Papa Pea spread it on the raised beds that hadn't gotten their dose late this summer . . . the beds I'd first cleared of vegetation. Before noon I was able to get the compost on four of the beds tilled in. I know I could just leave it on the surface over winter, but I do believe the little bit of oozing into the soil it does before spring helps if it's incorporated now.
He was surprised to find corners of the compost bins slightly frozen. I also noticed the very tip-top of the soil in the beds to be kinda crunchy. Jack Frost is starting to get a grip.
Yesterday I finally got my garlic planted and covered with mulch which is held down with a cattle panel. We're still living in The Land of the Big Winds so I didn't want to chance all that mulch blowing into the next county.
This coming week promises a warm-up with no more frost for several days, and that's a good thing because . . .
. . . we still have to dig our potatoes, and which we will definitely do this week. The above picture shows a part of one row of them I planted in the "new" patch. Looks as though we still have more rocks to pick up in that area. I cannot believe how many times we've filled buckets and buckets from there already.
This week, I'll also dig and store the gladioli corms which are 6" under the soil and won't have been harmed by this light freezing.
The foliage of the glads still shows a lot of green, but I'm thinking they have to come out now. (Would you agree, Karen?)
Oh, yes, I almost forgot that we still have to cover the strawberries with a good blanket of mulch. (Does the gardening season sometimes seem to go on forever, or is it just me this year?)
We also did some fence mending this morning and got the inside of the garage all set for butchering this afternoon. Blech, a necessary chore nobody looks forward to.
We have only six geese to do and we're going to skin rather than pluck them so we're hoping we'll be done before midnight. (That was a joke. I hope.) Our good neighbors are coming over to help as we offered the meat to them. D loves to make jerky (and is good at it), and says he wants to experiment with making it from the ground goose meat.
Time for me to get going on this afternoon's activities. Toodles.
Great idea with the cattle fence panel to hold things down. You got a lot done today! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteJenn - And the butchering went well. A relief to have that done. Each time we come to the time to butcher, the thought runs through my mind that I could easily go back to being vegetarian. But until we do change our eating habits (for whatever reason) I know we do it as well as we possibly can and always give thanks to the animals/poultry for providing good, nutritious, humanely raised meat for us. But no matter how well the event goes, we're always both exhausted when it's over. Early to bed tonight!
ReplyDeleteLots to do, even with the "putting garden to bed" stuff.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you have to cover your mulch, or it may fly away in winds.
None of us really appreciates the meat we eat, if we have not done or witnessed the killing of it. We buy grass pastured beef and happy chickens. But still, we don't know the end of it.
You raise them, with a good life. And do it as humanely as possible, and are grateful. The best way.
And in the end, all life on this earth, lives on other life. It is the nature of Nature. I am content with that.
When do you get to come inside and quilt?????????
✨😊👻🎃✨
wisps of words - Soon, m'dear, soon! :o]
ReplyDeleteYou sure have been super busy. Seems like there is no let up for you and Papa Pea. Has the wood been Chopped and stacked? That use to be never ending for my Dad and we use to help. Not sure how much help we were. He use to butcher the chickens. It's a never ending chore. Hopefully things will calm down soon. Take care!!
ReplyDeleteLynne - I'm counting on things calming down soon, that's for sure! The second I think we're done with the fall chores, something else is remembered or comes up. Feels good to have dug the potatoes today, so that's a biggie off the list!
ReplyDeleteOh your garlic patch looks great. Sigh...none for me this year. I'm going to miss my garden next summer! But...greater things will be happening. A new garden in 2020 (I hope!!!) :)))
ReplyDelete