Writing this post is almost like deja vu all over again.
It seems like just yesterday when I wrote a story very much like this one just a few months ago. But here we are again.
The first time, we had just begun settling into our new rental place in Tennessee. It was a nice 14 acre property. I and the property had our issues, but it looked like we would come to some kind of if not agreement, then at least armistice and I could get busy.
Alas, it was not to be. Suddenly we were moving back to our “old” home in Maryland. “Old” meaning it was the home we left to move to Tennessee. “Old” because the house was 95 years old, built in 1930.
Starting a farm from nothing was a challenge on 14 acres. Now, we’re down to 3. Worse yet, those are not three open, pasture or garden-ready acres. Our chickens lost their freedom of free ranging around the property and are now confined to their runs.
We live on Hilltop Road. Named for the mountain of solid granite that the house sits on. But, wait, there’s more…
Not only is the place chock full of rocks, but its nearly entirely wooded.
This is the land that I am going to transform into a small market garden.
Now, probably like you, I watch the YouTube videos where the hosts expunge their intimate knowledge of how easy it is to create and maintain a garden where you can feed a family of 65 people on 10 square feet of open land (I’m exaggerating, but that’s the gist).
Here’s the problem, however. Those creators on YouTube, TikTok, etc, seem to always have whatever resources they need at their fingertips.
For example, yes I know that a garden needs ground cover. This can be either mulch, leaves, or similar material. I know that a good gardener should put down a weed barrier, even just cardboard. Yup, got it.
Then, after the weed barrier is down, it’s time for topsoil. The YouTube gardeners recommend about 6 inches of topsoil on top of the weed barrier. Got it.
There’s only one problem. The last time I checked, topsoil sells for about $350.00 a dump truck load. Even a small garden will easily consume 10 to 20 truck loads. If my math is correct, that means between $3500.00 to $7000.00 in topsoil alone.
I guess my problem is that I don’t have that kind of money to spend on dirt.
I will have to clear some of the land to start growing anything. It is now mid-November and other than getting the chickens and our honeybees settled, I haven’t done much of anything.
This is going to be a thing, to say the least. Truth be told, I really don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve read, studied, taken an online course or two and of course watched some videos, but I haven’t actually done it yet. I’m making this up as I go.
My plan right now is to first cut up the dead trees and limbs that litter the property. Then, do some research and plant seeds and bulbs that need to be started in the fall to grow next Spring.
By then, winter will be setting in and more that likely I’ll be essentially done until the weather improves.
In the meantime, I’ll be caring for the chickens and making sure my honeybees survive, and saving up for dirt.
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