Running Barefoot.

After wearing thin, minimal sandals almost everywhere, running and walking, work and play, inside, outside, safe or not, I feel qualified to make a few quick, perfunctory statements.

1. They work pretty well. At least if your feet aren't already falling apart on you. if your legs and joints aren't suffering a bit. They take a bit of getting used to and new muscle development, so don't take it as an advert and always think for yourself. But they work well. Our feet and legs were designed to walk barefoot.
2. But not on rock. They don't work on rock. Our legs do not work on rock. And by rock I mean sidewalk. Concrete. 

I have not worn these thin sandles running every time. Today, I ran down some city streets. When I can, I go into yards and dirt and grass.

Where my stride truly becomes natural. On the rock, I'm tiptoeing. it's not working very well. On soil, it's fine.

Course, sidewalk isn't good for anyone. No matter what footwear you have on. It's hard to avoid. We are always provided with ample access to everything we shouldn't have.

An Edible Gardeners Reference

It's hard to find a straight forward reference to use in the garden. I like things being on one page. All the information utterly accessible.

For anyone in Denver, the Southwest, Midwest, or Rocky Mountains, this might be useful:

Edward Morrison's Late July Gardening Reference for Denver, Midwest, Southwest, and Rocky Mountains

A few notes on the symbology:

• Xs are good things
• capital X are pairings that are frequently referenced, especially good.
• x are companions
• /   that's half an x. They are probably good, but aren't as specifically beneficial
• P is for "Pest Prevention"
• P  Denotes a Pest Preventor! This plant either attracts the good or scars the bad.
• p  little p is also a pest prevention marker. That is what this pairing will do for you.
• q  that's a backward p. Like the half x, it implies some pest help, but not so clearly.
• Some specialty marks: they explain the benefit you will likely have.
• 3/  used once. In this reference, plant 3 basil's per tomato for pest prevention.
• n  plant nearby. Or in "alternate rows"
• s  the benefit this plant provides is shade.
• 0s are bad things.
• 0  these plants are enemies. Plant none of them nearby.
• )   That's a half circle. It implies some animosity.

Beans? What Beans?

For a beginning gardener, the term "bean" is an evil, awful, no good, very bad word.

It's just too vague.

What kind of bean? A green bean? A dry bean? A bean bush? A pole bean? A legume? Black beans or pinto beans or string bean?

Sure most of these probably have more in common than not. The dry beans probably have a lot in common with each other. But when the word is "beans", with no further explanation, I get stuck. Trying to figure out what different sources mean by "beans", especially when they have different conclusions, sucks.

Here's a wish that people think about being a little more clear.

Edible Forests

Laura Pottorff of the Colorado State University's extension office is apparently convinced that "companion planting" is a load of crock. Perhaps she is really just trying to discourage people from fretting and worrying over-much about the negative effects of one plant on another.

Companion Planting does have a good history around it. And good logic. Some attributes of one plant can really help out another.

• Double-up production by:
• Tall plants can act as shade for smaller plants
• Deep roots don't compete with shallow roots so much
• Vines that crawl across the ground might could be planted under tall stalky plants.
• Keep our neighbors healthy:
• Onions and Marigolds can repel some pests. They are not the only living repellants
• Some plants can be sacrificial and lure garden pests away
• Other plants can attract good insects like spiders and ladybugs

This just makes a certain amount of sense.

I am beginning experiments on Edible Forests. I will be creating some circle gardens at a farm I volunteer with to see how well they do. Currently, we are over-run with weeds. They are choking out the plants we want to grow. Doing basically what weeds do.

My hypothesis is that with good companion planting, I can create some "edible forests" in which the weeds have a hard time competing with what we want.

So: in theory:

1. I need deep-rooting plants
2. Shallow rooting plants
3. Tall plants
4. Perhaps some ground-cover like plants
5. And all of them can be started in late July... In a high desert.... a Dry Denver hill.
6. Plants that like each other fairly well.

