A few months ago, I asked Rachel to make a list of all the things we have done at thecookhousegarden in the last year beginning May 6. We both cast a glance at it this evening. It’s an exhaustive list – and an especially exhausting one considering the context of the last year.
Here’s what the list of what we did around this place from May 7, 2012 through May 7, 2013:
- Removed a half dozen old trees along the property line, thanks to Suburban Tree located right around the corner from us in Citrus Heights.
- Sorted and stacked all the wood from those felled trees.
- Trenched the backyard for a gray water system, dug out a pond, post holed two dozen holes, and graded the middle yard.
- Deepened and widened the gray water trenches and trench for sump electrical.
- Uncle Bruce wired the sump electrical.
- Put in gray water leach lines and valves with the incredible help of friends and neighbors.
- Built berms around the entire raised garden beds with the help of SUP college students.
- Battled Bermuda grass and installed two new beds with the aid of a second group of SUP students.
- Replaced three rotten garden beds.
- Leveled all garden beds and graded paths for proper drainage.
- Lined garden pathways with newspaper and spread 6 inch layer off wood chips on pathways.
- Constructed garden fence and gateway with help from our neighbors at The Big Brown Farm.
- Dug spillway into pond.
- Dug “V” Ditch leading from berm to pond.
- Rototilled and pulled out remaining Bermuda grass for 8th garden bed.
- Built patio fence and gate.
- Constructed dog ear fence with my brother Mike.
- Built bridge to cross “V” Ditch and enter garden.
- Hooked up gray water system with brother Mike.
- Constructed 10′X12′ chicken coop with the help of Citrus Heights’ A Little Bit of Everything (ALBOE).
- Double dug two 5′X25′ garden beds in the front yard.
- Wrote over 100 blog posts on our exploits.
- Installed new windows on the front of the house by Greg Taylor – teacher, contractor, climber, youth pastor, friend.
- Installed an 8 foot wide window (also by the aforementioned Greg Taylor) so we could look out on all we have done to this place… and reflect on what is to come.
Between the bullets includes Judd in the hospital, potty training, pre-school, Acie walking….What a year it’s been….
Makes me glad we spent the one year anniversary of all that in Yosemite National Park… resting.
