some friends in a local small town nearby keep me in
mind when they have extra stuff from making wood for
their wood burner... the other day i finish my chores
for the morning and am just sitting down after getting
cleaned up and they give me a ring saying they have
some bags of stuff. after a few moments to establish
that i'm not getting back up for anything short of
the house being on fire or an acute digestive attack
or Mom needing immediate attention or someone knocking
on the door... ah, where was i? oh yea, so after a
few moments i'm glad to know they aren't coming out
right away and i can continue my contemplation of the
flowers and clouds or perhaps the insides of my eye-lids
(was i snoring? i'm pretty sure i was last night.) for
at least a few hours...

what magic gifts were they bringing? bark off trees
about 7 bags worth, but then he said he could bring more
if i wanted. wanted!? i was drooling. some of the
bark he's brought me before makes excellent edges around
raised beds (protects them from the rains washing them
down, gives bugs, worms, snakes, froggies, etc. places to
hide, covers up weeds, ... eventually turns into wonderful
black topsoil.

we don't have garage space for the bags. when he
drops them off (i love people who deliver!) i get the
wheelbarrow and move them off to where they are ending
up.

it just so happened that at the bottom of the north
garden there's a low spot that collects both weeds and
the overflow from the rains and i had already put down a
layer of cardboard and that was being held in place with
some rocks (we likes rocks we do). i'd just put it down
two days ago. like i knew... smothering is a great
way to weed an area. then along the north edge of
the north garden was some topsoil that i'd added wood
chips on top of for a few years so it was coming along
nicely and was calling out for being moved "uphill" into
the north garden proper, so i excavated that and moved a
few crocuses and daffodils (too wet there can't believe
they survived as long as they did) and so after moving
the bags of bark many of the paper bags don't hold up
well to being used to move such chunks. after the
excavating is done along the edge then the bags go down
in a few layers and then the bark gets dumped on top.
or as some would say here "strategically placed to cover
up the bags and giving a neat and orderly appearance." so
the raccoons can come and tear it up looking for goodies
some night...

even more fun, some leaves are mixed in with the bark
and small pieces of wood too. as i'm dumping this stuff
out i'm thinking "WORM FOOD!" and so now it is all in
place, looks like i planned it this way. and best of all
in a few years i can move the chunks of bark aside in a
few moments and find some fresh made topsoil from cardboard,
leaves, smothered weeds, worms and perhaps some interesting
fungi. there's usually some moss or lichens.

i have to write those friends a note of thanks.

perfect timing on the rain last night too.


songbird

On 4/05/2015 9:56 PM, songbird wrote:
some friends in a local small town nearby keep me in
mind when they have extra stuff from making wood for
their wood burner... the other day i finish my chores
for the morning and am just sitting down after getting
cleaned up and they give me a ring saying they have
some bags of stuff. after a few moments to establish
that i'm not getting back up for anything short of
the house being on fire or an acute digestive attack
or Mom needing immediate attention or someone knocking
on the door... ah, where was i? oh yea, so after a
few moments i'm glad to know they aren't coming out
right away and i can continue my contemplation of the
flowers and clouds or perhaps the insides of my eye-lids
(was i snoring? i'm pretty sure i was last night.) for
at least a few hours...

what magic gifts were they bringing? bark off trees
about 7 bags worth, but then he said he could bring more
if i wanted. wanted!? i was drooling. some of the
bark he's brought me before makes excellent edges around
raised beds (protects them from the rains washing them
down, gives bugs, worms, snakes, froggies, etc. places to
hide, covers up weeds, ... eventually turns into wonderful
black topsoil.

we don't have garage space for the bags. when he
drops them off (i love people who deliver!) i get the
wheelbarrow and move them off to where they are ending
up.

it just so happened that at the bottom of the north
garden there's a low spot that collects both weeds and
the overflow from the rains and i had already put down a
layer of cardboard and that was being held in place with
some rocks (we likes rocks we do). i'd just put it down
two days ago. like i knew... smothering is a great
way to weed an area. then along the north edge of
the north garden was some topsoil that i'd added wood
chips on top of for a few years so it was coming along
nicely and was calling out for being moved "uphill" into
the north garden proper, so i excavated that and moved a
few crocuses and daffodils (too wet there can't believe
they survived as long as they did) and so after moving
the bags of bark many of the paper bags don't hold up
well to being used to move such chunks. after the
excavating is done along the edge then the bags go down
in a few layers and then the bark gets dumped on top.
or as some would say here "strategically placed to cover
up the bags and giving a neat and orderly appearance." so
the raccoons can come and tear it up looking for goodies
some night...

