Daily observations of my simple life.

Fertile Soil:

When I moved here the young couple who had set up this property had cleared the land. After rains there would be low growing desert grasses and a few wild flowers that came up. As I have developed the farm with animals, I clean the pens and over the past year put all the goat and sheep pen rakings in one area, spreading it out in a neat little square. Nothing grew but I thought eventually the process would develop the soil.

The rain arrived and now in that square is lush fileree, a native high nutrition plant that makes excellent feed. It has little seeds that I used to make play scissors out of when I was a child. Every day I go out with scissors and snip a basketful of the green and take it to the chickens and the other critters. They love it and along with the carrots I feed I'm sure it gives them extra vitamins. With all this rain, I can imagine this beautiful lush square will be providing greens into summer. Other places on the property that have tall and thick lush growth are where my daughters horse was when she first moved here. On the other side of the goat pen where the wind blows the debris and droppings there is a thick lush lawn like grass growing. I don't need to plant a lawn. 

We have been piling up the manure from the horse and burro corrals. Yesterday when I was in town I picked up a container of worms and when I got home I lifted the manure and dropped them in. These busy, productive creatures will break the manure down much more quickly to improve the soil .

Maybe I will be able to have an organic farm here in the desert, growing vegi's and fruits for myself and others to enjoy.  

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:44 | link | comments (3)

Comments:

#1  22 February 2005 - 19:43

 

Your description sounds heavenly. But also so foreign to this city girl. Thank you for your writings.

moonglow

#2  22 February 2005 - 21:36

 

I know the work is a bit more difficult than you make it sound, but speaking from someone used to farms, I want that again someday. I spent my entire young life struggling to get away from it. I want it back.

Ladyinthemoon

#3  23 February 2005 - 16:08

 

Whenever we find worms we relocate them to the garden. Nothing works better for turning marginal soil into richly productive ground as worms and organic "waste"--be it compost, or manure. I love the whole process and challenge. In three years we have taken rock-hard clay and enriched it to be a fertile garden. This year should be the best yet. No matter what your day job is, or where you came up from, working with soil, land, growth is as honest and true to life as you can get. Bring back the small farm!

ChefNeal

Comments: