What did you do in the garden today?

[frustratedearthmother]

Before kidding and gardening season!

Perfect timing!!

 

[Wannabefree]

I want to be overwhelmed with something positive this year. I hope it produces so much I have to sell half of it.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Marked a plot for next years garden! Not that I'll be able to do much with it next year, I don't have any machinery to turn the soil over (currently a hay field and overgrown bush). But at least I can see where the future lies

Try back to Eden. Just lay cardboard and wood chips and then wait a few months....or a year. It's worth it.

My dry beaach sand is starting to turn into black loam. I gotta get some pics it's awesome

 

[sumi]

I'm thinking pigs in a movable pen to clear land, @treerooted. You can build a pen on the cheap using stuff like pallets, sink sheets for protection against the weather and shade. You'd be amazed how well they can clear and "till" a patch of land for you and in return fertilise the soil with their wonderful manure. And when you're done, you eat them!

 

[treerooted]

I don't have the material to fill the 50' x 100' area. But I plan on "opening" different sections at a time. So that's a good idea if there's something I want to try and grow in a particular spot.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Try chipdrop.com just sign up and they deliver the wood chips

 

[sumi]

That's a good idea. Work on it section-by-section. You're probably going to get more ideas once you get going with the garden, then you can plan the next section accordingly. I mentioned pigs for clearing land earlier, but I found they work great with gardens in that you can feed them a lot from the garden as well = saving money on their feed. Win-win.

 

[NH Homesteader]

my current pig is a brat. It's funny, her grandmother pig was the same way, lol. She is picky about what veggies she'll eat. Gotta find a new pig, lol!

 

[treerooted]

I completely agree with pigs and land clearing @sumi , we're honestly just not ready for large animals yet. They are a big commitment and we're still getting our feet wet with this whole farming/homesteading thing Though I have worked with pigs in the past.

 

[Beekissed]

Marked a plot for next years garden! Not that I'll be able to do much with it next year, I don't have any machinery to turn the soil over (currently a hay field and overgrown bush). But at least I can see where the future lies

How about just covering that area with a foot of hay all over and leave it be? The hay will kill all the grass, leave the roots behind for good carbon and aeration in the soil, and worms will rise to the hay, doing a lot of soil softening for you. I'd put it on now and see where you are by spring...you'd be surprised at how effective this method is.