An Answered Prayer

Exhausted, I went to bed at 9:30 last night (about two hours early for me). The imminent delivery (maybe) of the sheep gave me some concern, but when I woke over eight hours later, none of the sheep had changed status. Maybe not even position. I was grateful.

As the soil is finally dry enough to work outside again, the sky was dark and foreboding; the forecast called for another couple of inches of rain. We prayed it would hold off long enough for us to get hay for the animals.

It started to sprinkle as the hay came, but soon tapered off. Since it wasn’t actually raining, he went to cut swales in the market garden area. These trenches, that run along the contours of the earth, help to catch the rainwater as it flows over the ground and spread it, slowly, so it sinks into the earth better.

It was striking to me: the first one that Phil cut, several weeks back (before the bolt sheared off), has been quite effective. Last time it rained, I could see the sheets on the surface of the soil until the water hit the swale. The ground below the swale had no visible water.

With the swales in the market garden cut, I could see roughly where my “artistic” garden beds will be: curvy, non-linear, and quite aesthetically pleasing. All the planning I did earlier, which beds require which crops when, has been shot. We have no measurements for these new beds, no plan on paper. We’re winging it, at least for the moment.

Now afternoon, the rain had still not started, so we went to first lay out swales in the cherry orchard, then cut them. Phil had started to cut the main swale a few weeks back, but two trees blocked his way. We dug up one beautiful cherry tree, but the peach had fuzzy buds and I didn’t have the heart to try to move it. So we have an almost continuous swale. I think it will be okay.

Phil cut one small swale in the apple orchard, hoping to redirect some of the water runoff from the driveway.

Then we figured maybe we would try to move one of the enormous peat bales into the market garden and spread it, plow it, and till it.

Without a fork lift, we tried dragging the bale with a strong sling around it. The sling simply cut into the plastic, tore it open, and poured the precious peat all over the ground where we don’t need it.

Clearly, we need a different plan. Another day.

I have been busy in the greenhouse. I counted today 100 basils now potted on; 500 tomato plants (out of about 680 seeded: not bad!); maybe 175 pepper plants. I loved potting on the basil. Even the half-inch plants released their pleasant aroma.

I also planted about half my watermelon seeds (100) and all my cucumber seeds. I realized as I planted the watermelon seeds that if I don’t stagger their planting, I might end up with a glut of watermelon. On the other hand, if I don’t start soon enough, maybe they won’t finish in time?

Again, there is much I need to learn.

And at the end of a profitable day of work, the forecast rain began as we were eating dinner. We hope the rainwater will stay in our swales; we hope we have prepared for the rain well enough.

I hope no lambs are born tonight, but that might be a vain hope. They do like the inclement weather.