Scratching Out a Few "Grow" Prayers

Among the garden expansions imagined for this season is this one actually outside the garden.  Think of it as a generosity garden.  It's for the chickens, not for us.  

The general idea is to plant and cultivate areas within the chicken yard with consumables the chickens like and need to eat.  The immediate problem is protecting it.  After all, and at the risk of sounding redundant, the chickens like to eat it.  In fact, as a cursory glance around the denuded chicken yard confirms, the chickens not only like to eat, they aren't especially picky about the menu.  A little tilled up ground and some scattered seeds wouldn't stand a chance.  

That's where the cages come in.  The cages enable the chickens to eat whatever grows through the chicken wire, but prevents them from eating the growth down to the ground and into oblivion, inviting regrowth.  One of our wintertime construction projects, the four cages are built of 1X6 cedar boards, 8-feet long and 2-feet wide with a middle brace, covered with chicken wire.  Yesterday I tilled up and deep forked four commensurate plots around the south area of the chicken yard.  Today I leveled and smoothed the plots, planted seeds, and settled a cage on top of each and watered.  

Spinach and collards

Oregano, parsley and sage.  

And okra.  

I know, I know, okra seems like a curious choice.  The herbs boost immunity. The greens offer appealing nutrition.  But okra?  The truth is they probably couldn't care less. We will probably be the ones eating the green fingers, not the chickens. But okra bushes are quite impressive, and I figure the girls will appreciate the cover and the added pits of shade.  Once the plants are bumping up against the wire ceiling I suspect I will remove the cages and just let them grow -- assuming the girls aren't interested.  I will have to wait and see.

And if by summer’s end the project has reduced my feed bill, well, that wouldn't be a bad thing either.  In the meantime the four beds are planted and watered and covered.  Now, as with any kind of garden, let the "grow” prayers begin.