#10 - Planting Bed #4

Planting Bed #4

 

The development of another 5'x20' Bed. Planting Bed #4. Not much done on this day of Jan. 6, 2013. Just measured it out. I will try to up load the picture of what the ground looked like before I cleared it. Technical problems with my phone. This area of the farm is thick with grass. so it makes it hard to clear.

On Feb. 16, 2013, I took a straight blade hoe and traced the outline of the entire bed. Quite often when I work in the bed, I end up breaking the twine which is there to help me work within the bed.

 

 

For my good friend Wild Bill, the implication of this picture will mean something. I read an article about how important it is for us to stay connected to the earth. So on this day, I decided to Broadfork the entire bed barefoot, to soak up some much needed electrons and Vitamin D from the Sun.

 

 

 

The first run accomplished! That was all for this day.

 

 

 

It's hard work, so I look forward to rains, which makes this much easier.

 

 

 

Here is the finished bed on Feb. 17, 2013. There isn't a tractor that can duplicate this method of tilling. Besides, tilling with a tiller only reaches about 10", and it pacts the earth underneath, which does not help when the roots of the plants need to go deep down into the soil. With my broadfork, I can reach 12". And if I double dig the bed, then I'm reaching down 24". I've only double dug beds 1 & 2.




Gardening Techniques: here is David from Valley Oak Tool Company demonstrating the Broadfork I use. As you see David working with and standing on the Broadfork, I've fallen over many times. I looked at alot of Broadforks, and this was the one I thought was the best.