Okay - this post will probably clinch my title as "lazy gardener" or at least "whimsical gardener". It's spring, and in the Pacific NW that means trying to catch up with weeds that have had all winter to grow. It's not good to disturb soil when it's too wet (which is most of the time here) because it really turns to rock-hard clay if you do. I've learned the hard way how true that is, so I've watched as the invasive grass latched onto my garden beds.

In the past few days of sun, I was able to use edger and claw-tool to cut out large swathes of turf and - rather than fight to get the damp soil out, I decided to bring them to my rabbit cages and let the bunnies feed on their very own "lawn". It worked just fine! :-) And the clumps of dirt fall into the rabbit compost, and get put back on garden (minus grass roots).

It's an odd example of what I call "closing the circle" - trying to turn problems into solutions by figuring out what other part of a cycle needs that resource. Obviously, putting food scraps into compost, then compost into garden beds is a way of solving a waste problem. And feeding slugs to chickens (or letting them in to pick their own) solves another. I'm trying out not mowing my back lawn (the front postage-stamp lawn is a compromise for neighbors, but is slowly becoming mostly flowers and herbs). Instead I grab large handfuls of grass for the rabbits (who are too big for me to lift down onto the grass - but I'm working out the idea of a rabbit tractor) and/or I move chicken fencing to allow them to feast. And my new bees will be happy with all the uncut clover and other "weeds" there... why work against the cycle, when you can work with it?

Anyone else have any ways they are closing the cycle?