Middle of March - in fact the Ides of March yesterday and St Patrick's day just a day away. Sun shining and weather improving. A day to think about getting back to the Plotment across the road. Susie spent much of last Summer and Autumn clearing the brambles and poisoning the Japanese Knotweed, and chopping the trees and clearing the ground. Two pallet beds contain enough soil for cabbages and were covered with netting to keep the cats out. But the ground has been lying unused for the winter and the wet weather has given it a good soaking. Now it was time to get the Rotovator out!!!
Bought last year off Ebay, we had never actually tried it out!! Not having the opportunity to get it into the ground. Not even knowing if it was a two stroke (requiring oil) or petrol driven, a hunt started on the intertweb to find a suitable manual. Naturally as a German company, all the manuals are available for free download, but requiring the serial number and model number - which unfortunately are different in America and would not be accepted by the sites. But perseverance prevails and finally suitable manuals were downloaded.
Meanwhile, it seemed easiest to get the rotovator out and give it a try. Looking around the machine, I found a choke and an off button and a start position - and lo and behold - unused for 6 months, it started first time!
And so Susie manages to start the soil turning. Most of the roots are broken up and unattached. Bits of green are soon ploughed into the ground.
A steady thrum of the engine - not very even to be honest !! But it carried on and seemed to be doing the job....
The Manual states that the fuel should be changed within 30 days .. Sadly we have not changed it - just used what was in there..
The Manual also says that the air filter needs changing and new oil added ... but the sun was shining and the engine was running so we just got on with it ...
Well... Toys for Boys!! It does have an engine and stuff so I had to have a go. Now don't get me wrong! I have no real intention of doing much in the way of Farming and gardening. It is not my idea of a good day out. I will leave that to Susie quite happily. The thrill of watching things grow is shadowed completely by the final solution of eating it with a fine glass of Chateau 41 sometime in the future.
But if you have to do some gardening then it may as well be with a machine to do the work.
I really did not fancy the idea of covering this area with a spade and fork. Much more useful will be the Knife and Fork in days to come. Apparently the potatoes are going in the middle section and peas (I love peas) around the top. We did not have enough room for sufficient peas for more than a meal or two last year.
A small fence to keep the Deaf Centre dogs out and the plotment will be complete. Some brambles to be removed but after turning the soil it needed raking - and that was my queue to pop off and find other things to do !!
I will revisit when stuff is growing...
Meanwhile - tomorrow will be green for a different reason - St Patrick's Day it will be - to be sure....
Always good to have a Green One!!!
[ 14:11 -9 : MPV 1415+177 ]
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