#SAP Plant Maintenance

[michaelmanagementcorporation]

Master SAP Plant Maintenance with Michael Management  

Unlock your potential in the world of industrial maintenance with Michael Management’s comprehensive SAP plant maintenance courses. Learn the ins and outs of SAP PM, the leading enterprise solution for managing maintenance processes, and enhance your career prospects. Our course is ideal for maintenance professionals, plant engineers, asset managers, maintenance planners, operations managers, and other relevant professionals.

[pmdmeds]

Cipla’s Kurkumbh Plant with Competitive Pay Package For Senior Officer Role Apply..

Could You Be Powering Cipla’s Kurkumbh Plant with Competitive Pay? Senior Officer Role Inside… Cipla is hiring a Senior Officer – Engineering to join its Manufacturing team at the Kurkumbh Unit 2 in Maharashtra. If you’re a Graduate or Diploma engineer with 5+ years in pharma/API maintenance and projects, this permanent role lets you drive uptime, reliability, and innovation under cGMP & safety…

[probablyasocialecologist]

Humans are often inclined to build seawalls to protect coastal communities from encroaching oceans, but those require constant, expensive maintenance. And in fact, the way we’re changing land, rivers, and climate—and even the seawalls themselves—are undermining natural protections, such as tidal marshes, barrier islands, coral reefs, seagrass beds, dunes, gravel beaches, and kelp and mangrove forests. If left intact, these natural communities can slow fresh and tidal water, acting as a buffer, providing flexible and resilient protection for human communities. They provide multiple co-benefits, and even have the ability to sustain themselves. With these abilities, they can reduce by half the number of lives and properties at risk from storm surges and sea-level rise, according to a study in Nature Climate Change. Unlike seawalls, tidal marshes have a superpower against sea-level rise. It’s not just that they are a buffer between the water and human infrastructure, sapping energy from storm surges and blocking the highest tides. Marshes can actually grow vertically, keeping pace with sea-level rise by trapping sediment in their vegetation, which decomposes and then regrows. To perform this trick, they need three ingredients: sediment, space, and time.

[...]

Broadly speaking, human development has erased many of water’s slow phases—floodplains, meadows, forests, and wetlands, such as tidal marshes. For example, humans have eradicated 87 percent of the world’s wetlands. What water wants, say the detectives, is a return of these slow phases, an approach I think of as the “Slow Water Movement.” Slow water approaches are unique to each place, work with local systems, are distributed rather than centralized, are socially just, and empower and engage the local community. They also provide multiple benefits beyond buffering us from flood and drought, including carbon storage and homes for threatened plants and animals.

29 November 2022

[talonabraxas]

The Green Man by Talon Abraxas

Symbol of life and nature:

The most common and perhaps obvious interpretation of the Green Man is that of a pagan nature spirit, a symbol of man’s reliance on and union with nature, a symbol of the underlying life-force, and of the renewed cycle of growth each spring. In this respect, it seems likely that he has evolved from older nature deities such as the Celtic Cernunnos and the Greek Pan and Dionysus.

Some have gone so far as to make the argument that the Green Man represents a male counterpart - or son or lover or guardian - to Gaia (or the Earth Mother, or Great Goddess), a figure which has appeared throughout history in almost all cultures. In the 16th Century Cathedral at St-Bertrand de Comminges in southern France, there is even an example of a representation of a winged Earth Mother apparently giving birth to a smiling Green Man.

Because by far the most common occurrences of the Green Man are stone and wood carvings in churches, chapels, abbeys and cathedrals in Europe (particularly in Britain and France), some have seen this as evidence of the vitality of pre-Christian traditions surviving alongside, and even within, the dominant Christian mainstream. Much has been made of the boldness with which the Green Man was exhibited in early Christian churches, often appearing over main doorways, and surprisingly often in close proximity to representations of the Christ figure.

Incorporating a Green Man into the design of a medieval church or cathedral may therefore be seen as a kind of small act of faith on the part of the carver that life and fresh crops will return to the soil each spring and that the harvest will be plentiful. Pre-Christian pagan traditions and superstitions, particularly those related to nature and trees, were still a significant influence in early medieval times, as exemplified by the planting of yew trees (a prominent pagan symbol) in churchyards, and the maintenance of ancient “sacred groves” of trees.

Tree worship goes back into the prehistory of many of the cultures that directly influenced the people of Western Europe, not least the Greco-Roman and the Celtic, which is no great surprise when one considers that much of the continent of Europe was covered with vast forests in antiquity. It is perhaps also understandable that there are concentrations of Green Men in the churches of regions where there were large stretches of relict forests in ancient times, such as in Devon and Somerset, Yorkshire and the Midlands in England. The human-like attributes of trees (trunk-body, branches-arms, twigs-fingers, sap-blood), as well as their strength, beauty and longevity, make them an obvious subject for ancient worship. The Green Man can be seen as a continuing symbol of such beliefs, in much the same way as the later May Day pageants of the Early Modern period, many of which were led by the related figure of Jack-in-the-Green.

Symbol of fertility:

Although the Green Man is most often associated with spring, May Day, etc, there are also several examples which exhibit a more autumnal cast to the figure. For example, some Green Men prominently incorporate pairs of acorns into their designs (there is a good example in King's College Chapel, Cambridge), a motif which clearly has no springtime associations. In the same way, hawthorn leaves frequently appear on English Green Men (such as the famous one at Sutton Benger), and they are often accompanied by autumn berries rather than spring flowers. The Green Man in the Chapelle de Bauffremont in Dijon (one of the few to retain its original paint coloration) shows quite clearly its leaves in their autumn colours.

This may have been simple artistic license. However, acorns, partly due to their shape, were also a common medieval fertility symbol, and hawthorn is another tree which was explicitly associated with sexuality, all of which perhaps suggests a stronger link with fertility, as well as with harvest-time.

Symbol of death and rebirth:

The disgorging Green Man, sprouting vegetation from his orifices, may also be seen as a memento mori, or a reminder of the death that await all men, as well as a Pagan representation of resurrection and rebirth, as new life naturally springs out of our human remains. The Greek and Roman god Dionysus/Bacchus, often suggested as an early precursor of the Green Man, was also associated with death and rebirth in his parallel guise as Okeanus.

