Farming Happens
The forces of slack have won a modest victory at the QBCPS. Some time ago, Aoibheall and I were talking about what we wanted to get done on our weekends, and we decided that enough was enough, we needed some actual rest. We agreed that we would schedule a weekend with no schedule and no big to-do items. We got a heck of a lot done, and we wound up getting some actual slack in, as well. It's our new favorite.
Two weeks ago, I decided I'd better get to work on the blackberry arbor we've been talking about since last fall. The vines are sprouting up and if the arbor didn't get built soon, it would be too late; we'd have nothing but brambles all over the creek bank. Well, there was some unexpected back and forthing that happened, and that meant that although I bought all the materials, I didn't actually get to assemble anything. Last weekend, I said I wanted to get the arbor built.
That didn't stop us from going on a walk through Big Basin on Saturday morning. We stopped and had a picnic at a flat spot on the trail, and then walked back down to the ranger station and had ice cream. Then, in the afternoon, I got weaving on the arbor.
The work spilled over to Sunday, and Aoibheall undertook a truly massive task of cooking while I was busy digging holes and whacking and uprooting blackberry vines. The end result of our unscheduled weekend was four dinners (at least) for four (two each lasagne and chili) and a 10' long by 3.5' wide blackberry arbor.
The frame is 1/2 inch PVC, and the joints are 90 degree elbows (at the top), tees (to join the crosspieces to the house-shaped assemblies), and 45 degree elbows (to join the slanting roof to the vertical wall).
I draped tree netting over the whole frame and gathered it on one section of the southern end so that we can get in underneath. The idea is to let the blackberry vines drape themselves over the structure; when the fruit forms we will be able to get in and pick it. Last year's desultory berry picking yielded enough fruit to make two batches of blackberry jam. If we're aggressive, gosh, we might get three. And these are weeds that we don't have to water or fertilize or anything!
In other news, the chickens seem to be recovered from the psychological shock of having the flock reduced by two thirds. Egg production had dropped to one or no eggs per day for a couple of weeks, but now the ladies are up to two or three eggs per day. That's really good, I figure. They're also up and about, walking and flapping. One Lucy got a broken leg and she's gimpy, but she doesn't let it stop her; she's just a bit slower. Here, they are outside under the awning in the smaller chicken yard.
Finally, here's a shot of Oswald hot on the trail of a wood rat. The rat got away, but at least the cat is trying now.
Two weeks ago, I decided I'd better get to work on the blackberry arbor we've been talking about since last fall. The vines are sprouting up and if the arbor didn't get built soon, it would be too late; we'd have nothing but brambles all over the creek bank. Well, there was some unexpected back and forthing that happened, and that meant that although I bought all the materials, I didn't actually get to assemble anything. Last weekend, I said I wanted to get the arbor built.
That didn't stop us from going on a walk through Big Basin on Saturday morning. We stopped and had a picnic at a flat spot on the trail, and then walked back down to the ranger station and had ice cream. Then, in the afternoon, I got weaving on the arbor.
The work spilled over to Sunday, and Aoibheall undertook a truly massive task of cooking while I was busy digging holes and whacking and uprooting blackberry vines. The end result of our unscheduled weekend was four dinners (at least) for four (two each lasagne and chili) and a 10' long by 3.5' wide blackberry arbor.
The frame is 1/2 inch PVC, and the joints are 90 degree elbows (at the top), tees (to join the crosspieces to the house-shaped assemblies), and 45 degree elbows (to join the slanting roof to the vertical wall).
I draped tree netting over the whole frame and gathered it on one section of the southern end so that we can get in underneath. The idea is to let the blackberry vines drape themselves over the structure; when the fruit forms we will be able to get in and pick it. Last year's desultory berry picking yielded enough fruit to make two batches of blackberry jam. If we're aggressive, gosh, we might get three. And these are weeds that we don't have to water or fertilize or anything!
In other news, the chickens seem to be recovered from the psychological shock of having the flock reduced by two thirds. Egg production had dropped to one or no eggs per day for a couple of weeks, but now the ladies are up to two or three eggs per day. That's really good, I figure. They're also up and about, walking and flapping. One Lucy got a broken leg and she's gimpy, but she doesn't let it stop her; she's just a bit slower. Here, they are outside under the awning in the smaller chicken yard.
Finally, here's a shot of Oswald hot on the trail of a wood rat. The rat got away, but at least the cat is trying now.
posted by PirateGuillermo | 1:04 PM
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