November 2021 Sleepy Mesquite demonstration site update

Returned to Sleepy Mesquite to make additional observations, repair damaged earthwork, and enjoy some camping with my friend Mark.

Repair of earthwork

The main focus of this trip was to make repairs on the earthwork that was damaged during this past summer's monsoon season. The least expensive way was to collect rocks in the desert and place them around the ends of the berm. So as I drove in, I stopped and collected as many rocks as I could hold in my vehicle safely, then proceeded to Sleepy Mesquite. I collect the rocks that are in the dirt road going to the site, as I have few rocks on my site, so they must be brought in. I collect the rocks on the road for several reasons. 1. Due to ease of collecting. 2. By collecting rocks on the road, I'm eliminating a road hazard not only for myself but for all other vehicles traveling on the Bradshaw Trail. 3. I don't want to steal resources from my neighbors.

Simple rock reinforcement of earthwork

After arriving at Sleepy Mesquite, I back up my car as close as possible to the earthwork and unload the rocks and any other materials and tools that will be used there. Then I drive over to the campsite to set up camp.

Once the camp is set up, I get to work on the jobs on my to-do list for the site. On this trip, it's repairing the earthwork, making site observations, and enjoying a campout with my friend Mark.

Repairing the earthwork is very straightforward. Just dig a small trench around the ends of the earthwork and place the rocks inside the trench and up and around the ends of the berm. Simple and easy. This task took about 20 minutes to complete.

Making observations

Next on the list was to do a walk around the site to make some observations and notes about what had changed and what was working or not working. The site continues to green after this summer's monsoon season. The earthwork also continues to green as well. Ants have taken up residence in the earthwork, no doubt digging down to get to the moisture being stored underneath. The weedy growth observed last month continues to mature. A small ironwood tree also sprouted on the waterline on the inside of the earthwork, only a few inches at this point. It's doubtful that it will survive through the summer to come without assistance. But I'm sure the rabbits will devour it before then. I didn't bring any chicken wire to defend this small ironwood seedling, nor were rabbits on my radar at this point in my thought process. As I'm writing this years after these events took place, some hindsight is in play here.

What part do the ants and wildlife play in the system? Nearly all the animals that call the Sonoran Desert their home shelter themselves underground. They're mostly burrowing animals, and that means these animals perform a number of functions on site. 1. Being burrowing animals, they infiltrate water into the ground by digging their burrows. 2. They also slow down the water flow across the landscape with the mounds that are produced by their digging. 3. The burrows they dig also collect biomass, either by them bringing it into their burrows for bedding or food. 4. They leave manure on the surface, which builds biomass on the surface.

The ants are especially interesting as they do all of the above. But they also farm underground fungus, which is the start of a mycelium web that will help make much of the locked-up nutrients in the soil available to plants as the ground slowly increases its biomass.

What part does the new growth play in the design? The new growth also plays an important role in several ways. 1. The roots of the new plants perform two functions: the ones with long taproots help break up soil compaction, and the ones with shallow spreading hair roots hold the soil together to prevent soil erosion. 2. The herbaceous growth, although fleeting, is the beginning of surface and subsurface mulch production. These weedy plants grow through the fall and winter and die out in late spring, leaving their dead and withered bodies on the surface as mulch and dying roots in the ground as mulch corridors. Sadly, there is simply not enough mulch being produced to be much use as mulch, as insects and other desert creatures consume most of what is left, and the relentless solar energy quickly dries out and mineralizes what little remains. So some mulch is produced, but very little. It would take many centuries to produce enough biomass to sustain a forest here. But this does not stop nature from starting the process and continuing it indefinitely until the job is done.

The role of people on the site is to speed up the processes that are already in play and add new ones to accelerate progress. What would have taken centuries now takes a decade or possibly less, depending on how much time and effort is put into it.

What's not working

What's not working on the site and why? It is encouraging to see life taking hold with such a simple change to the site. Slowing and infiltrating water makes a big difference, but sadly it's not enough to counteract the sun's relentless bombardment of solar energy onto the exposed soil surface. There's simply not enough organic matter and vegetation to hang on to the moisture that has been collected. It all just evaporates away, with maybe only 30% at most of the moisture remaining in the ground. Everything in this environment is geared initially towards anti-evaporation. The earthwork only slows and captures the water flowing across the site but does a poor job of holding on to it by itself. More elements will be needed to achieve this.

