Our tilled up strip in the pan handle continues to bloom. The deer are also browsing, but our diversity of options makes it hard for them to overtake any one species. There are also many deer resistant plants like yarrow and Gaillardia pulchella planted to improve our odds at establishing pollination. By the end of August, wildflowers seeded in late spring are showing their full glory in a first bloom. The color is subtle, but new flower friends are popping up all around, adding brilliant vibrancy to the narrow pasture space.
This Fall, we’re going to add more mulch, and put in a few selective fenced spaces to protect tree roots from vehicle compaction. This panhandle is also used by two neighbors as access to their properties in an ingress egress throughway, but the land is EEC Forest Stewardship, and the land on either side of the 14 foot access is mine to plant and cultivate. I’ve been in a bit of a struggle with said neighbors about changing up the space and taking away the lawn, but it’s my legal right to till the soil and plant my crops, so long as this action does not impede the road. Rather than hindering the drive- I’ve enhanced the view, and the restoration of the soil. What a win win for everyone!
My most aggressive neighbor still feels he needs to occasionally ground up my flowers with the blade of his tractor when he’s in a bad mood (pictured above). Since it’s a minor, passive aggressive action from a sad person with no healthy outlet for his rage, I can’t do much about fixing it directly. Some nice split rail fencing will help direct firm boundaries. I’ve been learning a lot about not so graceful aging, how to keep to the high road, and what change can bring. The flowers and healthier soil will continue, and a new generation with better land connection and restoration will outlive the old machine domination of an outraged, vulnerable patriarchy in its twilight years. Gratitude for land, legal boundaries, compassion, good work, and pollination stations.
EEC Forest Stewardship 