Hello All,
I'm super stoked to be finally getting the greenhouse documentation up here and to be moving forward this PLSS this winter!
Now that the structure is up and ready to go, we're looking at organizing a few things for the next two months:
1) We'll be planting a new crop of herbs very shortly :) I've ordered an fantastic array of medicinal herbs from http://www.saltspringseeds.com/
Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
Echinacea tennesseensis
Sweet Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare dulce)
Wood Betony (Stachys officinalis)
Arnica (Arnica montana)
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
Marshmallow (Althea officianalis)
Spilanthes (Acmella oleracea)
St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)
Greek Mountain Tea (Sideritis syriaca)
Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)
Rama Tulsi (Holy) Basil (Ocimum sanctum)
The range of health benefits from consumption of these plants is really fantastic (I'm pretty into the immune system boosters for this winter season!) I will be composing a short info guide for these seeds and the plants' health benefits that we can post online as well as keep in the lab. Also, this has gotten me thinking about the idea of the apothecary/pharmacy...could be a new branch of thinking for PLSS.
2) Gearing up for an open-house/skill share to reach out to the rest of the Concordia student body and share the design plans we've come up with for the portable greenhouse! This will also involve hosting a 'tea' from our 1st harvest of herbs.
3) Constructing a simple hydroponic system for the greenhouse. I've found some great instructions here: http://www.hydroponics-simplified.com/support-files/mini-lettuce-raft-pdf.pdf I'm going to build two of these - one for the TML and one for the portable greenhouse.
4) Looking into mycology! It would be wonderful to get this started. I know Tyer is enthusiastic about this idea and so am I. I found out there's actually a legit mycology store right here in Montreal: http://www.mycoboutique.ca/en/
I hear they have everything one needs to cultivate mushrooms so I'm gonna check it out.
That's all for now! Looking forward to a little more green and a little less slush/ice/whathaveyou ;)
