We are having a great strawberry year here at Wicked Raven Farm! I changed over my strawberry patch to the hugelkulture system you see above. The top photo shows a completed hugel bed and the bottom photo shows one that is in progress. It is layers of what most of us would consider yard rubble(twigs, branches, rakings, mowing leavings, clippings and in Big Lake lots of burned/dead/rotting logs, and other organics) layered up and covered with a layer of good soil. Then I used landscape fabric to have some weed control and covered that with a layer of wood chip mulch (which I got free from the side fo the road - the State does chipping and gives it to the local residents). You can get more information and directions for the hugelkulture by googling Sepp Holzer or hugelkulture. One of the benefits of this system of gardening is once the initial work is done it is easy and low maintenance! It also seems to keep the birds out to the strawberries a little as I dont think they like the raised openness of the beds now. Ill keep you posted on that theory. The other big benefit of the beds is that it feeds itself as the materials that it is built with break down it is a perpetual composting system that you dont have to work at!
Ths system is also great for kids! All kids like to help in the yard (at least the non teenagers) and with this system they can feel really helpful as no matter what branch or log they bring will pretty much go into the hugel bed! It is also very exciting for them to be able to see how well things grow in there and participate in the harvest! A learning experience from start to finish! Have fun!
PS - the little black dog is a fantastic rescue from a grocery store parking lot! Dont be afraid to get/give some love!
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