x 11” wide x 10” high. Wean the kits at 6 weeks old and separate them from their mother. She can be re-bred at this time. At 10 weeks they should be fryer sized, and a few more weeks longer and they should roaster sized, which is not quite full-grown.
     Rabbits need a diet with about 15% protein for adequate growth and to avoid problems during gestation and lactation. Full grown adult rabbits need only about 13% protein. Most pellets provide about  13-18% protein. Rabbits also need long fiber, which is not adequately supplied in pellet form but is provided with the addition of regular grass, which most breeders recommend at about 2 cups per 5 pounds of rabbit per day. Beyond fiber, protein, and vitamins, rabbits do not need the addition of grains or fruits or vegetables, though these are okay to give in small quantities.
     The rabbit manure, which looks like little round pods, is pH neutral and can be applied directly to the garden or mixed into a manure tea. Some raisers use it for vermicomposting.

How to build a nest box out of plywood

Bidens alba, From Worthless to Wonderful

Uses : Wildlife, Forage, Xeriscaping, Edible, Medicinal. Native to : Unknown, found throughout the tropics and subtropics.
     It wasn't very long ago that I used to detest this very prolific weed. It is a plant sexaholic, constantly spreading its genetic information all over my grass. I'm not a huge fan of grass, but I'm also not a fan of the place looking untidy, which is what Beggarticks does for you. It's a perennial that freezes to the ground every year and will spring up from its roots to shower your lawn, your neighbor's lawn, and the family down the street's lawn with seeds.
     In the past I removed this plant with impunity. It has a tiny shallow root system which makes it easy to pull out. Once removed, I hoped that a more beautiful or useful plant would find its way into that empty space, and within two seasons was somewhat successful. Four O' Clocks found their way into the entire front yard, covering the place with pink fragrance. But how I wish I had known that Spanish Needle would have been better to leave in place...
     Why the change of mind, you ask? This weedy herb is a favorite of butterflies and bees, but more importantly, rabbits love it. They eat Beggarticks before they eat the grass mixture, long before they go for the boring pellets. And if a plant is useful and invasive, please invade!
     It's edible by humans, too. Eat the leaves raw or cook away, and you'll have a nice green for the dinner table. Or add to smoothies, as I do.
     Medicinally it, and its cousin Bidens pilosa, are used in Peru to reduce inflammation and protect the liver. A study done in 2011 confirmed the hepatoprotective effects of Bidens pilosa in mice.
     A study done in 2011 in South Africa states that the crude protein content for Bidens pilosa is 19%, making it an excellent herb for growing rabbits to nosh on. It is also high in vitamins and antioxidants. They recommend it be eaten more and used more medicinally by humans.
     These plants were sustainably harvested early in the morning from above a storm water drain down the street. A lot of organic matter catches near the drains, and people tend not to try to hard to mow down into the mouth of the drain. Sustainable harvest implies that most of the plants were left to reproduce, and only a small fraction were taken. The whole time I was convinced someone was going to yell at me or at least question why I was carrying around weeds, but thankfully, I escaped un-reprimanded.

Harvesting Turtle

Gopher Tortoise, illegal to capture except by special permit, common is sandy long-leaf pine savannas, spend most of their time in long, deep burrows which provide habitat for other creatures and enable them to thermoregulate and avoid forest fires.

     The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) closely regulates the types and number of turtles that can be harvested from the wild for different purposes, including personal use (i.e. eating) or raising on your own land for later personal use. It is illegal to sell turtles taken from the wild in Florida, and that rule may apply to their meat as well so do be careful. 

 "Freshwater turtles can only be taken by hand, dip net, minnow seine or baited hook. Most freshwater turtles may be taken year-round. Taking turtles with bucket traps, snares, or shooting with firearms is prohibited. Softshell turtles may not be taken from the wild from May 1 to July 31. In addition, collecting of freshwater turtle eggs is prohibited.
    Some turtle farms depend on collection of wild freshwater turtles. With the new rule, certified turtle aquaculture facilities, under a tightly controlled permitting system, will be allowed to collect turtles to establish reproduction in captivity so that farms can become self-sustaining to lessen their dependence on collection of turtles from the wild.
Possession limits for the following turtle species and their eggs are as follows:

• Loggerhead musk turtles - two

• Box turtles - two

• Escambia map turtles - two

• Diamondback terrapins - two"

     Information on sea turtle harvesting is not listed on the FWC official site, which leads me to believe that it is illegal in Florida waters. Interestingly, Gator-Woman claims that the largest threat to Florida's indigenous turtle population is that Chinese, a blatantly racist remark. She claims their love of turtle is skyrocketing the price of domestic turtle meat.
     Once you acquire the turtle you can butcher immediately, or some would recommend storing the captive turtle securely in clean water for a day or more, providing feed for the turtle as well. This is to lessen the supposed "muddy" flavor of the meat.
     The proper way to clean a carcass would involve enticing the turtle to bite a stick, then pulling its neck out as far as possible before slicing through as quickly and close to the base as possible, then hang by the tail to drain the blood. Next slice off the legs, tail, and shoulders for the meat. Remove the head from the neck and use the neck meat as well. Some open the shell to remove the fatty lining near the vertebra, or strap, as it is sometimes called. Frequently that step is omitted as opening the shell may not always be worth the mess or hassle. Care should be taken to avoid reflexive movement of jaws and legs which persist long after the turtle is decapitated.
     Most recipes for preparing turtle meat call for creating a soup, stew, or possible deep-frying. Some cook with the bones, some remove the bones before cooking.
     

