Digging Up Dirt

After a season of gardening, the "black gold" in our raised beds has settled and/or been depleted so that many of the beds are half empty.  A horticulturist at Park Seed told me that Georgia clay is good garden soil when it's amended with compost.  I asked Herb, "Why not amend our compost with Georgia clay?" 

So Herb headed down by the pond today where the man we bought the farm from had left a huge pile of dirt when he tried to scoop the pond out (and, as Paul Harvey would say, that's another story).  The dirt was rock hard, so Herb had to break it up with a pick-ax.

Brandy supervised as he shoveled the rocky soil into a screen he built of wood and hardware cloth--sized to fit over the loader bucket.  He scraped each load around with the shovel to push the dirt through and break up lumps of dirt; any leftover rocks and clods he dumped out.

He was astonished earlier in the day when Angel and Brandy were eating the dirt out of the loader as fast as he could sift it in.  I guess Brandy finally got her fill.

Sara came along to inspect, too--and to see if there was anything good to eat in there!  Our animals are so funny and sociable!  They are lots of fun!

This is hors sujet, but I couldn't resist this shot of Sara's pregnant rear end.  I am SO lucky she can't tell what I did with it!  And I know what Grandma Tritschler is saying from heaven, "I wish I had that swing in MY backyard!"

After a good day's work getting three bucketloads of dirt made, Herb could probably get another bucketload off his shirt and hands!

And once again, our trusty Kubota proves to be a good work partner.  Herb was ready for a well-earned shower . . .

while I went to spend some time with the chicks.  I think this cutie is saying, "How could you possibly think of eating me?"

And this one is saying, "I've got my eye on you!"