So Shawn and I had this great idea that we would put in a vegetable garden this year. We’ve done a few tomato plants in the past, but we were feeling ambitious and decided to do the whole shebang. Shawn got an area in our back yard ready by tilling and then retilling the clay soil and getting it good and prepped.
And then we ignored it for a month.
So then we had to till it AGAIN but this time we did not ignore it. There was a lot of grass in it, so guess who got to rake the grass out? Me, that’s who. Have you ever raked a garden before? It’s not the same as raking the light, dry leaves of fall, oh hell no. You have to break up the clumps and then pick up the grass and throw them far enough so they don’t land in another part of the plot. It was hard, sweaty, red-faced, I-think-I’m-going-to-pass-out work. I raked, and then I had to get the hoe (snicker snicker) and break up the harder clumps of grass and dirt, and then I had to pick up the rocks, and then I got to run the big gas tiller – excellent bicep workout by the way – while Shawn raked some more. It was very difficult, but really gratifying…
…until the next morning. Holy cow guys, even the muscles in my hands were sore! The muscles in my back, my hamstrings, my chest – all sore, but in a really good I-did-something-productive kind of way.
We planted tomatoes, corn, carrots, peppers, squash, okra, and cantaloupe. Surely out of all that, something will grow. I hope.
First knitting, now gardening? Who is this strange new person inhabiting my body?
Oh, well, I guess that explains the raging mood swings too.
THAT is funny, Jill! You got an out-loud chuckle out of me even though I was out of breath from doing my tabata exercises!
I think I only got that sore once, when I was trying to cut my own firewood with an electric saw. I thought my hands were permanently ruined. For some reason it made me irrationally angry at all men.
Maybe you could knit some little cantaloupe sweaters in case there is a frost. Martha would…
Cantaloupe sweater? That’s Brilliant!!! 😉
Hope we’ll see pix of the garden, and rumor has it you’ve got some knitted coasters…would love to see them, too! 🙂
Ok, I gotta say I admire your “stick-to-itive-ness”. Having had gardens in the past, I think you are really doing an impressive job of it. Please keep us all updated on your progress.
So far, you’ve done very impressive work. I only wish I had the space and the wherewhithall to do the same.
I think I love the idea of a garden more than actually making a garden! At this stage… But we can’t have one here anyway, and hopefully by the time we move I hope to be in better condition.
A garden is tough work. I guess that is why in the “olden” days, there wasn’t an obesity problem – gardening and then eating the bounty ( not french fries) . . . hey, even making butter was exercise back then. Hmmm. Maybe I should look into a simpler life style change. Wonder if the Amish are recruiting?
We’ve got lots of Amish around here… I’ll ask them! 😉
The Amish are recruiting, how funny!
You will be ready if the world comes crashing down & you have to support yourself off the land. 🙂
Our yard is nothing but clay. Seriously, if you want brand new landscaping done in parts of our county, you have to pay extra because the clay is so hard to work & they have to add so much to make it do anything but support grass. I have no idea how the grass grows in the stuff. I think establishing a new lawn is near impossible. Good thing our house is 25+ years old.
Have fun weeding & keeping it watered! Enjoy your weekend.