Homesteaders

[rancher hicks]

Hey We, you seen any Wesen? Sorry we're into a Grimm marathon here.

As for amending soil. At our old house I dug up what was there and added lots of topsoil and peat moss.

If drainage is bad like here you can build up a "berm". Dig shallow areas to plant rain gardens.

I plan to do this in the summer next year and get some ducks. Lord have mercy in the spring and fall we gets lots of water.

Another thing you can do is get some old hay or straw cheap and dig your hole, put in the hay/straw and cover it. It will break down very fast.

Even a small yard there is room for a compost bin. Rather than buy those expensive bins, I suggest filling black trash bags and letting them sit for the summer. By fall believe me it will have broken down. You'll have smaller quantities to deal with. OR you can use black trash cans placed in a sunny location. . Just keep them covered to hold the heat in.

Remember one thing doesn't work for everyone. You have to modify and use your imagination.

I wish you well,

rancher

 

[kentuckychicks]

We the size of our garden we actually have enough compost to keep two 50 gallon drums going full time and two worm bin totes. We also have a long term pallet compost pile for more long term sticks and such. You can just never have enough compost! it's just an ongoing process trying to get better soil. Digging up what I have now and adding new isn't much of an option cost wise. Just renting a backhoe is crazy (I could sure keep one busy for a couple of days though!) Just wondering if anyone had any "faster" and less costly tricks for me. Clay takes FOREVER to dry out enough to till and once it dries it goes to concrete! Adding any and every organic material I can find! Yep I've bagged my neighbors leaves and just tilled them in to break down over the winter and heading this week with a 17 foot trailer to my papaws to fill it fill of aged cow manure a few times. Will spread my compost in the spring right before planting so I don't lose it to run off.

I think I might try digging holes a bit bigger than a bale of straw and breaking a bay in each hole then see what I think in the spring. If I can get it done. For every thing I mark off my list I add two more!!

 

[boskelli1571]

I really don't have a 'quickie' method, but something I've tried before with good results is digging a trench or pit in the garden area you want to improve, toss in about 6 inches of compostable material then cover with 3-4 inches of dirt. It turns to real dirt in a small amount of time. The following year, depending on how the compost pit has done, you can decide whether root crops or field greens would do best. In case you don't already, turn the chickens out on it, they'll do a fabulous job of roto-tilling for ya!

Sue

 

[kentuckychicks]

Than

I really don't have a 'quickie' method, but something I've tried before with good results is digging a trench or pit in the garden area you want to improve, toss in about 6 inches of compostable material then cover with 3-4 inches of dirt. It turns to real dirt in a small amount of time. The following year, depending on how the compost pit has done, you can decide whether root crops or field greens would do best. In case you don't already, turn the chickens out on it, they'll do a fabulous job of roto-tilling for ya!    Sue

Thanks Sue! That sounds like a good idea! I'm almost obsessive about my compost materials saving everything I can. Vacuum cleaner dirt, dryer lint, hair when you clean put your brushes. I try to make it go as far as possible . I think I will try that because it will help with the run off.

Now if it was so COLD here ! Where did fall go ? We only had like two days of fall weather!!!

 

[kentuckychicks]

Oops wasn't sorry tying and telling the kids to pick up their crap before the goat eats it! Sigh my life I swear I say the oddest things all day !

 

[boskelli1571]

Ha!! Try NY weather

Today has been very windy, cold NW breeze now turning into a 'barn-rattler'.....snow showers. Amazingly, the dirt hasn't frozen yet, which is good. I still have a bunch of last minute stuff to do..

 

[rancher hicks]

Ha!! Try NY weather

Today has been very windy, cold NW breeze now turning into a 'barn-rattler'.....snow showers. Amazingly, the dirt hasn't frozen yet, which is good. I still have a bunch of last minute stuff to do..

Same here on stuff to do.

I forget some folks don't get the snow we do. The freezing of the ground is very good for breaking stuff in the compost and garden down. I expect our compost works much faster. There is a system to composting and getting it to "work".

Here a good warm day and freezing months I think help us out. I gotta remember we only have three months of summer if that.

 

[kentuckychicks]

Lol well once I was in NY on spring break and it was snowing! Brrrrr! I'm not built for cold weather it makes my bones hurt and I'm not even old!! I guess it's my Indian background showing! My husband now melts in the summer just can't take the sun or no energy he's mostly German descent. We make a good team though 100 degrees I'm still go go go but below 50 it's his turn! Lol I think your heritage plays a big role in what you are most comfortable with. The only times I was truly HOT was when i was pregnant with my girls! You guys try planning vacations when he would rather go to Alaska and me to Hawaii!!!!

 

[boskelli1571]

Lol well once I was in NY on spring break and it was snowing! Brrrrr! I'm not built for cold weather it makes my bones hurt and I'm not even old!! I guess it's my Indian background showing! My husband now melts in the summer just can't take the sun or no energy he's mostly German descent. We make a good team though 100 degrees I'm still go go go but below 50 it's his turn! Lol I think your heritage plays a big role in what you are most comfortable with. The only times I was truly HOT was when i was pregnant with my girls!

You guys try planning vacations when he would rather go to Alaska and me to Hawaii!!!!

I'm with your dh - I can't stand humidity/heat. When it gets hot & humid here you'll find me hugging the AC lol!! We live in a log cabin so it stays mostly bearable, but this last year it was so hot here had to invest in an AC.......hated to spend the money, but oh well

I love to go x-country skiing when the weather permits, always quiet and peaceful, Sue

 

[CedarAcres]

I'm with your dh - I can't stand humidity/heat. When it gets hot & humid here you'll find me hugging the AC lol!! We live in a log cabin so it stays mostly bearable, but this last year it was so hot here had to invest in an AC.......hated to spend the money, but oh well

I love to go x-country skiing when the weather permits, always quiet and peaceful, Sue

We live right on a stream and I think it keeps our house & yard much cooler. My DH insisted we get an AC this year... and I think we turned it on once. Which made me happy because I have Raynaud's Disease, so AC in the summer is really painful for me. It's kinda funny that I live in New England though.. and have chosen a lifestyle that I'm outside for hours everyday, even in the winter. I get SO cold and but I wouldn't have it any other way!