And the garden has gone to shit. No real irrigation system so half of it is burning up, the other half has gone to weeds or killed by bugs. Y’know, set out 25 cucumber plants X weeks ago and two survive. I got three carrots that made it, we’ve had two cabbages and the rest look like lace. Squash bugs 1, comrade 0. That’s out of 30 plants. Man cannot live on onions alone. I’ll have lots of potatoes but I gotta wrap my beat to shit hands around the tater fork and sweat like pig digging them up. Peanuts rotted before they could sprout, corn seed probably got eaten by garden rodents or it was too cold and damp for them to germinate. Now it’s hot and dry so I don’t hold out much hope for the corn I’m putting in now. Miss bucketing water to them once in this weather and it’s over for that patch.
God damn it. I gotta get my ass in gear for the fall garden. I need a hundred cabbages and shit sprouting yesterday. And winter squash. Reality sucks – you stand there sweating in 100 degree weather knowing the clock is ticking and the first winter frost is just over the horizon getting ready to kick your ass.
The only thing I’ve managed to do right is successfully fence the goats out of our “courtyard” so they haven’t hit the sapling fruit trees this year. Hooray for the future… late spring frost put the screws to the peaches and apples this year.
Doom hits and I’m relatively fucked. The tiller comes out this week to grind up this year’s failed areas and it all goes into cowpeas. I’ve never screwed those up… yet.
comrade simba 
July 15, 2009 at 12:55 am |
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God hell. Plant more seeds.
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July 15, 2009 at 3:58 am |
That’s too bad, mine struggled a bit with rain, rain, and more rain, and then heat…but now everything is flourishing. Harvested over 50 lbs of winter squash already, next batch ready to go in soon, cukes are everywhere, corn is about ready this week, sunflowers over 8ft, no tomatoes yet, but they went in late, this year has been quite productive. Broccili was amazing this year, had more than ever before, but my son eats it as fast as I can harvest it! Gotta till more myself this week for fall crops, but as usual…it’s raining again. Got one whole peach myself this year…and then some critter ate it! Nature can be a real bitch… Hopefully we’ll have a late frost so maybe you’ll still get a good fall season in…
July 15, 2009 at 8:21 am |
Well, I planted my first real garden this year, and it’s been a real learning experience. I’m an urban gardener right now…
I know what you mean on the corn! I had to completely fence my garden using chicken wire… my first batch of corn was eaten by a damn fat rabbit when it was a few inches high!
My peas (heirloom) ain’t doing so hot, but I plan to harvest and save the seed on the successful plants.
I’m pleasantly surprised, though, at how productive a small plot (about 30 ft. by 15 ft or less) can be. The work is quite enjoyable at that size…
Good luck. I still plan to pick your brain when we have to escape for the doomstead, if I have Internet access at that time.
July 15, 2009 at 8:46 am |
Good on ya Charlie… I’d like to compare how many hours you put in on the garden compared to mine. I know I neglected to many things at key times this year – too wrapped up in other crap.
I think once I get a real irrigation system in place things will survive better. I just don’t have the luxury of running a hose to the well pump – it’s shallow and ran out a couple of summers ago on a heavy laundry day.
July 15, 2009 at 12:34 pm |
I haven’t even bothered to plant. We’ve had four inches of rain for the YEAR…. Any irrigation would just get sponged up by the parched ground in mere minutes….
July 15, 2009 at 1:26 pm |
I no longer actually plan on production from my “garden”. I now consider it “practice” and a process of following a learning curve. I’ve got limited time and energy; while vegs are still cheap enough storebought I admit to focusing on other stuff; including down time. In your situation for instance I would be trying to figure out and work out a long[er] term [and hard times] irrigation system since I learned my food production isn’t going to cut it w/o it. When you were debating whether or not to take on the rehab that’s what I was whining about; I now try to focus my time on MY specfic situation[s] not “extra work”. However; that is a 61 year old talking and like the guy ya hired I just can’t cut those 14 hr days anymore. Heck; I’m lucky to work a decent five hrs before I want to stop. Breath deep and keep pushing but don’t kill yourself in the process.
Water- storage tanks and hoses? Steal a little from the well each day? disperse as needed with out bucket brigade? $ to go for a deeper well rather than a tractor to plow dry ground? Don’t beat youself up– NObody can do it all by themself; Daniel Boone borrowed cash for supplies ’bout every year.
July 15, 2009 at 8:09 pm |
Comrade, you might want to get Steve Solomon’s new book “Gardening when it counts”. He is the man that began Territorial Seed Company & later sold it among other things. He has written several books but this one begins by telling you to ignore anything he wrote prior to…loaned the book to my oldest daughter. This book is devoted to growing as much as possible without irrigation or other intensive inputs but especially water. He explains the why’s, has charts for comparing food value vs inputs –no trust me, he has the experience and all. Its worth the price. I know you are busier than one man ought to be but maybe winter’s reading?
That cold & wet made breaking ours a real chore, then got it in just in time for the rain to quit. It has just sat there – like only a clay soil can. Have got some recent rain & it has perked up. I just tell myself it isn’t a late garden it is an early fall one.
July 16, 2009 at 4:03 am |
Well Comrade, I don’t keep an exact log of hours, but it’s quite a lot of labor out there. (I know I don’t have to explain that to you!) Even before planting season, started all my own stuff in the greenhouse, etc., but what helps the most is having water available, I don’t know what your soil is like out there, but mine dries out rather quickly, especially when the ol sun bakes on it, even with mulch. Between work and the homestead here it’s 14 hr day in the summertime. But you’ve been busy, so something had to give. How about a low-pressure drip system, or drip-tape for your garden? too bad your not closer, I’ve got rolls and rolls of drip system and fittings!On the bright side theres still a good 60 days of growing season left!(Fingers crossed)