Maypop Passionflower

Uses : Edible, Medicinal. Native to : Southeastern United States, possibly originally from Central America.
     This attractive flowering vine, which resembles a southern version of clematis, is a scourge of the southern landscape. It is banned in Hawaii and on the Florida Invasive list. I can't say it is as invasive as the non-native kudzu though, since passionflower doesn't seem to be taking over whole forests at the moment.
     A good deal of thought and research should be done before allowing this plant into your area. According to legend, about twenty years ago my mother wanted some passionflower vine for a side fence in our yard. Against my father's protestations (supposedly). Since that time the passion vine has never left our block, it comes up from seed in different places every year and in the neighbor's yards. Since the majority of my neighbors are retirees and renters, they just leave the vine to do as it will - spread and seed. The vine forms an underground tuber which goes quite deep for a vine, and if the foliage is removed it will be able to return.
     The best way to control passion vine is to pull out the young shoots every week in the spring. It is very easy to spot with its conspicuous triple-lobed or penta-lobed leaves. After the foliage is removed several times the tuber won't have energy to try again. This can be a bit labor intensive. Once the vine is larger later in the season it is nearly impossible to remove, so removing the flowers before seed setting can help.
     It does completely freeze to the ground every winter here in West Florida, even in mild winters. I usually pull out the shoots that come up in undesirable places in the spring and leave the ones that are hard to pull. If a passionflower wants to grow into the cherry laurel trees then good luck, it's not hurting anything there.
     The name 'maypop' comes from the sounds the fruits make when children throw them on the ground or jump on them. In late summer the fruit will set, making apricot-sized green globes with many seeds inside. The fruits are so seedy they are more like tiny pomegranates.    
     The 'passion' in the name comes from a symbolic representation of the Christian trinity some say they can see in the sex organs of the flower. In my opinion it should be renamed Maypop Zombie-flower as it has an unattractive smell and the plant returns from the dead every spring.
     When grown from seed passionflowers make beautiful houseplants. Their long, trailing vines and beautiful flowers are quite amazing. Vining plants tend to be forgiving in watering requirements as well. Do grow from seed in a pot if growing for indoor use as they do not take transplanting well and do not root in water as easily as many other vines.

     Much like the sweet potato, if properly trained the vines could make a very excellent natural privacy screen if you happen to live close to your neighbors. The vine does die down in the winter, which could make it useful for a shade-producing screen or for a pergola.
     The flowers are like bee and butterfly kryptonite. They are hopelessly attracted to the huge, smelly purple blossoms. I've personally seen the rare and mysterious zebra butterfly in my yard thanks to this vine.
     There are over 500 different varieties of passion vine available, the vines are able to hybridize with one another easily so proper identification of your cultivar can be intimidating.
     Passionflower is grown the world over in tropical areas. The most common eating variety comes from Peru and Central America. The fruit is eaten fresh, juiced, jammed, canned, fermented into wine, baked into desserts, etc.
     Remains of seeds have been found in Incan and Aztec ruins. After reading This Paper I have no doubts that the spread of passionflower throughout eastern North America was aided by human hands.
     Extractions from the plant are known to have sedative and analgesic properties. Native Americans made teas with the leaves to help treat insomnia. Since then it has been used to help with seizure disorders, substance abuse programs, and organic brain syndromes. The fruit is high in lycopene and Vitamin C.
     I was unable to find any research about whether it would be safe to use the foliage as a fodder, but I highly suspect it would not be safe in any significant quantities. After the first frost just remove the frozen vines and place in your compost heap.
     

Diets of Forgotten Florida Cultures

    Have you ever heard of the Paleo Diet? It is a modern recreation of what mankind must have been eating before agriculture came into being. It may be an oversimplification to say so, but it is a variety of low Carb. No grains or dairy, just meats, vegetables, herbs, and fruit. There's no salt or processed chemicals either.

     The people that lived here in the scrublands lived primitively in regards to diet, hunting and gathering and fishing. Following are some foods that it is thought they grew or encouraged to grow.
     Maize, Beans, Squash, Pumpkins, Gourds, Citrons, Sunflowers

     Here are plants they foraged for food, medicine, or weaving materials.
Acorns, Hickory nuts, Plums, Blackberries, Elderberries, Peppervine, Ground Cherries, Bristlegrass, Spatterdock, Yucca, Cabbage Palm, Water Lily, Rivercane, Palm berries, Wild Cherries, Persimmons, Blueberries, Huckleberries, Poke Weed, Amaranth, Broomgrass, Cattail, Ache, Morning Glory, Saw Palmetto, Yaupon, Smartweed, Knotted Bullrush, Nut Sedge, Buttonbush, Watershield, Sea Grapes, Coco Plums, Cofontie, Prickley Pear, Sea Oats, Goosefoot

     They ate a wide variety of fish, shellfish, snakes, turtles, small and large game, and birds. These things Florida is flush with, as long as you know where to look.

Data from Ancient Native.