The last two days we’ve spent a few hours out at the new land working on various things: getting the building site cleared (we break ground tomorrow!) and ‘planting’ the beginning of a hedgerow along the west side of our property. Currently, that side (over 1000 feet long) is fully open to the road, which means we have no privacy in our fields (or protection—people can drive on and off all along). We also don’t have much of a buffer between us and the surrounding farms, which is important to our organic certification since all our neighbors farm using chemicals. So, we’ve begun building the foundations of what we hope will be a dense hedge.
To do so, we gathered cuttings from various friends’ hedgerows and plantings of things that we know can grow with little help from us (‘weeds’ in a way, but not so invasive). We then ‘planted’ the cuttings deep into the loose, wet ground along the road. After today, we have something woody planted every foot, which we hope will be enough to begin a ‘fence’-like growth of plants. We also sowed yarrow (from seed heads on the property), and we expect to have blackberries grow in the hedge as well (it’s inevitable).
So, if it works (which it might not), our hedge will contain: concord grapes, wild roses, hawthorns, cherry trees, willow, dogwood, figs, raspberries, yarrow, and blackberry.
Another goal with this hedge is to create a habitat for insects that require undisturbed ground. By including so many different types of plants, we also hope to provide ongoing sources of insect food—there should be something blooming from early spring to late fall. We’re also excited about how much of our hedge will be edible for people too. We look forward to grazing along the hedge as we walk the fields.
Again, we’re doing this the frugal and simple way, so we’ll see how much of it ‘takes.’ But, as always, the diversity should help us get something established this year (which will be better than nothing). Even with just the sticks and twigs, it’s beginning to look like a hedge:
