I've got off to a reasonably good start with the land this year, which is just as well, as I've got a lot to do.....
In order of priority I'm working on:
General tidying of the Woodland....
This means working up and down the hill and pulling out any dead standing plants, selectively clearing out any puny looking understory plants, and just generally tidying up any nice areas of woodland that might be nice for sitting in.
It also means dragging out the mountains of brash I've still got stacked up and burning it. Some of it has rotted back down quite nicely, but I've just got too much of it and it looks awful, burning is the main solution.
Pruning trees
I'm going to get someone in to help me do this as I've no idea what I'm doing.
This mainly involves the olive trees, but also some older fruit trees and maybe some of the younger ones I planted last month.
There are quite a few younger oaks that need pruning too, I think i can manage this with some secs on my own!
Feeding and mulching trees
Once I've tidied up the woodland it should be time to go round and feed mulch my trees - the olive trees with some decent manure and some of of the younger oak trees I'll probably just put a straw mulch round.
This doesn't need doing until March I don't think.
Building some Decking for the kitchen...
I'd quite like to this early on - the kitchen area is still perfectly useable, it's a solid structure, but the floor is shite - some simple raised decking on blocks is the way to go, maybe even just pallets would work.
Something quick and simple anyway. This should only be a couple of days including sourcing the materials.
Tidy the mid terrace/ fruit tree area
Not a difficult job, but I need to do this before.....
Irrigation set up for the fruit trees....
This requires.... two IBCs, and either a small structure with a roof to catch rain water OR I'm going to have to pay for a small pump for the well.
Then there's the matter of all the piping and connectors.
Sounds like a lot of hassle, but it's the easiest way of getting my fruit trees to live!
Strimming the olive area and cutting back and burning all the bramble.
Sigh, not a fun job, but by April I imagine this will be a necessity.
The house...
I might start this sooner - it's basically:
- sort out IBC 2 for water
- Put in a roof prop beam
- Seal the upper parts of the roof
- cap the chappas
- concrete the floor
- put a chimney hole and fitting in the roof
- replace some straw
- render inside and out
Around the house....
I'd also like some decking for an outside kitchen area and a structure for shade - basically just a pergola type thing I can hang shade netting from would do it!
Pallet wood store
I'll need a wood store by next September - and I think 8 pallets will do the job nicely, for the walls, then some eucalyptus and cheap roofing. I don't need a floor for a wood store, easier to just sacrifice the bottom layer of wood.
Final thoughts
It's a lot to do, but it keeps me from doing nothing else other than dicking about online, which is handy on red days (or weeks or years?)!
And TBH If I can just keep the land tidy and be living in the house by October I'd be happy with that, then November Olive harvest, December tree planting, just MORE!
Then I'll worry about 2023 when it's approaching!
Is it weird that I want to help? 😂😂😂 I love work like that, I miss it so much. I don't get to do much since I moved to UK. Back in Poland I constantly did some work and it felt so good 😭
Not at all weird, stark raving normal I'd say.
This kind of work is also just so much easier when there's two or people. SO MANY tasks are just so much easier with two people, I mean practically everything, and a lot less soul destroying.
There's also the fact that it's warmer outside than in my stone house at this time of year, well, if it's not raining, which it isn't for this or next week by looks of it, which is just great. Honestly, it's been T shirt weather outdoors recently (if you're working at least).
It's a good work out and you're welcome anytime.
Where are you based actually?
I'm gonna follow this project closely because I'm fascinated by this whole idea. My Polish soul is in its element hah
Each of these posts seem like you "arrived there" a bit more :)
I really need to get the house finished to feel that!
(And then there's the tiny issue of building another, proper and legal house, which the one in the picture most definitely isn't!)
That's a good planning. Keep the good work
Does your land connect to the electric grid and/or are you planning on a solar option?
I'm going to have to off grid, but I've got a town house that's on grid, which makes things a lot easier (i/e I don't need to worry about things like washing machines or power tools!)
As you noted, that is allot of work but its well worth it. I always said the best type of exercise is doing manual labor of "stuff" that needs to be done anyways.
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