Back when I started a tiny six by eight garden over ten years ago, the timbers that were shoring up the ditch in the back yard seemed a good idea. Then when I expanded the garden this year, so about twenty by fifteen, I used all the timber I could find, and still needed some cinder blocks to fill in the gaps. The real problem was the timbers were in terrible shape, and honestly, they needed to go.

Doug, my good friend and master electrician, said he might know someone with cinder blocks for free, but bring an axe.

And away we went. It took us a while to locate the blocks because they were deep in the brush, but I brought a bush hook, and some insect repellent, and went in.

I’m five foot ten. And it’s amazing we had problems finding a stack of blocks that were higher than I am tall, but I cut a path, and the removal of the blocks began.

Once we got the forty-five blocks loaded, I trudged them back to the garden, started digging up and removing the timbers, and realized I had no idea what to do with the timbers once I removed them. Part of the garden, the original section, the timbers were deep in the ground, and infested with fire ants. But once again, friends save the day! My friend Mark came over and offered to haul them off for me.

The garden is now enclosed in cinder blocks, as the plot expands each year, this is going to be easier than moving timbers, and the ants will be easier to control.

But here’s the cool part. After we loaded all the blocks, I put two more in, just in case. This is what we had left.

Good planning and good friends save the day! Now I have to work towards a great harvest so I can shall the fruits of my labor with those who helped make it possible.

Take Care,

Mike