Once the havoc of filth was removed, a fence went up, now fortified with thick Eugenia and a tall redwood gate. A truck load alone of earth needed removed from where used oil from cars was poured. Once we got down to where no oil was seen or smelled, I dug another three feet down to insure no residue of oil could be present, all toll over seven feet of dirt had to be replaced. Fortunately in only one spot. Apparently the trailer trash had some values.
The earth was hard packed, so much that only a sturdy pick-ax could break ground. Gypsum went in, to break up the clay soil and then turned by hand with a shovel. That followed with a rotor-tiller and finally bag upon bag of organic compost. And over the years more compost, only now, with the help of the chickens, we make our own compost that almost satisfies the cravings of a healthy organic garden both flower and vegetable.
But it is the vegetable garden I love most. Especially in late Spring, it being the most beautiful time of year, I think. And now, from those humble beginnings, with a first year bumper crop of sun flowers, tomatoes and squash, we have four types of guava, four types of seedless grapes, lemons and dragon pepper tree that gives a cayenne pepper almost all year, and a year around garden of vegetables.
Right now we are harvesting radish, turnips, three kinds of lettuce and sugar-snap peas. Soon on the menu will be carrots but they need a tad more time until they're ready. And the turnip greens are wonderful, but the turnip's root need to get a bit bigger for a good meal.
Well, more later on how we compost using only ingredients found right in our backyard and the compost maker worth every penny we paid.
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