Several of the ancient Celtic demigods, Bran the Blessed being one of the best known, become prophetic oracles once their heads had been cut off (another variant on the theme of death and resurrection) and, although these figures were not traditionally represented as decorated with leaves, there may be a link between them and the later stand-alone Green Man heads.

There are several examples of self-consciously skull-like Green Men, with vegetation sprouting from eye-sockets, although these are more likely to be found on tombstones than as decoration in churches (good examples can be seen at Shebbear and Black Torrington in Devon, England). Such images might be interpreted as either representing rebirth and resurrection (in that the new life is growing out of death), or they might represent death and corruption (with the leaves growing parasitically through the decaying body).

The Green Man as archetype:

The very fact that images of the Green Man have appeared historically in such disparate and apparently unconnected locations have led some commentators, notably Roweena Pattee Kryder and William Anderson, to suggest that the figure is part of our collective unconscious, and represents a primeval archetype (in Jungian parlance) which is central to our relationship with Nature.

Phyllis Araneo has suggested that the appearance of the Green Man in European and worldwide art is a cyclical phenomenon triggered by times of crisis or significant change. For example, she suggests the proliferation of Green Man imagery after the 11th Century can perhaps be associated with feelings of relief and celebration after the widely predicted apocalypse of the millennium failed to materialize.

In the same way, the modern resurgence may have been triggered by the environmental crisis we are currently living through. In its modern revival, in the wake of James Lovelock’s Gaia Hypothesis and the birth of the modern Green movement, the Green Man can be seen as the archetype of the “conservator”, whose brief is to counsel us to take from the environment only what we need to survive and to conserve the rest, and to remind us of our responsibilities for the stewardship of the natural world. A quote from Mike Harding succinctly summarizes this position: “If anything on this poisoned planet gives us hope of renewal it is this simple foliate head that has been there in one form or another since the beginning.”

-The Enigma of the Green Man - Theories and Interpretations

[fruitless-vain]

In the post about Yoshi stepping in tree sap, there are bricks on the ground on which it says something. Can you tell us what's the story behind those bricks, please?

:)

They’re memorial bricks! We walk around a scenic public park, people can donate to the park in exchange for a brick engraved with whatever they’d like and the funds go towards the maintenance of the park. Theoretically you can put whatever you’d like (within reason) but most of the bricks are memorials for loved ones with their name and a little sentence or date, some are for pets and often share the pet’s favourite thing about the park. You donate annually to keep your brick there, otherwise it’ll get replaced next season by someone else’s brick. You can also opt for a placard on the park benches, these ones are more expensive and often have sentimental phrases like “Josie’s favourite spot to watch the birds” or “May Max’s memory bring you as much comfort as he did in life”

There’s a few bricks I know that people visit yearly, they’ll draw chalk hearts around the brick or leave a couple of flowers when they stop by. If you walk the park regularly enough you’ll also see people taking a moment to pause at their loved one’s brick, bow their heads for a moment and pay their respects.

It’s a nice way for the park to raise funds for its upkeep (annual planting for the flower garden, cleaning, pond/ fountain maintenance, etc. as well as give the community a way to have their loved ones be a part of their daily routines. Going for a walk around the park with your loved one like you always used to.

[amongrascals]

had a thought, and that thought was slugcats as iterators (I got the idea from this one Reddit post)

so here is gourmand, he has plants growing inside his can at all times to give to any creatures passing through, but eventually after hundreds, even thousands of cycles without maintenance from the ancients, the plants grew out of control and got into places they shouldn’t be. eventually they reached his chamber and started growing onto his puppet, sapping the abundant energy that was being delivered to it constantly. at first it wasn’t a problem, but eventually after countless cycles his can couldn’t keep up and keep trimming the plants that were everywhere, leading him to shut down. however, his can is rather beautiful, even after its partial collapse. sunlight streams in through holes so the plants can grow better, and because of that almost every room is filled with fruit and useful plants, making it rather hospitable for all creatures.

his puppet sits silently in his chamber, now overgrown with moss and flowers. some scavengers will leave small gifts in front of it, recognizing a death and paying respect even if it wasn’t one of theirs.

[monaleen101]

