A couple of days ago we donned our snowshoes and took a walk around the perimeter of the 7' high deer fencing that surrounds our gardens, fruit trees and miscellaneous growing areas.
The results were a bit disheartening, but expected. This fence has done stalwart duty for over twenty years so we can't begrudge the fact that it has to be replaced this spring or as soon as we can muckle it.
In places it's now come loose from the steel posts holding it upright, and there are a few holes that have been haphazardly patched over the years. Now the patches need patches.
When walking along the southern most part, we made a detour into the woods to reacquaint ourselves with the markers indicating that border of our property. Papa Pea has a desire to take out some of the underbrush and tallest trees in that area so more of the precious sunlight can reach that end of our gardens. It's always hard for me to agree with cutting down any trees, but I can see what he means about making sure we get as much sunshine and warmth on the soil and growing plants as possible because our season is so very short.
I'm not sure why but I'm finding myself more eager for the coming gardening season than I have been in years, but I am. It's not that I haven't, in previous years, managed to grow a good amount of our crops. We still have ample supplies on the pantry shelves and in the freezer.
Although I did get a surprise this morning when I went into the freezer to pull out Stuffed Green Peppers for a company dinner tonight. Yikes, I plumb emptied the container taking out the last of them needed. I'll have to go back in my records to find out how many I made last season . . . and make a few more this time around!
6 comments:
I'm the same way about cutting trees – I'd rather totally relocate something that needs more light than cut any down – especially big ones!
Replacing the fence will be a big job. Clearing out brush and some trees will allow the remaining ones to be bigger, healthier and stronger. It's gardening on a larger scale. Itching to get some seeds planted here as well. Soon...
what dimensions and kind of fence will you replace with?
Michelle - The "problem" with the area in which we have our little homestead is that it's surrounded by forest. (So why are we gardening here? Good question!) But it's not as though we will be clear-cutting any part of it that we'll be taking out now. And all the wood will be used to add to our firewood needs.
Rosalea - As with all "big" jobs, we're currently rethinking the fencing job. We tend to take on way too many big jobs at once (the desperate need to re-do a storage structure this summer comes to mind) so now we're thinking of reinforcing/mending the fencing for one more year rather going for the complete replacement. I got a chuckle out of your "gardening on a larger scale" when referring to managing the forest. You're right!
Anonymous - We'll replace the fencing (whenever we do it) with that of the same kind as we have now because it's been so durable. It's a reinforced rigid plastic mesh-type fencing with about a 2" x 2" squares, 7' high to keep out the deer and small critters such as rabbits, raccoons, etc.
The fence sounds like not just a big job but also a hefty budget.
tpals - You got that right! That's why we're weighing all the options considering we're facing the possible collapse (oh, no!) of one of our main storage areas. Wouldn't it be great to have a crew of 12 come in this summer (along with all the needed supplies free of charge, of course) to take care of all on our Must Do list? Uhh, but wait. Would I have to feed them all???
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