2024 the year of the great battle to get one tomato! Never in the years of gardening have we been invaded in such numbers or vehemence. We have grown a crop of robust, vigorous, critters who will take the hit on the electric fence and keep raiding. I think they come from old Viking stock and wear helmets.
First the chipmunks arrived. Agricultural fabric was draped over everything and thought my worries were over. Can you hear the chipmunks laughing? Holes chewed everywhere! I clipped the holes shut with clothespins and they just chewed another hole. At the moment the insect cloth has more clothespins than an Amish clothesline on Monday morning.
Bring on the neighborhood cats.......... Rufus, will work for belly rubs.
The deer wiped out row after row of carrots, so at night the covers went on. It worked on the carrots but just bumped them over to the hoop covers; poking their heads through the covers to chomp down broccoli and tender kale shoots.
Installed heavier rocks and clamps to hold the netting down and so far so good.
Ran over to the neighbors to celebrate the 4th of July with a potluck dinner. I was gone a maximum, two hours. Walked across the backyard and found this......
Brussel Sprouts and Eggplant gone......... break out the traps for the band of evil groundhogs.
Yes, I hate them! And one pooped in the freedom bus on his way to paradise; I will never get that smell out of the van but it does entertain the dog when we go for car rides. He can't figure out where the groundhog is hiding in the van and why are the windows are open all the time.
Planted two rows of carrots and found these..... asian jumping worms, invasive AF.
Put them in a plastic container and tossed in the freezer. Dead!
Sifted through the dirt and compost looking for every single one I could find and planted two rows of carrots.
The skunks came in two nights in a row and excavated for even more worms! Carrot crop decimated in the process. Tossed my trowel in the air and walked in the house.
My winning streak and apathy lasted 48 hours. As bad as things get there are always tomatoes and peppers. It's been like that forever around here. I could live with the slugs, snails, birds, groundhogs, deer, skunks, japanese beetles, squash vine borers and on and on because you were at least going to get tomatoes!
Not this year!
Thought it was skunks, nope fat bastard raccoons who apparently sent postcards out to their nearest, dearest and distant cousins. Count the eyeballs! I've trapped 6 raccoons and there is no end in sight so I'm trying to live with them because I will never trap them all!
I installed the electric fence again and every night I would soak down the area with water from the rain barrels; when their grimy little paws hit the fence they'd get a double charged zap! They took the hit to get to the tomatoes. They must be wearing rubber underpants! They're every where..... even the chicken coop!
Hello.....
The birds cleaned out the blueberries and blackberries. And again the deer! They ate the blackberry shoots down to the ground.
On a good note the japanese beetles weren't too bad this year.
I am one click away from ordering a pair of coyotes off Amazon or building a Lego Rocket launcher.
The heat and humidity have been off the charts. I always order compost in the Spring. This year I opted for 8 yards instead of the customary 18 yards. Hoping to use wood chips in the way back garden.
and three loads of wood chips, 8 yards each.
Yes, my little wheelbarrow and I have moved 32 cubic yards of stuff.
Started a hoop house but waiting for cooler weather to finish.
Built new tomato trellis systems to keep tomatoes off the ground. Soon to be wrapped in electrified barbed wire and moat.
Trenched in heavy duty screening to keep the groundhogs from burrowing under the shed.
Lost two of my three chickens to bird flu ......
sometimes just no words to say how hard sustainability on a half acre can be.
It's hard because everything counts and everything has a job to do. They were buried under in way way back very deep and covered with 6" of wood chips.
Fern is the only chicken left and I am reluctant to pick up more birds until next year. The cats come to visit a couple times a day and she appears to be doing well as now she gets all the treats. She loves frozen corn on these hot 90 degree plus days. And she is still gifting an eggs a couple times a week.
The girls are free ranging over the rainbow bridge and eating all the treats..... no fences anymore!
Godspeed girls see you on the other side.
And through all this the garden still gave so much.
and for that I am grateful ....... and yes I will keep pedaling.