Sedum x rubrotinctum Looking for a succulent that’s as tough as it is charming? Sedum x rubrotinctum, commonly known as jelly bean plant or pork and beans, offers both resilience and whimsy. The plump, candy-colored leaves add a playful element to container arrangements and xeriscapes alike. Their delightfully shaped and brightly colored foliage do, in fact, look a bit like jelly beans. This herbaceous perennial succulent is a hybrid cross between Sedum pachyphyllum and Sedum stahlii, both stonecrop species that are native to Mexico. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. The succulent, beadlike foliage starts out apple green in spring, gradually blushing in shades of orange, red, and bronze when stressed by full sun or drought, a natural response to protect against sun damage. Come fall, those hues can mellow into soft pink. In our guide to growing stonecrop we provide an overview of how to cultivate succulents in the Sedum genus. This article covers everything you need to know about growing jelly bean plants. Here’s what we’ll be talking about: Hardy in Zones 9 to 11, jelly bean plants are heat-loving and low-maintenance. Their tolerance for drought makes them ideal for water-wise gardening, and their cheerful appearance earned them the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 2012. Quick Look Common name(s): Jelly bean plant, pork and beans Plant type: Succulent perennial Hardiness (USDA Zone): 9-11 Native to: Cultivated hybrid; parent species native to Mexico Bloom time / season: Spring to summer Exposure: Full sun to partial shade Soil type: Loose, sandy, gravelly, well draining Soil pH: 6.6-7.8, slightly acidic to slightly alkaline Time to maturity: 2-3 years Mature size: 6-8 inches tall, up to 24 inches wide Best uses: Containers, rock gardens, houseplant, ground cover Taxonomy Order: Saxifragales Family: Crassulaceae Genus: Sedum Species: × rubrotinctum A spreading and sprawling sedum that can reach eight inches tall, S. x rubrotinctum has stout, chubby, banana-shaped leaves arranged spirally around fleshy stems creating the jelly bean resemblance that gives this succulent its name. During the spring and summer months, mature specimens send up clusters of small, star-shaped flowers in bright yellow with red undertones. Whether you’re planting a rock garden, adding texture to a mixed succulent bowl, or looking for a low-fuss houseplant with flair, S. x rubrotinctum is an excellent choice. Despite the sugary nickname, this plant isn’t for snacking. It’s toxic to both humans and pets, and the sap can irritate the skin. Handle with care, especially when pruning or propagating. How to Grow Jelly bean plants aren’t picky, but giving them the right environment will help them look their best. Jelly bean plants are hardy in Zones 9 to 11, so if you choose to grow them outdoors in cooler zones, you’ll need to put them in a container that you can bring inside during the cold months. Indoor temperatures should be somewhere between 60 to 80°F. Light Jelly bean plants thrive in bright conditions. Outdoors, they prefer at least six hours of direct sun daily, though some afternoon shade can help prevent scorching in hot climates. Indoors, provide bright, indirect light – placing them near a south-facing window is ideal. Soil These succulents prefer lean, well-draining soil. Organically-rich soil can encourage leggy, floppy growth. Sandy or gravelly soils work well, with an ideal pH between 6.6 and 7.8. For potted specimens, choose a light, airy mix formulated for succulents and cacti. Make sure your container has drainage holes to prevent water from pooling at the roots. Water Once established, jelly bean plants are drought tolerant and rarely need supplemental irrigation when grown outdoors in most climates. Rainfall is usually sufficient. If you want to be hands-on, or you’re growing indoors, water deeply whenever the soil has completely dried out. Reduce watering in winter when the succulent is semi-dormant. During the growing season, expect to water more frequently as temperatures rise. Always allow the soil to dry thoroughly between waterings to avoid rot. Where to Buy You can generally find this species in nurseries that carry a good selection of succulents. Jelly Bean Plant If you prefer to shop online, you can find jelly bean plants available at Nature Hills Nursery in #1 containers. Maintenance While jelly bean plants thrive on minimal care, a bit of timely attention can go a long way towards keeping them healthy and attractive. Prune out any stems or leaves that are dead, damaged, or showing signs of disease. This helps improve airflow, prevent the spread of pathogens, and maintain a tidy appearance. You can learn more about pruning sedum here. As with any spreading species, if it starts to range out of bounds you can either pull them up or divide your sedum to reduce its footprint – and propagate more specimens! Additionally, you should keep track of outdoor temperatures if you’re growing outside in climates that are further north than Zone 9. When temperatures start to dip below freezing, you should bring the sedum inside to keep them alive for the winter. Propagation The leaves and stems of S. × rubrotinctum are quite delicate and prone to snapping off when bumped or handled. But that fragility comes with a silver lining – this species is exceptionally easy to propagate. From Stem Cuttings To propagate from stem cuttings, start by filling a seed tray or four-inch container with a well-draining soilless potting medium. Use a sharp, sterile blade to snip off long, healthy stems, and strip the leaves from the lower half of each cutting. Allow the cut ends to callus over by setting them out at room temperature in a dry spot for a day or two. Once callused, insert the defoliated ends into the medium. Keep the container in a location with bright, indirect light and temperatures above 60°F. Water just enough to moisten the medium without making it soggy. The soil should feel like a well-wrung-out sponge, damp, but not wet. Within a few weeks, the cuttings should develop roots and can be potted up individually. From Leaf Cuttings Jelly bean plants can also be propagated from individual leaves. To remove, gently pinch and twist each leaf from the stem. Discard any that are damaged and retain only whole, healthy ones. Allow the leaves to callus for a day or two, then place them on their sides on the surface of a well-draining soilless medium that’s lightly moist. Maintain bright, indirect light and a temperature above 60°F. Keep the medium slightly moist until roots develop, which usually takes a few weeks. When rooted, each leaf can be transplanted into its own container. Transplanting Whether you’ve propagated your own or purchased a potted specimen, transplanting is simple. Prepare a lean, well-draining growing medium and dig a hole just large enough to accommodate the root system. Set the plant in place, backfill with soil, and water lightly to settle it in. Pests and Disease Jelly bean plants are typically unbothered by deer or rabbits, but a few pests and diseases can still cause trouble, especially if growing conditions aren’t ideal. Here’s what to watch for: Pests Black vine weevils are among the most damaging. The larvae feed on roots below the surface, while adult beetles chew notches into leaf margins at night. Both can weaken the plant. Beneficial nematodes can be applied to the soil to control larvae. To deter adults, treat foliage with a pyrethrin spray during their active periods in spring and summer. Aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects may also infest plants, using piercing-sucking mouthparts to drain sap from stems and leaves. Their feeding weakens the plant and may result in cosmetic damage. Aphids and scale secrete honeydew, which can attract ants and lead to sooty mold, while mealybugs leave behind clusters of waxy white residue. Treat infestations by dabbing insects with cotton swabs soaked in 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. Avoid spraying the plant with water to dislodge pests as the foliage is easily damaged. Slugs and snails are another concern, especially for outdoor specimens. These mollusks feed on leaves and may chew through entire stems near the base. Handpick them at night or use beer traps to attract and drown them. Disease The primary diseases affecting jelly bean plants are stem and root rots, both biotic and abiotic. These typically result in blackened, mushy, or collapsed foliage. Overwatering is almost always a contributing factor, whether from poor drainage or excessive irrigation. To prevent rot, water only when the soil is completely dry and ensure it’s well-raining. If symptoms appear, remove and discard affected plants to prevent further spread. A Real Sweet Hybrid Not for snacking, but definitely a visual treat, jelly bean plants bring cheerful color and texture to indoor and outdoor spaces alike. Now that you know how to grow S. × rubrotinctum, you can enjoy its vibrant foliage year-round and thanks to its ease of propagation, it’s easy to share with friends as gifts! Have questions still? Want to share some pics of your own jelly bean plants for design inspiration? Let us know in the comments section below! And for more information about growing sedum, add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[dailyanarchistposts]

