Two years ago, K. started his Edible Forest Gardens project. Oh my God, the poor man worked like crazy after work hours and before! He got up early to whack at undergrowth, rushed out the minute the markets closed and lingered till after dusk digging up rocks the size of small boulders (this is New England after all, home of the stone wall, where do you think all that stone came from?). I had very little to contribute beyond moral support and hot, cooked meals.
What's been the result after two years of unrelenting toil on his part, clearing bushes, digging beds, planting fruit trees and berry bushes, strawberry ground cover, winter gold and winter green? All without any help, mind. Well, for one thing, we have the usual summer problem of all gardeners: zucchinis coming out of our ears. It's almost to the point where I can't stand to look at them in their smug, self-satisfied green plumpness, presenting themselves to be grated into dal, made into soup, sauteed with olive oil, baked with pasta. Aarrrgh!
Second, it goes without saying that creating an edible garden means that there is going to be some serious pilferage. We have lost the tops of our Jerusalem Artichokes to deer. The plants have grown strong and tall but not one has sprouted a flowerbud. The dwarf sunflower -all one of it - was stunning, but has been pecked pretty well by birds, making a big dent in the sunflower seeds bounty K. was hoping to collect. Rabbits have munched on tomato plants, birds have feasted on blueberries and raspberries and are now working on pecking at the tomatoes.
Elmer Fudd, I get you man! Totally, totally.
And just like Fudd, I am also helpless against the onslaught of unwanted visitors to our edible forest gardens.
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2 comments:
Smiled when reading about the zucchinis :-) Because my grand ma was plagued with it every Summer, she would give us some, bake them cook them, grate them, turn them into mousses, cakes, creams, garnish and there was still more sprouting in the garden, and generally by the end of the Summer we could no longer see them or smell them, but the sad fact remained that the freezer was loaded with them as well.
Hey, Cynthia, it's good to hear from you. Have been following your adventures via your blog. Am definitely going to try to make your grandma's apple chutney. Sounds delicious!
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