The Bar None Ladies. With the Leghorns (pronounced Legerns) all named Legs. Red, Two, Mary and Speedy the 4 remaining from our 2014 freshman class. Twenty four of the happiest laying hens in the midwest! How happy? Over the last six months we’ve collected, eaten, sold, or given away over 2200 eggs.
The snow is on the ground and more to come, but no time to lose at the Bar None. I’ve scoured two dozen and more seed catalogs searching for the rare or new or overlooked. Committing quickly mentioned names, sometimes in the Latin (Bastardo!), while touring the gardens of my mentor. New catalogs or amendments or varieties or methods always causing my ears to rotate at alert. And work on the template that will guide and ultimately and completely be transformed and which I absolutely can’t start without. The main plot now 80′ x 90′, where will each bed go? What will go into each bed? When will it be planted? When will it be harvested? What will rotate with it? How many successive plantings can be achieved? Building patience into the gardenscape. Entire beds waiting for their 2 week increment of seeding/seedlings, always planting to the north, ensuring harvest through next fall. The Grand Design.
Cage Match. My hands are swollen and bloodied. You should see the other guy. But seriously folks, I’ll be here through Saturday! My digits do resemble sausages replete with fork tracks after converting 50 foot rolls of 6′ fencing into a whole bunch of 3′ tomato cages. 2016 calls for up to 80 tomato plants and each needs its own space and support in order to maximize yield. I’ve got about another 30 to go. And then smaller cages for the 50 or so pepper plants. The main lesson from my first two years? Give everything all the space it wants. Including the gardener!
Also working on plans for a permanent potting shed, kind of exactly like this one belonging to my garden guru, Steve Kunasek. He is not only one of the most knowledgeable and excellent providers of best organic practice produce but is also the brains behind The Prairie Gators.
The Prairie Gators. My dear sweet Linda’s brother Steve Kunasek front and center, brother Mike up front right. I went to Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas and know damned good Cajun music when I hear it. These cats know how its done. Josh Dunwoody front left, Steve Monson rear left, and Joe Watson rear right.
About Author