even more fun, some leaves are mixed in with the bark
and small pieces of wood too. as i'm dumping this stuff
out i'm thinking "WORM FOOD!" and so now it is all in
place, looks like i planned it this way. and best of all
in a few years i can move the chunks of bark aside in a
few moments and find some fresh made topsoil from cardboard,
leaves, smothered weeds, worms and perhaps some interesting
fungi. there's usually some moss or lichens.

i have to write those friends a note of thanks.

perfect timing on the rain last night too.


Such an enjoyable post. I love it when I read posts such as yours and
see that you are someone who knows how to put good products to a good
use. Lately I've come upon a few blogs where the bloggers have
discovered the need for frugality, not wasting anything, being good eco
friendly sorts and how they would LOVE to have a veggie garden. Fine
and dandy and I'm with them up to that point but then they go and spoil
it by saying that they need to wait to have a veg garden till they can
buy edging and bring in soil and doing that is currently beyond their
means.

Fran Farmer wrote:
songbird wrote:
....
i have to write those friends a note of thanks.

perfect timing on the rain last night too.


Such an enjoyable post. I love it when I read posts such as yours and
see that you are someone who knows how to put good products to a good
use. Lately I've come upon a few blogs where the bloggers have
discovered the need for frugality, not wasting anything, being good eco
friendly sorts and how they would LOVE to have a veggie garden. Fine
and dandy and I'm with them up to that point but then they go and spoil
it by saying that they need to wait to have a veg garden till they can
buy edging and bring in soil and doing that is currently beyond their
means.

thanks Fran. you're a sweetheart!

while i'm no big fan of raised beds i do
understand that some folks can use them and
do well with them.

i wrote a note of thanks and got a reply
back that they'll have more. we have plenty
of room...


songbird

On 5/05/2015 2:22 PM, songbird wrote:
Fran Farmer wrote:
songbird wrote:
...
i have to write those friends a note of thanks.

perfect timing on the rain last night too.


Such an enjoyable post. I love it when I read posts such as yours and
see that you are someone who knows how to put good products to a good
use. Lately I've come upon a few blogs where the bloggers have
discovered the need for frugality, not wasting anything, being good eco
friendly sorts and how they would LOVE to have a veggie garden. Fine
and dandy and I'm with them up to that point but then they go and spoil
it by saying that they need to wait to have a veg garden till they can
buy edging and bring in soil and doing that is currently beyond their
means.

thanks Fran. you're a sweetheart!

Snort. I'm certainly not that 'bird but nice of you to say so :-))

while i'm no big fan of raised beds i do
understand that some folks can use them and
do well with them.

I wouldn't be so gobbsmacked if they had been writing about raised beds.
These people seem to consider that the sort of bed you and I would
start to dig for a normal old ground level bed and which we'd start from
scratch by digging out the sod and removing it or smothering the sod and
then digging once the grass had died must have some sort of 'proper'
edging and imported soil.

I'm sure that like me you've used anything that is handy and or free
with which to edge such beds or, failing anything handy, just had a
neatly spaded edge.

i wrote a note of thanks and got a reply
back that they'll have more. we have plenty
of room...

'Onya 'bird! If it wasn't blowing a mild gale here I'd be out right now
collecting wheelbarrow loads of cow plops. The cows have been in a
paddock close to the house and I can see lots of nice plops there just
waiting for me to collect them and shove onto one of my newer beds.

Fran Farmer wrote:
songbird wrote:
Fran Farmer wrote:
songbird wrote:
...
i have to write those friends a note of thanks.

perfect timing on the rain last night too.


Such an enjoyable post. I love it when I read posts such as yours and
see that you are someone who knows how to put good products to a good
use. Lately I've come upon a few blogs where the bloggers have
discovered the need for frugality, not wasting anything, being good eco
friendly sorts and how they would LOVE to have a veggie garden. Fine
and dandy and I'm with them up to that point but then they go and spoil
it by saying that they need to wait to have a veg garden till they can
buy edging and bring in soil and doing that is currently beyond their
means.

thanks Fran. you're a sweetheart!

