Tune 'er up and diesel down

to Sweet Georgia Brown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbN-jO11vKg

:hi:

Hope you are well, my friend. I laughed when I saw this video because I'm always using environmental sounds as accompaniment to songs as I go about my chores.

Do you have a garden going this spring? The spring here has been wonderful in every way
and I can feel my chest filling with its promise like a long deep in-breath.

:hug:

No garden; I planted some pansies and violets in a barrel by the front steps, but I've yet to have a garden since I moved north. I did plant some fruit trees, which bear luscious fruit when conditions are good. I don't expect a crop this year, though; a warmer than usual January and February, followed by a frozen, snowy March and hail storms in early April. The lows were in the 20s all last week. We're still waiting for spring. I'm hoping for a late spring, but I fear we'll jump straight from winter to summer heat.

I spend most of my time frantically trying to keep up with 6 acres full of weeds. I have plans to build some raised beds; we'll see if I can get that done this summer.

and growing seasons and plant varieties. I can't believe people are still experiencing those low temps up north. Sounds like a brutal spring.
Land maintenance can be a real challenge and just trying to keep ahead of the weeds is probably a full time job! I do highly recommend a raised bed. It's easy, manageable, inexpensive and very rewarding. And maybe a little cold frame would come in handy up there too. I was amazed how many
materials I was able to scrounge up to build the structure on mine...an old glass shower door for the lid of the cold frame, some wood taken off wooden pallets, old fencing for a trellis, etc.

Hope all your 'horse-kids' are doing well. :pals:

one sustained an injury in the pasture last fall that we're still doing physical therapy for, but she's coming along well.

I WILL get my raised beds built this year...I just need to level the ground. I've got all the materials collected. By the time I get it done, planting time will probably be well past; I probably won't have time until the school year is out. I can compost in them until next year, and they'll be ready to plant.

Meanwhile, my neighbor across the road has 5 acres of beautiful garden. I'm going to have to ask him how he gets all his crops ready to pick in our short growing season!

Wish I had an old tractor like that.

I can imagine a big old 'bucket' on the front and shredder on the back might come in handy,
but you seem to be doing just fine without the big machinery. But those old model tractors
are works of art and built to last and last...

We have very little "flat" land.
Our cabin and garden is on a knob on the crest of a ridge.

The slope is actually worse than it looks in the photo, and gets steeper outside the photo.
The initial reason for the Raised Boxes was to keep the soil from washing down the hill,
but I've become a fan of them, and now terraces since then.

An old tractor is a romantic idea, but would be mostly useless here.
So far, we've been able to do everything by hand, but if hemp becomes legal, or we build enough topsoil to plant something on a bigger scale, we might have need of a small tractor.

just like the Incas with their amazing terracing feats and aqueduct system.
As for tractors, maybe a sturdy burro or some goats
would be more appropriate...lol.

http://www.rediscovermachupicchu.com/agricultural-terraces.htm