Forest gardens are collections of diverse and useful plant species that are modeled on the structure of a young forest. As a horticultural pattern, forest gardening is found throughout the world, particularly around the tropical rainforest belt. [1] Temperate climate forest gardening is still practiced in parts of China, and there is much to suggest that the forest garden pattern may once have been found throughout the world’s temperate forests, prior to the arrival of agriculture. [2] Practiced in diverse environments, by widely different cultures, the forest garden pattern can vary greatly in detail. The common characteristics by which the general pattern can be recognized are:

Vertical stacking of different species (forest architecture mimicry)

High plant diversity (200 — 400 species per garden is common)

Typically established on small parcels of land (1/4 — 3 acres) [3]

The use of mostly perennial plant species

Producing a diversity of yields to meet a wide range of human needs (geared more toward subsistence than an exchange economy)

Low energy inputs, especially as concerns on-going maintenance

Forest gardens are largely self-fertile and self maintaining (ecosystem mimicry)

Unlike most horticulture and almost all agriculture, which is, by contrast, very two-dimensional, forest gardens are collections of plants arranged both vertically and horizontally. The vertical partitions of space are referred to as “layers,” and the utilization of these layers by the gardener is modeled on the vertical structure of young forests, or forest edges. While tropical gardens sometimes feature up to nine distinct layers, most forest gardens comprise seven layers:

the canopy, consisting of the largest trees in the garden

a sub-canopy of smaller trees and large shrubs

smaller shrubs

herbaceous plants

horizontally spreading plants covering the soil surface

vining plants climbing through all of this

and the “rhizosphere,” the soil layer, from which roots and mushrooms may be harvested and upon which all the other layers depend.

Here in the northeast, a forest garden canopy might comprise walnut, chestnut, hickory, or sugar maple; with a sub-canopy of persimmon, plum, pawpaw, saskatoon, or hazelnut; making their way into the sub-canopy are the vines: grapes, hops, hardy kiwi, groundnut; underneath these in the shrub layer, raspberries, currants, and blueberries; then nutritious and medicinal herbaceous plants and perennial vegetables such as jerusalem artichoke, nettle, milkweed, lovage, or echinacea; and finally, protecting the soil surface, a carpet of strawberries, lingonberries, oregano or mint.

The utilization of vertical space within the forest garden allows for a large number of plant species to be grown in relatively small areas. The number of species found in traditional tropical forest gardens can be truly astonishing: 200 or more plant species, of direct and indirect use to humans — not to mention, birds, insects, and small mammals — is typical on a ¼ acre of forest garden. But even in temperate climates, the species diversity can be very impressive, and 200 — 300 species over an acre or two is not uncommon. The diversity of species in forest gardens makes them very resilient to pest and disease infestations, as these usually only effect a small number of related species at any given time — if a few things fail, there are many more to make up the loss.

In contrast to annual-centric horticulture and agriculture where, every year, seeds are planted and after some months, food can be harvested, the forest garden, with its large diversity of perennial species, makes harvest throughout the year – or, here in the north, throughout the spring, summer, and fall – possible (though even here we begin harvesting tree sap in late winter). The gardener intentionally selects species to provide harvests for as many months of the year as is ecologically possible, and thus, avoids the need to grow any one species in large enough quantities that it may be stored as a primary staple food for the entire year.[4] Harvesting from many species at different times of the year makes the forest gardener’s way a particularly robust and resilient way of growing, food.

Forest gardens provide much more than just food, though. As already mentioned, a characteristic of forest gardens around the world is that they are geared more toward subsistence than an exchange economy. That is not to say that cash crops are never grown in forest gardens, but the gardens are typically planted with such a range of species as to allow the gardener to meet most, if not all, of her needs from her forest garden. There are plants for food, yes, but also plants for medicine, for fuel, for fiber, for dye, for building, woodworking and basketry materials, and also plants whose place may be primarily in providing ecosystem functions, such as nitrogen fixation, or attracting certain types of insects, necessary to the overall health of the garden.

Tropical forest gardens tend to be planted on small plots of land, often only ¼ to ½ acre in size. In the tropics, as there is a year-round growing season with more intense sunlight, and many more shade adapted plants, forest gardeners are able to plant very large numbers of species in small areas. While in the tropics, a ¼ acre of forest garden may be sufficient for a household,[5] in temperate regions with less sun and fewer plants that remain productive in shade, more space is required to allow for wider tree spacing, which, in turn, allows more light to reach the understory, keeping the plants there productive. Temperate climate forest gardens, geared towards the needs of a single household tend more towards 1 to 2 acres in size.

In forest bioregions, the land, if left alone following disturbance, will quickly move through successive stages of development until it is again clothed in forest: the forces of nature are always tending toward a forest ecosystem. If working in opposition to this natural tendency, hefty energy inputs required to maintain the land in a non-forested state, and the further from forest one goes, the higher the. requirements become. Thus, agriculture – keeping a field where there would otherwise be forest, dependent almost exclusively on annual plant species where there would otherwise be perennial species – is the most energy-intensive way of meeting our needs: it requires the most labor (or the most fossil fuels).

The forest garden works with the natural tendency of the land. In some forms of forest gardening, the garden literally hitches a ride, as the site is cleared, planted, and then let revert to forest at its natural rate, a new garden site being opened elsewhere as the forest canopy closes.[6] In many forms of forest gardening, reversion to mature forest is arrested prior to full canopy closure, largely through the selective harvesting of trees to re-open the canopy.

In the forest garden, the major energy input comes in the establishment of the garden – the clearing and preparation of the garden site and the planting of the garden. As the planting is of mostly perennial plants, the planting only needs to be done once, not every year (though plantings are typically added to or changed, and replacements of varieties are made – after all, it is gardening, and gardeners are potterers). Clearing and preparing of the site, in sedentary models of forest gardening, can also be done but once. In shifting models, typically found in large tropical forests, the clearing and site preparation may be done as often as every five years. Following establishment, the main activity of the forest gardener (or forage gardener) is harvesting.

