Under The Yarrow

According to Shaun, I am an impatient gardener. Shocking, right? That might be true, but in my defense, I'm impatient with lots of things.... water boiling, paint drying, solicitors at my door, children fighting, music turned down so low that you can't hear it, but really still can, music turned up so loud that you can't hear your own yells to turn it down, family disputes over property, people who don't believe in climate change, constant disruptions, mansplaining.... there are so many things that I am not patient with. But gardening... It feels like half of my life, I'm waiting for the weather to change and the sun to come out, the dirt to thaw and the flowers to bloom.  Anybody else with me? You might see me in my yard, early in March, staring with longing at the early buds on the half-dormant trees (most likely I'm thinking about how to prune it), or scraping the snow off the ground, hoping to see a tulip popping out.

The irony is not lost on me that I came up with the plan to plant an orchard, perhaps the longest, most faith driven gardening project possible...It takes years for a fruit tree to develop fruit, and decades for the tree to produce with abundance. Another irony about the orchard is that I've never really liked to eat fruit. What can I say... I just like to grow things.

So last night, I was chatting about my excitement to see what this year will bring us in Badger Hill Orchard, and I stated "well, it takes perrenials three years before they really thrive, so this year we should really be able to enjoy them" and then Shaun reminded me that we actually planted most of our perrenials last year, and that the trees have only been in the ground for two seasons. ......Arrgghh!!!! 

okay, Shaun, yes, it might be too early to start seeing real changes in Badger Hill Orchard. And I think I will survive, even if we get another freezing storm in May during fruit bloom (like we did the last two years). And i can wait a little bit longer for the flowers to grow big and the fruit to form. But what I don't think I can survive is another grasshopper plague.   
​
I haven't used Neem Oil yet, but it looks promising. And I'm planning on using it in the soil before the critters hatch. But more excitingly, we will get chickens this spring. Right now, the plan is to put the chicken coop on the outside of the orchard, and build chicken runs on the East and West sides of the outside perimeter. As the season progresses, we'll let the chickens inside the orchard accordingly. we might even build ourselves a chicken tractor. Can anyone advise me on what variety of chickens to get? We're not wanting fryers, just laying hens. But I have absolutely NO experience with farm animals (and I'm a little nervous).

I know that the permaculture design will work over time, and that animals are part of the system. The problem is the solution is a statement that many permies use and I'm really wondering how grasshoppers are going to be a solution. But I do know that the grasshopper problem is just one of many obstacles that will arise and it will take time for the whole system to work as a mature ecosystem. I will need to be patient.

In the meantime, there's lots to do. Another permie practise is to find what grows like weeds in your area and use that as your base, at least when starting. Fortunately we have many plants that grow like weeds here. I'm super excited to focus on those plants next spring. For us, we will be using yarrow, mint, horseradish, egyptian onions, chives, jeruselem artichokes, clover and herbs. and for all that, screw patience, let's go!!!