Register  |   | 
 
Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Back after rough transition
 
 


Reply
  Author   Comment  
jtp

Registered:
Posts: 980
Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I have not been on here much in the past few months. We finally closed on a new property at the end of 2013; and the move was less than smooth. Here is the bad luck rundown.

It took two truckloads to move all of the plants, as well as another truckload for the household things and numerous side trips with the cars before and after. The move was performed by me alone, except for my wife on the back end of the sofa. She had her hands full with packing and keeping our son occupied. No family here and friends were otherwise busy. We are avid readers and crafters, so there were no lightweight boxes. I got a good workout for sure.

The move was the tip of the iceberg. I broke my finger in the truck door. My newly-created greenhouse failed during the ice storms, killing about 90 percent of my tropical plants. The washer and dryer were broken. The fridge was in need of repair. The ancient electrical panel (fuses - haven't seen those since the '70s) needed repair. My vehicle died. And our landlord refused to let us out of the old lease. Adding insult to injury, resolving all of these issues involved clashing with all manner of idiots and obstacles.

Well, we survived; and the tide has finally turned. The repairs are done. Everything now functions. I have seedlings growing in the revised greenhouse. My finger has healed. We got a new (at least, new to us) truck. And I finally managed to get the landlord to give up the fight, so we are free from future obligation and even getting our deposit back.

It was all very stressful and exhausting. However, when I see the sunlight coming through the Spanish Moss on our big oak trees in the morning and hear absolutely nothing but birds singing, it was all worth the hassles. I have a half acre of good soil to play with and have already started setting up beds. It looks like most of the figs and other plants made it through OK in the carport. I'll soon start unbundling them all and get things installed in permanent homes.

Glad to be back.
DesertDance

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 4,518
Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Sorry your move was so hard, but happy to have you back and happy you found a really neat place!

Moving can be stressful.  We are still working on our 1.5 acres.  Been here since June of 2013.  House got remodeled, but the land....... YIKES!

Congratulations on the new place! 

Suzi
__________________
Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!"  Wish List:  I wish all of you happy fig collecting!  My wishes have been fulfilled!
jtp

Registered:
Posts: 980
Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Thanks, Suzi! Haven't heard from you in ages. It's all very exciting, as you well know from your new venture. We are located on the edge of a forest preserve, on former farmland that has not been planted in about 50 years or so. The soil is like walking on fluffy loaves of bread in places.

I am plotting a permaculture setup, using ollas for irrigation (uses about a tenth of the water of surface watering) and plantings in the manner described by Masanobu Fukuoka in his book "One Straw Revolution." I am growing lots of perennial crops and want to save annual seeds and develop landraces for this location. Chickens, Muscovy ducks and perhaps a pig are in the near future.
farowyn

Registered:
Posts: 175
Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Welcome back, John. It's amazing how your life can change when you wind up where you belong. We've been here on the farm for almost 3 years now. I still get the same stupid grin on my face when I walk outside each morning that I did on the day we moved in. Don't look back. Blue skies ahead!
__________________
Jeff Central OH- Zone 6a Wish list-anything that will ripen in zone 6a.Souadi(obsessed with this one), Takoma Violet, Col de Dame anything -currently rooting: MBVS, DK, RdB, VdB. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ― Margaret Mead
greg88

Registered:
Posts: 800
Posted Reply with quote  #5 
glad thinks worked out
__________________
Greg North West Arkanasas Zone 6b
Wish list: any SPECTACULAR cold hardy figs, and/or perhaps a Niagra Bl., Laradek EBT, Kathleen's Bl, Hunt, a great UNK or anything anyone wants me to have???
saxonfig

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 1,370
Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Whoa John! Sorry to hear you had such a rough time during the move :-/ . Sounds like it was one thing after another. A move alone is hard enough work, let alone all the other stuff you had to deal with. Knowing a little about what was in some of those boxes, I'm sure you did get a "paleo-style" workout ;-) ! Maybe you could market a new DVD workout along those lines - "The Caveman Workout 3000" - LOL!  Glad to hear that things are leveling out for you now though.

Sounds like you've ended up with a really nice place. If it were me, I know I'd be out there exploring that preserve with my son. Sounds real nice.  When you get time maybe you could tell us a little more about the watering system your gong to be using - ollas? I did a quick search on the word. Looks pretty interesting. Sort of like an in-ground SIP huh? I'd sure have to make a ton of them though.  

Here's one link I found about them: http://suburbanfarmonline.com/2010/08/09/make-your-own-ollas/ 
__________________
Fig Well And Prosper!

