As part of the plan to improve the situation with the septic tank (sewer system) we got a digger in to lay a pipe, clear some weeds and level the ground.
I have been developing a process that directs the energy (and manure) of the chicken into a specific piece of soil. Rather than unleash the chickens in the garden I decided to take the garden (at least bits of it) to them.
I first heard about the Stirrup hoe from Nelson Lebo during his interview on Two Beers with Steve. As it sounded like a must have tool I set about finding one.
It turns out this hoe is known by many different names, including:
The blackberries are everywhere, their thorny runners creeping through the grass and climbing into trees. With so many wild ones about, we don't need to grow any on the property. Id rather use the space for something more valuable.
Wild blackberries are a bit of a curse round here, growing rampantly wherever they can. However at this time of year they redeem themselves somewhat by offering up sweet berries. In addition to the thorny wild plants, we have a thornless variety in the garden that produces larger, more accessible berries.