Snort. I'm certainly not that 'bird but nice of you to say so :-))

everyone knows that curmudgeon is the crunchy
outer exterior of a true softie.


while i'm no big fan of raised beds i do
understand that some folks can use them and
do well with them.

I wouldn't be so gobbsmacked if they had been writing about raised beds.
These people seem to consider that the sort of bed you and I would
start to dig for a normal old ground level bed and which we'd start from
scratch by digging out the sod and removing it or smothering the sod and
then digging once the grass had died must have some sort of 'proper'
edging and imported soil.

people in cities tend to think in boxes? i dunno...
smothered sod is excellent stuff for gardens, but it
takes some years to get all the seeds out of there.
good thick mulch over it helps keep a lot of seeds
from sprouting.


I'm sure that like me you've used anything that is handy and or free
with which to edge such beds or, failing anything handy, just had a
neatly spaded edge.

oh yes, rocks, chunks of wood, pieces of bark, but
my favorites are the piles of dirt with the sides
compacted down a little so they won't collapse in the
rain and then i mulch them to keep them in place.
often i can plant something right on the edge too.


i wrote a note of thanks and got a reply
back that they'll have more. we have plenty
of room...

'Onya 'bird! If it wasn't blowing a mild gale here I'd be out right now
collecting wheelbarrow loads of cow plops. The cows have been in a
paddock close to the house and I can see lots of nice plops there just
waiting for me to collect them and shove onto one of my newer beds.

the dung beetles don't get them? we have deer
nuggets and bunny drops, but i rarely "collect"
them unless they've been dropped on the crushed
limestone pathway or decorative area. every little
bit of organic material left on the crushed limestone
eventually acts as a seed starting booster so what
i can get off there helps to keep those weeds from
sprouting. can't believe that it's already almost
been 20 years since they built the place.

good luck with the high winds! today is more rain
which we can use. i have to run out and vote then
will be puttering about inside. have some worm food
to get in the bins from peeling and prepping garlic
and veggie scraps. made 14 pints of sweet and sour
garlic relish and stunk up the house real good
yesterday. all those roots and garlic peels and
pieces seem to really be appreciated by the worms.


songbird

On 6/05/2015 12:27 AM, songbird wrote:
Fran Farmer wrote:

I wouldn't be so gobbsmacked if they had been writing about raised beds.
These people seem to consider that the sort of bed you and I would
start to dig for a normal old ground level bed and which we'd start from
scratch by digging out the sod and removing it or smothering the sod and
then digging once the grass had died must have some sort of 'proper'
edging and imported soil.

people in cities tend to think in boxes? i dunno...

Neither do I. :-))

smothered sod is excellent stuff for gardens, but it
takes some years to get all the seeds out of there.
good thick mulch over it helps keep a lot of seeds
from sprouting.


I'm sure that like me you've used anything that is handy and or free
with which to edge such beds or, failing anything handy, just had a
neatly spaded edge.

oh yes, rocks, chunks of wood, pieces of bark, but
my favorites are the piles of dirt with the sides
compacted down a little so they won't collapse in the
rain and then i mulch them to keep them in place.
often i can plant something right on the edge too.

Yep. Edges are good (as any Permculturist will tell anyone who will
listen :-))


i wrote a note of thanks and got a reply
back that they'll have more. we have plenty
of room...

'Onya 'bird! If it wasn't blowing a mild gale here I'd be out right now
collecting wheelbarrow loads of cow plops. The cows have been in a
paddock close to the house and I can see lots of nice plops there just
waiting for me to collect them and shove onto one of my newer beds.

the dung beetles don't get them?

In summer they are pretty active but not now as it's cooling down. Even
in summer I otften pick up plops that have beetles int ehm and I just
think they are even better to put on top of the beds where I spread the
plops.

we have deer
nuggets and bunny drops, but i rarely "collect"
them unless they've been dropped on the crushed
limestone pathway or decorative area. every little
bit of organic material left on the crushed limestone
eventually acts as a seed starting booster so what
i can get off there helps to keep those weeds from
sprouting. can't believe that it's already almost
been 20 years since they built the place.

good luck with the high winds!

