Blue Fox FarmMy Sustainable and Organic Micro Farm, and Artisans RetreatBlue Fox Farm is made up of my little nursery and organic garden, as well as my home and display gardens to demonstrate how to grow drought smart plants.I also build and display rustic crafts made from twigs, barnboard, driftwood an other wildcrafted items. The farm itself is nestled in a wooded canyon about 15 kilometers north of Grand Forks, British Columbia. Serene and peaceful, and very sheltered and private, the south facing slope creates a micro-climate that provides a sanctuary for nesting birds and many types of wildlife, as well as providing many twigs and branches for rustic crafts on the rocky hillsides. The soil here is varied - some is obviously created by the glaciers, other areas are very sandy and silty deposited by long dry streams, yet other places are rocky. I take my chances when I build a new garden, as I never know what I'll find.
I propagate the thyme plugs in the greenhouse as they need to be covered and shaded at first, and depending on the season, the Sedum plugs are propagated in there too. Mostly, though, the Sedum do very nicely outside, rooting happily no matter what. The tender succulent plants and my collection of Echeveria live here in the summer, reveling in the warmth and brightness. I also package orders for shipping in the greenhouse, as it's bright and usually warm and comfortable. It gets used for junk storage too, much to my embarrassment!
I also have had lots of fun designing and building (with assistance) a series of funky rustic sheds. I don't claim to have any special engineering or construction experience, but I do use common sense, and spend a lot of time 'cogitating' before building. The first project after the greenhouse was The Circle of Thyme Chapel of Saint Francis of AssisiThe rustic gazebo is made from sticks cut right on the property with the main function to make a structure for Clematis to grow on. It's also been used for a prop for rustic country wedding pictures.
Glory BeOther projects are Glory Be, the root cellar, with its cordwood walls and Sedum roof...
The LiveryNext came the Livery...otherwise known as a woodshed. It's been almost completely filled only once as it holds about eight cords of firewood. A cord is a stack four feet high by four feet wide by eight feet long. It's great to have a dry place to store firewood, and all the other things that get put in there, such as the recycling, golf clubs...you get the idea.
The Mercantile...and then the Mercantile, which is the power shack where the electricity line comes in. This has room for a freezer and can be heated if necessary, and even has a phone line.
The EggporeumThe most recent addition to the little western town is The Eggporeum (chicken house)...
My Bantam chickens don't realize it, but they have a pretty fancy hotel to live in. I'm sure that's not the last project I'll tackle. A shop would be nice... If you would like a tour of Blue Fox Farm, and the Sedum and succulent nursery with display gardens of drought smart plants, contact me to arrange a time and get directions.
go to Drought Smart Plants home page
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Rustic Crafts with hardy and tender succulents...
...go together like a hand in a glove
Xeric gardens, due to the fact that at times the plants look a little tired of never being watered, benefit from really unique focal points to take the eye away from the bedraggled plants.
Here are a few rustic crafts that I showcase my succulents in:
Find all the pages about rustic crafts on the Rustic Crafts Site Map.
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