Year of Venus: FoV Musings
Sep. 9th, 2010 09:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sabrinamariThis morning I realized that this year's growth has been an arc I can follow. If I look behind me, I can see its shape.
***
When you are planting a new garden, you must first walk over your land and choose a good spot. It needs enough light, a close source of water and should be situated in an open place that can still be defended from predators if necessary.
Once you've choose the right place, you need to excavate it. You'll want to pull up hardened concrete, decaying trash, and anything sharp or dangerous that could slice tender, unsuspecting hands: glass shards, rusty old tools and sharp, broken bits of old household garbage. You can do this a little bit at a time. You might want to wear protective clothing and cover your hands.
You'll also need to decide on the shape of the garden: will it be a rectangle, conventional and easy to fence? Or will it be more fluid, with soft round edges that require more work but invite in beautiful, unconventional possibilities?
Then you can begin mixing the dirt. You'll need lots of good quality earth---the kind that smells good and begs you to bury your nose in it. It should be dark and complex, delicious and friable to the touch. Now you'll want to add in plenty of manure, the transformed stored energy of old, nasty shit. Manure is absolutely necessary to the fertility of the earth you are preparing. Finally, add organic fertilizers: green sand, worm castings and all-purpose mixes are good.
Mix well: I like to plunge my arms into a wheelbarrow full of earth, manure and fertilizer, using my whole body to create the mix. You'll have to do a lot of work at this stage. You will sweat and get dirty, and you'll get tired. Making enough for a garden of any size is hard work! Set aside plenty of time to do this, because even if you're in great shape you can only expend a limited amount of effort at any one time before you need to stop, retreat and rest for the next round.
Eventually, you'll need a good strong shovel that will not break, so you can start tossing the mix back into the hole, creating a firm foundation for what's to come. Again, this is hard. Your dominant arm and shoulder will tire quickly, so you'll need to switch back and forth between hands. Your lower back and legs will hurt and become sore. You'll be coated in dirt and manure and sweat; you'll need to work in shifts. You might need some help at this stage.
When you're done filling the garden, you may not want to plant right away. Seedlings need the spring in order to flourish. I like to cover the earth and wait until the threat of frost has passed and I can safely plant.
***
At the first, tiny Keeper's Retreat, I found a good spot and uncovered a lot of concrete, broken glass and nasty household garbage that needed pulling out.
The soul retrieval I did at Beltane with Caroline Kenner was extremely important to this process, as was the second Keeper's Retreat.
At the last Keeper's Retreat, I realized that I had pulled out enough garbage and I began to mix the earth.
I'll be doing this for awhile and I may need some help. But I think I understand the process a little bit, and I can see that I will be mixing for some time. Still, it's good to see what is happening and to know that Spring will come.
***
When you are planting a new garden, you must first walk over your land and choose a good spot. It needs enough light, a close source of water and should be situated in an open place that can still be defended from predators if necessary.
Once you've choose the right place, you need to excavate it. You'll want to pull up hardened concrete, decaying trash, and anything sharp or dangerous that could slice tender, unsuspecting hands: glass shards, rusty old tools and sharp, broken bits of old household garbage. You can do this a little bit at a time. You might want to wear protective clothing and cover your hands.
You'll also need to decide on the shape of the garden: will it be a rectangle, conventional and easy to fence? Or will it be more fluid, with soft round edges that require more work but invite in beautiful, unconventional possibilities?
Then you can begin mixing the dirt. You'll need lots of good quality earth---the kind that smells good and begs you to bury your nose in it. It should be dark and complex, delicious and friable to the touch. Now you'll want to add in plenty of manure, the transformed stored energy of old, nasty shit. Manure is absolutely necessary to the fertility of the earth you are preparing. Finally, add organic fertilizers: green sand, worm castings and all-purpose mixes are good.
Mix well: I like to plunge my arms into a wheelbarrow full of earth, manure and fertilizer, using my whole body to create the mix. You'll have to do a lot of work at this stage. You will sweat and get dirty, and you'll get tired. Making enough for a garden of any size is hard work! Set aside plenty of time to do this, because even if you're in great shape you can only expend a limited amount of effort at any one time before you need to stop, retreat and rest for the next round.
Eventually, you'll need a good strong shovel that will not break, so you can start tossing the mix back into the hole, creating a firm foundation for what's to come. Again, this is hard. Your dominant arm and shoulder will tire quickly, so you'll need to switch back and forth between hands. Your lower back and legs will hurt and become sore. You'll be coated in dirt and manure and sweat; you'll need to work in shifts. You might need some help at this stage.
When you're done filling the garden, you may not want to plant right away. Seedlings need the spring in order to flourish. I like to cover the earth and wait until the threat of frost has passed and I can safely plant.
***
At the first, tiny Keeper's Retreat, I found a good spot and uncovered a lot of concrete, broken glass and nasty household garbage that needed pulling out.
The soul retrieval I did at Beltane with Caroline Kenner was extremely important to this process, as was the second Keeper's Retreat.
At the last Keeper's Retreat, I realized that I had pulled out enough garbage and I began to mix the earth.
I'll be doing this for awhile and I may need some help. But I think I understand the process a little bit, and I can see that I will be mixing for some time. Still, it's good to see what is happening and to know that Spring will come.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-09-09 01:45 pm (UTC):D
no subject
Date: 2010-09-09 08:32 pm (UTC)I am so proud of you.
This is the perfect time for reflecting and acknowledging the work you have been doing. In winter you should get a natural break and then feel an upswing again in Spring.
I'm here if you need me.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-12 03:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-15 03:51 pm (UTC)