$200 Emergency Pit Well
In July, I was digging some fence post holes when I hit water, just 2 feet down. In the Rocky Mountains this is not typical, so I knew I had to take advantage of the high water table. Two evenings, $200 in parts, and I’ve got a 3x3x4 ft culvert-lined pit well ready for emergency […]
Gravity Rain Barrel That Won’t Freeze or Grow Algae (8,600 ft Rockies – $250 Build)
At 8,600 ft in Colorado, my 55-gal rain barrel used to freeze solid in winter and turn green by summer. Garden died, I got mad. One weekend, $250 in parts, zero pumps — now it gravity-drips my entire garden all season, stays ice-free at -25 °F, and never grows algae. Here’s exactly what I used […]
Should I Let Aspens Grow in My Garden?
(Spoiler: Not if you want berries. Here’s the full story.) I’ve always been drawn to aspens. There’s something magical about a grove of Populus tremuloides—those delicate, heart-shaped leaves that flutter with the slightest breeze, earning them the nickname “quaking aspen.” In fall, they turn a blazing gold that stops you in your tracks. They grow […]
4 Crops That Defy a Tiny Lot (With Real Yield Charts)
You don’t need 10 acres. Here are **4 crops** that feed a family in a **4×8 bed**. Yield Chart | Crop | Plants | Yield (lbs) | Cherry Tomatoes | 4 | 50–80 Pole Beans | 8 | 30–50 Kale | 9 | 20–30 | Zucchini | 2 | 40–60 ## Start Your Defiance Best […]