Robbie's Permaculture Bootcamp experience

Day 58
A beautiful spring day mostly pleasant with a little bit of everything else here and there.
We started up at the lab planting various fruit pits followed by a sand mix of alfalfa. Talked a little bit about berm fencing while we limbed fallen trees on Fred's property, leaning them up to prevent rotting.
After lunch we focoused on the berm shed roof at basecamp. Super productive day.

Day 59
Good Friday working with heavy equipment. Spent some time with excavator Rex. Fred showed me the maintenance routine along with how to maneuver.
Then we drove over to his plot to start moving some earth for the berm fence. We selected which trees along the fence stay and thinned out the others for Rex to fit in.
Excited to be apart of the project and all the things that will grow on the berm in the future.

Day 60
Beautiful overcast Saturday. Spent the morning walking around the lab. Went up to where Fred and I dug out a trench for the snow run off and followed it through ant village. Hiking around up there is a great way to start your day. Fresh air and movement to get the blood flowing.
Paul, Jocelyn and I drove over to Missoula for a garage sale/flea market event at the University. Toured around town and knocked a couple light errands along the way.
I'm grateful to stumble across this program and all the support of the like minds here on permies.

Day 61
Relaxing Sunday. Walked around an ant plot today to make a decision. With all the water running through one there is a lot of opportunity to play with the earthworks that previous ants have dug. Helped Paul and Jocelyn a little with there project time on the hugels. Jocelyn showed me all the growies coming up in the garden. Nice of her to help guide me with plant identification at early stages.

Day 62
Great Monday up at the lab. We planted bell beans. Heard they're related to Favas, bred for their nitrogen fixing and cover crop capabilities. Good for attracting beneficial insects .
We soaked more than two of us could plant in a day but we had beautiful weather on our side. Perfect for being outside, when the sun was shining you were ready to be in your shirt but as soon as a cloud passed by you'd wish you didn't shed that spring layer.

Day 63
Taco Tuesday and a day earned for appetite.
Yesterday before we drove down to basecamp Fred was looking through some leaves he gathered from Missoula last fall and found some Horse Chestnuts sprouting. So I planted them and marked a few with leaf mulch and a stick barrier.
Planted the rest of the bush beans while Fred played with Rex. After another lovely lunch by the creek I hopped on Rex and started digging, while Fred was ahead felling and limbing trees selected for the best route. By the last hour it was time to grease the hinges again. After 10 hours of use it's recommended to grease everything for the excavator.

Day 64
Today was mostly spent at basecamp with a variety of activities. Loaded two buggies onto a trailer, one running the other not. first hauled the out of service vehicle with the tractor and chain then drove the other one up behind it.
Planted a mix of vetch while Fred threw a sand mix of alfalfa (winter and summer varieties) for an awesome polyculture on a west facing hugel.
After lunch we loaded up a few willow candy cans and hauled it up to the willow candy warehouse. We drove up to find out the structure failed to hold the snow pack over winter. I drove into town to fill up gas for judy and a few diesel cans while Fred talked to Paul about the situation. When I got back the three of us drove up there to point at some things that need fixin.
Paul ordered a jack hammer that arrived today so we tested that out. It seems to do it's job.

At least the poop wasn't compromised! No one wants THAT kind of clean up!

Nicole Alderman wrote:At least the poop wasn't compromised! No one wants THAT kind of clean up!

lol Fred was saying he would let that sit a couple of years before handling a mess like that. Those brute cans really held to their name.

Day 65
We focused on the willow candy warehouse. This problem solving situation taught me a lot about support and all the diffrent ways you can go about holding a structure together, and keep it together if you plan to make it movable. This structure is built on skids so technically it is moveable even though I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon.
We used winches for the three verticals on the rear side to make it plum. We followed with some temporary braces and tow straps for extra support while installing the permanent diagonals.
We also removed a hydraulic hose from Rex. Fred will take it in tomorrow to get it fixed.
I'll be heading out of town tomorrow for the holiday weekend to visit with family and should return Monday evening, so I won't be posting bootcamp stuff until I do.