Grey's Bootcamp Journal

That horseshoe hugel might be a great spot for heat loving plants like peppers.  Maybe you can get a quick green crop before it gets too hot (lettuce, etc).  I'm not sure if potatoes will like it that sunny.  I might suggest relocating them to a north or east facing side.

Thursday March 24, BRK #67: Garden Day 4

A few minor walkway improvements along with pruning and planting at Basecamp was how I spent the first shift. Greasing, driving, and hooking up the augur attachment to the tractor was how I spent the second. Tidying in and around the Library paddock was how I spent the rest of the daylight.

Mike Haasl wrote:That horseshoe hugel might be a great spot for heat loving plants like peppers.  Maybe you can get a quick green crop before it gets too hot (lettuce, etc).  I'm not sure if potatoes will like it that sunny.  I might suggest relocating them to a north or east facing side.

Good points! I could see peppers and greens going in this piece of real estate. Good to know that potatoes do not like it hot. I was thinking they could potentially enjoy a moist microclimate down in the center there, perhaps adding shade with other growies. I'll seed potatoes around the entire hügel and we'll see what happens :)

Friday 25 March, BRK #68: Garden Day 5

Knowing we'd be at the Lab both shifts today, I packed myself a respectable lunch before work began. Paul joined us at the Allerton Abbey to disseminate a portion of what he has in mind to make it a gardener's paradise. It was a lot of info, and now we all have a cohesive idea on what work is to be done there within the next month and beyond. I took to the idea of augmenting my primary hügel with additional hügely bits. This is to serve at least two functions: block the sight line to the front porch from the driveway approach and, of course, more growing space.

After lunch, it was time to focus once again on getting the irrigation system up and running. Dez, Mags and Kyle peeled three logs for posts to hold the solar panels, Caleb used Rex to fill the pit around the cistern, Jeff devised a way to force the air out of the main pipes, and I helped him execute it. I also switched the tractor augur to the 18" blade and figured out how the PTO attachment locks in. Tonight's the night I sleep at Bartell's for the first time in a long time. Looking forward to that Lab life, OTG!

Coydon Wallham wrote:
How is Mud's coaxial venting working in the red cabin?

I'd say that it holds up. Probably not the best for systems that have potential cold plugs, though.

Last week of March and first week of April
BRK #69: Back on the wagon

Most days have been gardening in the morning and working on the irrigation situation at the Lab in the afternoon. We've had some frost, putting a damper on the early start to our seeding efforts. The extra moisture has been good for the hügels as a whole, though.

Mustard volunteers? Looks like someone sowed mustard seeds there ...

BRK #70

Lots of cold days last week. We've been getting repeatedly blanketed with snow that rapidly melts away. It's a good thing to keep our hügels watered, but it seems to have slowed down our seedlings.

BRK #71

BRK #72

Gardening just keeps getting better! The marked up photos to keep track of where I've sown seeds are coming in handy; however, I need to include some landmark when aiming the camera. I transplanted some store-bought rhubarb and onion into our hügels. Also, I made a boo-boo on a hydrant while using the tractor, but I replaced it with help from Kyle and Caleb. Good thing too, since we're now getting warm, sunny days that tend to dry out our hügels' topsoil.

BRK #73

Transplanted some herb seedlings that I've been keeping in the Solarium. Ustng glass jugs with the bottoms cut off to keep them from getting too cold or dry.