Use Edges and Value the Marginal

When you study society today it seems that much focus is on trying to fit in and comply with certain rules and veiwpoints of how we should all live. You could say that it is centrally focused. Indeed the push is to get people living in more dense groups, reliant on centralized government and support systems to maintain the system. If you step outside the boundaries of this idea of civilization you will see a whole new way of doing things. A place where diversity is the rule, change is expected and keeping up with the newest wizz-bang gadgetry is not so important. When you learn to use edges and value the marginal you gain freedom and become more self sufficient.
Use Edges and Value the Marginal
An edge is a change in geographical features in the environment. It can also be a man made, such as a walking path or a structure. Whatever the case you will find the edge to be the most productive location to procure a yield. This yield may not present itself constantly, but it will show itself over time.
Just because an idea doesn't pan out the way we want it to does not mean we can't gain anything from it. We need to take lessons from our mistakes. Sometimes a tool or material belonging may hold more value than we think.
Spring is a great time to observe and interact with the edges around your home. When I walk around my property I notice many valuable features that we can benefit from. We have cleared about an acre for the location of the house and infrastructure needs such as driveway, septic field and utilities. Now that the land has renewed much of the foliage we stripped back we are beginning to reap the rewards of natures' regenerative properties. All along the forest edge we have a diverse berry selection. Wild strawberry, huckleberry, trailing blackberry, Himalaya blackberry, salmon berry, thimble berry, wild rose and wild cherry all flourish along this edge. Many of them are thorny vines that create a great natural security system, more or less a barbed wire fence that gives us great yields of luscious fruit, a home for wildlife and an attractant for pollinators that will also visit our cultivated fruit trees and other plants along their way. We also have some man made water ways on the property where fast growing red alders have staked their claim. A nitrogen fixer, red alder is also a good source of firewood and building material. It is also a great wood for mushroom cultivation and hugelculture.
The shoreline is another edge that proves abundant year round. On the east coast of Vancouver Island we are blessed with many different types of shore structure. Jagged rock cliffs, washed cobblestone beaches, gradually sloped beaches of mixed size stone, and the odd stretch of sand. Each one of these offer opportunities for forage and leisure. Divers often explore the rock cliffs for the diverse sea life that live in the cracks and hollows of the granite walls. Many delicacies can be harvested as well. Rock scallop, box crab, abalone, many species of cod and other fish use these edges for shelter. The cobblestone beaches often have beds of kelp nearby. Casting an artificial bait in between the beach and the kelp beds may just produce a silvery coho salmon. These beaches are also great for viewing aquatic mammals such as seals, otters and whales. When it comes to ocean aquaculture you will not find a much more productive shoreline than that of the southern Comox Valley. The gradually sloped mixed rock beaches are home to the world famous Fanny Bay Oyster. Mussels, scallop, geoduck and clams are all grown in this area. These are the beaches I grew up wandering and have proved to be a year round provider for food and recreation for my whole family. We also have a few beautiful sand beaches that offer up good swimming and skim boarding in the summer and storm watching in the winter. Nothing beats sitting around a campfire, feasting on a fresh assortment of seafood while the children splash and frolic in the summer sun. For me the shoreline is the greatest edge of all.

Sometimes things are not how we would like. How do you turn something of mediocrity to something of value? Using trade and barter could be a start. One mans' trash is another mans' treasure! Often an old tool just needs a little tlc to make it a valued addition to your collection. You may just be able to turn your ability to fix up old tools to a small business. In today's throw away world the art of tool sharpening and maintence is becoming a rare skill.
If you are experiencing low to moderate yields in an area of your garden it is a good indicator of your soil condition. In this case you can turn the marginal yields into a good learning experience as you improve the soil and gradually see a return of abundance. You may want to try incorperating some type of edge into that space and planting more diverse crops to see what grows best in that area. I have tried many different methods over the years and the least productive one of all is when you give up. A marginal yield is still better than no yield at all.