Remnants of Andrea

Knowing we were in for a lot of rain today, most of the time yesterday was spent cutting and spreading grass mulch.   I managed to get the grass catcher on the John Deere by myself, but was glad George checked it.

The potatoes were already under hay mulch, as was vegetable bed #4.    I had started planting, but not enough to hold on to soil.

At the end of the day, all the flat surfaces had some kind of physical barrier to hard rain drops, even if pretty thin.    I stopped as the first drops fell, so didn't get a picture.

The picture at left is from June 4th, just after the second tilling (for weeds), and before any mulch was spread.   The view is to the south/south-east.

Beds # 1, 2, and 3 are shown, with #1 being closest to our house in the distance.   I took the picture next to bed #4, which is in the old pasture.

The green area between beds #1 and #2  is a wide and shallow swale (depression that drains down hill).   We leave this area in permanent grass, because of the heavy clay soils.  The green area in the foreground also stays in grass, because it has some large rocks just under the grass and a couple of young oak trees.

The second picture is of bed #1, just after tilling.   This shows more clearly that the bed is slightly raised, from added organic matter.

West of the beds, a small drainage area runs along the pasture fence, so we aren't likely to expand the beds in that direction.  Bed #3 could be lengthened going east, but that area will probably have a separate small bed for more blueberries.  I prefer to make any more room for vegetables out in the old pasture. 

I like having vegetable beds surrounded by plenty of green buffer area.   The buffer areas reduce stormwater runoff, lower the risk of creating erosion ditches in the clay soils, and help water quality.   Ideally, I like short mowed areas right around the beds, for better access, and longer grass beyond that, to slow down stormwater.

The buffer areas will certainly get a lot of water from Andrea.

Peeking out from under the covers

The weather has swung around again to gorgeous, and the bit of wind is keeping the black flies hunkered down. 

Williams Roofing has finished putting a new roof on the hay barn, as well as on the "front" of the house.

When we turn the garden beds again in a few days, I can start planting.

Today, I bought the seed potatoes for the family garden from Park's Hardware in Orono.   They had several varieties, and all that I looked at were nice and clean.   I got mostly Kennebec's, with a few red Norland's, and a little bag of an heirloom variety called "Cobbler".

I've been reading on-line about ways to grow potatoes using hay mulch.   I may try a combination approach this year:  use a shallow trench rather than my usual deep one, and add hay mulch.

George and I have been trading insults with a virus for about four weeks.   I feel like if I try to dig my usual deep potato trenches, I'll fall into one.

"Hay Makes A Great Mulch".   Interesting article.  I used to do something like this in a little garden years ago, with a lot less hay.    Always nice to get a little pumped up on another person's enthusiasm before not doing something the usual way.

Spring into Summer: Changes

It has been a very busy spring.   George and I became a "licensed foster home".

Two kids who were with us for almost two months just went home, and we miss them.    We miss their energy, their bright minds, and their way of looking at things; we miss having someone ask us to check under the beds for aliens and monsters.   They missed their parents and were happy to go home, and that is good.

It has been an unusually dry spring, and some bush hogging got done yesterday.   I don't think I've been able to get the tractor out back
this early in five years.   The crab apple blossoms were out.

George and I are planning to turn over all the garden beds this afternoon with the cultivator.    We'll turn them over a second time in about two weeks, then plant.   I'd like not to disturb the soil this much, but given the weed explosion last year, after I pulled my back, it is probably the best course now.   I may put the third bed into a green manure, but don't have to decide that yet.

We are also thinking about adding a new, little vegetable bed in the front lawn area.   The plan had been to do that for the kids who just left, for their pumpkin seedlings.   Might be nice to still do that, and add some lettuce too.   

Snow Day

Just a little while ago, I could look out over the knick-knacks on the kitchen window sill, and contemplate soon-to-be-green ground.

Not today.  

George cleared the driveway with the John Deere and snowblower, even with a flat tire.   I dug out the vehicles, porch, and paths. 

I'd forgotten and left the top part of the sheep pen door open to the storm, so I got to toss a lot of wet bedding out the barn window again.

Onion, broccoli, marigold, rosemary and lavender seeds are getting going in the basement under lights.   It is only a matter of time.

The cellar

Onions in a basket in the cellar.

I just took the pictures for this post, wandering with a flash around our mostly dark cellar.  

Last summer's onions are still good.   About now, a small number will try to start sprouting, beginning with a little area of yellow in the middle of the onion.    We try to eat the early risers first.  

The new onion seed is planted in several small boxes, with two rows of seed per box.    I start onions later than some.   Our clay soil stays wet so long, that we often get the seedlings in late.   But, we still get good onions.

Onion seed flat

Work space

 












My work space for starting seed flats is
basic.   I use a piece of scrap wood to make the rows for the onions.

About the time I run out of space for various kinds of seedlings, the small greenhouse outside will warm up, and some of the seedlings will be moved there.

Pumpkins in the cellar

We still have blanched and frozen string beans, broccoli, and carrots in the cellar freezer.  There are also several remaining New England Pie pumpkins in the cellar, and some other squash.   

The winter must be ending, because the wood pile that feeds the wood stove is mostly gone.

Marsh Island Express

Check out a new publication, the Marsh Island Express for local news.   It is based in Orono, and has a nice local events calendar.

Last year's leftovers

The first spring colors are the colors of last year's leftovers. 



The picture to the right is of bedding from the sheep pen that has been tossed out a small barn window.   The bedding got wet in a snow storm. 

The bedding hay will break down very quickly.

The picture at the bottom is the remains of a small compost pile - the parts that didn't compost.

The wonderful clutter of life OR cleaning out old boxes, cont.

1. Menu from the Mercury Steak House in CA.   Anyone know where?
New York Steak $5:00.  Broiled Australian Lobster Tail  $6.00.  Chateau Napoleon Champagne $4.00/bottle.   House wines $0.75/glass.

2.  Three lucky rabbits feet.  

3.  Metrobus schedule (Washington, D.C.)  1979.

4.  1981 Alameda County Fair, Daily Schedule of Events

5.  Flight navigation logs (maybe 25 years old?).  Flight from Stockton to Sacramento.  97 knots.   Cesna 152.

Treasure boxes

Old farmer toy

George and I have been culling through old storage boxes.  

Some of these boxes have not been opened in several decades.  We're looking for things we can re-use, give away, sell, or throw away.   

Kangaroo toy (wind up).   

Wind, wet, and poop on the noggin

We were visited by a big wind this weekend, which kept going hard through Monday.    The wind hit the cedar tree windbreak behind the barn, bounced off, and ran up against the long wall of the barn, shooting skyward, as well as straight into the sheep pen through two small windows that don't close.

There was a big drift in a corner of the pen, several inches within 10 feet of the windows, and 3 to 4 inches up on the rafters!

Good news is that the back half of the sheep pen stayed dry.   The old wether sheep slept in the back.   The old eye kept to her normal favorite sleeping spot up front, and got covered with snow.   With all her wool, she is fine.

I'm just back in the house from working to dig the snow out of the pen.   Got most of the deepest stuff out, and took about 10 inches of hay out of the top of the feeder (it all needs to come out).   Also started forking out wet bedding.   More needs to come out tomorrow.

My back is sore!   I guess this is the official "starting to get in shape for spring" exercise.

I was digging while melting snow was dripping off the rafters on to my  head.   About half way through it occurred to me how much barn swallow poop was on those rafters.   Yuck!!   Now have cleaner rafters, but a dirtier noggin.