Natural building material using clay, sand, and straw for walls, ovens, and benches Recipe Details ### Materials Needed: - Clay soil (from subsoil layer) - Sharp sand (angular, various sizes) - Long straw (wheat, rice, oat) - Water - Mixing tarp (6'x8' minimum) ### Basic Recipe Ratios: - Clay soil: 15-30% of total volume - Sand: 70-85% of total volume - Straw: Added "to taste" after mixing ### Tools: - Wheelbarrow - Buckets for measuring - Tarps for mixing - Hoe for initial mixing ### Instructions: 1. **Test your soil**: Perform jar test to determine clay content 2. **Prepare clay**: Soak clay soil overnight in buckets 3. **Mix dry ingredients**: Combine clay and sand on tarp 4. **Add water gradually**: Create well in center, add water slowly 5. **Mix by foot**: Dance/stomp on mixture, rolling with tarp 6. **Form "burrito"**: When mix holds together when rolled in tarp 7. **Add straw**: Sprinkle chopped straw evenly, mix in by foot 8. **Final consistency**: Should be plastic, not sticky or crumbly ### Tests for Readiness: - **Ball test**: Forms ball when squeezed, minimal cracking - **Drop test**: Ball maintains shape when dropped from waist height - **Straw content**: Each handful should have long fibers throughout ### Applications: - Wall building (coil method) - Mortar for stone walls - Earth ovens and rocket stoves - Garden benches and raised beds ### Curing: - Allow to dry slowly (cover with damp cloth) - Avoid direct sun and wind initially - Full cure takes 4-6 weeks depending on thickness

If you do nothing else for your orchard... at least mulch. It's our favorite way to stack functions.

Traditional Polynesian medicinal preparation using noni fruit for immune support and inflammation reduction Recipe Details ### Ingredients: - 3-5 ripe noni fruits (Morinda citrifolia) - 1 quart glass jar with lid - Cheesecloth or fine strainer - Dark glass bottle for storage - 1 tablespoon raw honey (optional) - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger juice (optional) ### Instructions: 1. **Harvest noni**: Select fully ripe, soft, translucent white noni fruits 2. **Clean**: Rinse fruits gently with clean water 3. **Prepare**: Place whole fruits in glass jar, leaving 1 inch space at top 4. **Ferment**: Loosely cover jar (allowing gases to escape) and place in warm location 5. **Check daily**: Fruits will soften further and release juice 6. **Collection**: After 2-6 weeks, strain collected juice through cheesecloth 7. **Aging**: Allow juice to age an additional week in dark glass bottle 8. **Optional**: Add honey and/or ginger juice to improve flavor ### Traditional Dosage: - Medicinal use: 1-2 tablespoons diluted in water, taken on empty stomach - Preventative use: 1 tablespoon daily - Acute conditions: 1 tablespoon 2-3 times daily for 1-2 weeks - External application: Apply directly to skin for wounds or inflammation ### Traditional Hawaiian Uses: - Immune system support - Digestive aid - Joint pain and inflammation - Skin conditions (external application) - Blood sugar regulation - Wound healing - Natural antibiotic ### Notes: - Noni has a strong, distinctive odor often compared to blue cheese - The taste is bitter and pungent; dilution or honey helps mask flavor - Traditional preparation times vary across Polynesian cultures - Some prefer to sun ferment while others use indoor fermentation - Can be mixed with fruit juices to improve palatability - Raw noni is not recommended; fermentation makes compounds bioavailable ### Cautions: - Not recommended during pregnancy without medical supervision - May interact with certain medications - Start with small amounts to test tolerance

I'm showing how we take care of lacewing infections on avocado trees. Works well for other types of pests, particular sucking insects like aphids. A similar mixture also works well to prevent (but not cure) bunchie top on bananas!

Simple 2-4 day fermentation for immediate garden nutrition Recipe Details ### Ingredients: - Fresh nettle leaves and stems - Fresh red or white clover plants - 5-gallon bucket - Water to cover ### Instructions: 1. Cut nettle and clover plants into pieces 2. Fill bucket 1/3 with plant material mix 3. Cover with water, leaving 6 inches headspace 4. Place in sunny location 5. Stir daily with stick 6. Ready in 2-4 days when it smells earthy ### Application: - Use full strength around root zones - Excellent for tomatoes and peppers - Use wilted plant matter as mulch afterward ### Benefits: - High in nitrogen from nettles - Natural sugars from clover - Quick nutrition boost - No complex fermentation needed ### Pro Tips: - Harvest nettles before they flower - Include some dandelions for potassium - Can add to irrigation channels - Works great in hot weather