Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! It does indeed sound like you folks have endured a long, slow process, but are finally enjoying some rewards for your perseverance. And you are absolutely right; we need to be sure to savor and enjoy the journey as we go─else what’s the point?

Much love to you, my friend!!!

I grew up on a small farm in Northern Minnesota. My dad walked our farm every night and I tagged along, learning to observe what was going on with the soil, plants and creatures that were in each field or pasture and planning how to improve or otherwise deal with conditions. There was always something, be it a broken fence post, evidence of grasshoppers, invasive plants or a cow needing some assistance getting unstuck from a muddy bog. I loved what my dad shared with me. I loved hearing that it was our job to leave the soil in better condition than what we found it in.

Twenty years ago my husband and I found a small 1927 farmhouse with 3 very rundown, overgrown acres in NW Florida. While he worked on remodelling the house, I worked on the land. Soil was mostly sand with clay hardpan at 3-4 ft depth. Great for drainage, poor for growing gardens or pasture! All topsoil had pretty much eroded away. There were 80 year old camellias, pecans, oaks, fig trees, pomegranates and pear trees in the yard, covered in blight.

It has been a long, slow process, but today we have most of those same trees still with us. Soil greatly improved, mainly by mulching as heavily as I can with old hay and aged manures & growing winter rye grass as a cover crop. I have a garden tractor with a dump cart, pitchfork, spade and shovels, no heavy equipment like farm tractor. And the horse, 3 chickens and goats to provide weed control, brush clearing, fertilizer and pest control.

I was so excited 4 years ago when the three pasture areas grew grass that lasted through the whole summer, including month long dry spells. The last two years there is evidence of a lot of earthworm activity and I’ve been able to harvest enough earthworm castings to make a real difference in the garden beds.

This year I have begun transplanting cuttings from the fig and elderberry bushes to other areas, added an apple tree and am hoping to add an olive & new pear trees.

I would add one other point to your article….Enjoy the journey!

Thanks Patrick!