Squat Gardening

There is an empty lot next door to our house that we have been pining over for the last 2 years. In this neighborhood there are a ton of empty lots that used to have homes on them since the early 1900s. The city has had to demolish a majority of these homes due to neglect and prostitutes starting fires. This isnt the best area of town if you hadnt gathered that yet. But what makes this area special are the homes, and ok, we are known for tranny prostitutes and drugs and shootings, but there has been a lot of growth in the last 10 years because people with money started to realize the homes were amazing and have historic designation. In any event, the atmosphere here bodes well for urban farming. As long as we dont sell drugs, harbor prostitutes, or kill people, nobody really cares what we do.

Anyways, the lot next to our house has sat empty since we have been here and we have been dying to squat garden on it. Well, as it turns out, one of the people I work with knows they guy who owns the lot "really well" and is going to ask him if we could start a garden. We'll see! I need to start sketching out the are to plan my raised beds. I'm so excited! This would really solve our problems because we have all these fruit trees with no where really great to put them, but over there we could keep them in pots and scatter dwarf fruit trees everywhere. We have a pomegranate bush, fig tree, mulberries, elderberries, strawberry guava, and some prickly pear. And we're on the lookout for an olive tree that grows in the area also. All this great stuff, and I would hate if they didnt live up to their potential because of a bad location. Its been a real chore to keep these trees alive with the goats getting out, the chickens grabbing nibbles, and the lack of rain lately. Goats will kill anything you want to grow, but will boycott anything you want them to eat.

So on today's agenda is

1. plant grape vines

2. dump and re-hay duck box

3. drag branches to street

4. contemplate new compost location

5. wash dishes (hopefully)

6. move duckweed baby pool

7. build another raised bed, or two, or three...

8. visit community garden to check and water seedlings

9. admire beehive

10. drink beer as reward for hard work