Mabon is past and Samhain is on its way, and as usual, we find ourselves engaged in the fall scramble as we try to get through our list of tasks that must be completed before the fall rains set in.
The Fall Scramble
Category: Homesteading
Our Adventures
What a Beautiful World We Live In
I’m not going to write much in this post – just let the photos tell our story. The summer has been busy, but we are beginning to see the results of our hard work.
PS Keep tuned in for some upcoming artwork that is connected with my writing projects.
Terracing the Garden
Coming from Prince Rupert, I’ve always been concerned about getting my garden to drain adequately. We used raised beds in our gardens there, largely to keep the beds from becoming bogs. I never thought you could have too much of a good thing when it came to drainage …
The Beginnings of an Orchard
This year, we decided it was finally time to begin planting trees on our site – the start of an orchard. So, early this spring, we began the project by clearing nearly an acre of our land. This involved cutting lots of salmonberry and rose bush, brush burning, and root pulling. A very good way to get into shape!
Birds, Birds, Birds …
We love our birds … they are, after all, what gives our land its voice, makes us the “tir ceòlmhor” – the singing land. However, sometimes there are conflicts …
The Greenhouse Rises Again
From a state of near wreckage, the greenhouse rises again, a peaceful zombie composed of broken aluminum struts and strangely resilient sheets of polycarbonate …
Tuber Experiments
Traditionally, we usually harvest our root vegetables in the fall and store them in a root cellar over the winter. However, with our high water table in the winter, a root cellar just isn’t feasible. Last year, I harvested my tubers and tried storing them in tubs of sand above ground. This was a resounding failure – I ended up freezing most of my crop. This year, it was time for a new experiment.
Winter Solstice
Winter solstice has passed, Christmas has been enjoyed, and here we are … we’ve gained a whole entire minute of daylight!
Soffits and Other Trivia
Well, we finally won the marten war. We managed to get the soffits (shiny black material located in the eaves in the above photo) installed in and around weeks of rain. Mr. (or Mrs.) marten has been around, checking out our work, and has deemed the cabin completely marten proof.
A Little Black Bear
People always ask us if we have problems with bears. The last two summers, our answer was “no”. This summer, we have a little black bear …