Throughout the routines of winter, I dreamed of spring. “Soon, I will get to do something new and different” I thought to myself as I split firewood. “Soon, my every day routine won’t be the same” I thought to myself as I stacked firewood. “Soon, I’ll have time after work to really make some progress” I thought to myself as I hauled firewood.
On an average day, I get home from work, change clothes, and head outside. I pull the gator around; there’s a 40 gallon water tank ratchet-strapped to the bed. I drop the hose in the tank, crank the well pump, and wait while it slowly fills. I drive the gator to the orchard and wait once again while it slowly empties into each of six bags that surround my new fruit trees. I then head to the garden to water the cold frames and asparagus. An hour passes, I’m finally ready to do something new and different… but by then it’s time to feed the horse, the dog, and myself. Another day done, no progress made…
Except not really, of course. It is easy to romanticize the days where nothing suddenly turns into something – a previously blank space holds a chicken coop or a compost bin, and it feels like one giant step has been taken towards the ultimate goal. But the real progress is made slowly, as fruit trees set roots and garden plants begin to grow.
To think that I ever thought a season’s change might mean the end of a monotonous routine!
Food Production
In the absence of a traditional garden space, I planted approximately 20 pounds of seed potatoes across various pots and containers. I likely would have done this even if my garden was ready; I love growing potatoes in containers because they’re easy to harvest and more resistant to underground pests. The potatoes have started to grow foliage in earnest. Similarly, my cold frame greens are doing fantastic – I’ve been harvesting a handful nearly every day to complement my meals.
Aesthetic Utility
Back in Week 3 (which feels like a lifetime ago) I took lavender cuttings because my house’s landscaping is mysteriously devoid of lavender – wholly unacceptable, in my book. I’ll admit, I almost immediately forgot about the cuttings and have largely neglected them ever since, but since they were in my adopted mom’s greenhouse, several of them survived. I transplanted them into my landscaping beds, and did the same with some lilac cuttings that I took around the same time.
Once they are fully established in their new homes, I will take more cuttings and start the cycle anew.
Resource Acquisition & Preparedness
Treasure season has begun! By which I mean, tag sale and trash picking season is upon us. I won’t start going to garage sales in earnest until summer, but I stopped by a few over the weekend and found a nice enamel container that I’m sure I’ll find a use for somewhere. I also found a couple of wood barrel-style pots on the side of the road; they’re in rough shape, but I think they can be cleaned up and put to use.
Energy Independence
I have now enjoyed several “Net Export” days – meaning, my solar production has exceeded my usage. This has been very exciting! It’s silly, but I check the app repeatedly throughout the day. I’m hoping May will be a net export month.
Moving Forward
The to-do list gets longer every day. My most exciting, and anxiety-inducing, ongoing project right now is the installation of a garden fence. I’m so excited to have this established so that I can really get to work, but navigating the many quotes has been a frustrating experience. I hope to have more information to share soon.
Talk soon,
KC