Re: Annual update on progress at 'The Farmette'
Posted: Sun May 03, 2015 3:02 pm
Oh what a lovely encouraging post though I have to remind you that you-all have been almost at my elbow most of the way and there has been lots to read from past postings.
When my first cabbages blew away and then my lovely Molly started helping herself to anything crunchy, carrots, radish and bush beans were her favourite and having a crop of those few were my early target it all seemed hard work. Each and every time I found someone else had overcome the same problem and so things slowly evolve into what they are now.
The sea buckthorne hedge was recommended by a forum-er and though that was a massive planting task for me that hedge now offers a windbreak around my first area of raised beds. The second area with the hooped raised beds will have to manage with enviromesh, and thats something else I learnt from you-lot. Enviromesh other than keeping the critters out is just as valuable as a wind-break.
So thanks again for the praise, my job has been to learn by example.
Regarding my DIY skills, mostly those skills are not so much DIY as skills learnt earning a living for a wife and three daughters so I'm lucky to have not only those skills but also some professional tools to make it easy. As far as tools are concerned, I have tools to operate tools. Or as you ladies often say, "Boys toys".
Lets look at a simple job like cutting that blue pipe, mostly you would use a hacksaw which leaves a nasty burr inside and outside the tube which has to be removed carefully if you're providing a water service. I have a special cutting tool that slices straight through leaving a clean cut and zero swarf. (Swarf is what a hacksaw leaves behind)
And so-on, etc-etc. Just cutting the timbers accurately for my log store is easy, the hard bit is all the walking, lifting and carrying.
I forgot to say, both rows of potato are up, one row of Charlotte and a row of pink fir. Once again down to your encouragement.
When my first cabbages blew away and then my lovely Molly started helping herself to anything crunchy, carrots, radish and bush beans were her favourite and having a crop of those few were my early target it all seemed hard work. Each and every time I found someone else had overcome the same problem and so things slowly evolve into what they are now.
The sea buckthorne hedge was recommended by a forum-er and though that was a massive planting task for me that hedge now offers a windbreak around my first area of raised beds. The second area with the hooped raised beds will have to manage with enviromesh, and thats something else I learnt from you-lot. Enviromesh other than keeping the critters out is just as valuable as a wind-break.
So thanks again for the praise, my job has been to learn by example.
Regarding my DIY skills, mostly those skills are not so much DIY as skills learnt earning a living for a wife and three daughters so I'm lucky to have not only those skills but also some professional tools to make it easy. As far as tools are concerned, I have tools to operate tools. Or as you ladies often say, "Boys toys".
Lets look at a simple job like cutting that blue pipe, mostly you would use a hacksaw which leaves a nasty burr inside and outside the tube which has to be removed carefully if you're providing a water service. I have a special cutting tool that slices straight through leaving a clean cut and zero swarf. (Swarf is what a hacksaw leaves behind)
And so-on, etc-etc. Just cutting the timbers accurately for my log store is easy, the hard bit is all the walking, lifting and carrying.
I forgot to say, both rows of potato are up, one row of Charlotte and a row of pink fir. Once again down to your encouragement.