What about taking what you can't use to a food pantry?
Regards,
Chris
that's a wonderful idea, and for my garden's second year, I'm going to try to get some produce down to Philabundance, which is the only local resource to take fresh food.
I have bought a zillion jars of peanut butter for the local food bank, now it will be nice to actually grow it my self. Not peanut butter of course...
boy this discussion strikes home, and I bet a bunch of us are getting in the mood, planning our gardens now that Feb is upon us.
When I built mine, 50x100, I used six by six posts and ten foot plastic deer fencing. And in order to get the tractor in, I hope, I did something interesting with the fence.
I wanted to be able to open a section easily, my gate is big enough for my garden tractor and pull behind tiller, but not for either tractor.
so I used ten foot high strips of pressure treated "lath", basically one by ones or close, pulled the fence tight and then laid the strips on top of the plastic, and with about four screws per strip,
drilled them in using square head stainless screws. My plan is to unscrew the panel on the end, and just roll the fence back, and not have to deal with old rusty wire or ripping the fencing using my
"old" methods.
With the Gravely tractor and pull behind DR tiller, I really don't need to do anything but drive the tiller in, and try not to hit the plastic walkways. Someday I plan enlarging the garden and will open up the far end and just extend it.
Only have to move two posts so not hard, and the plastic is in enough pieces, albeit large, that I don't have to take the whole thing down. If I go larger, say 50x150 or 50x200, it may be time to get a nice rear tiller for the Kubota.
time to drive in comfort instead of eating dust...
About twenty years ago I built a similar sized garden on our farm. Was in the same place my Dad had built a garden when he was alive, so I knew the soil was wonderful there. Used very heavy deer fencing which was pretty indestructible.
And I found out how strong it was. Everyone's dreaded nightmare, catching a tine in the plastic. I was using a conventional front tiller, and the tiller climbed about three feet up the fence until I could stop it. Boy do I wish I had gone for a camera. Instead I was so embarrassed for my "poor driving" that i promptly got the tiller down. When I went to do my current garden, I tried to get the same strong plastic. Whooeey. I remembered it had been about seventy bucks a roll back then. Now it was 270 a roll. Thank you oil prices. I used thinner stuff from Tractor Supply, no way I was buying three rolls of that expensive stuff. Besides it would probably outlast me, and with a good solar powered electric fence around the garden, I'm hoping not too many animals experiment with the fence. our first year, zero animals/critters in the garden. And we have deer and ground hogs everywhere. Guess I built it ok, though six by sixes are a bit of overkill for a garden, but using my phd, no problem.
I've used my string trimmer at times to beat down the weeds, fully organic garden so trying to avoid any chemicals.
Driving "through" the garden with a tractor sure beats trying to turn it around inside. I also thought sticking with my garden tractor and tiller would compress the dirt less, with all our clay that turns into concrete.
