Preserving

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Working at the Dust Bowl....a/k/a....the plots!!

I have been diligently working on the new plots the past few days. It's so dry & windy here that it has been like working in a dust bowl! I come home with a thin layer of dust all over. It's in my ears, my teeth, my hair, up my nose and just about anywhere dust can get. Boy, I sure home we get a good rain soon. We do have a chance of a few showers today. If that does occur, it most likely will happen when I am over there working.

Not the best pics.
The county finally moved the barrel of rocks that was in my way. I took some of the compost and put a thick layer on the edge where they didn't till. I will also add some good soil, when delivered on top. I'm going to plant pole beans and corn along the fence in this area. 

The "guys" brought me two 55 gallon drums yesterday! They also hammered the two taller stakes at the end deeper into the ground for me with "Big Bertha"! Thanks a bunch guys!!  Along the right side we have the two transplanted asparagus beds and a 13' bed in the middle for onions. I amended the soil with the bagged hummus and manure that I purchased last fall on sale for 75% off. The asparagus has been covered with straw to keep the moisture in and weeds down. I will add some good soil in the front of the beds and then plant some Parsley and I think the Fava Beans that are growing in my basement.

I transplanted a bunch of Raspberries in a large bed near the back of the plots. This bed is 5' x 20'. There are 4 rows of raspberries about 4' apart. This soil was also amended and the plants covered with some straw as well. After I took these pictures, I brought the lumber over to frame out 3 more of the beds.

Look at the gardens....boy, the gardeners have been busy!!!

There is something going on everywhere!

We have running water!

I am just amazed at how much has happened here in the past week!

There is action everywhere!

And planting!

And Whitie!! 
He is our most senior gardener. I believe he is 83 or 86...I can't remember. He has two plots, end to end. He comes and goes all day. He has his plots amended and I think he said he planted 50 lbs of potatoes!

I have been reading through your blogs. But, there's not enough time in the day right now for me to leave comments. Happy Gardening Everyone!!

38 comments:

  1. You look like you are having fun. I can't wait to see the harvest from these plots.
    Dry weather is a killer. We so need some rain.

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    1. I am having fun. We did get a few sprinkles yesterday.

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  2. Looks like you all are doing a great job! It is going to be green there in no time.

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    1. Thanks Becky, I can wait until everything is in and growing.

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  3. You have been very busy! I hope that asparagus takes off after moving. And I want to be like Whitie when I'm 80ish - still gardening strong!

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    1. I've been keeping a close eye on the asparagus. Hopefully we will all be like Whitie when we are his age!

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  4. Everything looks great!! Always fun putting in a new garden. We have been really short on rain this year too. But the forecast has the next three days being pretty wet!!

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    1. It's coming along. The gate will go up today. The only rain we have in our future is a chance of a thunder storm on Saturday.

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  5. I'm soooooo excited! I love your community garden. Ours is getting quite busy, too. I gave up my plot last year to a very nice young family...but I still keep an eye on things. Your raspberries are awesome!!

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    1. The Community Garden is fun. It's so interesting to see how everyone gardens. Those raspberries are holding their own. I'm keeping a close eye on them.

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  6. Looks like alot of work and very good progress. Wish I had one of these so I can do large items like potatoes, mellons and squashes and pumpkins :)

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    1. Jenny, I didn't have room for big items until I got the plots. Maybe you can find one. It's really a nice gardening experience. Much different then gardening at home though.

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  7. It has been very dry this spring. What a contrast from last year. The gardens look good.

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    1. Thanks Jane, It definitely is a change from last year. Last year some of my peas rotted from too much rain and I had to re-sow them.

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  8. very exciting to see everything coming together for you all out at the plots!

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    1. It's getting there. Once the gate is up and my soil is delivered on Friday. I will be in good shape!

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  9. I think I want Whitie's job...in that last photo!

    You will be rewarded for all your hard work when the harvest begins rolling in. Or too exhausted to care much one way or the other ;-0

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    1. Granny, Whitie knows how to get things done. He works for awhile, then takes a break. Then he will leave and come back. But, I have to say that he gets a lot done. He was out there rototilling yesterday!

      I think I will be OK. I really haven't been over doing it.

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  10. It starting to take shape now - I'm not surprised that you haven't enough hours in the day.

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    1. Sue, Right now I could use about 8 extra hours. My house is filthy!

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  11. I was thinking of you today and the mammoth task you are undertaking.

    I'm off tomorrow to help my mom get some semblance of order in her section of the gardening plots at her retirement community. I want to make defined beds without timber so that she will have wide pathways to get to what she's planted. My older sister will join me tomorrow to help.

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    1. Good luck at your Mom's. You should take some pictures and do a post on it. I would love to see it.

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  12. All I can say is woooo--amazing!

    Lisa

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    1. Thanks Lisa, It will be very satisfying to plant that garden and watch it grow!

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  13. I hear you on the dry and windy. I finally broke down and turned the sprinkler in the garden on. I'm still hoping it rains tomorrow. We have a chance, but not a great one. The showers will be very scattered. I might have to go out and test my irrigation in the strawberry bed.

    Things are looking great in your plot.

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    1. Daphne, The winds died down yesterday and it was much better over there. We did get a little sprinkle, but nothing much. I've been watering the home garden a bit too.

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  14. I hope I'm still digging two plots and planting potatoes at 86 (or 83 would also be good), and taking the time to watch what everyone else is up to.

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    1. Liz, Whitie does get a lot done in between his breaks!

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  15. Wow, you've been busy. Hope I can lift a garden fork at 80.

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    1. My grandfather farmed a little and kept his veggie garden growing until he was about 90. Hopefully we will all be able to do that!

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  16. It's awful dry and windy here, too - I hope we all get some rain soon. If it's going to be cold, it might as well rain anyway!

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    1. The wind was a killer. I sure hope that the summer is not this dry. It will be a lot of work keeping everything watered.

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  17. Look at that progress! Wow! We are in great need of rain here in Maine as well. Little snow and no spring rains has the garden soil too dry for this time of year. I had to soak the beds before I could transplant seedlings out.

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    1. I sure hope that April's showers arrive soon. It's been a crazy dry spring so far.

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  18. Wow Robin, You - and all of the other gardeners- are really making some amazing progress.Your bed is starting to look like you have had if for years and not just weeks. I am happy that you have had some dry weather to work in when you are trying to get so much done so quickly. But it sure is scarry to see on TV how dry and windy the East is in April and how fires are starting to kick-up. Hopefully my endless Oregon rain will find its way to you for a few days and I can enjoy some actual sunshine. Happy gardening!

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    1. I hope that some of your rain finds it's way here too! Yes, the gardeners have been very busy. It's so exciting to see this land transformed into gardens.

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  19. Amazing how fast everyone is working, getting new plots underway in the spring is a challenge but looks like all of you are up for it! Your piece of that universe is coming along quite well too.

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    1. Everyone is really going to town over there! I'm impressed. I have gotten a lot more done since this post and my good dirt is being delivered today!!! Yippee...lots more work!!

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