Hello!
My name’s Margie, also known as the Ringleader of this little circus.
When we first moved out to this one-acre property in 2001, I thought I had big plans. I started with a container garden, a handful of chickens, and compost worms. Then I got a couple trees and berry bushes. I really knew very little about growing in the Great Basin High Desert. I knew even less about doing it organically. Since then, the garden space has grown exponentially. The year I turned 55, my family got on board with the project and now we’re outgrowing this property.
Our collective goal is to promote the health and welfare of the people, the soil, and the ecosystems that we touch. Where we live is not only the High Desert, but also a “food desert.” Many in our small, suburban community do not have access to non-processed foods, nor do they know how to grow their own. We intend to provide a resource for free education, specific to this microclimate.
Our methods are ever evolving, adapting the knowledge we gather from permaculture masters (see the first blog post for our favorites) to our specific environment. We’re building integrated systems that we can apply to another, larger plot of High Desert land – or that others can duplicate in other locations, both here and abroad.
Our challenges include the duripan silt soil, high UV from high elevation, low humidity and rainfall, high summer heat, cold winters, stray livestock invasions, predation, and more. We’ve learned as much from failure as from success; and we are committed to forever be the student.
We here intend to provide future generations with the place and the knowledge on how to grow and preserve their own food, care for the soil and microbiology, and understand the impacts on the surrounding ecosystems.
Above all, we are a rather unconventional bunch… or, rather, an anti-conventional bunch.
There’s my husband, David, who has done a lot of research on native plants and pollinators. He’s our amateur meteorologist, watches our weather station and rain gauges, and keeps an eye on the date when I forget calendars exist.
DJ is our resident mad scientist, amateur mycologist, vermiculturist, and soil supervisor. He keeps our microbiology healthy and happy. He’s also our main heavy-lifting guy when we absolutely, positively need something moved when we can’t do it ourselves.
Corinne is our marketer, designer, and logistical support. Whenever we need help, physically or virtually, she’s there to lend a hand… and make sure we have food and water when we forget. She’s also the Wrangler of Small Humans, which is one of the most important jobs.
Whenever we can, we bring Mikki in to do some writing and editing for us. She’s amazing at turning our incoherent ramblings into polished pieces fit for reading. I recommend her for anyone who needs such services!
Athena has recently joined our team. She’s been working on the canning and preserving part of the homesteading. She’s become Corinne’s right hand.
Our part-timers are Rocky, Cassi, and Laramie (my offspring). They lend a hand when they can, though they all work a crazy amount of hours in their everyday lives.
The apprentices (the six grandchildren) collect eggs, dig, harvest, build, preserve, and learn along with us.
Then there’s Penelope, our Chief of Security. She’s the best fence-runner on the block and loudly disapproves of her own reflection. She is known as the Eater of Sky Raisins, Chaser of Balls, and She Who Stalks From Shadows.
And me? I’m known by many titles: the architect, engineer, and carpenter, the CEO, the CFO, the Big Brain, the crop planner, the R&D CDO, the crop analyst, the financer… Mom and Grandma. I like the last two the best.
Now that you’ve met us, drop us a line so we can get to know you!
Email us at HoopBeeDo@gmail.com
Hoop-Bee-Do Organics 