I should have done this post earlier this morning.
When I woke up, Bryce (the guy building the trex deck)
was already on the site, and he needed some help today
so I ate half of my watermelon real quick and headed up there.
It soon started raining though, and although he can take some rain,
his tools aren't so tolerant about getting wet.
I made this twisting pathway on the back slope
of the land, and yesterday planted raspberry bushes
all along it so it will be a nicely enclosed raspberry path.
Im just in weeding mode too. Clearing out lots of sumac
and grass and thistles, and then laying down compost and manure,
tilling it all together with the copper hand tiller.
I'll then cover it with a thick layer of straw and then plant
more selectively in designated cleared spots.
Piece by piece I hope to do this with most of the non-wooded area.
There will be a small play lawn with edible weeds growing around it,
but I hope that most of it will be bushes and trees and pathways.
The garden is producing well. Not GREAT though. It
was a late start here, and also my plants needed more
attention while I was back in NY for three weeks.
If I would have been there tending it those three weeks,
things would have been different for sure.
And plus, I have to keep building up the soil.
You should have seen what gravel I had to start with.
Adding compost and soil and worms and manure...takes
a while to build up a foot of that. Its coming along though.
I got randomly stung the other day though.
I was just sitting on a bale of straw, about 3 feet away
from the hive as usual. I've done that many times before
with no problems, but for some reason there was a really
cranky bee that was defending her turf.
I really don't want to take any honey this year.
It's all for them...want them to be really strong
for next year. They are still building honeycomb
too, and that takes 10x the energy compared to honey.
The greenhouse will start after completion of the deck.
Hopefully that is in 2 weeks.
Then I can transfer the warmer weather trees.
(Figs, meyer's lemon, guavas, persimmons,
and a raja puri red banana just for kicks)
Ive eaten about one 10lb watermelon every day.
A frosty, 64 oz jug of watermelon-rind juice is a great
way to begin a beautiful day.
Lots of stone fruits lately too.
Plums, peaches, apricots.
A fair amount of raspberries too.
Take advantage of the seasonal goodness :)
-A