Second tier problem is to worry about pests. But there are quite a few lady bugs out on the land already. Bugs do not seem to be too much of a problem. It is the Buffalo Burr and the bloody Bindweed which are our chief problems.

Arvada Square: A Better Plan

Arvada Plaza Walmart

Arvada wishes to gift-wrap $5.8 million to a company which makes $17 billion in yearly profits. To put $17 Billion in perspective, that is enough money cover this bailout 2931 times*.

Such favoritism by government is not something I can endorse, and I am surprised that anyone can. Especially for a project I have doubt will truly improve the area. I hear about Walmart improving neighborhoods or economies just about as often as I hear about them wrecking it. The truth, as always, is somewhere in between. The Walmart which took over a field and small outdoor mall at 72nd and Sheridan in Westminster Colorado did less havoc to the surrounding neighborhoods than I imagined (it did kill the mall up the road, as everyone knew), but I haven't seen it excel as a wonderful place to be, either. It certainly isn't as nice as the old mall. When the first Walmart comes to an area, I am sure it shows a bunch of boon for a local economy because we measure them so divided. In Alamosa, the super-store is the only thing like it for miles around and people drive from as far as Creed to get cheaper napkins. Yet... Alamosa is still poor itself. I wonder where all that imported money is going?

But I have a better idea. Launching of of Indianapolis' Cultural Trail project. This project targeted community, sustainable transportation, exercise, people and citizens, interaction, beauty, art.... It bolstered many aspects of the city. It is a wholeistic project and it was funded almost entirely by philanthropy. It didn't use tax dollars and certainly didn't raise rates.

This isn't Indianapolis. And I don't mean to insinuate that Arvada can raise $63 million dollars for one street corner. But perhaps there are some people out there who would love to see Arvada more beautiful. We might be able to raise 5.8 million to help improve the frankly ugly Arvada Plaza, some of it as a fine on the negligent land owner.

This is a perfect time to act. Commuter Rail is going through the area. If we are prepared with nice places to be, then passengers might make Arvada as much of a destination as Downtown Denver. If, instead, there is a Walmart draining the business out of Olde Town, then we could be a very forgettable stop. Old Town Arvada has made itself into an amazing center of commerce and fun. It would be much more of a shame to kill that than it was to kill the Westminster Mall.

The primary things to consider to improve the area are:

• Having space for people. Animals. Plants. Life. So that people will stay, have fun, enjoy themselves, and use the space. Maybe just buy a second croissant.
• Connect and interact with other local features. Like parks, trails, Olde Town, the coming Commuter Rail. Support options for travel, especially ones involving outside and exercise.
• Open up the soil. Reduce paving. Allow things to live. Pavement is good only for wheeled creatures. Sidewalks are as hard on the human knee and feet as it is for our CO2 footprints. Soil, however, is good for everything.
• Community. Local production and value rather than imported and exported value. Walmart would employ a few people, hundreds of jobs they claim, but how many jobs are lost? And how well do they treat their employees. Walmart is pretty hard on the economy at large.
• Work with local talent to beautify Arvada. There are artists and craftsmen would would love the opportunity to put their work in public.
• Make it a pleasant place to be.

There is a lot more information on Walmart. Is this really what we want for our communities? Or just push it on other people? Generally, people seem to want the latter, forgetting entirely the Golden Rule of morality. Only do to others what you would like done to you. Would you like one in your backyard?

http://yourhub.denverpost.com/arvada/arvada-government-favoritism-walmart/7RnvhpTk93ZFDvt1mDCNWI-ugc?hl
http://www.qualityarvada.info/
http://stoparvadawalmart.com/
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/09/15/biz_biz1amart.html
http://landscapevoice.com/indianapolis-cultural-trail/
http://www.businessinsider.com/16-walmart-facts?op=1
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/storewars/stores2.html
http://www.now.org/issues/wfw/wm-facts.html



*Less impressive analogies: Walmart has enough profit to give every person on the planet $2.43, or every person in America (308.7 million people, 2010 census) $55. Or every person below poverty (estimated 15% - 50%) $367 - $110. Just from this year.