Manure, Manure, Manure, Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

That's been my mantra lately, it seems.

Two truckloads of manure later, and I'm finally finished spreading manure for the season.

It's a necessity, because this is my reality.  Red Georgia clay.  Do you see any good loamy soil in there?  Yeah, me neither.  It's a gooey mess when wet and rock hard when dry, and it's only about two inches below my soil line.  Raised beds are a must so I need material to fill those beds.  Enter, truckloads of manure.

And, just when I've had enough shoveling mulch, I get to tackle this.

I've been complaining about needing mulch for months.  I've called every tree service in town who will deliver mulch for free if they are in your neighborhood.  It saves them a trip to the dump and a dump fee.  They put me on a list, and I never get called.  I had just mentioned to Nate that we were going to have to go to a place I know of where the mulch is free but you have to load it yourself.  Neither of us were looking forward to that because it means touching it twice, to load and unload.  Thankfully the utility company was taking down some trees in an easement up the street from my house that same week, and Nate asked them to drop a load in the driveway.  He thought he was being really cute though and asked them to drop two loads, so double the pile in this picture and you see into my future.  "I'll get her.  She won't ask for any mulch for a long time."  He's right!

Anyway, happy pitchforking,

Candace