Tuesday, October 13, 2009

A River Runs Through It

Updated below:

Well, we had another 3 - 4 inches of rain yesterday and the garden has suffered once again. I had managed to find a spot that was dry enough to till and put in my late fall crop of peas (sugar snaps and green peas). The rain washed out about a quarter of the 40 feet of sugar snaps and about 10 percent of the 100 feet of regular green peas. There is also a lot of very good soil moved down the garden. There is not much of a grade but enough. It doesn't help that all of the area west and north of the garden is much higher so all of that water comes my way as well. The ground is still saturated from the rains earlier so nothing to do but run off and down hill.

I am now faced with the question of whether to get the shovel and put on my muckers and try and dig a ditch in the mud to try and direct tomorrow's forecasted heavy rain around the garden. It will be an all day job but I am not sure I can take any more erosion. I have already lost years worth of soil building so I am leaning that direction. Not only are we forecast for heavy rain tomorrow but lighter rains through the rest of the week. Aaargh!

The folks in parts of California are expecting heavy rains as well and if they are in areas of recent burning then they are facing mudslides and flooding as well. Everybody stay as dry and safe as you can.

Update: Ok, now there is a 100' ditch running across the garden east to west with several feeder ditches here and there. Water is running as the ground is completely saturated. I should be ready for the heavy rain tomorrow and for the rest of the week. There is also a sore back and a blister.

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