WINTER SOLSTICE - 2014

Yesterday we celebrated the solstice at the cabin...shortest day of the year.  We have turned this into an annual event, and work to celebrate the summer solstice as well.

It is fun to watch the sun patterns over the course of a year.  It helps to understand sun shade and shadow patterns as the planet orbits el sol.

Yesterday, however, there was no sun to see - just light.  It snowed and the temperature was great, and the fire in the firepit warmed the soul...and...

thanks to the kids - Tatiana, Gay and Jordan...we now have the first snowman to greet visitors to the cabin since we began our stewardship of the site.

GARDEN 1.1

The initial objective of the garden work this summer was to build four raised beds that would be of a height that one could sit on a stool and garden comfortably.  

Part of the planning discussion took place in the presence of my good friend Terrill Samura (Samura and Associates Landscape Architecture).  These discussions focussed on the importance of organic methods and strategies and ergonomics.  The ergonomics piece had to do with the width of the beds so the full bed could be reached when accessing from both sides.  We determined the maximum width of a bed to be 4' which allowed a 2' reach from either side.  My arm - when fully extended - has a 29-30" reach.  My wife has about a 27" reach.  

Other considerations in the planning included:

• The development of a possible future chicken coop and making sure we have room for it if we do that
• Good sun
• Vertical gardening (trellises)
• Ability to get a garden cart between the beds
• Irrigating each bed

The initial structural work was to set 24 posts.  Six of the posts were set to a height of approximately 7.5 feet (trellis structure).  The balance were set to receive the bed sides.  

The treated posts were set in the ground with dirt compaction.  Each post had dirt set in the holes with water to fully compact the dirt in approximately 6" lifts.  The dirt was compacted until it was real hard - then the next lift was done.  Compaction was done with a 2 x 4 and a 1 x 2 for narrow openings until each post was vertical (verified with a level) and solid.

It took a couple of weekends to get all this done.  Once the posts were in we could construct the beds and irrigation systems.

GARDEN 1.0

THE GARDENING BEGINS

We are getting pretty deep into winter season right now and I haven't written anything of late.  I got really busy with work - Ago Studios - and getting things done on the cabin like electrical and framing inspections and a few other things until early summer.  So I'm going to back track a bit and discuss the garden that we built this summer.  I'm going to write a few articles on the garden and I begin here....

The garden has been formulating for a while.  We always knew it would be in the Northeast corner.  It will be a good and organic garden.  It is nicely laid out to take advantage of the sun and shade.  This will - I think - be a healing garden with good food grown in a creative space.

It was wide open when we took over stewardship of this land.  The deer had free range - a problem when you want a really good garden.

Step One:  A summer ago I took advantage of some nearby road construction and gleaned some very stout 8 ft high wildlife fencing that was being removed from the side of the interstate prior to roadway construction.  That fencing was stockpiled for the garden perimeter

Step Two:  Last fall I set the treated 4 x 4 posts for the garden fence along the East edge of the garden and at the corners and  intermediate spacings along the West side.   In doing this I had to make a modification to the adjacent barbed wire fence so the deer would not be able to jump the fence to get into our garden space.

I verified this was a successful strategy.  Over the course of the winter there were no visible deer tracks or signs they had traveled through and my string sensor stretched between the fences stayed in place the entire winter.  My deer behavior modification worked...and continues to work.

Step Three:  This spring we installed the wildlife fence on the East side.  Later in the summer we installed the fence material on the West side and began to take control of the area.  Taking control of the space is an important concept because there are large 4 legged animals that roam this area.  We don't want them in the garden...and I do have a story about the fence and it's ability to contain an animal.

Step Four:

We came up with a very cost-effective construction technique for raised beds using treated 2 x 10's, pond liner fabric and treated 4 x 4's.  The bed construction began with the setting of the 4 x 4's.

An important reminder to all you who enjoy the value of building for yourself - LOCATE YOUR UTILITIES.

In my particular case I needed to locate two 2-1/2" electrical service conduits we installed last fall to make sure I knew what needed to be done if we set posts over the conduits - and sure enough we did.  I set stakes with orange flagging identifying the location and depth of the conduits and went to work. 

I then hand dug 24 holes with a post hole digger to specific depths and in a specific grid to prepare to set the 4 x 4 posts that were to receive the sides and remaining irrigation and assemblies so we can grow great rhubarb and garlic.