Mission accomplished, cherries picked, canned. 10 quart sized jars for the larder, and five portions in containers for the freezer.
And when I was out and about on the Cherry Project I noticed that Veg Plot 2 looked like it had a nice patch of open brown soil in the middle of it, which sparked my interest. Upon further investigation it turned out to be manure from the cow barn, put there when Lester was daily emptying the cow poo, and then spread all about when he ran the tractor and cutter over the plots to keep the weeds down. We had decided not to do full on veg growing this year, and to leave the plots fallow, cutting them frequently to reduce the presence of big weeds.
But, oh joy of joys, here is Veg Plot 2. All of the green you see belongs to this plot:
...and here is the open patch....
....just yearning to be planted with stuff, like tomatoes, courgettes, and anything else I can think of. I know that we are now in June, but the weather has been chilly, and we do have a long growing season, and anyway....what the heck! Nothing ventured nothing gained.
So here is the plan: Lester will keep cutting the rest of the veg plot with the tractor, but I will take over this little patch. Since we are not keeping cows we have several hay and straw bales which need to be done something with, so I am going to have a go at smothering V's Patch with these bales. I am also going to use some of the tarpaulins which are covering the bales at the moment to put down alongside the Patch to extent it, with a view to reducing the weeds without having to dig, ready for the 2020 season.
Lester will not be allowed to trespass on V's Patch with the tractor. I am going to have a go at the 'No Dig' method of cultivating the land, and I have already wheel barrowed some straw on to the Patch, as can be seen in the photo. There is a bale of straw by the gates of Veg Plot 1, which provided this straw.
...............however, this has appeared in it:
A hole! There has been a small hole for some time, but this hole looks as if it could hold a creature of menace:
What think you? And what should I do?......poke it with a stick and hope that the creature in residence, if it is still there, runs away without putting up a fight? Get Lester to bring the tractor round and knock the bale over thus exposing all inside? Leave it alone, after all had I not said in my previous blog that we had made a haven for wild life? At what point is a creature considered not wanted here? I mean, what size are we talking about........
For the moment, then, Project 'Shift the Hay/Straw' is in stop mode. But I have planted some tomatoes, and I am on the move to get other seeds in. Meanwhile I shall keep talking, making a noise, singing,......etc.....when I am passing the bale, and hope that the occupant might decide to shift home because of the noisy neighbours.
When I was upstairs in the house the other day, I noticed the porta potti we used when we didn't have loo. A thought popped into my mind to bring it down and use it for wee's. I have wanted a compost toilet for a long time, but that is not do-able at the moment, but I could capture the wee, and then use it on the garden, maybe sprinkling it around the bale of straw, my thinking being that it is like cocking one's leg up a lamp post like a male dog does, marking one's territory, letting all know that I am here as well in case they don't know already!
Off to get the rest of the tomatoes planted,
so bye for now,
Vx
10 comments:
Vera, I would try it with the tractor. Around here, anyway, it could be any one of a number of unpleasant creatures.
You could sow or broadcast swedes in June. Could be a rat in the bale. I once had one that buried from underneath and lived in a silage bale. It even ate through the silage plastic.
Your blogs blogs make me smile!
Menacing creatures and marking your territory gave me a grin.
Save the wee, dilute and use it for fertiliser. My husband used one corner of the garden last summer and the grape vine there is full of grapes this year.
Get Lester to poke the hay with a stick! Bet the menacing creature had already departed for summer pastures.
Good luck with the tomatord
Loving the idea of ‘V’s Patch’! Maybe a small painted sign would be in order? Just on a corner?? Andy sometimes ‘waters’ the edges of our garden to keep the foxes away. You know, to protect the chickens.
TOIRDHEALBHEACH BEUCAIL; I think that the tractor is probably the way to go! Those holes suggested an animal which might stand its ground if upset!
NORTHSIDER DAVE; There are quite a few seeds I can keep planting, but we do have flea beetles here, and they do cause a lot of damage to the seedlings.
We have discounted rats as the holes are now too big, but I think the original hole was probably a rat hole. A rat has eaten through the thick plastic lid of one of the grain storage bins!
LOCAL ALIEN; I do have in in mind to utilize the wee for fertilizer. Seems such a waste to lose it to the fosse.
I think you are right, that the creature in the hay bale has probably vacated the bale, but it is best to be careful. A stick is a good idea, but it would have to be a very long stick so I can keep a distance away from the hole!
Glad I gave you a smile. A smile is such a priceless thing, and raises up the spirits.
DENISE, I did think that it would be a good idea to 'water' our chicken run, but it all depends on when I remember to get the porta loo down from upstairs, meanwhile Lester is 'looking after' the raised beds out front!
We had masses of cherries. Nigel de-stoned about two thousand while I cut them in half and laid them out in the dehydrator. I also made some jam extra and a few cherry clafoutis. The amount we picked made little impression on the tree this year. The second tree is still not ripe!
I wonder what that creature is/was, please keep us informed. Take care Diane
There's always something good to come out of any kind of an unavoidable change or disappointment. And leave it to you, dear Vera, to find it! I have a feeling your little plot is going to provide you with a bounty of whatever you choose to plant in it.
Regarding the holey/home in the bale . . . you don't have bears in your neck of the woods, do you? It would make a snug, dry home for one around here, that's for sure!
MAMA PEA; Oh! No! The biggest animal we get here is the wild boar, but that is definitely not a hole which is big enough for one of them, neither will the hole house a bear, if we had bears here, which we don't, and crikey I'm glad we don't.
Thanks for your kind words. Reading your stoicism in keeping on going keep me inspired. Vx
DIANE; hi, and nice to hear from you. I hope you are both well.
It sounds like you have a glut of cherries! I didn't dehydrate my cherries this year as we did not have enough, but at least we have ten jars of cherries to look forward to, and there are some in the freezer. I don't know many cherries I stoned, but I did do enough to make my arm complain the next day! Vx
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