Mistaken Premise

I keep thinking I am going to have more time to blog. I am not really sure how it is that I managed to write (at times) most every day at Idle Ramblings. But with the demands of family life, parish life, and getting ready for the growing season, time in front of the computer is relegated to work on the very quick interactions allowed by Facebook. I can catch up with folks there quickly, and have even found myself sending links there rather than here. Who is to say that this won’t just eventually die and be replaced entirely by FB until some newer and better format comes along?

Anyway, until that time I guess I could update you on what has been happening.

1. I ordered organic seed potatoes and received more than I can possibly plant. I have enough to plant about 75 linear feet, and b/c of the room they take up, I can’t really put them in my raised beds without wasting a huge amount of space. Any suggestions? Should I just go ahead and till up part of the yard. or is there a better way?
2. I am in the process of building four raised beds (8′x4′x16″). One is complete and the lumber is cut for the other 3. Due to time constraints and iffy weather, they haven’t been completed, though I hope to get them constructed by Friday so I can start prepping the soil. I’ll get some pics up when I can.
3. We keep getting quotes to put up a fence around our back yard, and they keep coming in at over $3000. I think I am just going to do it myself. My concern is if we don’t fence in, someone is gong to complain about the mini-farm in the backyard. I am actually surprised that – between the water barrel, the cord of firewood, the 20 containers, and now the raised beds – that no one has complained yet.  Plus, people let dogs and children run free here, and there is at least one pesky dog that gets into everything, harasses my dog, has knocked over the compost, and eats my garbage. Sometimes I hate living in a subdivision.
4. Derek has my interest all up in the possibility of aquaculture. Apparently there are folks raising tilapia and such in their yards. I really want to introduce livestock of some sort, and this may be the answer. I can’t do bees (deathly allergic), chickens are a no no in this ‘hood, and i am guessing they would frown on goats. Any other ideas?
5. Oh yeah, I am stoked that our all organic, grass fed, no-antiobiotic laden beef is at the butcher’s place and will be ready to pick up next week. We bought half a cow for about $2.49/lb, supported local agriculture, and got some clean beef that is melt in your mouth good! Now if I can just find some hogs…

until next time…

Quick Update and Future Post Previews

Been a busy couple of weeks here in the burbs…

• work is a handful right now, and Lent is right around the corner.
• We discovered an awesome and simple artisan bread recipe in Mother Earth News. It has endless variations and is very, very tasty! We are making pizza dough out of it tonight. Give it a try.
• The last frost is just around the corner, so garden planning is in full swing. My seed potatoes will be here any day now, and we need to get seedlings started for everything else. And of course, those beds still aren’t built.
• I have all the stuff I need to rework my container soil from last year, and really need that done this weekend.
• I have decided to build a fence around the back yard, but have to file paperwork with our HOA for approval. I figure why pay someone else to do this when I can do it myself.
• I have been thinking a lot lately about the so-called Benedict option. Rod Dreher writes about it in his book Crunchy Conservatives, and several blogs have spoken of variations on the theme. It has me thinking about what intentional community building might look like. What if like minded folks covenanted to all move to a neighborhood together, buying several houses on a block or  large plot of land, and turning into an intentional community? Not sure…but it has my interest…