Goats are escape artists and after too much energy spent in trying to keep the goats fenced in their field, I gave up and put up a pallet fence around the garden. what they didn't see, didn't peak their curiosity . Having a garden made from hay, holds moisture in and feeds the plants you're allowing to grow, while choking out the weeds that were once there. In my case, I had a lot of burdock and as their roots are deep, this method rotted large cavities that let new roots from the garden stretch.
Before I even began to plant, I was harvesting mushrooms. It's inviting for worms and I can't imagine doing my garden any other way.
These are the double pallet gates between the corn and sunflowers.
It doesn't have to be used hay, it can be unused as well, it all goes to compost to feed the plants.
Make sure you let it sit for a couple of weeks before planting, to give it a chance to decompose and begin to settle.
I used a mixture of clay and soil to make small, wet dirt balls with a corn seed in the middle of each and set it in the hay. Then I leaned old windows over them to keep them warm.
The fence that is already up was for the dogs. The plan was that in the winter, the Jhinn Garden would be open to them to have a bigger area to run but eventually, a run path will be put around the garden for them to patrol around the house.
In the upper left and along the back is apple tree cuttings, under fresh hay to protect them. In the spring, the survivors that rooted will be transplanted to create, Omen Orchard.
This was taken September 20th, 2014. See you next year, Jhinn Garden.
I came here on my quest with just the clothes on my back and my dogs but people kept sending me furniture to the point I had to ask them to stop before it got too cluttered. Regardless, I am grateful I don't have to sleep on the floor anymore or ask people to pull up a stump from the wood pile to sit on to drink their coffee or tea.
The down filled comforter Shelia sent was one of the most precious gifts I was given for these cold northern winters. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Big, big hug. xo