As the forest garden closely approximates a stage of natural forest succession, it can, like the young forest it mimics, be self-fertile and thus largely self-maintaining. The normal processes that fertilize the forest, such as the decomposition of woody organic matter and leaf litter by fungi, insects, and soil organisms, are also present in the forest garden. And significant quantities of bird, insect, and animal manure are to be found, as they are in young forests. The use of many leguminous nitrogen-fixing species by forest gardeners — to improve soil conditions for the surrounding plants — is a mimicry of the ecosystem function of pioneer species. Pioneer plants, present in the early and mid stages of forest succession, enrich the soil and nurse the young trees that will later become the canopy of the mature forest, protecting them from wind and animal browse.

Like a forest, yet unlike agriculture, the underground space of the forest garden is partitioned as well. In monocultures, the plant roots are all down at roughly the same depth in the soil and looking for exactly the same minerals and nutrients as their neighbors. In the highly diverse perennial polycultures of forest gardens, different soil depths are occupied and the precise needs of the plants (being different species) differ, thus plants may be grown in close proximity to each other without resulting in soil depletion and excessive competition between plants.

It took the monocultural minds of Westerners a good while to recognize that the chaotic mess of vegetation surrounding homes and village sites in such diverse places as Sri Lanka, Tanzania, or southern Mexico was, in fact, an ecologically-sophisticated way of meeting most of the essential needs of the gardeners. Yet agroforestry, the agricultural approach to three-dimensional perennial polycultures that came into being in the early to mid-twentieth century – large scale, machine-harvestable, market-oriented – when it recognizes forest gardening at all, sees it only as a distant and difficult relative.

The revival of forest gardening in the west is due largely to the experiments of Robert Hart, a Tolstoyan anarchist, author, and small-hold farmer. In the 1970’s, Hart developed an interest in agroforestry — in particular, the system of “three dimensional farming” developed in the l950’s by Toyohiko Kagawa — and began his own experiments with (what was to later be called) forest gardening, on 1/8th of an acre of old orchard. On this tiny piece of land, Hart developed a productive garden (yielding food and basketry materials mainly), far more ecologically complex than any form of agroforestry then being practiced, and far closer to the chaotic tropical forest gardens that agroforestry sought to simplify. This is hardly surprising, as agroforestry is focused on production for a market-economy, whereas Hart sought a decentralized and de-industrialized society where households and villages would be largely sell sufficient. The great irony here is that Hart was conducting his experiments in the Welsh border lands of Shropshire, England, the precise place where the industrial revolution began. Hart’s vision of the forest garden was one of raising the self-sufficiency of households to facilitate economic down-sizing and a return to highly localized economic activity, of creating sites of practical education for children in the life skills of feeding and sheltering themselves through co-operation with diverse species in living systems, and of a means of re-greening the forest environments that agriculture and urbanism had denuded.

Robert Hart’s work has inspired a subsequent generation of neo-forest gardeners, particularly in the United Kingdom, continental Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. While Hart’s forest gardening idea is often thought to be synonymous with permaculture, it was pioneered independently of permaculture,[7] and if the practice has been widely adopted by permaculturalists, it is because, in many ways, it could be considered the quintessential permaculture technique of production: an ecologically regenerative/benign, low-labor, solar-powered, self-maintaining, resilient production system that is directed toward household and community self-sufficiency. While there may be some problems with the way forest gardening has been incorporated into permaculture practice, such as a focus almost solely on the production of food, rather than the full range of things needed for a subsistence life, it should nevertheless be acknowledged that many of the techniques used in temperate climate forest gardening by neo-forest gardeners, particularly those of design and site preparation prior to the establishment of a garden, are the fruit of decades of research, experimentation, teaching, and networking by permaculture practitioners.

Hart’s pioneering work has inspired not only some spectacular gardens but also some very good texts on forest garden theory and practice. The most notable of these are Marlin Crawford’s Creating a Forest Garden, and the two-volume set, Edible Forest Gardens, by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier. The former is, in my opinion, the better introductory text as it clearly lays out the basics of temperate climate forest garden theory, design, and implementation, and it is authored by the person who has created what is, by popular consensus amongst forest gardeners, the finest example of a temperate climate forest garden in the western hemisphere. But once hooked and eager to take up the art of forest gardening, the Jacke and Toensmeier texts become indispensable, particularly if you live in the northeastern United States. the region where these two forest gardeners reside and upon which the volumes are focused. These are encyclopedic tomes: the first volume is a thorough exploration of forest ecosystem theory, while the second contains detailed explanations of site assessment and design processes, forest garden implementation and maintenance, and includes a near-exhaustive list of useful perennial plants for temperate climates. There is so much information in these two volumes that I fear, for the uninitiated, they may make forest gardening appear ridiculously complicated, which it is not. Forest gardens, as close mimics of natural forests, are complicated beyond our understanding, and therefore, the gardener need not attempt to understand everything as the scientist seeks to, but rather, through observation and participation in the evolution of this ecosystem in miniature, can develop and depend upon the craft and intuition usually associated with the artist, or master gardener. There are a few fundamental ideas and techniques that need to be thoroughly grasped before planting a forest garden, but only a few. On the other hand, to become a master forest gardener will likely take a lifetime.

Finally, there is also Robert Hart’s Forest Gardening, not a how-to manual so much as a poetic exploration of Hart’s vision of the forest garden and how he came to it. As the focus of neo-forest gardeners has largely been on technique, it is good to remind ourselves that, at least as Hart saw it, the real fruits of the· forest garden were self-sufficiency and autonomy.

Works Cited

Anderson, M. Kat:

2005 Tending the Wild: Native American knowledge and management of California’s natural resources. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Crawford, Martin:

2010 Creating a Forest Garden: Working with nature to grow edible crops. Totnes: Green Books.

Hart, Robert:

1996 Forest Gardening. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green.

Jacke, Dave and Eric Toensmeier:

2005a Edible Forest Gardens, Vol. One: Ecological vision and theory for temperate climate permaculture. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green.

2005b Edible Forest Gardens, Vol. Two: Ecological design and practice for temperate climate permaculture. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green.

