The Smell of Burning Leaves

Bob Bauer

October 22, 2017 (Last Updated: March 06, 2023) | Reading Time: 2 minutes

October 22, 2017

The smell of burning leaves is in the air already. Burn season isn't even over yet and our local yokals are at it again. I can't believe we are not all on the same page when it comes to burning leaves. City folk know not to do it because the city tells them not to. Bag them in contractor bags, put them at the curb, and the city will pick them up. They make a fine compost that you can buy by the pickup truck load, and bring back home again if you don't want to compost them yourself..

Country folk just do what they please. Wet leaves smolder all day. Maybe they do it to hide the smell of their burning garbage. Redneck yahoos..

October 23, 2017

The first organic gardeners were our pioneer settlers. They used manure and mulch and we're all farmers and woodsmen. They did not know soil science like we do but they learned what worked or they would not survive.They recycled everything, like nature does, so nothing went to waste..

We've moved away from the basic rules of nature and introduced chemicals that pollute the land and water. Luckily we've begun to discover the error of our ways and have the opportunity to work with nature to restore the health of our land. Cover cropping and crop rotation are the beginning of sustainable agriculture..

October 24, 2017

I've gotten three artichokes so far this fall, all from the same plant. Go figure. All six plants are the same size but they apparently aren't all on the same schedule. The mulch is getting thin at the base of them (can you believe it?) and some weeds have sprouted in it. As I pulled the weeds I found lots of slugs, but there is no damage to the plants. I assume slugs like decaying matter over live plants so if I continue to mulch they will leave the plants alone..

Now I'm feeding the slugs like I'm feeding the raccoons down in the creek. If I have to start buying straw to feed the slugs I won't be telling anyone. It may be that providing food for pests can eliminate them from attacking your produce. Can you imagine having a legume planted between your broccoli rows that attracts cabbage moths? On a commercial scale this could be another facet of sustainable agriculture. It could eliminate the need for both fertilizer and pesticides..

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