Some Assembly Required

300 Straw BalesWhile not much has gotten done on the building in the last couple weeks, that’s about to change.  Last week we collected 300 straw bales left in the field for us by a very cool farmer about 30 minutes from us.  We had the bales sized and tightened to our specs and he only charged us $2/bale well under the average $3.50/bale, mainly because we picked them up out of the field rather than him having to collect and stack them himself.  It took us about 6 trips with 2 trucks and a rented trailer to get them all.  The hauling and stacking was satisfying but it did leave some nice scratched up forearms.

We’re still a good ways from being able to stack the walls, but it’s reassuring to see them there and ready to go whenever we are.  We’ve got them stacked on top of pallets and covered with a couple big vinyl tarps and hopefully they’ll stay dry enough until we can get a real roof over them.

Daniel grabbing straw balesOur 1,000 misprinted polypropylene feed bags arrived in the mail last week as well.  That was the main hold-up on building the stem wall, so today I’m going to the hardware store to pick up a few more things and get the gravel ordered and we should be back in business again probably tomorrow morning sometime.  Unfortunately because of 2 weddings this weekend construction will grind to a halt for another 3-4 days, but after that we’re really kicking things into high gear.

Daniel announced he’s going to be leaving next Wednesday on his big canoeing trip down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans.  He’s been excited about it for awhile now and we’ll be sad to seem him go, but we’ll make sure to send him off right with a full belly.

Turnip, radish, and summer squash harvestSpeaking of full bellies our garden is really starting to produce.  Corn is starting to develop, turnips and beets are ripe for the picking and the squash and zucchinni are in full swing.  One problem I’ve just noticed since getting back from our 4th of July trip is that some of the squash and zucchinni are rotting on the blossom ends.  I’ve done some research and it appears to be a calcium deficiency which is easily solved by adding a little epsom salt mixed with water.  I hope that does the trick.

4 thoughts on “Some Assembly Required

  1. Sioux

    I love this picture of you and Liz sitting on the hay bales. Good luck with the building. I hope the weather will give you a break.

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