Today I took a break from scouting in the forest and mountains or training in various ways on the Odin Mountain compound. No less important to maintaining the perimeter and training with gear is the maintenance and improvement of resources necessary to sustain oneself.
This morning I planted six young high bush blueberry plants in an area behind the garage that was once used as a rubbish dump by previous owners of the property. After days of work removing and recycling literally a ton of debris, an area about 25-feet x 25-feet because available and I determined a best use for the parcel of land would be blueberry bushes.
As time allows I plan on adding about six more evenly spaced plants for a total of twelve, as well as an 8-foot high fence with gate in order to keep out the various wildlife such as woodchuck, skunk, raccoon, deer, bear, and moose that frequent the area.
It is important to consider that the fence will not be just to keep wildlife out. Fences are good to discourage two legged creatures too. A fence won’t stop a determined person from trespassing but it certainly can slow them down enough to deal with them while they are at a disadvantage.
People often tell me I should just shoot any wildlife that attempts to raid my gardens but I disagree. That wildlife is meat on the hoof (and paw) with potential for future use as food should the need arise.
I like the animals coming around on a regular basis – they could come in handy in times when food becomes scarce. In the meantime for selfish reasons I work around the animals in order to maintain the herd!
Truth be told I also enjoy the wildlife and believe they have just as much right to be here as I.
Blueberries, like fruit trees, are excellent sources of homegrown food. Their special utility is that every year these plants can produce a very bountiful harvest with little maintenance needed.
Like everything, some years are better than others but in general you can often be literally buried in basically “free” food once the plants mature and are bearing fruit.
Of course there is the initial outlay in purchasing the plants and the labor involved in planting. However the latter is in reality good because it affords excellent exercise of different sort than usual.
Hard Work and Good Exercise
After clearing the land I dug six shallow holes, added some compost, and set the blueberry plants. Then I placed a layer of garden fabric (to prevent weeds from growing) on top of the ground.
Next I covered the garden fabric with six inches of hemlock wood mulch. This mulch serves the double purpose of also helping to keep weeds in check while holding moisture which comes in handy during dry spells such as the Great North Woods is having now.
Because the pile of mulch was dumped last Spring some 50-yards away from the new blueberry patch, I had to dig up and wheelbarrow about ten or twelve heavy loads to the site.
I’m a big proponent of yard exercise. In fact, wheelbarrowing heavy loads is a training method of strongmen and it’s all the better when putting that effort into something that will give payback year after year. It’s an investment that gives a good return on a regular recurring basis.
Then of course there was the hard labor that went into digging the holes as well as digging in the pile of mulch and throwing it into the wheelbarrow.
Planting blueberry bushes is an all-around workout with many excellent rewards.
Today’s Odin Mountain Links
“…the core framework of health is not time spent on an exercise machine and a restricted diet, but purposeful, gentle work that is recognized and valued by a social ecosystem of friends with whom the benefits of work can be shared and enjoyed”.
Of Two Minds
Perimeter Security Fencing Video
Southern Prepper 1