Mr Blake is a huge asset to the Lincoln Elementary School garden. During the past year and a half of his volunteerism I have seen so much good growth in the garden and the garden program. Not only does Mr. Blake share his expertise, which is extensive, he also helps with the physical work and inspires our students to dig deeper into gardening. I am especially thankful for his guidance in the realm of soil health and nutrition. He has taught and demonstrated ways to improve the soil health in the garden while focusing especially on the nutritional outcome of the food we are growing. His passion for growing healthy food and for sharing his knowledge with others, especially the young gardeners at Lincoln, is evident in his generous giving of his labors, knowledge, wisdom, and material resources.
This spring he gifted the Lincoln Garden with a "Hoopster," a miniature greenhouse of his own design. But he did not just give us the "Hoopster," he showed us how to build it and helped us to build it ourselves, so that the learning and blessing would perpetuate. Mr. Blake and his care and commitment to pass his wisdom to others reminds me of this modified proverb, " You give a poor man some produce and you feed him for a day. You teach him to garden and you give him an occupation that will feed him for a lifetime." I am ever so grateful that Mr. Blake came to garden with us at Lincoln and I look forward to witnessing the continued blessing and growth he brings.
- Sommer Dunn
Daniel Blake and his company, “Living Soils” have provided my family with excellent help enabling us to grow good tasting vegetables, “real food”.
Recently, my wife and I came to the realization that we love to eat good tasting vegetables. We also came to an understanding that eating real food, primarily vegetables will improve our health. We choose to supplement our diet with wild caught fish and grass-fed beef. We've been eating primarily veggies for over a year now and we feel great! We wanted to be healthier and have achieved that. While we love to eat fresh vegetables, we found it difficult to consistently find good produce that we trust have been grown properly. We've had some success purchasing our produce at health food stores and farmers markets, but we ultimately determined that the best solution for us in the long term is to grow our own.
We were fortunate to find and work with Daniel Blake and his company “Living Soils” to help enable us to grow our own food. He has a wealth of knowledge and a system for first time growers that encompassed everything we needed to get started. Daniel supports us through continued education in growing techniques and is a walking encyclopedia with regard to techniques for growing healthy food. These techniques include but are not limited to; how to build a hoop green house for year-round growing, how to prepare soils for maximum growth yield, how to water a garden properly (including extensive expertise in irrigation systems), how to study plants and assess their health, how to manage good and bad bugs, how to assess and control disease, and techniques for harvesting food. Daniel is an excellent teacher/trainer in growing technique for novices and those who consider themselves expert farmers.
Thanks Daniel and “Living Soils” for enabling my family to grow high quality veggies that have improved our health. If you enjoy eating real foods and you are considering growing your own food, we highly recommend Daniel Blake and the systems of the living soils company.
- Phil Wiens
Recently, my wife and I came to the realization that we love to eat good tasting vegetables. We also came to an understanding that eating real food, primarily vegetables will improve our health. We choose to supplement our diet with wild caught fish and grass-fed beef. We've been eating primarily veggies for over a year now and we feel great! We wanted to be healthier and have achieved that. While we love to eat fresh vegetables, we found it difficult to consistently find good produce that we trust have been grown properly. We've had some success purchasing our produce at health food stores and farmers markets, but we ultimately determined that the best solution for us in the long term is to grow our own.
We were fortunate to find and work with Daniel Blake and his company “Living Soils” to help enable us to grow our own food. He has a wealth of knowledge and a system for first time growers that encompassed everything we needed to get started. Daniel supports us through continued education in growing techniques and is a walking encyclopedia with regard to techniques for growing healthy food. These techniques include but are not limited to; how to build a hoop green house for year-round growing, how to prepare soils for maximum growth yield, how to water a garden properly (including extensive expertise in irrigation systems), how to study plants and assess their health, how to manage good and bad bugs, how to assess and control disease, and techniques for harvesting food. Daniel is an excellent teacher/trainer in growing technique for novices and those who consider themselves expert farmers.
Thanks Daniel and “Living Soils” for enabling my family to grow high quality veggies that have improved our health. If you enjoy eating real foods and you are considering growing your own food, we highly recommend Daniel Blake and the systems of the living soils company.
- Phil Wiens
At the end of 2017 Daniel and I entered a vigorous discussion on my yard project with big dreams and a limited budget. The scope of the project in the front and back yards included: an automated irrigation system, landscape boulders and decorative landscape rock, french drains to manage water runoff, trees and shrubs, and accent lighting. In the backyard there was: a 42-foot rock retention wall, a 1300 gallon pond, with a double waterfall feature, pavers, garden, shed, greenhouse, a small vineyard, and grassy area. I have roughly a third of an acre of land.
Daniel’s knowledge of landscaping, soil conditioning, the resources in our community, suitable plants for our area, weed control, and the operation of heavy equipment were invaluable to my project. As it ended up, I hired Daniel to complete the front yard landscaping, the irrigation throughout the property, digging the drains and the pond, and hauling boulders. He also consulted with me on how to improve and complete the project on my own.
I’m sure it isn’t his practice, but he lent me tools so I could work on the project between his visits. After his work was completed he paid visits to check on progress, to consult further, and to make a repair or two to damaged equipment.
If you are looking for a qualified landscaper and knowledgeable gardener/arborist Daniel Blake is your man. When the project was done, I had him to thank. Hire with confidence!
-Tony Jasper
I met Daniel around 2018 when my dad introduced him as a guy I needed to know. We were at a local fund raiser where Daniel was a keynote speaker on farming and growing clean food. I had already started my urban farmstead a year earlier and was eager to soak up any knowledge I could from a seasoned farmer.
Daniel has been a great asset to me and my desire to grow food the natural way. He really listens to you and gives his advice in all sorts of fun analogies and stories from his farming journey.
I appreciate Daniel as a friend as well as an encyclopedia of how to grow food and soil.
Thank you, Daniel for all your encouragement and assistance on my farming journey here at Rustic Roots Farm.
Sincerely,
Nathan H.
Daniel has been a great asset to me and my desire to grow food the natural way. He really listens to you and gives his advice in all sorts of fun analogies and stories from his farming journey.
I appreciate Daniel as a friend as well as an encyclopedia of how to grow food and soil.
Thank you, Daniel for all your encouragement and assistance on my farming journey here at Rustic Roots Farm.
Sincerely,
Nathan H.