Part 2: Restoration
noun
res· to· ra· tion ˌre-stə-ˈrā-shən 
Synonyms of restoration
1
: an act of restoring or the condition of being restored: such as
a
: a bringing back to a former position or condition : REINSTATEMENT
the restoration of peace
b
: RESTITUTION
c
: a restoring to an unimpaired or improved condition
the restoration of a painting

I’m so glad I thought to document the soil quality when we started from then to now, because the change is significant. in just one year since our first biochar & compost amendment the soil has transformed from clay into beautiful, silty black soil full of life potential.

We spent our eclipse day seeding the back with a pollinator cover crop. We kept glasses in our pocket to check in. We felt the air grow still. The temperature changed. The light became golden. The energy was so intense, it felt like the right thing to be doing on that day.

Generally speaking, a lot of people believe in seeding on a new moon. The gravity is different and it impacts water retention and germination. We knew the following few days would bring rain and perfect germination temps so we took the moment to make some magic to reclaim the back for pollinators this season. This year we begin shifting the biome of the land.

We introduced #biochar and #mycorrhiza, alongside a #pollinator cover crop to cultivate a space for the insects we want to cultivate to thrive. This summer we plan to have a 7500 sq ft space of mixed flowers and nitrogen fixing plants to take the soil back from invasive weeds.

We plan to reclaim it as a #permaculture #design starting next year. This year is for the bees & butterflies. This is the part of the process where we see hope. We see a path forward, and what we need to learn to take the next step.

We know it’s possible to restore this soil to something that sustains a diversity of life. That we can clear the debris from past development, pull the trash out of the soil, seed it with a chaotic blend of life affirming little bits, sprinkle some love on top… and wait for the earth to restore itself.

Proving that when we provide the conditions for #healing it is the natural state. We just have to try.