Organic Weed Killer

It's damp. It's chilly. And it's September in Texas. (what?? I didn't even bring long sleeves...)

In other news, I forgot to mention another by-product of rain - weeds. Though I can't recall the names of the two I find most often, the ones I worked on today, bermuda grass, were the most invasive. It stretches out and sets roots most anywhere it touches soil. And the roots go deep, which means digging. And digging means... worms! The chickens ate well.

The bermuda is so persistent, it broke through fiber cloth and even black plastic ground cover! Bad stuff, it seems...

Water, worms, and where burgers come from...

(hint: not a burger)

NOAA is usually afraid to pass its bright green/yellow crayon over our area. This weekend, though, the radar showed a creative streak. And it rained!! ...And rained! ...and rained.... and... 3.5 inches later, it stopped.

Most of the areas hit by this weekend's slow-mover would probably laugh at that. But here, it was perfect!

Lost some tomatoes when the rains split them, and some pepper branches broke under the water weight. Meanwhile, the salad greens are thriving! The okra is multiplying its spiney-covered, gooey-centered self. The rain also set into the compost, giving us hope that the soil may really be getting there. And nutritious soil means nutritious veggies that resist bugs and disease (which is the way to go when you don't use chemical pesticides).

The rain also brought a few stowaways out of hiding. I was not really one of those kids who dug in mud looking for worms. Cool rocks and broken glass, maybe. But not worms. Somehow, at age 28, I've become a bona fide worm wrangler. Grubs, which live a few inches under the soil, grow up to be pesky beetle-like lovers of squash, eggplant, and so much more. Hornworms, a green, horn-tailed cousin of the adorable caterpillar in "A Bug's Life," have a thing for tomatoes. Luckily, chickens have a thing for them. Throw in a few grubs, and you've got some protein-rich eggs!

Setting down (...and feeding, and pulling up, and eating....) roots.

The time finally came where handing over dollars for a bite of food no longer felt nutritious. Around the time of my last post, it dawned on me that though I may have never had an answer for "what I want to be when I grow up," I DO have a dream. Taking care of myself. To own a modest piece of land (or amazingly breathtaking, depending on what I can afford) where I will grow my own food, catch rainwater, and produce my energy - to be completely independent... Or at least know HOW to be...