Lawton, Geoff:

2008 Personal communication.

Workman, Dion:

2011 — ‘Natural Farming in the Philippines: Traditional farming systems and local efforts to save them.’ Unpublished manuscript, originally appearing on the now defunct natural farming website, Terraquaculture.

2013 — ‘Jomon Horticulture: “Incipient agriculture” or forest gardening?’ Lecture given May 5, 2013 at Shikigami forest garden, Japan.

[1] Forest Gardening is still practiced in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Tanzania, Nigeria, central America, and the Amazon. (Hart; Crawford; Lawton; Workman)

[2] This claim, based upon a slightly broader definition of forest gardening than I have given in this article, includes practices that might better be called, as Dave Jacke has, “gardening the forest,” or, as M. Kat Anderson has called them, “tending the wild.” Examples of this more extensive approach to “forest gardening,” include the Jomon, indigenous to the Japanese archipelago (Workman 2013), indigenous peoples of the eastern forest bioregion of North America (Jacke 2005a: 14), and the indigenous peoples of California (Anderson). In Europe, traditional coppice practices and the cultivation of hedgerows comprising many useful forest-edge species are certainly forms of “agroforestry,” but may also suggest older practices of tending the wild.

[3] Forest gardens are “over-yielding” systems, meaning that multiple harvests of different crops are possible from the same piece of land. The implication of this is that, while forest gardens cannot produce yields of a single crop comparable to agriculture, they can produce overall yields, from a given piece of land, far higher than that achieved with agricultural techniques. Thus, when geared toward subsistence, forest gardens need only take up relatively small areas of land.

[4] While in the tropics it may not he necessary to store food for any length of time, in temperate climates, particularly the further north or south you go, it is. Thus, temperate climate · forest gardeners do generally grow crops suitable for long term storage — nuts, in particular, but also fruits, seeds and tubers — however, they can do this by spreading the quantities needed, or desired, across as large a number of species as possible. This approach creates resiliency against crop failure in the forest garden.

[5] It should be noted that tropical forest gardeners often also have access to much larger forest areas and so it should not be thought that everything is corning from the forest garden. Many wild foods, medicines, materials, and particularly firewood will often be gathered from outside the forest garden.

[6] This practice, often derogatorily referred to as slash-and-burn agriculture, when viewed in the light of what ecologists have called the patch dynamic theory of forest succession (Jacke 2005 : 268) — in part, the idea that a forest, rather than taking a single, linear path towards a static, climax state, is rather continuously cycling through all stages of succession across different parts of the forest — may in fact be a very sensitive mimicry of natural forest disturbance patterns. Naturally, such disturbances might occur when a large tree falls in the forest, taking a good number of surrounding trees with it, some uprooting and disturbing the soil, leaving a clearing where primary and secondary stages of forest growth will now manifest. Other natural occurrences such us windstorms and wild fires can also create such patches. The size of the patch that can be created by a large tree falling in a forest is not dissimilar to the size of many shifting forest gardens.

[7] As practitioners view permaculture as a “toolbox” of techniques, as well as a design system, they have the tendency to label anything that resembles it, or is useful to it, as “permaculture.” While this infuriates some horticultural innovators who do not want to be thought of as permaculturalists, Robert Hart seems to have been only too happy to be included in the permaculture fold.

[the-golden-witch-of-wanderers]

List of All the Plants I'm Growing in my Apartment this Year:

A guide to help you maximize small spaces for a bountiful harvest with easy, low-maintenance crops & flowers.

Notes:

* = Plant and do not touch.

** = Plant, harvest, and replant seeds.

*** = Plant and harvest over the summer & fall.

+ = Natural mosquito/aphid repellant.

! = Need to watch for aphids and ants (ants can put aphids on your plants to harvest the nectar they produce by eating their sap).

Small Set-up to Grow Plants with Little Space:

Balcony: Hanging baskets, fence planters, pots, 3-tier raised bed, big shelf for your small plants/sprouts/succulents.

Stairs: Pots for big plants.

Inside the apartment: DIY greenhouse made from a shelf from IKEA, DIY hanging shelf in front of the west-facing window.

Please note that I have a long list since I have two balconies and three 3-tier raised beds, plus all of the above.

Front Balcony: 3-Tier Raised Beds (2):

Thai peppers (Full sun) *** / +

Jalapenos (Full sun) **/ +

Habaneros (Full sun) **/ +

Lettuce X3 (Rotation - Semi-shade) ***

Kale X3 (Shade) **/ !

Coriander Full sun) **/ +

Rosemary (Full sun) **/ +

Dill (Full sun) *** / +

Basil (Semi-shade) *** / +

Parsley (Semi-shade) ***

Peppermint ( Semi-shade) **/ +

Arugula X3 (Shade) ** / !

Front Balcony: Fence Planters

Green onions **

Chives *** / +

Lemon balm *** / +

Lemongrass *** / +

Eucalyptus *** / +

Kitchen Lavender *** / +

Chamomile ***

Thyme ***

Marigold * / +

Purple (#6) ***

Morning Glories *

Tradescantia *

Front Balcony: Small Planter Under 3-Tier Raised Bed

Snack bar of herbal cuttings for my cat (licorice roots, dill, mint, basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley). */+

Front Balcony: Hanging Baskets

Wild strawberries or Alexandria strawberries (require less sun) **/ !

White strawberries (pineberries) **/ !

Rainbow chard ***/!

Spider plants *

Tradescantia *

Front Balcony: Potted Plants

Dwarf lemon tree *

Celery **/!

Forget-me-nots *

Back Balcony: 3-Tier Raised Bed

Hardneck garlic **/+

Shallot **/+

Radish **/+

Back Balcony: Fence Planters

Sprouts & new succulents *

English Ivy *

Morning Glories *

Back Balcony: Potted Plants

Cherry tomatoes ***/ !

Rhubarb *** / !

Perilla ***

Edamame ***

Yellow strawberries ***/ !

Dwarf raspberry bush ***

Inside the Apartment

Green onions: regrow

Spinach

Bamboo

Succulents, Aloes, Cactus (will go on the shelf outside)

I hope this helps start your own garden!

