Mowing hillside mowing techniques

[ponytug]

Wasabi- Your plans sound amazing. Please take lots of photos of the construction.

How long does it take for a wasabi plantlet to mature?

All the best,

Peter

 

[smartguyz]

Thanks Carl,

I use the term "inspired" by traditional Japanese farmhouse rather loosely. This will not be a truly traditional design, more of a blend between Japanese timber framing and more modern construction. Combination of SIP panels on the roof over the exposed beams and foam insulation in walls together with significant thermal mass, hydronic heat and venturi cooling should keep it comfortable. Full height windows cover more than half the walls to let the outside in. Poplar bark (harvested from our land) will be the siding with locust posts holding up the porch roof and trimming the corners. Wide board flooring...no drywall at all.

I spent 15 years as a designer/craftman, mostly building custom contemporary furniture and architectural fittings for office, churches and residences. Now I'm little more than an arm chair designer and backwoods hack carpenter, but during that time I came to appreciate the sparse simplicity of Japanese design. Great links!

my lovely wife is an award winning high end interior designer...in the course of her work she has specified many a project using reclaimed timber...so much so that her main supplier/friend is literally GIVING us all the timbers and wood that we need to frame, trim and panel the house. In addition, he has a crew of Amish lads that are going to bring materials to the property, set up camp with us and erect the frame per my directions. also providing and installing reclaimed green-patina slate roof. the whole concept gives me (good) shivers...i feel very fortunate to be a part of it and see it come together.

thanks so much for all your suggestions. I have mused about converting to a rough mower and will likely tackle that if warranted

That's fantastic. It's so nice when the forum veers a little off-topic of wrenching and attachments, and we get to see the background of a project. Thank you for sharing. That is gorgeous property, for sure. You've been blessed.

Personally, I'd be saving up for a rough-cut mower. Mine is indispensable, but keep the kids, wife, and pets away (and away from windows) when I'm using it! I would suggest the same for you!

-Rob

 

[wasabi]

Wasabi- Your plans sound amazing. Please take lots of photos of the construction.

How long does it take for a wasabi plantlet to mature?

All the best,

Peter

Thank you Peter and all for your kind comments.

I plan to not only take photos but potentially document on video and or blog about it. The process should be cool what with traditionally dressed Amish men hoisting timbers and all that. One of their concerns was keeping their wives busy whilst the men are working so my wife is assembling tons of awesome fabric samples and cuttings for them to make quilts. Depending on timing we may also benefit by their canning prowess. I'm doubling gardening beds just in case...

As you probably know, most so called "wasabi" actually contains no wasabi at all....rather it is typically a mixture of horseradish, mustard and food coloring. The real deal comes from Wasabia japonica - a notoriously tricky plant to grow. It is a cold loving perrenial that typically takes a minimum of 18 to 24 months to develop its rhizome (thickened stem), which is valued for the concentrated glucosinolates (sulpher containing molecules). When the thickened stem called a rhizome (often mistakenly referred to as a root), is grated, the glucosinolates dance with myrosanaise enzymes and morph into a suite of isothiocyanates (ITC"S). The ITC's are responsible for the pungent taste as well as beneficial bioactives.

Years ago I became fascinated enough with wasabi to develop it into a small food business. We're also focusing on importing, propagating and selling fresh wasabi to high end restaurants, chefs and foodies. more at real wasabi dot com.

best,

 

[coolconnection]

The Amish are hard working people but they will not let you film them or take their picture especially if they are the old order Amish like the Swartzentrubers. So don't get to excited about filming them, it is against their beliefs. I live around some of the old order Amish (strictly black and white clothing, well and some blue). If it is a more relaxed Amish order you better get their permission first for personal photos but if you want to show or post their pics they will not let you do it, at least they will frown on it. Good luck to you.

 

[wasabi]

CC: thanks for the heads up. I'm talking out of ignorant enthusiasm and appreciate the insights. I'll tread more softly.

SmartGuyz: I hear you. I'll either modify or add if needed after finding out how what I get performs.

 

[woodlandfarms]

This Wasabi thing sounds way cool. I wonder if it could be grown in the PNW? I posted a question on the net a while ago to everyone on if they made money off their land. Most did not. Was wondering what sort of small crops or livestock could be profitable, without killing the day job

Hey do you have any drawings of the potential new home to share?

And when does the new PT arrive?

 

[wasabi]

Carl,

Tractor arrives early Friday morning. With luck the weather will hold and I'll get a couple of days of mowing in. PNW is ideal for wasabi growing. The challenge is finding plants. It has taken years to develop supply chain with Japanese companies. I'm receiving our fourth shipment of imported plantlets next week....will root them out for a month or so before planting into beds. We'll be offering plantlets for sale once they get rooted out.

Drawings / building details will be back burner until fields get mowed and wasabi planted...

 

[cqaigy2]

Do the leaves/stems have any value?

I've heard real wasabi taste very different from that which we usually get.

 

[wasabi]

the taste of real wasabi is similar to horseradish but more subtle and nuanced than the faux wasabi concoctions. It will still blow your hair back if you take a good glob, but in moderate measure it compliments the fish with just the right heat and nice sweet finish...

wasabi leaves, which can reach the size of small dinner plate, are sometimes used for presentation by sushi chefs and can also be used in salads. They have a nice peppery taste, kind of like some mustard greens. The wasabi stems are often made into pickles. The Japanese often chop them up and use them in salads (pickled or not). I've been experimenting with pickling recipes and am finding the wasabi stems have nice flavor on their own and don't need much in the way of additives...