Progress report August 30:

Oh my goodness, today was SO busyyy!!!! What a badass Thursday on our little aspiring homestead in Texas.

Today started with a trip somewhere. I don't know where. It was annoying errands. Melissa thought I was grumpy, but I was just anxious to start work. So much to do and so little time. When we got home, a package had arrived with our soaker hoses and clothesline!

Step 1: clothesline! Melissa had laundry to do, and we are ready to not pay for the electricity to dry it. This investment oughtta pay off fast.

I wonder if it's not long enough. Good thing there's about a hundred feet of extra line...

Step 2: mow! No pictures of the mowing, but it happened bigly. I needed the clippings for step 4. I was pleasantly interrupted when our neighbor to the south appeared from her home. I've been anxious to meet her, and today I did! We talked briefly until her afternoon company arrived. She said she enjoyed the sound of the chickens every morning, which was a great relief.

Step 3: weld! My favorite customers needed a couple more crucibles because they're pouring this weekend. I like when they're busy. It keeps me busy too :)

Step 4: hugelkultur! ...kinda. We didn't finish it, but we're about finished. While Sam was away at school, I marked and turned the spot we wanted to use. I also gathered wood and lawn clippings.

Wood piles, marked and turned area, and a kiddie pool full of grass clippings.

It's in the south project, where the soil dries out the fastest. Hugelkultur will help with that area because the wood inside the bed absorbs water and makes it available to the plants slowly.

Small for hugelkultur, our 4x20 foot bed was a monster to dig. But farmer Sam and I knocked it out in about an hour. After picking him up from school, we stopped at our local garden store (less than a mile away) and got him his own new shovel.

That's a big dirt pile... We quickly ditched our shirts. It was almost 100° this afternoon. Sweaty boys.

Next to add wood. And grass. We had logs and branches and sticks from drop wood and old firewood. The majority of it was gathered from drop wood or dead branches that were cut this year since April. At that rate, we oughtta be able to add a hugel per year!

The grass was peed on a bit throughout the day to add some nitrogen. Don't tell anyone. Most every bit of territory here has been marked.

Right after that awesome picture of Farmer Sam working hard, the dinner bell rang. Thank God, cause I was plum wore out. Melissa made stew and cornbread, and there couldn't have been a better meal to end today's work.

She took Sophie to meet the teacher at her pre k program while the boys and I wound down. After they're in bed, I'm going outside. To sit. Because today's work is done.

Tomorrow, we bury the hugel. I should water it tonight while I sit.

Y'all have a good evening.

Stay relevant

Nate