[prometheusgroup]

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[talonabraxas]

The Enigma of the Green Man

Symbol of life and nature: The Celtic nature god Cernunnos from the Gundestrup Cauldron (1st Century BCE, now in the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen)

The Celtic nature god Cernunnos from the Gundestrup Cauldron (1st Century BCE, now in the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen)

The most common and perhaps obvious interpretation of the Green Man is that of a pagan nature spirit, a symbol of man’s reliance on and union with nature, a symbol of the underlying life-force, and of the renewed cycle of growth each spring. In this respect, it seems likely that he has evolved from older nature deities such as the Celtic Cernunnos and the Greek Pan and Dionysus.

Some have gone so far as to make the argument that the Green Man represents a male counterpart - or son or lover or guardian - to Gaia (or the Earth Mother, or Great Goddess), a figure which has appeared throughout history in almost all cultures. In the 16th Century Cathedral at St-Bertrand de Comminges in southern France, there is even an example of a representation of a winged Earth Mother apparently giving birth to a smiling Green Man.

Because by far the most common occurrences of the Green Man are stone and wood carvings in churches, chapels, abbeys and cathedrals in Europe (particularly in Britain and France), some have seen this as evidence of the vitality of pre-Christian traditions surviving alongside, and even within, the dominant Christian mainstream. Much has been made of the boldness with which the Green Man was exhibited in early Christian churches, often appearing over main doorways, and surprisingly often in close proximity to representations of the Christ figure.

Incorporating a Green Man into the design of a medieval church or cathedral may therefore be seen as a kind of small act of faith on the part of the carver that life and fresh crops will return to the soil each spring and that the harvest will be plentiful. Pre-Christian pagan traditions and superstitions, particularly those related to nature and trees, were still a significant influence in early medieval times, as exemplified by the planting of yew trees (a prominent pagan symbol) in churchyards, and the maintenance of ancient “sacred groves” of trees.

Tree worship goes back into the prehistory of many of the cultures that directly influenced the people of Western Europe, not least the Greco-Roman and the Celtic, which is no great surprise when one considers that much of the continent of Europe was covered with vast forests in antiquity. It is perhaps also understandable that there are concentrations of Green Men in the churches of regions where there were large stretches of relict forests in ancient times, such as in Devon and Somerset, Yorkshire and the Midlands in England. The human-like attributes of trees (trunk-body, branches-arms, twigs-fingers, sap-blood), as well as their strength, beauty and longevity, make them an obvious subject for ancient worship. The Green Man can be seen as a continuing symbol of such beliefs, in much the same way as the later May Day pageants of the Early Modern period, many of which were led by the related figure of Jack-in-the-Green.

Symbol of fertility: Although the Green Man is most often associated with spring, May Day, etc, there are also several examples which exhibit a more autumnal cast to the figure. For example, some Green Men prominently incorporate pairs of acorns into their designs (there is a good example in King's College Chapel, Cambridge), a motif which clearly has no springtime associations. In the same way, hawthorn leaves frequently appear on English Green Men (such as the famous one at Sutton Benger), and they are often accompanied by autumn berries rather than spring flowers. The Green Man in the Chapelle de Bauffremont in Dijon (one of the few to retain its original paint coloration) shows quite clearly its leaves in their autumn colours.

This may have been simple artistic license. However, acorns, partly due to their shape, were also a common medieval fertility symbol, and hawthorn is another tree which was explicitly associated with sexuality, all of which perhaps suggests a stronger link with fertility, as well as with harvest-time.

Symbol of death and rebirth: Green Man in the form of a skull on a gravestone in Shebbear, Devon, England (photo Simon Garbutt)

Green Man in the form of a skull on a gravestone in Shebbear, Devon, England

The disgorging Green Man, sprouting vegetation from his orifices, may also be seen as a memento mori, or a reminder of the death that await all men, as well as a Pagan representation of resurrection and rebirth, as new life naturally springs out of our human remains. The Greek and Roman god Dionysus/Bacchus, often suggested as an early precursor of the Green Man, was also associated with death and rebirth in his parallel guise as Okeanus.

Several of the ancient Celtic demigods, Bran the Blessed being one of the best known, become prophetic oracles once their heads had been cut off (another variant on the theme of death and resurrection) and, although these figures were not traditionally represented as decorated with leaves, there may be a link between them and the later stand-alone Green Man heads.

There are several examples of self-consciously skull-like Green Men, with vegetation sprouting from eye-sockets, although these are more likely to be found on tombstones than as decoration in churches (good examples can be seen at Shebbear and Black Torrington in Devon, England). Such images might be interpreted as either representing rebirth and resurrection (in that the new life is growing out of death), or they might represent death and corruption (with the leaves growing parasitically through the decaying body).

The Green Man by Talon Abraxas

[multisoftsystem]

Mastering Supply Chain Dynamics with SAP MM

SAP Materials Management (MM) is a crucial module within the SAP ERP system, focused on streamlining procurement, inventory management, and supply chain operations. It ensures materials are efficiently managed from purchase to payment, optimizing inventory levels, reducing costs, and enhancing operational workflows to meet business demands effectively.

The SAP Materials Management (MM) module is a vital component of the SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) that equips organizations with extensive capabilities in inventory, warehouse, and materials management. At its core, SAP MM online training by Multisoft Systems is designed to ensure that materials required for production and operations are always available in the right quantities, at the right time, preventing any potential disruptions in the company's supply chain.

Key Functions and Benefits

1. Inventory Management: SAP MM provides tools for tracking stock levels, managing inventory transactions, and analyzing inventory data to optimize stock levels and reduce carrying costs.

2. Procurement Process: It streamlines the procurement process, enabling companies to automate and manage the purchasing of goods and services. This includes creating purchase orders, selecting vendors, negotiating contracts, and invoice verification.

3. Vendor Management: SAP MM facilitates effective vendor management by maintaining detailed vendor information, evaluating vendor performance, and integrating this information with the procurement process to ensure the best supplier choices.

4. Material Valuation: The module supports material valuation and accounting, ensuring that the material inventory is accurately reflected on the financial statements, based on various valuation methods like standard costing, moving average, and FIFO.

