This is a picture of more than just dirt, this is our super special homemade compost and it is going to help us grow beautiful fruits and vegetables next year.
Dadzoo has been carefully tending our little pile of composting material and worms this summer, watering it once a week and turning everything over. This is our best compost year yet!
Part of being a Homesteader is getting excited over a pile of compost.
The picture below is of our side yard, it is the largest square footage of yard we have, not including the front. In the spring we are planning on adding 7 garden boxes, about 300 square feet.
Along the north and south boarders of out property we had grass growing right to the line. The key work here is “had”. A few weeks ago Dadzoo killed about the three foot strip along each side.
Thanks to the loan of a tiller from a good neighbor we were able to till under the dead grass and work on preparing the new beds.
We also tore up my herb garden that never really produced herbs, only weeds and are going to plant a fruit tree. We haven’t decided on the tree yet we are still thinking about it. We wanted to maybe plant a pear, then learned that a pear tree needs a close pollinator, and I don’t really want to plant another pear tree. I need to find out if any of the neighbors have pears….
These are the garden boxes that were removed from the herb/weed garden awaiting their new home.
We are adding a good layer of compost over the tilled up grass and then we will till it all in together again. In the spring we will add even more compost before we plant. The soil where I live is poor and requires a lot of work, that is why I love my raised beds so much, I just make my own soil.
We are going to plant grapes, raspberries and black berries to create a natural hedge, that will not only look pretty, give us some privacy, but will also produce food.
In urban homesteading it is all about blooming where you are planted.
"In urban homesteading it is all about blooming where you are planted."
For a long time, we were concentrating on moving to a place we had a lot more land. But our future does not look like that will happen for several years. So we thought and thought about it, and decided not to put things off, but to make the best of what we have. So, we are expanding our homestead and using all the land we can. But we still want to have some grass for the kids to play on.
We looked into getting a real fence, but that was cost prohibitive, so we are going to create a natural fence. It will take a couple years to get it well established, but it will be worth it.
Do we live close enough for pear pollination? We planted a bartlett pear tree several years ago and got tons of pears this year from it. I didn't know they needed a pollinator.
I sure like how you are making the most of what you have! Being determined sure makes a difference. I love how you are outlining the grass and the edge of your yard with the newly tilled area; it looks so organized and well planned.
I was chided in college for loving the smell of mulch and manure. It reminded me of home (outdoors, not indoors!). I'd love to see your compost set up. We've discussed different kinds (trash can, expensive tumbler, chicken wire) but have not chosen a type yet. Good luck with the gardening!
I have so many plans in my head but somehow thy've stayed in my head lately. I like that you are actually doing something.
Looks Great! Tell hubby having lots of land doesn't mean you actually use it. LOL We have a little over 10 acres to fence it all off would cost way to much the fence posts alone are outragous. And we have to have about 7 acres of it cleared which costs alot. You can do quite a bit on 3 acres and that includes goats. Nothing big though. Looks like you are doing a great job to me. And I am all for blooming where you planted.
Do you use 2×4's or 2×6's on your bed frames? We have a 50×75 foot area for a garden we use mulch of leaves and old hay (someone recently gave us 2 big round bales $60 bucks a pop for free)But I want to do framed beds on some things and we have a pile of lumber in the barn mainly 2×4's.
Love all your pictures!
Love Erika
wow! you guys amaze me!
Aimee
Your plans are awesome! A few comments/suggestions-
On the pear tree. Check and see if you can get a combination pear tree for your area. They are self pollinating (several kinds of pear grafted onto one tree).
A question about your compost-will you be covering it during your cold weather to keep the elements out of it and the temperature up? It is SO beautiful!!!
Love your plans for the pear, grapes, blackberries and raspberries! YUM. I can almost taste the goodies you will make from them!
Blessings,
Aimee