Expanding Asparagus Bed

 

New Asparagus Bed

So we have been planning to expand our asparagus bed by thinning out our old bed.  However, we did not want to cut our production next year.  So following the example in a Youtube video (the one I finally decided I liked since it suggested only digging up a few large clumps so not to interrupt your asparagus harvest the next year), I only dug up the very largest clump (after 11 years, it had most of the crowns I needed), and a few volunteer clumps that grew past the end of the bed.

The new bed has already been prepared by my husband, so it was easy digging.  As for the old crowns, the video I watched suggested washing the dirt off to more easily separate the crowns which worked well.  It also showed cutting some hard to separate crowns apart with the shovel. (which I only had to do for two of them.)

Can't wait for our expanded asparagus harvest!

Old Established Bed

Building a Shed When You are Busy

 We started building a shed for my daughter and her husband for Christmas on a weekend.  The first day, we built the trusses and the doors from the comfort of our farm.

On Monday (day 2), we went to her place and built the foundation.  

On Tuesday (3rd day), we took over the trusses in our horse trailer, built the walls and put on the trusses with a temporary brace on top and for the walls.

On Wednesday (4th day), we weren't feeling very well, so we put up the roof sheathing and called it a day with no rain in the forecast.

On Thursday (5th day), we decided to put on the siding to make the roof more stable before we added the weight of the roof shingles.

On the 6th work day, we put up the upper trim so we could put on the drip edge and some tar paper.  I think this was the day we watched our adorable grandchildren more than we worked. . .lol

On the 7th work day, we put up the tar paper, drip edge and doors.

On the 8th work day, I started painting primer and my husband started the roofing shingles.

On the 9th work day, we finished the roofing shingles, primer and final coat.

 

 

Here is the final shed.  9 working days (about 5 hours each day), and about $1600  (December 2021 Lowes lumber prices) including rock millings for foundation and driveway or about $1400 without the rock millings.  8 x 12 shed customized to match roof line of the house and the color matched to the siding of the house.  Life is good!