Had a garden space we've used for years and years, here's a pic of it from previous years: It's about 100 x 60 to 80' on the ends ( tapers ). Planning to rebuild the fence, so I've taken most of it down, and we're only growing potatoes in there this season until I get it re-fenced ( deer eat everything if not fenced ). Also cut out the upper slope some, and laid it over in the old garden space, with plans to level out above and build a 20 x 40 hoop house for cool weather growing and some hydroponic experiments. Last year, I started looking at the area below the house, which is a south facing slope down to the chicken house, all in trees. Cut out the trees, grubbed the stumps out, and made about a 100x200 space in there. Had 20 tons of chicken manure delivered from a local poultry farm, then added 20 tons of sand to mix in with the clay soil, plowed and tilled that all under and planted a cover crop of winter wheat. This spring, we started fencing. Treated posts on 6' centers with 2"x4"x60" field wire fence, along with 3-5/4x6" white oak boards to help hold the posts/wire over the long haul. Spent some of this winter logging out white oak and sawmilling the lumber for this fence. Got all the posts/wire up, but not all the board fence yet. This view is from the driveway looking back toward the house. Old garden is on the left, pond on the right with the chicken house beyond it on the right. Looking over the entry gate. First row is peas, with cabbage beyond it and over the hill. Second row is all okra. Then several rows of beans. Tomatoes, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, squash, etc, on up the hill. Had to build a retainer wall along the drive past the chicken house that leads on down to the cow barn. One thing we're trying this year is using cattle panels to raise our pole beans on, which should be easier to hold the weight of the beans, and remove in the fall.
Yes.....the main work is via a 34hp New Holland Boomer. Later, I'll switch to my diesel "walking tractor"......a Grillo.
I'll trade you one David-bradley AND one Simpson straight across for that grillo. Only fifty years old. Just broken in. Beautiful place you have.
Thanks Dawg......you may want to hold on to those older walker/tractors.....real work horses. What a difference a few weeks makes ! Adding a shed by the gate to store tools, the tiller, and so on..... Added drip irrigation few weeks back.... She put out enough beans to feed an army:
She put out enough beans to feed an army: Read more: http://www.survivalmonkey.com/forum/green-patch/32882-new-garden-space-etc.html#ixzz1wyrpOOjd Call me private
Very nice place! I have a DIY step by step for a garden hoop house that I built, go here to see a photo of it; It has stood up to wind very well, kept critters out and the shade cloth helps us greatly with our gardening in this Texas heat. This year we had collard greens, Swiss chard, squash, okra, beans, arugula, cucumber and tomatoes via raised beds inside our garden hoop house. Link deleted, unabashed sales pitch. E4L, contact melbo for permission to post anything resembling sales pitches.
Thanks, ya'll. Here's a pic backing up some so you can see more of it....and the shed is finished/roofed/painted.
Yes, small pond with catfish. There is another one above it to the right you can't see in this pic. Both of them are fed by my spring overflow.