5. Integration with Other Modules: A key strength of SAP MM is its seamless integration with other ECC modules, enhancing cross-departmental functionalities and communication. For instance, integration with:

Production Planning (PP) ensures the smooth flow of materials required for production.

Sales and Distribution (SD) aligns inventory management with sales processes.

Finance and Controlling (FICO) enables accurate financial reporting of inventory and procurement operations.

Plant Maintenance (PM) and Quality Management (QM) ensure that materials used in production and maintenance meet quality standards.

Role in the Supply Chain

SAP MM plays a crucial role in the supply chain, providing a comprehensive view of materials management that includes procurement, inventory management, and vendor management. This visibility allows companies to make informed decisions, optimize their supply chain operations, and respond dynamically to changes in demand or supply conditions. By ensuring materials are available when needed, SAP MM helps companies avoid production delays, manage costs effectively, and maintain competitive advantage.

One of the strengths of SAP MM is its flexibility in accommodating daily changes in processes. Whether it's adjusting to new supply chain strategies, regulatory changes, or shifts in market demand, SAP MM certification enables organizations to adapt their materials management practices efficiently. This adaptability is critical in today's fast-paced business environment, where agility and responsiveness are key to success.

Organizational Structure

The organizational structure within SAP Materials Management (MM) is meticulously designed to reflect the complex and multi-layered nature of modern businesses. It provides a comprehensive framework that supports the intricate processes involved in materials management, from procurement to inventory control. Let's break down this structure to understand how it fosters efficient and streamlined operations.

1. Plant

The concept of a plant is central to SAP MM, acting as a cornerstone for various logistical operations. It represents any physical location within the organization where operations take place. This could be a manufacturing site, a distribution center, or a regional office. The plant is crucial for detailed planning and execution in materials management, allowing for precise control over production, maintenance, procurement, and distribution activities.

2. Valuation Area

The valuation area is pivotal for the financial assessment of materials. It determines the level at which the value of materials is recorded in the financial accounts. This can be set at the company code level, treating the entire company as a single entity, or at the plant level, offering more granular insight into the value of materials at specific locations. This flexibility allows businesses to tailor their financial reporting and inventory valuation to meet specific operational or regulatory requirements.

3. Storage Locations

Storage locations provide an additional layer of granularity within the plant, delineating specific areas where inventory is physically stored. This differentiation is essential for effective inventory management, allowing for precise tracking of stock levels, movements, and storage conditions across different parts of the plant. By maintaining detailed records at the storage location level, businesses can optimize their inventory handling processes and improve overall efficiency.

4. Purchasing Organizations

Purchasing organizations are the backbone of the procurement process in SAP MM. They operate at a level that transcends individual plants, focusing on the strategic aspects of procurement, such as supplier selection, contract negotiation, and purchase order management. By segmenting procurement activities into distinct organizations, companies can specialize their purchasing strategies to align with broader business goals or operational requirements.

5. Purchasing Groups

Purchasing groups bring a focused approach to procurement, dealing with specific categories of materials or services. They act as the primary point of contact between the company and its suppliers, facilitating communication, negotiation, and transaction management. This level of specialization enables companies to develop expertise in specific areas of procurement, enhancing their ability to secure favorable terms and build strong relationships with key suppliers.

Features

The SAP Materials Management (MM) module stands as a cornerstone of the SAP ERP system, providing comprehensive solutions for managing materials and inventory within an organization. Here's a closer look at the key features that make SAP MM an indispensable tool for supply chain and procurement professionals:

Comprehensive Inventory and Raw Material Management: SAP MM excels in managing every facet of inventory, from raw materials to finished goods. It ensures efficient tracking, storage, and movement of materials throughout the organization, optimizing inventory levels and minimizing costs associated with overstocking or stockouts. This comprehensive management extends to handling batch management, shelf-life tracking, and stock transfers, ensuring materials are available when and where they are needed.

Integrated Procurement and Warehouse Management: The module streamlines procurement processes, supporting activities from purchase requisition to payment processing. It facilitates automated purchase order generation, vendor selection, and purchase order tracking, simplifying procurement tasks. Coupled with robust warehouse management features, SAP MM enables efficient storage, retrieval, and distribution of materials, enhancing the responsiveness of the supply chain.

Advanced Vendor Evaluation and Management: SAP MM provides tools for evaluating and managing supplier relationships, ensuring that procurement activities are aligned with business objectives. The module allows for the assessment of vendors based on criteria such as price, delivery performance, and quality, enabling businesses to identify and collaborate with the best suppliers, thus improving the reliability of the supply chain.

Invoice Verification and Material Valuation: The module supports the verification of invoices against goods received and purchase orders, ensuring accuracy in payments and financial records. Material valuation features within SAP MM enable the calculation of material costs based on various valuation methods, providing accurate financial reporting and insights into material cost structures.

Material Requirement Planning (MRP): SAP MM facilitates effective material requirement planning, predicting and planning the needs for materials to ensure uninterrupted production. By analyzing current stock levels, procurement times, and production schedules, MRP helps prevent potential shortages or excesses, optimizing the balance between demand and supply.

Enhanced Efficiency and Cost Reduction: By automating many of the processes associated with materials management and procurement, SAP MM significantly enhances operational efficiency. This automation reduces the time and effort required for procurement activities, lowers the risk of errors, and helps in achieving more favorable terms from suppliers, contributing to overall cost reduction.

Scalability and Flexibility: Designed to accommodate the needs of businesses of all sizes and across industries, SAP MM offers scalability and flexibility. It can be customized to meet the specific requirements of an organization, ensuring that the materials management and procurement processes are aligned with the unique challenges and opportunities of each business.

Conclusion

SAP MM stands as a cornerstone module within the SAP ECC, underpinning the efficiency and reliability of the supply chain and procurement processes. Its integration capabilities with other SAP modules enhance organizational efficiency and provide a holistic view of operations. As businesses continue to navigate the complexities of global supply chains, Multisoft’s SAP MM training will remain an essential tool in managing materials effectively, ensuring operational continuity, and driving business success.