Two Book Reviews

This is a book that took me a while to finish, but was worth the effort.  It is broken down into 52 chapters, one for each week of the year, and details what is happening on Henry's Farm.  Henry happens to be the authors brother and the farm is the family farm in Illinois.  My short review should not be viewed as bad thoughts about the book.  It gave details from that farm's perspective and is helpful as it gives a circular view of what goes on on a farm for one year.

I finished this book a few months ago and just realized I hadn't written about it.  I enjoyed the book, and if reminded me of a Malcolm Gladwell type of book as the author challenges us to reconsider our manner of thinking and acting.  Before reading the book you need to search online and watch one of the many Invisible Gorilla videos.  This book should make you rethink how you view the world.

Idea and Questions

Above is Hoop House 5 at Polyface Farms in Virginia.  Here is an explanation of how they use this hoop house.  We don't winter hogs in deep bedding as they do, nor do we really need a greenhouse/hoop house for our vegetables, but it gave me an idea.

Years ago we poured a concrete slab at the back of the property.  That part of the yard never grew much grass and after moving the sandbox around a few times the soil wasn't great. At that time we were more interested in raising children than food, so concrete seems a great place for them to play and a soft sided pool to rest in the summer. It worked out great.  We played through and wore out a few pools in the 10+ years we've had the pad.

Now though, it has become our orchard of wine barrel fruit trees.

 Now the question is how much trouble would it be to cut the concrete leaving about three 15' long planter beds?  This would put the trees in the ground, better for them; and clean up some of the clutter.  It would also let us use the barrels elsewhere.  The cost shouldn't be too great, but I'm curious about the time.

Has anyone done something like this?

Epiphany?, Part 2

Last night we received a visit from the investigating police officer in our recent break-in. He was checking to see if we had found anything else missing, which we have not.  That's the good news. He also said that there wasn't enough evidence to hold the suspect and prosecute.  I figured as much that morning, but held out hope. Not because I wanted the person to pay, but in the hopes that maybe getting caught would change their ways.  That's my Pollyanna/Bambi meadow moment.  I'm pretty sure they didn't have a mother march them down to the store to return stolen batteries as my mother did. Some lessons need to be learned while we are young.

My bigger thoughts now turn to shoring up the back alley entrance and preparing for another visit from that thief or others. I'm not sure they will return, but I know that we have a weak point and it must be fixed.  It's also made us rethink our backyard layout.  With the tree planting underway, we need to find more places to grow vegetables as well as places for fruit trees. But this incident gives me reason to finish the fence and make our home not safe, but at least safer.