A Happy Hippie Weekend--Fall Garden 2013

We moved into our new home 37 days ago.  I can't believe it's only been just over a month! We have accomplished so much that we've wanted to get done to the place.  The part that we couldn't seem to find time for was the outdoor stuff.  In my move-in post, I posted a picture of the almost completed compost.  That was as far as we got until this weekend.  



I've been nagging Adam about wanting a clothesline long before the sale was final.  With some google research, a really good youtube video, and Adam's handyman skills we constructed a very stable free standing clothesline that has enough space for an entire load of laundry.

Here's how you do it:

First, you measure twice, and cut once on this handy dandy portable work bench your loving fiance bought you.

Then, chisel out your wood slices.

 Repeat these steps until you have two long posts and two cross pieces with notches cut.  We made our long posts 10 ft tall and cross pieces 5 ft.

Bang those beasts together!

Dig a perfectly square hole, 3 ft deep, in sandy soil.  Adam is gifted with a shovel!

Place your post and mix two bags of quick setting cement with water in your hole.  My lover, Libra says make sure you are level on all planes or else!

 TA DA!!!!
You too can have your very own backyard sacrificial alter that doubles as a clothesline!  All your neighbors will be jealous of your crosses and eagerly offering their children up for sacrifice. :)

We buried the posts about 3 feet deep because that was about as high as I could have the lines and still reach.  I am so pleased with how it turned out.  I hung my scrubs up the next day and it worked awesome!

While we were feeling industrious we also built our garden.  We used our wood from the raised planters we made last year (it was a beast to move all that wood from the old house to the new one but now I realize how worth it it was).  Having learned our lesson with weed cloth last year, we decided to just use the wood as a border and augment/loosen the existing soil (more like sand because we are in the dunes).

We got a second shovel for a house warming gift and it really came in handy!  Adam gave me a great lesson on the art of shoveling.  Take home message:  BEND YOUR KNEES!

We scooped the grass off and threw it into our compost pile.

Max was our foreman!

The oak tree's root system caused some anger management problems but we eventually got it worked out.

We dug a trench around the outside perimeter and dropped the wood into it.  Next we mixed in the compost, peat, and Jobe's organic fertilizer (if you haven't tried it, you should!), and watered.

So, for the cost of a few bags of compost, peat, seeds, and some serious labor we started our fall garden! We planted: beets, carrots, onions, bibb lettuce, swiss chard, and arugula.  You can't tell by the picture but the left (south) end of the garden gets only a few hours of sun a day (thanks to that damn oak tree we were fighting with) so that's where we planted the greens.  Wish us luck!

Adam also built me an herb box for the side yard (by my clothes line) that gets quite a bit more shade.  I don't have any pictures yet because I haven't transplanted my herbs but I have:  mint (in its own pot because it takes over everything), rosemary, cilantro, sage, oregano, dill, basil, parsley, and thyme.  I'm also planting some chamomile seeds because I want to make my own tea mixes.

It is always invigorating to get my hands in the dirt and plant something. I'm so excited to see how well things grow in our new backyard!

Dirty feet and a sense of accomplishment makes for very happy homesteaders!!