Well, it has been a bit a couple weeks since we got the wall wired up and have since been picking away at getting it filled with rocks. The last 2 weeks have also been very busy, so the wall has been somewhat slow going. But good news, its full! I just need to finish the wiring on the top and it is fully finished and we are ready to start digging out the path that will run behind it in preparation of the next wall. It is still looking possible to have the last rock walls completed by end of May.

So, we left off at having finished the wire on the wall and being ready to fill it with rocks. There was a very small delay here because we remembered that our trusty little yard cart was on it’s last wheels (instead of legs), and wasn’t really in the right shape to be able to haul anymore loads of rocks. Though, we did take one or 2 down. So we sourced and purchased a new one, retiring our old one to be used to haul weeds, grasses and other light yard items. I have a post coming up about the two carts and the differences, as well as some recommendations if you are trying to decide if a cart of wheelbarrow will be the best pick. Keep an eye out for that one in the coming days.

Anyways, once we had the new cart it was time to get serious with the rocks. Although we are eager to get the walls done, we also don’t want to ruin our backs for the season. Not only is it hard work hauling loads of rocks by hand, but while filling the walls, you are stooped, and most of the time standing on a slope so your feet are not flat. This can cause a lot of tension up the back of your legs and into your lower back. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything you can do to alleviate that pressure, so we make sure to take breaks, stretch lots, and try to adjust our stance as often as we can. We also only do 2 sections per night, which makes sure we don’t overdo it.

The new cart is great in that it can haul a lot more rock, but the downside is that it definitely takes 2 of us to get it to the bottom of the yard. We found a good system though, including unloading it when we get to the point we are filling the wall. The cart has a dump feature but we are filling in a spot that we can’t dump the rocks beside the empty wall. So, while I fill the cage, Kurt unloads the cart by hand onto the landing where I am standing. It makes things go really fast, which is nice.

Today we completed the last couple sections and are now ready to get moving on the next one. That being said, we are also into our first phase of planting in the garden, so our time this week after work, will need to be split between prepping the garden beds and working on the next wall. The plan is to get the carrots, beets and onions into the ground. I have to do a tad bit more research, but we will also get some asparagus crowns in, as well as the broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. All should be good in the temperatures we are having. In a couple weeks, the tomatoes (which are ginormous already) will go in, along with some of our herbs and other items that are directly sowed outside. Last will be the peppers, which will likely go out at the end of May or very beginning of June depending on the temperature. Lots to do!