Tractor Garden Work

[Lloyd_E]

A little background:

Last fall I got my lay off notice after 21 years with the company - 9 more years until retirement with full pension. 3 days later I ended up in the hospital again with chest pain - blocked artery again. The first stent they put in Dec 07 blocked up. They said there was a 25% chance of blockage reoccurring. They pulled the old one out and put in a new one - drug emitting stent this time - 12% chance of blockage.

I lost over 45 lbs over the last year and a half. Changed my diet drastically. Started exercising and getting back into shape. Since last September while on short term sick leave I created some business plans... did a little research and decided to do the following - resurrect an old wood working business I started years ago, start a market (organic) garden and ramp up my own (20+ years) advertising and design firm.

Last Monday I got my 'official' notice and letter...

So, over the last few months I have been busy with design work, cutting alders for the fence project - garden, cleaning out my workshop of unnecessary things - I collect and hang on to too much stuff. Anything I didn't touch or use for the past 3-5 years got tossed!!! Bought some new power tools...

The tractor earned me some income; snow blowing, laying gravel on roads and generally helping neighbours - trade time and machinery/barter system.

The last couple of weeks I laid out the new garden area: 60'x30' roughly. I added 2 year old composted horse manure to the area. I drove posts 4' apart and started hauling up alders that I cut during the winter. Yesterday and today I started the wattle fence, laid out the beds and started to till. We have deer problems so I will add 8' 2"x4" to every 4th post and run 4 wires a foot apart to the top.

The pics show a bit of before and present state. This will continue...

I can't believe how busy I am. To think I did as much as I did over the last 21+ years, commuting 3 hours a day, is amazing. Just think I gain an extra 60 hour work week a month not commuting.

To those effective by the financial turmoil - think!!! Use the cliche do what you love to do and create a job. You will be amazed what freedom you gain...

And thanks TBN for lots of interesting reading and ideas over the past 2 years!

I will post more as this project progresses....

Thanks.

lloyd

 

[rcrcomputing]

Best wishes to you and yours.. Never saw a "wattle fence". Interesting.. Kinda neat.

 

[JDeerekid]

That is a very interesting fence. I have seen a couple done loke that before but still looks cool none the less. I will continue to look forward to your progress on your new journey.
I am in roughly the same boat as I just laid off from my job shortly after purchasing my new tractor.
I have been doing alot of side jobs with it to make some money. I am also plainting a large garden and a few acres of sweet corn.

 

[Egon]

The health issues are news. I'm very glad its going well for you now.

The wattle fence is interesting. I once made a sorta attempt at building one out at the lake but never seemed to get it finished. It finally went over the firehill place by the lake.

I'd also like to make a hedgerow type fence using hawthorn and lilacs.

But back to topic. You have been doing some admiral work there. The gardening project should prove interesting.

on the side: I did use some heavy duty baler twin on fence posts to protect some hazelnut seedlings. It did work for about five years or so.

 

[polo1665]

Nice looking start to your garden and a beautiful place you have there. I am also looking forward to deer problems here in Ohio and will watch your progress closely. Please post pics of the fence addition when you get it done.

Good luck with your newly found opportunities and stay healthy.

Mark

 

[Lloyd_E]

Thanks all.

Well today I added a layer of pulverized leaves to each bed plus two layers of composted manure. I tilled between each layer. Nothing like hard clay.

I pulverized the leaves using a metal trash can and my whipper snipper - my brother told me this trick. You fill the can up two thirds and use the whipper snipper like a hand blender. Go up and down about ten times and you end up with fine granular leaves - only about a quarter of the can is full! So I spent a couple hours do this early this morning.

My other half wanted some rock moved... of course the whole time doing it I kept saying to myself 'take pictures... take pictures.. and I didn't. I can show you the end results though. She hand a smile on her face (I guess she approves of the tractor now!) as the BH moved all the rock and using the thumb I didn't destroy her strawberries - too much!

Another productive day. Tomorrow will be scheduled with finishing the wattle fence and getting 2x4s for the uprights as well as starting seeds in the cold frames.

lloyd

 

[Egon]

Have you ever considered hauling in some seaweed to amend the garden plots?

 

[Lloyd_E]

Egon,

That's next on the list - we need a good easterly storm to load up the beach down the road.

lloyd

 

[ampsucker]

nice reserve of firewood you have there!

you seem to be approaching your garden beds like i did this year. so far so good. one thing i did was use the back hoe to break up the hardpan under the garden last fall. filled a bunch of organics into the hole and then graded everything even with the FEL. then this spring i did what you did - used the tiller to make raised beds with a small walking path in between each one.

if you want to go organic and save a lot of money, i recommend steve solomen's book "gardening when it counts". lots of great info in there on organic fertilizer, spacing for best use of water, simple hand tools, what to grow and how to grow it, etc....

amp

 

[slewisma]

Sounds like the chance of a lifetime to do what you love made all the better by you're having a plan (or three) to make the best of it. Best wishes for your health and success!