We closed on July 7 and our household goods arrived a few days later. As Karl and I looked out the back windows, we wondered "What have we gotten into?"
The back 4 1/2 acres were a wild over grown mess. Karl had finally gotten over a severe case of poison ivy from when he opened up a small archway, about 8 feet wide, in the tree line. A tree line run north/south across our property splitting the back 2 1/2 acres from the front section. The poison ivy, kudzu, wild grape, and other vines had been left undisturbed for at least 2 1/2 years making the archway look like a path to a secret world. This is especially true in the early morning hours when the low lying fog gives it a dream like feel. I find myself just imagining what the future holds, but the reality is a war being planned on the invaders who have laid claim to someone else's land. But wars and advances do not happen quickly, and my tools where somewhere amid the 200 boxes left to be unpacked.
I began opening boxes like a mad woman. I knew I had a time line to compete against. I would be starting school in September, therefore the house needed to get settled so we could all focus on our tasks. Thankfully I had gotten all the kitchen unpacked while the packers where still there, so at least I had one place that had some semblance of order. I could sit at the kitchen table and formulate the plan of the day. The children and I began moving things from room to room with glee's of excitement when seemingly lost objects or books were discovered. Walls began to be covered in paint and pictures, books found homes on shelves, and toys were delegated to the basement. All the board games and puzzles where left on the main floor for easy access to the dinning room table. During this time Karl had been sent to San Diego and was relieved to find most of the main floor completed and the bedrooms livable. As it stands now, we have a map to hang in Anton's room, bathrooms to be painted and the spare room is in shambles. But the spare room door can be shut until a later time and bathroom paint still needs to be picked. The closets could use some help, but that is being picky at this stage.
Now back to the outside jungle! The day following the arrival of our house hold goods, Karl tackled the front section of "builder grass mix". I use the term loosely. Once it was cut, I filled the children's pool, it was 90 degrees outside. They played for awhile, but complained of the uncomfortable grass. It is all weeds, crab grass, and very stiff. Karl and I tackled tilling up the ground near the foundation to create some beds for perennials and evergreens. I have planted two miniature spruce trees, a few globe shaped dwarf pine, some lavender and pink echinacea. This project is nearly complete, I ran out of mulch, but the next trip to Lowes will allow me to cross it off my list.
The first advancement on the war was pursued over the weekend. We were able to connect with one of the three farmers who tend the 100 acres around our land. For a small fee, he cut down all the over growth in the 4 1/2 acres. What we have now it access to the vines and trees. Karl purchased some bush killer chemicals. Yes, I know, chemicals! Karl and I are trying to run our farm as natural as possible, but we have to take back the land from the invaders first. Also, there seems no other way to be able to get in there to save the trees. We lost one tree already during a high wind storm. It was covered to the top in vines causing the tree to be weakened from weight of vines and lack of sunlight for it's leaves. It snapped in half. Also, the goat is not in the near future. I know they like to eat kudzu, poison ivy, etc. but the thorns from the wild grapes and brambles are something being debated between goat people. SO, I began chemical warfare yesterday. I sprayed two large sections before I needed to take a break. This is when I noticed some of the vines where brambles, yes this means wild blackberries, but there is some sort of rust already taking it over. So, it will have to go. I can start more vines, in a controlled environment, later and I do not want the rust to bleed over to my raspberry plants that will go in during the next few years. I see it as good news, grapes and brambles can and do grow well in this area. Another discovery was a patch of black eyed susans growing wild. I did leave them alone, and sprayed away from them. I hope to collect some seeds and plant them around the orchard fence going in this fall.
Fences are something of a necessity around here! I will go into a whole new post on wildlife in the next post. Until then...
The back 4 1/2 acres were a wild over grown mess. Karl had finally gotten over a severe case of poison ivy from when he opened up a small archway, about 8 feet wide, in the tree line. A tree line run north/south across our property splitting the back 2 1/2 acres from the front section. The poison ivy, kudzu, wild grape, and other vines had been left undisturbed for at least 2 1/2 years making the archway look like a path to a secret world. This is especially true in the early morning hours when the low lying fog gives it a dream like feel. I find myself just imagining what the future holds, but the reality is a war being planned on the invaders who have laid claim to someone else's land. But wars and advances do not happen quickly, and my tools where somewhere amid the 200 boxes left to be unpacked.
I began opening boxes like a mad woman. I knew I had a time line to compete against. I would be starting school in September, therefore the house needed to get settled so we could all focus on our tasks. Thankfully I had gotten all the kitchen unpacked while the packers where still there, so at least I had one place that had some semblance of order. I could sit at the kitchen table and formulate the plan of the day. The children and I began moving things from room to room with glee's of excitement when seemingly lost objects or books were discovered. Walls began to be covered in paint and pictures, books found homes on shelves, and toys were delegated to the basement. All the board games and puzzles where left on the main floor for easy access to the dinning room table. During this time Karl had been sent to San Diego and was relieved to find most of the main floor completed and the bedrooms livable. As it stands now, we have a map to hang in Anton's room, bathrooms to be painted and the spare room is in shambles. But the spare room door can be shut until a later time and bathroom paint still needs to be picked. The closets could use some help, but that is being picky at this stage.
Now back to the outside jungle! The day following the arrival of our house hold goods, Karl tackled the front section of "builder grass mix". I use the term loosely. Once it was cut, I filled the children's pool, it was 90 degrees outside. They played for awhile, but complained of the uncomfortable grass. It is all weeds, crab grass, and very stiff. Karl and I tackled tilling up the ground near the foundation to create some beds for perennials and evergreens. I have planted two miniature spruce trees, a few globe shaped dwarf pine, some lavender and pink echinacea. This project is nearly complete, I ran out of mulch, but the next trip to Lowes will allow me to cross it off my list.
The first advancement on the war was pursued over the weekend. We were able to connect with one of the three farmers who tend the 100 acres around our land. For a small fee, he cut down all the over growth in the 4 1/2 acres. What we have now it access to the vines and trees. Karl purchased some bush killer chemicals. Yes, I know, chemicals! Karl and I are trying to run our farm as natural as possible, but we have to take back the land from the invaders first. Also, there seems no other way to be able to get in there to save the trees. We lost one tree already during a high wind storm. It was covered to the top in vines causing the tree to be weakened from weight of vines and lack of sunlight for it's leaves. It snapped in half. Also, the goat is not in the near future. I know they like to eat kudzu, poison ivy, etc. but the thorns from the wild grapes and brambles are something being debated between goat people. SO, I began chemical warfare yesterday. I sprayed two large sections before I needed to take a break. This is when I noticed some of the vines where brambles, yes this means wild blackberries, but there is some sort of rust already taking it over. So, it will have to go. I can start more vines, in a controlled environment, later and I do not want the rust to bleed over to my raspberry plants that will go in during the next few years. I see it as good news, grapes and brambles can and do grow well in this area. Another discovery was a patch of black eyed susans growing wild. I did leave them alone, and sprayed away from them. I hope to collect some seeds and plant them around the orchard fence going in this fall.
Fences are something of a necessity around here! I will go into a whole new post on wildlife in the next post. Until then...
