Back to Eden Gardening

[Nyboy]

You can rent a chipper for the day.

 

[Beekissed]

Mom and I spread those chips today and we are lacking a small area in one corner being covered...about 4x6 ft. of space. If we can't find any chips locally to fill that space we may just put some hay down in that area until we do...I might have a lead on some small batches of chips we can pick up in Mom's truck. Will have to see.

Middle son came out today and helped us drive T posts in and put up the tomato trellises, as well as helped me mount my cattle panel gates. That was the last big job that was going to be hard for us to do as we are both short and driving those posts takes a good bit of oomph with a sledge hammer, especially into this soil.

The only section the chips didn't cover...will have to find more chips!

Moved the sittin' glider to a shady spot from which to gaze upon the growing garden...can't wait to see the green sticking up out of the tan of those chips! May God bless this garden and provide an abundance therein!

 

[journey11]

You are well on your way! That bench is a perfect spot to sit when you're done for the day and admire the fruit of your labor. Hope you have a very blessed 2015 growing season!

 

[thistlebloom]

It looks real good Bee. You have a beautiful piece of the earth.

 

[PhilaGardener]

Looking good!

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you all for the blessings!!! Today? I plant!!!!

Up early to see if I had chicks...no peeping as of yet. Got some good black stuff from out of the coop, just squirming with worms, to put in the holes where I'm planting my maters. Got my first tray in the garden and the chips raked to one side away from the trellis where I'm planting.

Just paused from it all to take a deep breath and be still in my heart and soul, because a person shouldn't plant when they are harried and rushed. Seems like that never feels as good as planting in a peaceful rhythm, close to God's good earth and to His heart, tending to the things He has put under our dominion and care.

Today I pray for His will in my life and in this garden, that whether it be fruitful or be it not, that I accept His will in that matter with good grace and thankfulness and with a whole heart.

 

[Beekissed]

Didn't make much progress on this beautiful day. My back just wouldn't cooperate with my ambitions. We also got company, so many distractions. But a beautiful, peace filled and joyous day all the same!

Here's a few pics of the day....

This is why we so needed to change gardening methods...this is how closely and densely the clay soil packs down, even after being tilled completely 5 times in a row. In a week's time and a few rains and this is what you have...packed, solid, clay brick.

The good stuff....composted DL straight from the coop and just wriggling with worms!

My tomato seedlings, started in topsoil and composted DL...these are the beefsteak type. Another tray holds the determinate paste tomatoes, Romas.

My slave labor.... my ol' Ma.

And the new raised bed put up today for Mom's flowers....the boys cut down a dead tree that was leaning over the driveway and we put it to good use. It will be treated like a hugel bed, with rotten old wood blocks, sticks, wood chips, manure and such put in first to fill it up, then potting soil mix for the soil layer, then wood chips on top the soil. The boys placed the logs ... I may change the order of the logs to make a more pleasing balance, but I love the different heights of the logs.

 

[journey11]

Your mom looks strong and limber for her age. She has a good, straight back. Just like my 77-year-old neighbor, a farm girl all her life, all of that strenuous physical activity really serves to keep one young!

I like the looks of that raised bed, really cute with the cabin. What is she planning to grow in it?

I feel your pain with the clay soil. In WV, the term "farmer of the red earth" is very accurate and the ground definitely under the curse. After 8 years of amending the garden, it is finally easy to work with, but digging holes elsewhere for fruit trees is something I really dread.

 

[Nyboy]

When I looked at photo of your slave I thought I am half her age and can't bend over like that !!!!!! Also have heavy clay, so dry this spring clay creaking like in some desert movie.

 

[Beekissed]

Yeah, she can still place her palms flat on the floor with her legs straight...at 80. Had nine kids and helped raise many, many grandkids, performed hard physical labor all her life and doesn't have a single ache or pain in her bones or joints. Two of her sisters are deceased, as are her two brothers, the other two sisters have metal rods up their backs and have had multiple surgeries for osteoarthritis issues...they haven't walked upright for as long as I can remember. Of course, none of them had that many kids nor did they do any manual labor all their lives...they also didn't make a point of maintaining their good posture or doing weight bearing exercise like Mom has. She's not just lucky, she's worked at her health for a long time now and it's paying off. I love it that she has done that as it makes my job here much, much easier...she'll probably outlive me if the world lasts that long.

Journey, we are going to do some perennials, herbs and some annuals in that raised bed and maybe even throw in a cherry tomato for that center post. I'm sprouting butterfly flowers, Black-Eyed Susans, Tickseed, lavender, and chamomile as we speak, but we'll also purchase some already established perennials as we find them.