!!!! SEPP to Boot: Stephen's Experience (BEL)

BRK #248

Happy Taco Tuesday! This was a rainy one. But because we had so many people in attendance, we were able to start early since all the food was prepared quickly.

Starting off the day, we did a little clean-up and rearrangement in the hugel beds. Paul gave us the go-ahead on planting corn so we started off that process today inside the Basecamp paddock. The hugel I jumped on had a rather fragile walking deck, so I shored it up. Here's the before-and-after photo, including the new walkway, a "lower deck" lined with tree bark to clearly indicate where to walk, and two large areas of the hugel sown with corn:



I was more confident in this process, I think, because of the work I'd done recently with the paddock gate lattice project I'd posted about previously. This pruning saw was my constant companion during that project. Beneath that in the photo are an example of some of the posts I'd used to support the walkway.



I also took a moment to admire these dew-covered leaves, first thing in the morning.



Finally: here's a hidden cat photo. Can you spot it?



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

BRK #249

Congrats to SEPPer Catherine who felled her first tree today!!! Here's Doug (our blue truck) loaded with logs from her efforts:



In the afternoon, I spent time with Wesley and Boot Guests Candice and Finn (welcome back, Candice!) up at the hugels in Allerton Abbey. I spent my afternoon changing up this hugel berm to something a bit more orderly, and a lot less-covered with grass. It's now loaded with corn and potatoes.



Finally, Wesley's tomato seedlings are all grown up! Several of them were transplanted from this grow-box to the hugel berms outdoors, and then more tomato seeds were added to the box before we brought it back into the greenhouse.



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

BRK #250

Another great day this week, with lots of work taken care of.

EDIT: forgot this photo of the early morning when I first made this post.



Fellow Boots Wesley, Finn, and I trundled up to Sherwood Forest with Doug (the blue pickup truck) to fell another tree and split up some firewood for stacking. The firewood racks outside the Library are filling, and we'll be ready for the winter before too long.



In the afternoon, we were joined by SEPPer Pam for some gardening at Basecamp. The hugels were filled out with more corn, potatoes, and a few sunchokes here and there. Personally speaking, with so many Boots and guests coming and going, I'm glad to see our crops clearly labeled, so anyone who comes along knows that spaces are occupied and nothing will be dug up by accident. I'm expectant about Paul's Three Sisters plan this year. I'd love to be eating pumpkins we've grown with snow falling outside. Like all things: we'll see how it goes.







That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

BRK #251

I hope you all have enjoyed and made the most of your Friday. I sure have. For instance...

Gardening kicked-off our day. More corn and potatoes made it into the hugels at Allerton Abbey, along with a few random things like chickpeas, cabbage, and lettuce. Meanwhile, here are a couple of just-about-bronze-hued mushrooms I spotted near one of the saplings at Allerton Abbey.



In the afternoon, Wesley, SEPPer Catherine, and I prepared the outdoor dishwashing station and the sinks at the willow feeders with foot pumps and plumbing lines. Here they are under the dishwashing sinks, ensuring the foot pumps are secure.





Finally: group photo time...! Here are the current residents at Wheaton Labs (counter-clockwise from bottom left): Wesley, Paul (with kitty Frances), SEPPer Jeff, Samantha (with kitty [Trash] Panda), SEPPer Julia, Caleb, SEPPer Pam, SEPPer Catherine, the Rocky Mountain Hirsute Dipshit (AKA me, sans big orange hat).



Note to self: the crop Brassicas this year are: Kale @ Basecamp, Cabbage @ Allerton Abbey.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

Stephen B. Thomas wrote:BRK #251
Finally: group photo time...! Here are the current residents at Wheaton Labs (counter-clockwise from bottom left): Wesley, Paul (with kitty Frances), SEPPer Jeff, Samantha (with kitty [Trash] Panda), SEPPer Julia, Caleb, SEPPer Pam, SEPPer Catherine, the Rocky Mountain Hirsute Dipshit (AKA me, sans big orange hat).

I have to say it is very generous of Francine to allow that Paul guy to photo bomb her glamour shot like that. A show of pure class on her part...