What is working

What is working on the site and why? Life is finding a foothold with a simple earthwork, not just plant life but animal life as well. The slowing and infiltration of water into the soil is giving life enough of a chance to take hold for a short time. This has by itself sped up the process of biomass production by at least 50% or possibly more. But this is still too slow a rate; more is needed. For the short time that the moisture stays on site, life comes and flourishes for a time. Animals come to drink and feed, depositing manure that stays behind and builds up biomass and nutrients. Ants come in and take up permanent residence at the earthwork and work to collect biomass from nearby plants, taking that biomass underground to feed themselves and their underground fungal farms. They then remove waste back to the surface, which builds biomass there. So a small biomass factory has been installed by both the man-made earthwork, which then provided enough resources for ants and plants to bring in even more resources. But we want to see results faster; more biomass is needed.

Our next steps

Based on my observations so far, what is the next logical step to take? The next step needed is to slow down the rate of evaporation as much as we possibly can. I need to shield the ground from the sun's rays as much as possible. So how do I do this?

Mulch is essential for insulating the soil from the sun's rays, reducing ground temperatures, and slowing evaporation. This function is effectively fulfilled by mulch. A layer of mulch about 4-6 inches thick is necessary to achieve this. By doing so, we increase the biomass on site. As mulch decomposes, microorganisms feed on it, attracting more biodiversity or bringing it in with the mulch. Since there is minimal biomass in this environment, it must be sourced from off-site, typically in the form of wood chips, as they are less likely to be blown away compared to straw and leaves. Trees are another form of biomass to be introduced, providing a continuous source of mulch and other essential elements. By introducing these new elements, we expand the biomass production, and more biomass is generated on site if left undisturbed. Mulch is one of the elements to be incorporated into the earthwork. It acts as insulation for the soil, protecting it from solar energy by slowing down the heat transfer into the soil, similar to home insulation. For mulch to be effective as insulation, it must be applied in a thick layer of about 6 inches or more—the thicker, the better. Mulch can lower the soil temperature beneath it by 20-25%. The challenge with mulch in the desert is the scarcity of mulch-producing plants and the tendency for most mulch to be blown away by the wind, leading to a lack of local mulch sources. Most plants grow too slowly to be useful for mulch production. However, even with mulch, more measures are needed to fully prevent evaporation.

Let's discuss shade. Shade will enhance the effectiveness of mulch in combating evaporation. There are several approaches we can take. First, we can use artificial shade by installing shade structures aligned with the sun's path over the area. Second, we can plant trees to generate the necessary shade. These should be pioneering tree species that are well-suited to the climate and require little to no additional water. They need to be fast-growing trees that can shade their own root zones and beyond, and they should produce additional mulch to sustain the system. Additionally, they should be capable of prolific reproduction and possibly serve many other functions. Most importantly, the trees must withstand harsh conditions caused by the environment, wildlife, and humans. One tree that stands out for this purpose is the Prosopis tree, also known as the Mesquite tree. With over 40 species of Prosopis worldwide, we should have no trouble finding one or more to meet our needs. Shade and windbreaks are also essential to further reduce the rate of moisture evaporation. Trees play a crucial role in this process. Although initially too small to effectively produce mulch, shade, or act as windbreaks, planting them initiates the site's and system's evolution. Like any venture, starting out often means operating at a deficit by investing more into the system than you receive. However, by accelerating the system's development, you advance its evolutionary path more quickly by amplifying its natural processes on a much larger scale.

What if we had unlimited resources

If money were no object, we could just haul in huge volumes of mulch, bring in heavy equipment, and buy and plant fully mature trees, and the first phase of evolution of the system would be finished, at a cost of tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. This approach is not viable for the majority of people. And it comes with some obvious downsides. 1. The people occupying the land start the process of separating themselves from the land and thus losing their relationship with it. Long and thoughtful observation is what keeps us connected to the land and its processes. 2. In changing the ecosystem so quickly, unforeseen consequences turn up in large numbers, and dealing with them can be quite costly and inefficient. Doing things at a slower pace will allow you to deal with problems one at a time as they creep up on you, as well as observe the effects on the environment as the system grows and evolves, for good or for ill. Inevitably, problems will arise, and adjustments to your plan will be needed as you build your system. This is why we use the word evolve a lot as opposed to build or construct. We are designing and evolving an ecosystem. God's creation is the teacher; slow down and pay attention, it will teach you about God and itself and your relationship to them more than a permaculture course ever could, but not as quickly.

Having fun

As for camping on the trip and enjoying nature for the fun and awe it inspires, well, why not? If the process of permaculture is not enjoyable, then what's the point of it all? Have fun with the process and share it with friends and family. If we're not having fun while doing permaculture, then that's the first sign you're doing something wrong. So sit by the campfire, sing a song, gaze at the stars, and dream a good dream.

Mark relaxes by the warmth of a campfire at night, surrounded by camping gear and the glow of crackling flames.

Hope you enjoyed this post. Feel free to leave a comment or two. Until next time, grow your system of abundance with joy.