The Blessings of a manure pile.

A great thing happened today. I've been reading a book about composting and have learned that one of the most important agents/activators at work in a compost pile is nitrogen and that one of the most important sources of nitrogen is manure (cow, horse, sheep, goats, etc.). Whenever I put in household food scraps, I need to cover them well with manure and earth, enough to cover the smells and keep out the critters. Well, it just so happens that one of our closest neighbors has a horse farm. So I walked down and asked if they would like to part with any of their manure. The very nice young lady who owns the horses immediately said, "Help yourself to as much as you want." We had a really pleasant chat and she left to go pick up a pizza. I came back to the house, did a few things, then got my garden wagon and spade and walked back down the road. She and I got to her driveway at the same time. I walked up behind the stable to the manure pile and she came out the back of the barn doing her chores. And we talked some more. We discovered that we both like the smell of horse manure. I told her to let me know if she needed help mucking out the stalls and she said anytime I wanted to I was welcome. I think I will go down soon to help. That is good work. I remember as a kid, shoveling out the cow stalls at my aunt's farm. I loved her and the farm so much that I loved even doing that. Maybe only a true horse lover would feel the way we do, but there you are.

So now, I have an endless and very close supply of the needed nitrogen and I've met a very nice neighbor and hopefully made a new friend. If that's not a blessing, I don't know what is.

Next, I need to get a paper shredder.

Spring work

My goodness, I can't believe it has been so long since I posted. Time really flies when you are busy. Our peas are up about 3-4" and the swiss chard and lettuce are up. The radishes never came, so I bought new seeds and replanted. Have to wait and see. Have put in a couple rows of spinach as well. Today we spent all morning building a compost bin and starting the pile. I started with the turf that came off the garden area, putting the clumps in upside down, then a layer of grass and weeds, then food scraps (peelings, eggshells, coffee grounds, etc.), then another layer of turf, composted manure, a thin layer of wood chips, and loam. I raked up a pile of old leaf mold from just inside the woods behind the back yard and am letting it dry out (as it rained yesterday) before adding it to the pile. This is going to be a lot of work, but it will be good work and good for me.

Everything is so green and lush already. If it had not been so cold today, one would think it was summer. The lilacs are in full bloom. We have enjoyed one bouquet already; now it is time to cut another. J brought home a bunch of asparagus for me today from a house down the road. Happily he doesn't like it, so I could eat the whole bunch myself and I did. I can't believe how much better it tasted than what you buy at the grocery store. Delicious. last year I started an asparagus bed at the farm, but have to wait another year before harvesting it. Last week I weeded and remulched with composted manure and a thick layer of hay, and stalks are already shooting up through it all almost a foot. Really looking forward to next spring and being able to eat my own fresh asparagus.

Happy Mothers' Day ladies!

This gift

Planted my peas today, very early for this region. We've had such a mild, short winter that our spirits and our minds naturally turn to growing things and cleaning up the yard. We want to stretch the warmer seasons as far as possible, to take advantage of this gift as long as we can. Especially after the long, cold, rainy spring and summer of last year. This short winter and early spring is so unusual for us that we have to embrace it, claim it, own it, guard it jealously and not let it get away from us. Tomorrow I will plant my swiss chard.  I've transplanted hostas and jonquils along the easterly stone wall, also planted three packs of pansies.  I can hear some of you saying "Yes, but it is only April 11, we can still have snow and cold weather. Aren't you jumping the gun a little?" Possibly, but I don't think so. Even if it happens, all that I've done can stand a frost or even a little snow. Just getting a jumpstart and it feels so good.