Fruit of the Land

Today, the high is forecasted to be 100. We were due for a trip to the land, intending to harvest potatoes for the baptism this weekend, as well as to see if our labor had borne any fruit at all.

Behold, the fruit of the land! From six plants, we harvested 10-12 pounds of potatoes, both Yukon Gold and Purple Viking. The plants-sans-compost are going to have a very poor harvest, but it was a useful lesson for us to learn this year.

I must admit, digging up potatoes is very fun. I enjoy filling the bucket with produce that I have been a part of growing. Of course, it will be a few more weeks before we harvest everything, but I think we will do better than 40 pounds of potatoes grown from 40 pounds planted.

Until next time, remember: this is not paradise. It's Purgatory Ranch.

June 2

I arrived second to the land in the evening, around 7:15. Dan had arrived just moments before, but that's fine as he had the important equipment: a trailer to mow our overgrown paths. A nearby neighbor kindly loaned it (he even brought it and mowed part of the trails). Part of me thinks it would be great fun to have a tractor to drive around, but then the other part of me is reminded of the costs involved and how I want to do more with less... is a tractor in the plans? James arrived a little later with his dad and family, who had never before seen the land. I think it's overgrown state was a little more than they expected.

Then again, Dan almost hitting the van with the trailer was a little more than I was expecting.

We can one again drive to Six Penny Pond and search for the skunk. The saplings have paths around them so the grass competes just a little less.

I managed to weed one more row of potatoes, trying to lay down my weeds as neatly as my dad had on Monday, when he completed a row. The obvious distinction between use of compost and not will continue to be a lesson for me on soil quality. I tend to grow things a bit willy-nilly, attending to weeding and care of the plant more than care of the soil. Not anymore.

Until next time, remember: this is not paradise. It's Purgatory Ranch.