Community Writer: Catherine Emerson, Discovering a Passion for Backpacking

after finishing a 64 mile loop in the Gila Wilderness, July 2019

Hello, fellow Creative Savv readers! As a long-time reader, some of you may know me as Cat from the comment section. Lili has asked me to share about hiking and backpacking and how I got involved in those activities. Almost ten years ago now, while still homeschooling our kids, then about ages two to twelve, a fellow homeschooling mom mentioned that our nearby wildlife refuge in the Wichita Mountains offered group hikes on Thursday mornings. Turns out, these were originally intended for retirees, but hardly any were showing up, so they were welcoming anyone. As a then very fearful person, I appreciated the chance to get the kids outside for some gentle hikes, normally two miles or under, with other adults (and sometimes kids) along. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is home to many bison and Longhorn cattle, as well as Diamondback rattlesnakes, and  I didn’t relish the idea of going alone with children when I was so inexperienced myself. The leaders of the hikes varied, but all were kind and knowledgeable and taught us a lot about the flora and fauna of the area.

Fast forward a couple years and now all children are in school. I had continued to attend these hikes, but also found some other groups and was now venturing on longer, harder, and usually off-trail hikes. I loved it! My husband had been in the Army and often gone when the kids were younger, and my soul began to thrive with the new experience of outdoor time and the lovely people I met through these excursions. I became stronger and could now hike several miles at a time. My confidence grew as well. Somewhere in there, I became interested in Appalachian Trail memoirs, then stories from and about other trails. But backpacking still seemed just a little out of my reach. Who would I go with? I couldn’t imagine being out there alone.

Lake Katherine in the Peco Wilderness, June 2020

Somehow, I was introduced to the youtube channel of Jessica Mills, aka “Dixie”, a sweet, Southern, down-to-earth woman who had hiked the Appalachian Trail and was at that time hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Each week, I looked forward to her newest episode chronicling her adventure. My interest grew by leaps and bounds.

My daughters were involved in a scouting organization at that time, and I was the assistant unit leader for the teen group. The leader was planning an exciting trip canoeing in the Boundary Waters, so my oldest daughter and I began collecting gear over the next few months. Unfortunately, the trip was later cancelled for reasons I never quite understood, but we now had some of the equipment.

our tents near the old railroad tunnel at Caprock Canyon Trailway, April 2017

A young woman I had met through our ladies’ hiking group which I had begun to hold on Wednesdays also shared that she had an interest in backpacking, and had also collected gear. We took the plunge and made a plan to go! Just an easy short trip for our first time, over at Caprock Canyon State Park and Trailway, near Quitaque, Texas. It turned out to be a very warm weekend in April 2017, with daytime temperatures in the 90’s. But, we hiked in about 5 miles and camped near an old railway tunnel known for it’s bat population. That evening, we sat and played a card game as dusk approached, then settled in to watch the bats emerge from the tunnel. Wow, what an experience! As it grew darker and we could no longer see them, we could still feel them zipping by our heads. So amazing!

That trip started something for me. My super budget equipment was way too heavy and I really wondered what I had gotten myself into as I trudged along on that hot April afternoon. But waking up to mule deer grazing outside our tents and watching them as I sipped my instant coffee was such a wonderful experience and made the hard parts worth it. That fall, I planned a 3-day, 26.8 mile trip on the Eagle Rock Loop over near Mena, Arkansas, taking along my oldest daughter, the friend from my first trip, and two additional women. It was a challenge, this time with temperatures dipping into the 20’s at night, testing us in a whole different way. But we did it! And I was hooked!

sunset from the SW Rim at Big Bend, January 2020

Since that time, just 5 years ago now, I’ve backpacked hundreds of miles in many beautiful places, sometimes with friends, but a good chunk of it solo. Lots of miles over in southeastern Oklahoma and northern Arkansas on the Ouachita Trail, Womble Trail, the LOViT, and the Sylamore Creek Trail, among others. In Texas at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Big Bend National Park, in New Mexico at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the Gila Wilderness, and the Pecos Wilderness, as well as a couple trips up in Colorado. So many beautiful places in our world, and backpacking allows me to see a side you don’t necessarily get with a day hike or camping in a campground. I’ve upgraded my equipment greatly, so my pack weight can vary from about 21 lbs for a short trip in warm weather, up to about 33 lbs for a longer trip with a week of food and/or gear for cold weather. It’s become a great way for my soul to recharge, as my introvert self still has three children at home. Thankfully, my husband is supportive of this hobby and holds the fort down at home while I’m gone–couldn’t do it without him! 

