Rural Garden: It's been busy. I wanted to make note of what's been happening so I won't forget. Even buying blueberries 30lbs at a time isn't helping my memory. Attended a gardening workshop instructed by Steve Diver. I'd been to one of Steve's gatherings two years ago and learned lots of good stuff like how to make your own potting soil and compost tea.
This time Steve was going to talk about the energetic aspects of gardening and I didn't want to miss that. As a result, Linda and I are now taking a substance called Ormus and using it on the trees and gardens as well. He connected us with a guy named Greg Willis who makes all kinds of interesting herbal/biodynamic stuff. I ordered his bee sprays which I hope arrive before Friday because that's when I pick up the bee package and enter the world of beekeeping.
Behind the pickup truck in the above photo you can see part of the kiwi arbor that Adam J built with my help (I handed him stuff). We rolled out to Cloud Mountain Farm last week and bought three kiwi plants and they are now at home in the arbor. On the way to Cloud Mountain we stopped at Inspiration Farm and ordered a broadfork from Brian who runs a very nifty biodynamic garden/glass blowing shop/and welding operation. The broadfork is a tool that I should be able to pass down to my grandchildren. At Cloud Mountain we picked up an Asian pear and two plum trees which are heeled into the garden waiting for my to dig some holes.
Part of our bank collapsed to the beach so we built what we call a "safety fence" to keep the kids and me away from the bank edge. We'll let the berries and roses grow up in the space between the bank and fence which, hopefully, will stablize it. Three fruit trees will be marooned between the fence and the bank. I planted some marion berries along the fence. Earlier this spring we had to drop three good sized alders which had come to the end of their life span. It was a big job splitting and hauling the wood but the woodshed is full for next winter with a reserve pile of rounds standing by. The bottom rounds were completely rotted through like giant pots which gave me the idea to use them as pots. I used a dolly to get two of them to the safety fence and planted marion berries inside them. The other three I put in the hot garden and will try to do my big squash inside them. Sort of a variation on huglekultur but probably also a magnet for slugs.
Been trying to be patient because of the weather. Garlic planted last fall is coming up nicely. The raspberries look pretty good; blueberries—kind of sparse. I can see a couple of artichokes survived and are poking through the mulch. We finally ate some mache (corn lettuce) and the kale is still good even as it starts to bloom. I finally planted some snap peas and potatoes. Last year the bunnies nibbled the peas and we didn't get many. This year I've put a plastic cup over most of the seeds (until I ran out of cups). Maybe that will work. And, potatoes are in. It's a hassle trying to figure out where to plant potatoes as I'm attempting not to plant any crop in the same bed the second year. I have two smaller beds for potatoes this year and actually cheated by making on eight foot bed into two four foot beds.
Steve D. would freak to see the amount of grass I have in the garden. I keep it under control with a Shindaiwa B450 and my handy long handled hoe.
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