07/04/2024
500 Trees, m/l. We hand planted and mulched around 500 trees this spring. We mulched with fresh cut hay. It took forever, it was too wet, then it was too dry and of course it took time to cut the hay, rake it, collect it and then spread it... As much as possible we cut the hay from the very spots where the trees were getting planted. Some spots the grass was too thin though and hay had to be cut elsewhere and hauled in.
We're behind on everything else because of it. We watered all the trees once, then after a week it started raining again and hasn't stopped. Hopefully the rains keep the trees watered the rest of the season and do so without doing more damage to other things.
The trees should provide many benefits in the future. Wind protection for starters, shelter and food for wildlife ( and food for people ). There are native plums and Gold Currants in the planning and several other fruits that wildlife will like. Of course the trees should help catch rain and blowing silt and someday some of them will provide lumber and fuel.
Side note: Natural Disasters: We lost a building in 2003 right before we moved in. I salvaged most of it out for other building projects but embarrassingly part of it is still laying there waiting on me... We lost portable shelters left and right over the years but no more permanent buildings until 2017. That year, we lost 2 in one storm, a bin and a corn crib. It's been one blow after another from natural disasters since. The one culvert has needed frequent attention since. We lose more and more of our lane in each flood. 2019 we lost the dam, rebuilt that. Also a hail storm in 19' took out the windshield on a pickup and every window on the north side of the house. In 21' we got the greenhouse up, the December Derecho promptly smashed it up! The electrical service in the shop has been coming and going since the spring of 22'...
After the flooding in 19' there was supposed to be all sorts of funding landowners and business owners could tap into to rebuild. most of it didn't materialize and much of it got cut short as we moved into the covid disaster in 20'. So, tighten the old belt, don't go anywhere, don't buy anything if it isn't 110% essential... Most of you know the routine!
The funny part, every now and then someone will wander out to the farm and act like we haven't been doing anything!
