Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> I haven't heard anything on the job, which I am taking as a bad sign
> that they don't want to pay me what I want, so while I can, I am still
> playing in the dirt.

FWIW, they have not contacted me for a reference.

> Spinach, radishes, etc. are coming up
> and starting to grow in the outside beds.

Spring is springing!

> I don't know if I mentioned this or not,
> but the other day, when I untarped bed 5 to check it, I dug around a
> bit, and found an earthworm 4 inches from the top of the mulch,  
> which is
> basically almost 3 feet above ground level.  I was psyched!!!

Good news indeed. An indication that the ground is warming and there  
are worm groceries in there.

> That bed
> only has rocks, sticks, waste hay, the remains of last summers pepper
> plants,and straw in it, and apparently the lower layers are  
> decomposing
> fine. I love it when my crazy ideas actually work.

Nothing crazy at all about piling up organic materials and letting  
the soil community do the heavy lifting of turning it all into plant  
food.

> I'm a bit frustrated with the curcurbit
> germination. . . . I might have to buy some transplants.

Perhaps someone in your community has had better cucurbit germination  
and can trade you some for something you have. If not, that might be  
a plan to implement for the future. Tough to be an island.