Plot Acquired

No, not a novel, a garden! Second plot acquired and also rain, rain, all weekend. However, soil and compost are ready and will go in tonight, 5:30 pm EDT. The strategy will be square foot gardening. Long range plan is to garden with row covers over winter. Observing microclimates may be included.

Second garden plot

In the work! will update Sunday. The first garden is in mid-town, limited access, raised beds, and the only plants for now are those that grow above the ground. The second garden plot-may be belowground.

Farm Class

Ended with the decision that commuting 80 miles round trip during 2012 summer is not realistic, so farewell, farmer's path, for now. May be my family is one of the few who is somewhat indifferent to rising gasoline prices. We did sign up for a small garden plot in town. We're waiting to hear about a second opportunity.

From Toby Hemenway's Gaia's Garden

The movement toward sustainable landscaping is heating up.  Gardeners are increasingly burying their resource-guzzling, zero-habitat lawns under native-plant gardens, wildlife-attracting thickets, and sun-dappled woodlands. It’s an encouraging trend, this movement towards more ecologically sound, nature-friendly yards.

Countdown: Four Months

In 2012, my family may have access to a quarter acre for organic gardening. We visited the site today. Beautiful plowed field, rust, beige, dun, tan. Ready for autumn, Thanksgiving, then snow. Hadn't noticed before a beautiful persimmon tree standing next to the homestead, complete with black spotted leaves. Top was almost bare of leaves, but each branch sported persimmons just waiting for the final ripening. Found only two ripe persimmons on the ground. Split the first seed: spoon, which means snow.

The Countryside Companion

I found a hard cover copy of this great collection of essays, first edition, 1947, in an English open air market. It's edited by Tom Stephenson. One chapter is entitled "Stiles and Gates." Thomas Hardy refers to stiles in his novels; authors today probably refer to interstate rest stops. Today my mail box contains a notice that my copy of Toby Hemenway's book has arrived from Amazon. You can find copies of The Countryside Companion on Amazon.

December 2009

I saved this post two years ago. It's been fallow with no ideas planted or harvested.