Yeah...(can you hear the excitement)?
Nah, just kidding. I really do enjoy doing this hauling. I feel like I'm accomplishing something that has actual results vice some paper shuffling result. So here is my nice, fresh compost smelling pile on Friday.
And here I am with one raised bed built and filled. (It only looks crooked because I take pictures crooked. We were sure to level it.)
And here we are on Saturday afternoon, with both raised beds built and filled and the "squash bed" being laid out to the left.
The area that is a bit gray and dry is where I leveled out the area with 6 cubic yards of dirt a few weeks ago so the beds would sit nicely. I'll be banking up that front area with a bit more dirt. I'll also be using very large containers that my herbs and such go in as a frontage on that bank.
Now to something completely different...
Last year I wrote about making dehydrated squash into dog cookies. I got some questions and remarks on them. I even tried them on my best friend's dogs but they had no interest in them (they are young boxers). What I have found is that because my dogs had yellow squash quite frequently in their home made dog food, they developed a taste for them and now, dog squash cookies = maniacal frenzy of love. Here I am opening up a new jar of dehydrated squash chips.
And this is what I see as soon as that lid pops and the aroma escapes.
Too funny.I thought, hey, if they like them, I wonder what they taste like.
I won't show you the after picture because my face is not web-safe after I took a bite. And yes, that is bread dough in my hair. Don't ask.
I won't show you the after picture because my face is not web-safe after I took a bite. And yes, that is bread dough in my hair. Don't ask.
For those who had questions on my home-made dog food recipes, I'll give a whole blog entry on the expanded recipe set later on. Needless to say, they love it.
20 comments:
congratulations! It feels great to get some actualk physical work done, doesn't it? Well, I say "great" but here I am with an achy back from the work we did yesterday!
That is too funny. Our boston terrier loves baby carrots, which I understand, but squash chips? Hmm, maybe that's something else to try on him. I can't imagine eating dried squash out of the jar... you're braver than I.
My dogs would probably like them, I think they will eat anything.
Gosh, that's a lot of work just to get ready for planting. I didn't realize how lucky I am. I'm sure your work will pay off and you will enjoy the fruits of your labor with a bountiful crop!;D
What a great blog you have - all the personal info i felt like a bit of a stalker, but i see we are very similar and would be great friends if we were neighbors - your raised beds are finished - now what are you going to plant? what is your planting zone? had a great visit here thanks for sharing, gets a bit lonesome homesteading in the wood, peace
Love your raised beds! I have "build another raised bed" on my ToDo list this week as well.
To funny about the Squash cookies. You are braver than I am, I would have never tried it:-)
Rhonda
Wow 6 cu yards. Awesome beds! I had to do a double take for a moment because your yard looks a bit like mine! yay coastal va!
Hooray for raised beds! What a great weekend of work, though! We got more snow over the weekend ;(
I wonder if my dog would like squash- I think he would eat anything we would give him, especially if he thought it was a forbidden food!
Judy
You are making me feel lazzzzzy!!! I'm still waiting for my pig to finish my tilling ;) Great work, are you sure you can't post the after pic??!
Looks fantastic. Wish you lots of gardening success.
I love your raised beds, they look great. I am trying to talk my husband into helping put some together here, but he remains unconvinced. I guess I need to research all the advantages. Seems like they would be easier to keep the weeds out of and a little easier on the back among other things.
By the way I awarded you the Premios Dardo Award. Please don't feel obligated in anyway, but if you want to join in on the fun, you can get the details on my blog.
i just wondered in and found your blog. Seems like we have a few things in common. I will be adding you to my favorite list!
If you wanna see a cute beagle picture, come check out my blog!
Carolyn
Loved your story (and pics) about the squash dog cookies. Very funny! :-)
Nice raised beds! I need to get some dirt and compost delivered soon for the garden. You mentioned on Pam's blog that you grow Stevia. I'd love to hear more about that as I'd like to give that a try.
Nice beds! Since we have decided to stay in town (sigh...) I have been looking at my yard-trying to remember how much shade here-how much sun here? Too bad-most of the private parts of the yard are shady, and I will have to expose my inexperience for all to see :)
I am now going to dig through your site re: square foot gardening! Thanks Kris
Looking Good!
ChicagoMike
Kristina - If you get them used to the taste in other desirable food, like chicken, then it comes natural. Let me know if you try. For older dogs, it gives a feeling of fullness without a lot of calories and also some fiber which they need.
Ruralrose - A better question is what am I not growing..lol. Good to see you here!
Rachface - Oh yes, we do have very similar yards now that I've seen your pics. Don't you just LOVE invasive vines. ;)
Angie - I would LOVE a pig to come till my yard. And some goats to eat the honeysuckle and some chicken to eat the mosquitos and...
Shiloh - Thank you for the award! I'm going to do my post for it this weekend when I have some quality time in the rain. Raised beds have enormous advantages and save more time than I could have imagined. I think I did a wrap up post on SFG in raised beds somewhere.
Christy - Yep, Stevia is awesome once you get it going. I'll do a post on it very soon for you.
Hickchick - Staying in town is tough! But SFG is easy so there is that. Anything you may want help with, I'm sure happy to!
Thanks everyone for the nice words! It makes my sore arms worth it :)
Great looking raised beds. They're the best when space is limited plus you get the advantage of earlier planting.
Over on my blog you asked about flooding with the deep snows melting. Yes, it does flood down in low areas which is a big reason I like living up on a hill. Normally the melt is fairly slow over a period of more than a month but if we get a big rain right when the melt is going strong it will cause flooding. Last year there were some houses in the nearby city of Barre that got torn away by the flooding. Nothing like New Orleans, of course!
There is a section of highway along Rt-302 that gets flooded out virtually every year. During that time we can't go west into Barre that way although there is a cut around if we're desperate.
The fields around our house used to turn into a virtual sheet of water during spring melt - not really flooding since it wasn't pooling. Our old farm house basement would fill with water. I put drains around it and bermed to divert the water. Gradually over the years I've been terracing the hillside. The terraces catch the water, control it, divert it and give it a chance to soak in rather than running away. That also fills the pig ponds and livestock watering ponds to get us through the dry spells.
Cheers,
-Walter
Sugar Mtn Farm
in Vermont
I wanted to stop by and say thank you so much for your comments on my chicken post! They were very helpful!
Tell us about that bread dough in your hair ...
I make dehydrated winter squash strips for Lucy. She thinks they're great!
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