Bill - SW KY. Zone 6b. 36.5N 
I'm fruitnut on ebay.
SoniSoni

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 777
Posted Reply with quote  #7 
John,  Geeez that's really been a tough time for you guys.  It sounds like just about everything that could go wrong, did go wron, so the bad times are behind you.. So sorry about you lossing your tropical plants. Let me know what I can replace of what I'd sent you.  The other Coral Tree bean has sprouted long after I gave up and stuck a chrysanthmum in it's pot.  I'll save it for you if you want it. 
Spring is the time for renewal. I wish you good luck in your new place and with extra land.  
Soni
__________________
Soni   GA. 7-8.  
 seeking Galicia Negra, Bianchi Guido, Violette de Sollies, Emerald Strawberry
FiggyFrank

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 2,712
Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Welcome back, John!  Glad you got through the rough phase.  Hope you get to thoroughly enjoy the new place from now on.
__________________
Frank
zone 7a - VA
musillid

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 1,507
Posted Reply with quote  #9 
John -

    Quit doing that.
__________________
Dale
non compost mentis in Zone 6a
rafed

Registered:
Posts: 5,308
Posted Reply with quote  #10 
John,

Glad to see you back.
Time to put the issues behind you and move on. You have figs to grow.
jtp

Registered:
Posts: 980
Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Thanks, everyone. We've been wanting this for a long time. Wilmington has gotten pretty violent in recent years (gangs, drugs, human trafficking), so this is a nice change, especially for our son. We are now 25 miles off the coast. Good land and our own well. If we can convert to solar in the future, we'll be totally off the grid.

Dale, am I setting a bad example with all of this botanical madness? :)

Soni, I appreciate the offer. One of the few that did survive is the Coral Tree you sent me. It kept growing as everything else fell. Tough plant. My hope is that some of the rhizomes will regrow. I brought my cinnamon tree inside just in time. The tragedy just made room for new plants.

Bill, I am sure the neighbors thought a caveman was moving in. Lots of grunting (and swearing). And as an occasional flintknapper, I toted around 500 pounds of rocks from Point A to Point B. Glutton for punishment, as if the pots and books were not enough. By the way, I've got your box packed and ready to go. Just need to get over to the Post Office. I'll give heads-up.

Rafed, you are correct. The trees have buds.
rcantor

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 5,724
Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Welcome back!  I hope you don't get any hurricanes for at least 3 years.  Glad you're past the worst.
__________________
Zone 6, MO

Wish list:
Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.
paully22

Registered:
Posts: 2,719
Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Welcome back John. Good timing to catch up with fig friends(or fignuts).
bullet08

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 6,920
Posted Reply with quote  #14 
btdt.. i hate moving. took me 2 weeks moving by myself last time. all those that i helped never even showed their faces. i didn't ask and i didn't expect. still sucked. had to move two maple trees and one of my best friend helped me on that. i just got a israeli cuttings that's been in the country for last 60 yr. he's getting a tree. maybe i'll grow one for his synagogue too. 
__________________
Pete
Durham, NC
Zone 7b

"don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill
"the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher

***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. *****
***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
MariannaMiller

Registered:
Posts: 261
Posted Reply with quote  #15 
John, congratulations of getting some room to spread out. Zone 8b, sounds like you should be able to grow things all year long with a bit of planning. Hope you will have things under control enough to be able to make this summer's fig gathering. 
__________________
Wish list: Patlicans, Adriatic, Salem Dark, Lebanese Red, Conadria
In Ground: Alma, Brunswick,Bryant Dark, BT, Celeste, Dominic, HC, It. Honey,LSU Purple, Mission Black, Sarizeybek;  
In pots: Ashlan, Atreano, Blk Bethlehem, El Molino Unk.,Excel, DK, Gr. Ischia, Kadota, Lattarula, Nero 600, VDB, Olympian, Petit Negri, Unk. Plainfield, Unk. Slidell Blk, Sweet George, Unk Portuguese Purple, Unk. It. Yellow, White Genoa, White Tx Everbearing; Madison SC 29693 (7a/7b)
Darkman

Registered:
Posts: 629
Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcantor
Welcome back!  I hope you don't get any hurricanes for at least 3 years.  Glad you're past the worst.


Did you really have to use the "H" word? Really? Jeez!!!
__________________
Charles in Pensacola AKA Darkman
Zone 8b/9a
Winter of 09/10 low 19
Winter of 10/11 low 19
Winter of 11/12 low 29
Winter of 12/13 low 31
Winter of 13/14 low 19
ForeverFigs

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 1,062
Posted Reply with quote  #17 
Glad to here from you again and happy to have you back...good luck with the new homestead.
__________________
Vince
Edison N.J.
Zone 6b

Wish List: LaRadek's EBT
omotm

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 886
Posted Reply with quote  #18 
Good to see some old friends back......John.....Suzi......Anthony. : )  Feels kinda like a high school reunion.
__________________
Steve
Houston, TX
Zone 8b

Wish List:
Zingarella
Previous Topic | Next Topic
Print
Reply