Catherine Emerson is a hiking and backpacking enthusiast. Catherine, trail name “Corgi” (for her short legs), lives in southwestern Oklahoma with her husband, 3 of their 5 kids still home, 2 silly but sweet dogs, several rescue cats, and a small flock of ducks. When not on the trail, Catherine enjoys spending her time reading, knitting or crocheting, and gardening, with permaculture inspiration and aspiration.

Five Free, All-Natural Garden Fertilizers From Your Kitchen, Yard, and Beach

chicken bones that have been pulverized with a hammer

You'd think that finishing harvesting would be the last work in the garden for the season. However, after everything is harvested, I still have one step left, getting the beds prepped for next spring. One of the tasks on my list is to dig in some organic fertilizers.

If you've been following the news these past few months, you've likely heard that fertilizers, like everything else, are getting more and more expensive. So how about some free fertilizers for the garden?

8-10 egg shells, washed, dried and crushed with mortar & pestle

1. composted food and garden scraps, such as vegetable/fruit peeling or trimmings, coffee grounds, grass clippings, leaves, plants. You can even add some paper and cardboard to a compost pile. Nutrients in compost: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, boron, copper, iron, zinc, manganese 
2. ground, washed eggshells. I keep a dish in the fridge for rinsed out eggshells. When I have enough, I oven dry them in a cooling oven for about 30-40 minutes (after baking something else) or at 180 F for 25 to 30 minutes, until quite dry. Once dry, I grind them in a coffee grinder or mortar & pestle. (mortar & pestle is my preferred, as it doesn't send eggshell dust into the air -- mask recommended with coffee grinder). Ground eggshells can then be mixed into the soil before planting. Nutrients in eggshells: calcium. Eggshells decompose best in acidic soil.
3. composted animal manure, such as chicken manure or rabbit manure. Don't use cat or dog waste, as you can inadvertently introduce pathogens to the soil. But well-composted manure from poultry and rabbits is beneficial for the garden. If you or someone you know raises backyard chickens (or rabbits), you could have a free source of fertilizer for your garden. Nutrients in composted chicken manure: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium
4. seaweed -- check with your state to find out if harvesting seaweed is allowed. In my area, there is one beach where citizens are allowed to collect a limited amount of seaweed. Seaweed needs to be thoroughly rinsed before use, to remove salt. It can be used as a mulch (directly applied to the soil, composted then mixed into the soil or you can make a liquid fertilizer (see this article). Nutrients in seaweed (may vary according to variety and where harvested): nitrogen, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iodine, phosphorus, zinc
5. bone meal -- you can buy bonemeal. But this list is about free sources. You can make bonemeal in your kitchen from chicken bones. After our last whole roasted chicken, I put the bones into the crockpot and covered with water, allowing to simmer for about 14 hours. I then picked any remaining meat off those bones, poured off the broth for a pot of soup, then recooked the chicken bones in fresh water for another 14 hours. At the end of this second simmering, I poured off this new stock for another batch of soup. I rinsed the bones in clean water, then spread them out on a baking sheet and baked at 400 degrees F for about an hour. The bones were lightweight, brittle, and browned at this point. After the bones cooled, I placed them into a multi-layered paper bag (the bag from 10 lbs of sugar) and pounded with a hammer on the concrete garage floor. The bones easily pulverized. Very little bone meal is needed in an application, 1 tablespoon max for 2 square feet. Nutrients in bone meal: phosphorus, calcium. Many experts feel bone meal is best for acidic soil. 

Most garden soils benefit from a combination of organic soil amendments when used as fertilizers. No one organic DIY amendment can provide for all of a plant's needs. And some soils can't use one or more of these amendments, due to the soil's pH. My soil is acidic. I use a combination of eggshells, composted yard and kitchen waste, coffee grounds, and bonemeal, as well as purchased chicken manure and commercial compost. 

chicken bones after twice simmered then baked dry

If hammering an animal's bones to pieces before adding to the garden feels weird or macabre to you, can I share my perspective? I feel that if my family is going to use an animal for food, then we should make good use of as much of that animal as possible. Feeding the soil so that more can grow in an area is a good use in my opinion. Besides, becoming a useful soil amendment is a better ending than rotting in a landfill, don't you think?