Thanks. It just makes it unpleasant being outside. We have no big
trees anywhere that they could do a great deal of damage.

today is more rain
which we can use. i have to run out and vote then
will be puttering about inside. have some worm food
to get in the bins from peeling and prepping garlic
and veggie scraps. made 14 pints of sweet and sour
garlic relish and stunk up the house real good
yesterday. all those roots and garlic peels and
pieces seem to really be appreciated by the worms.

I think I'd like that smell in my house :-))

Fran Farmer wrote:
songbird wrote:
Fran Farmer wrote:

I wouldn't be so gobbsmacked if they had been writing about raised beds.
These people seem to consider that the sort of bed you and I would
start to dig for a normal old ground level bed and which we'd start from
scratch by digging out the sod and removing it or smothering the sod and
then digging once the grass had died must have some sort of 'proper'
edging and imported soil.

people in cities tend to think in boxes? i dunno...

Neither do I. :-))

smothered sod is excellent stuff for gardens, but it
takes some years to get all the seeds out of there.
good thick mulch over it helps keep a lot of seeds
from sprouting.


I'm sure that like me you've used anything that is handy and or free
with which to edge such beds or, failing anything handy, just had a
neatly spaded edge.

oh yes, rocks, chunks of wood, pieces of bark, but
my favorites are the piles of dirt with the sides
compacted down a little so they won't collapse in the
rain and then i mulch them to keep them in place.
often i can plant something right on the edge too.

Yep. Edges are good (as any Permculturist will tell anyone who will
listen :-))

plant edges where things transition from one thing
to another are great, but my peeve is hardscape edges,
especially if i've almost tripped over them recently.


i wrote a note of thanks and got a reply
back that they'll have more. we have plenty
of room...

'Onya 'bird! If it wasn't blowing a mild gale here I'd be out right now
collecting wheelbarrow loads of cow plops. The cows have been in a
paddock close to the house and I can see lots of nice plops there just
waiting for me to collect them and shove onto one of my newer beds.

the dung beetles don't get them?

In summer they are pretty active but not now as it's cooling down. Even
in summer I otften pick up plops that have beetles int ehm and I just
think they are even better to put on top of the beds where I spread the
plops.

i think they are such wonderful creatures to have around
it's too bad they don't stay active in cooler temperatures.
perhaps you can knit them little jackets? that would
be a sight! heehee...


we have deer
nuggets and bunny drops, but i rarely "collect"
them unless they've been dropped on the crushed
limestone pathway or decorative area. every little
bit of organic material left on the crushed limestone
eventually acts as a seed starting booster so what
i can get off there helps to keep those weeds from
sprouting. can't believe that it's already almost
been 20 years since they built the place.

good luck with the high winds!

Thanks. It just makes it unpleasant being outside. We have no big
trees anywhere that they could do a great deal of damage.

yeah, we're getting more protected from the winds as
the borderline cedar trees get taller, but it can still
be a challenge to do much when the winds whip across
the surrounding farm fields.


today is more rain
which we can use. i have to run out and vote then
will be puttering about inside. have some worm food
to get in the bins from peeling and prepping garlic
and veggie scraps. made 14 pints of sweet and sour
garlic relish and stunk up the house real good
yesterday. all those roots and garlic peels and
pieces seem to really be appreciated by the worms.

I think I'd like that smell in my house :-))

it was very strong, it doesn't bother me, but Ma was
making comments, when i was peeling it and prepping it
i was also eating cloves fresh, it's pretty hot garlic
so it can numb the tongue or gums if it sits on them
for more than a second or two. after grinding that many
lbs of garlic i was surprised my eyes weren't watering.
though when i was cooking it up i had to stand back a bit.
i can't wait until the relish gets aged for a few weeks
to start using it up. the house is all aired out now.
peace is restored to our little corner of the world...

i have a few older experiments that aren't very good
which will make good worm food when i put most of the
worms out into the veggie gardens. i'm sure the bacteria
and other soil critters will really like the sugar and
molasses, i don't think they'll notice the spices...
if i get worms tapping at my window looking for a capsicum
fix i'll know i'm in trouble.


songbird