Saturday, May 7, 2011

First week of May projects

A huge dump truck unloaded this pile of topsoil into our prepared flower bed (sort of into). Our valiant wwoofers shoveled and raked it into place, until it was all tidy and ready to plant.

Tall perennials like hollyhock and sweet peas will go in the back, then cosmos, lilies and dahlias. There will be lots of room for edibles like nasturtiums and johnny jump ups to pretty up my restaurant salads.
We finished boarding in the roof of the log cabin and worked on the gable ends.

Tess got an all over haircut from the scissor wielding girls. She is due for a bluegrass transplant to fix that receding hairline.

Alina cleaned out the dead leaves and sticks from last fall, that were clogging up the pond.

More potatoes got planted, the weather still unseasonably cool with much too frequent rain.

The crew put together the trellis for the scarlet runner beans, which I planted this morning. They are always so pretty covered with red blossoms and alive with hummingbirds.

Dr Brian came to listen to Big Red's vitals, finding dirt in the gas a likely cause of her loud and rather startling backfiring.
There's always the never ending transplanting to do when the rain starts again.(The red ring is to pass the hose through to keep it off the plants)

The girls cut out new mesh fabric covers for the ice cream buckets that will protect the newly set out transplants from slugs, cutworms, and cabbage moths.
The fence for the meat hens was rebuilt, ready for the chicks arrival later this month.

The carpenters learned how to put on 3 in one roofing shingles.
..and posed with Prince Charming in the doorway of his new house.
      Our wwoofers left today on their way to new adventures, new skills, new experiences. Whoever is lucky enough to host them next will surely feel as I do...in a world seeming to be spiralling out of control we are so encouraged by the enthusiasm, creativity and strong work ethic of these young folks, who are not afraid to get their hands dirty out in the real world .



2 comments:

Brittany said...

Oh Kathi its been while since ive read your blog, i put my life on hold getting to wrapped up in my wedding planning! everything looks great i wish i could get some help around here.. i may have a small plot of land put trying to get up grass without a tiller, fill in dirt, add the fertilizer (blood meal' bone meal, kelp, etc) and plant is hard for one person.. : /

how did they build the a frames for your scarlet runners its just like what ive been wanting to build for my beans!

Lovethiscottage.blogspot.com said...

Hi organic momma! Start with tying a tripod of 3 poles together. Measure with your long horizontal pole how far away to build your second tripod. Now place the long horizontal pole up there between the tripod poles and tie it in. Lay the rest of the poles leaning against the horizontal pole, both sides. Tie securely. Plant beans in a circle around each pole. I have always built this contraption alone every year but it really is faster with help. An easier way is to use an old swing set frame and just tie poles leaning on both sides.