What Did You Do In The Garden?

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I pulled weeds, turned dirt with shovel, raked out weeds. I have almost the whole area of pole beans finished. My half load of cow manure is coming in the morning. Hoping this is not a mistake. I think there is room where I am going to tell the guy to unload. I started another area of the garden about 20 feet long and 3 feet wide weeded and dirt turned.

 

[ducks4you]

Been home kitten-sitting since I don't have any closings until Thursday and they need to be fed 3x/day. Been feeding on the enclosed front porch, putting kitten replacement milk in a bowl on the floor on top of a towel, then letting them play for about an hour or two, until they get sleepy. They have learned to clean themselves, so I don't have to do it anymore, but here is a photo of their surrogate mother, although he, Tomkins, claims to be the father of his last batch of "fur worms."
Yes, that is my 9yo dog, "Pyg". Took her a day to accept the kittens. She growled at them ONCE, and got kicked off the porch, so she reconsidered. Her mouth could swallow a kitten this small whole, so I appreciate good dogs who know not to do such things.
Sunday I FINALLY got to the section of about 6 x 10' right on the NE corner of the north pasture, but on the outside, the streetside. It has a power pole, recently replaced, and has been a catch all for weeds. Last week I had picked out all of the old and dead pieces of weeds that I could get and I found 5 saplings trying to grow there, all "tree of paradise" and ranging from 5 inches tall and 1/2" wide to much taller and over an inch wide. I dug down 3-4", used my pruning lopers to cut, covered with dirt, and then covered the entire area with cardboard, filled up my tow wagon with mulch and totally covered the area with it. Now NOBODY has to mow there for a few years.

Maybe there are some weed seeds to deal with later, but those saplings are a real pain when they get out of hand, which they have south of the garage along the old fencing.
I mowed down the south pasture. There are a LOT of 2nd year burdock, but, more importantly, I have been removing and burning all of the limbs that I cut in March so they I CAN mow. Should be a really good burn today.
I can see about poisoning some burdock today.
It will be a GOOD day!!!

 

[Nyboy]

Unloaded the flats of flowers I bought Sunday. Now can make my window boxes

 

[flowerbug]

weeded this morning until break time (now ). almost done, can see the light at the end of the tunnel [for that garden].

beautiful day.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

Have pole beans planted. Pulled weeds.

 

[Beekissed]

Planted sweet onions, Fortex and half runner beans, sunflowers and zinnias. Covered all the weeds and grass with hay flakes.

 

[digitS']

Too much!

i'm sore from running the rototiller, yesterday ... The tractor guy leaves something of a mess were he turns around near the fence. It isn't the best part of the garden so I leave quite a wide path up there. However ..

. the "garden extension" is being extended in 2018! An access road is cutting off an area where we have gardened for 10 years so we are migrating around the corner at the other end of things. That means further along the fence. You know how a plow will move soil towards the perimeter of the field? That makes for something of a hill along there since that was a farm field for about 100 years, I'd guess. The tractor rototiller isn't doing that but wheeling around there makes a mess. Here I am with a little walk-behind tiller trying to bounce thru the ruts and make that area level!

Not just a sore back and leg but sore shoulders this morning. I'm recovering fairly well and will have my 3rd cup of tea while completing paperwork for the day. Should be back out there this afternoon because it didn't rain enuf last night to keep me off that ground but I think that I'll play with the plants here at home, instead.

Steve

 

[ducks4you]

Heeeeyyy, Steve!!! (homage to a meem from DD's)
I have a piece of leather, a shortish leather curb strap from an old bridle, that I keep on my tiller and I slide it up when I have a big area to till. It keeps it running and saves my wrists from over"till" (overkill.)
Maybe will help?

 

[digitS']

Maybe will help?

It might, Ducks'!

Then, I could use a team of oxen to drag the rototiller thru rough ground. I swear, any unevenness to the surface and it is nearly impossible to hold it straight!

I realized something, yesterday. I may have experience farming but I still garden as though I'm stuck between walls and under roofs of glass. If production costs (& income, & labor) can be measured by the square foot - I'm okay. I want it all!

I'm not gonna be a truck farmer. I don't wanna be a truck farmer. When I get olde(r), I want a garden right at the foot of my backstairs. Maybe one on more than a single floor ... I can have 12 months of the best food! ... & an elevator!!

Steve

 

[Nyboy]

Steve hire teenager to help with the heavy work, They work cheap.