Getting Off The Grid - A Wonderful Week

Area about to be plowed

September 18, 2017

Since the hurricane, Irma, the weather has been very nice with only one day of a little rain. I did work my regular job but I still got a few days I could get outside and do a little work, the weekend for the most part was a little here and there but on Monday I took half a day and worked outside.

The best mower ever!

I managed to get the push mowing around the house accomplished as well as around the apple, pear and plum trees. Next I went to the back yard to push mow, the grass was not that high back there but I mowed it anyways and then I cut down about a million privet bushes. I tossed more of what was already cut down last week over the fence to be taken down to the back edge of the property, maybe tomorrow. 

Learning :

I got my book in the mail, I was so excited when I began to read about the trees, I have to say that this is the book to have because it shows so many types of leaves and how to identify every tree. Its a medium size book but super thick and worth every penny I paid for it.

The bad news is that I thought the hedge row of trees were Maples and they are NOT! They are Sweet Gum tree`s but I am sure there is a use for them, I am still reading about them but I know they used the sap from the sweet gum as a flavoring so all hope it not lost. I may not get maple syrup from them but I can get something.

Sweet Gum Leaf

 I have not went into the back woods yet, but I will and I will mark the tree`s I want to tap in the Spring.

The Greenhouse :

What I am most proud of is getting more grass and brush cut down for where the greenhouse will be, I got to work on that late Sunday evening.

Sunday afternoon I went to Home Depot and bought the supplies to make the "hoop" style greenhouse.  What I have to do now is cut down one small pine and possibly one small oak, they will be to close or inside the area. 

One step closer!

Last,  I will offer the guy with the clear barrels $10 each and buy four, he was asking $20 but I think that is to much so when I made a face and said I will pass he told me if I bought two it would be $15 each, so maybe buying more he will go down more. Why do I need the barrels? They will heat the greenhouse this winter, very green using solar energy.

The Garden :

To the right is the row of  greens, the left will be the second planting.

Before I went to work in my area for the greenhouse I mowed down a nice patch in the garden, it was mowed a week ago but I went over it with the push mower and got it super low, after that Tony took over with the tiller, he turned over that area to be planted with MORE greens.

I did not know I had more collards and kale seed till I began to look for the beet seeds to see how many I had, Although I did not want to plant till Wednesday he tossed the seeds out on Monday.

Tuesday I plan to buy curly mustard seed to plant, I want a huge variety of greens, to eat, home can and share.

From The Garden :

Everything had slowed down, I am still getting a some okra but not so much, the cucumber vines are now spent. I got one cucumber in a week. The tomatoes are a few here and there but they are also small, yes the late ones that Tony planted. I am still getting a few jalapeno peppers and a few banana peppers, the bell peppers are blooming and bearing but none seems to get large. I have one small eggplant, the plant did not do so well alone, Next year I will plant two or more.

I plan to mow down what has already had its season to clean things up so its not so ragged looking.

The Dogs :

The two escape artist!

Today as part of the backyard cleaning was prepping for the electric fence, I cut down small bushes against the fence so that when I put the electric fence in I wont be fighting the bushes too.

So far I am getting this slowly but surely. 

The fall of the year is just about as busy on the homestead as Springtime. Don`t you think?

What is happening in your part of the world? 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry