Feeding time and bales

Meet James, aka Rocky's other milk supplier and about to be promoted to muscle man. James is lodging with me over the summer. He's working with the Gamekeeper and is proving an asset all round. He's very pleasant, willing to help, which is a first when it comes to lodgers so, I'm more than happy to have him around.

The old hay and straw bales were due to be burnt but were dropped off here instead. I made a major mistake when I sprayed all the Nettles and Comfrey in what will become the new veggie plot with Grazon. It did miracles for eliminating the weeds but, unlike Roundup, it remains in the soil for ages. Planting veggies in it would be pointless as they will all be stunted, if they grow at all. Farmers often use it in fields as it kills all broad leaved weeds but doesn't affect grasses. The problem is that the animals eat the treated pastures and the manure produced contains the Grazon toxins... put it on your garden and watch your favourite plants wilt before your eyes.

The remedy for me is expensive and James will have to lend me his muscles. The bales are going into form organic raised beds, filled with uncontaminated soil and mushroom compost and hopefully I will harvest fruits for my labour. It's a simple concept. The straw and hay bales will hold more water than conventional raised beds and slowly rot away in situ. In a couple of years I should be able to build them up again by adding new bales and the composted old ones will have added nutrients to the ground.

Will it work? Watch this space.