On the farm this next year, we want to start growing Bamboo.  We want to use it in several ways.  It will help filter our grey water, provide shade for the south side of the house, and give us materials to use for our bean poles and pea poles.  Not to mention that it would be cool to be raising and growing bamboo in the middle of the high desert in Utah.

To help get ready for the bamboo, we installed our grey water system (or the beginning of it).  We moved our bee hives out of the area and put them farther out on the property.   And we have started getting the area ready for planting the bamboo.

One of the things we were able to start over the weekend was to build the series of Hugelkulturs to retain the water from the grey water system, as well as build up the soil for the bamboo.  I was able to build two of the four that we are going to put in the area.

I started by digging out several ditches.  I had Tom help me out with the digging.  He used his scout shovel that he got from Christmas.  It is basically a scout/military travel shovel that allows you to modify it so that the shovel has several different angles you can dig at.

We then filled the trench in with a bunch of old sun flower stocks that were given to us by a relative.  I then also took one of the buckets we use to collect the ashes from our wood burning stove and poured the ashes in the trenches as well.  We then covered the trenches with dirt.

Like most things we do on the farm, we usually try to get as many little hands to help as possible.  Our two little girls help by putting the sun flower stocks in the ditch.  And of course, you can’t work on the farm as a little girl unless you do it in fluffy skirts.

Snow boots and all.  I really do enjoy working on the farm, and spending time with the kids as we build, grow, and work the land.

I also ordered the Bamboo.  There are a bunch of places it can be ordered from on the internet, but I found a place on amazon that sells two of the three varieties we want to try.  Here is what we have purchased so far, and we are excited to give it a go.

This is Phyllostachys Auerosulcata

This is Phyllostachys Bissetii

In the future, I will probably buy from Bamboogarden.com.  I picked amazon this time around because of the pricing.  We are going out on a limb, and the least amount of money I can spend at this point the better.  If what we buys winters over well, I will buy a larger number from several different vendors.  They were very helpful in helping pick the variety of bamboo that would work in the area we are planning on growing it.