On April 16, 2020, I continued with the work on my hugelkultur bed. This day, I tackled the smaller branches scattered on the ground and cut the smaller branches and twigs off to fill in the spaces between the larger branches and logs. I’m not sure if this wasn’t just a waste of time, but this is what I did. I show in the following video just a little look at the work I did while using the loppers. It is hard work and arms do get very tired after a while of doing it. I give a little lesson on how to use the loppers for cutting larger branches.
I knew this was going to be a large project, so I just continued to work at it when I could. Sometimes a few days came in between the days I could work due to taking a rest or rainy weather. If I feel too fatigued, then I do something else. This is the same principle that bodybuilders follow. They may exercise their arms hard one day and then do something else like legs the next day. Since I was using arms and often most of my body, I would rest them all.
April 20, I was back to work again on a chilly morning. I had a woodpile full of old rotting logs that I decided to use in my hugel kultur bed. My neighbor had told me that I should just have a big bonfire and burn them all. I think using wood in the garden is a nice alternative. After taking the smaller logs, there are still plenty of large rounds left that need to be split. They will come in handy for the next row.
Under one of the logs, I found a millipede. These creatures are quite common here and often find a way into my house or are brought in by the cats. They are harmless and I just take them outside with a paper towel. If frightened, they can release a smelly yellow substance that I don’t want on my hands.
I got my first and only injury working on my garden when I was putting a large log in place next to another log. My little pinkie finger got smashed. I knew that it was going to need some cold water right away, so I headed for the nearest water in the water hole before the creek. The water wasn’t cold enough, so I continued on over to the creek and it was wonderfully cold enough to numb my finger and stop the pain and swelling. You can see it in the pictures below and the video shows not only my finger but gives you a view of my creek and my thoughts while my finger was soaking.
