We haven't been able to get a blog post up in a week or so. It's not because we've stopped working...it's more because we are involved in two really big projects right now. We really can't do either justice online without having photos of the end results.
The first project (which at the time of this writing is almost complete) is the planting and care of 11 apple tress. We admit it....these were an impulse buy...but the price (75% off) was too good to pass up. It's not as simple as digging a few holes. We've got to make sure that these trees receive good soil, lots of water, and protection from critters who'd like to snack on them.
There is about 4 to 6 inches of good soil on our land and then it turns into sand, hard packed sand, some more sandy stuff, and some stuff that looks like ash. Needless to say we will be doing sheet composting somewhat like is shown in the Back to Eden film. We have also have lots of experience in Lasagna Gardening.
We will also be putting up protection from the deer, moles, voles, mice, and other animals that love tender little trees.
What kind of apple trees are they you ask....6 Dwarf Winesap, 1 Dwarf Golden Delicious, 4 Semi-dwarf Lodi.
The road is another story altogether. For about 20 years or more tractors have been driving in and out of the farm with almost no maintenance done to the almost 1000' length of it.
It is rutted, muddy in the rain, and up to this point impassable by anything other than a full size four-wheel-drive truck. So Nate's small truck and the minivan just don't cut it. But very graciously the neighbors have been letting us use their lane (which connects to our field) until we can get ours fixed up.
I won't give away all our road building secrets just yet - but let's just say it involves an old mini-golf course, dump trucks from the 1960's and lots of time in a skid steer.
More to come on this and the orchard.
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