Jun 11
2008
What to Do With the Back Forty
We have a field behind our house that we call the Back Forty.
We call it that because my husband and I grew up back in the day when most of the shows on televisions were westerns rather than reality shows. It seems that someone was always referring to the Back Forty.
“Pa’s caught under a wagon on the Back Forty!”
“There’s been a lighnin’ strike and the Back Forty’s on fire!” (I’m sorry. I think that’s “far.”)
Well, I have my own problem with the Back Forty. It is most unlovely. And big. And I can see it from my carefully tended garden, which somewhat spoils the view.
A friend who works in the county’s planning and zoning office sent this shot to me today. You can probably find something similar for your house on Google Earth, but this is a more recent shot than Google Earth has of our house. Still, it’s probably about three or four years old. The photo shows the magnitude of the problem.
The red line indicates our property boundaries–about 21 acres. The cleared area is about five or six acres and our house/yard/garden is on about an acre of that. As you can see, the green patch is the yard. The line up the left hand side is our long driveway–the one we use as a running track. The rest is woods–tulip poplars, live oaks, gum trees, black locust and a bunch of others.
The problem is that the Back Forty is fairly significant. You can see it at the lower side of the photo, south of the house and green lawn. This photo must have been taken in the winter or fall, because you can see the brown areas where hay has been cut and the grass is green. Only, get this. Farmer Rudy, the fellow who tends the field for the benefit of his cows, informed me about three years ago that I should start cutting the Back Forty myself. It’s too difficult for him to get back there with the equipment.
I would estimate that the Back Forty is about an acre. Today it looks like this from the garden:
I am putting together a list of things I can do with the Back Forty. It’s not flat, but rather slopes down at the sides and has some roll to it, particularly at the back, which you cannot even see in this photo. When my Papillons chase the deer back there, they disappear without even going into the woods.
I have considered a meadow, but if you know anything about meadows, they are not easy to maintain. And I do not own farm equipment. Neither do I have the ambition to drive a tractor.
I have also considered investing in some short-term help to put in a real crop, such as herbs, which can be harvested and sold. But I really don’t have the time for another business right now. I have also considered just adding some trees here or there. But I think I really need a grand plan before hopping on that scheme.
What would you do? Any grand ideas?
(I managed to start four of the 13 paragraphs in this post with the word “I.” No, make that five out of 14 now. I don’t really think I’m that narcissistic. But let me think about myself for a while and get back to you on that.)
June 11th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Oh yeah, a fifteen to twenty foot wide mixed perennial border all around the curve!! I can see it now. You will have to quit work of course to maintain it but it will be beautiful. How about a conifer border?
June 11th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Well, I know some really narcissistic people. And you’re not that for using “I” in a blog entry! I would not know what to do with all that room. Unless you broke it up and made little individual plots of gardens and paths with it. I can’t even plan my bathroom without calling in a pro to draw up a plan! So I guess I shouldn’t even be commenting!
Brenda
June 11th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
You’re not narcissistic, Robin – sometimes that’s just the only way to tell a story ;-]
Did you ever read Mrs Greenthumbs? One of the techniques she talked about was how a friend shaped trees and subtracted branches so that distant items were ‘framed’. Is there any scenery around that back 40 you could borrow?
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
PS “My Back 40″ makes me think of Chuck’s blog from San Francisco.
http://back40feet.blogspot.com/
I absolutely adored Mrs. Greenthumbs! She was a hoot, although I don’t recall her talking about framing distant views. I was very sad to learn that she was gone when reading a blog–several months after the fact. I still consider he a model for entertaining garden writing.
I’m checking out Chuck.
Robin at Bumblebee
June 11th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Oh! Oh! I know! Put in an authentic English garden! Those are not time consuming or anything, and simple simple simple to maintain. Yes Madam, put in one of those there English tea gardens.
Being serious, I think a meadow, or at least a serious sowing of native wildflowers and no-mow zones should be given a second though.
June 11th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Ack! “… given a second thought!” is what I meant to say. Dang-nabit.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
How about a giant maze? Or labyrinth? Yes, one of those would be quite nice. But you should plant something that is deer proof.
Or how about plowing it up and planting some of those ginourmous pumpkins that grow to close to 1,000 pounds? Or let someone who likes to grow them use that space.
Let me know if you need more ideas.
June 11th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
That is a large area to develop. You probably already have plenty of outdoor living space close to the house, but a lovely gazebo and large pond with a creek like I saw at the Indy Patio and Garden Show would be so lovely. I’d also like a large fire-pit. Of course there would be lots of plants too.
June 11th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
A pond would be cool if you don’t already have one. I also like the idea of a maze. Or how about giant topiary animals?
June 12th, 2008 at 7:00 am
I vote for Robin’s idea. After trying to bring my garden back after our trip away, the thought of adding any else takes my breath away.
Now, see, it’s all about me.~~Dee
June 12th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Ooh, I vote for a pond! That would be very, very pretty.
June 12th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Wow, Robin, that’s a lot of space….are you sure you want a full time job caring for more plantings? Maybe evergreen shrubs and trees would give you year round interest…I can’t wait to hear what you have on your list!
June 12th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
You might want to consider the usefulness of this section of your property as something more functional and utilitarian. What about setting up a greenhouse or two and a special section for large scale composting. With the size of your property, you no doubt have tons of valuable plant material. And with cows nearby– I think you mentioned that– you could probably get some manure to mix in.
This would also be an excellent spot for storing other garden materials that you may want to purchase in bulk– stone, wood mulch, etc.
Or, you may want to consider a small orchard of fruit trees and/or a small vineyard of grapes. Or, what about a section of Christmas trees for future sale. This could also benefit you taxwise– not sure what your state’s rules are on this type of thing, but it would be something to look into.
If properly planned and well managed, this could turn out to be a beautiful area of your property and one that would certainly earn it’s keep.
Juli
June 12th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Hi All,
Thanks for all the great suggestions. It seems the best thing for me to do is to quit working at a job for a living and just develop the Back Forty.
I’m thinking that the trees/shrubs and pathways idea is a good idea–later adding a gazebo and pond. Of course, this is all starting to sound expensive. Why can’t I just throw out a packet of wildflower seeds?
Nothing is easy.
Robin at Bumblebee
June 12th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I agree with you about meadows and vote for trees, all trees.
My husband says that more trees will “spoil the view.” View of what?
Robin at Bumblebee
June 13th, 2008 at 2:23 am
I say fence it and put 3-4 beautiful white face ewes (female sheep). Hmmm, I know: you could buy some of our Montadale sheep!:-0
Our Papillon loves to help the Australian Shepherds herd the sheep. Sometimes he gets there first.
Yes, sheep. How bucolic.
I don’t recall that you have a Papillon! I must go visit…No sheep! No more mouths to feed.
Robin at Bumblebee
June 13th, 2008 at 8:14 am
I just had to come back today to follow up on this saga– and I was also thinking that my idea about the cow manure was not a very good one– way too hot…you need horse manure. And then I read your earlier post about your husband’s horses! I actually have a horse myself and I just took home a beautiful load of nice smelly compost– great stuff for the garden
Anyway, looks like you’ve got some great suggestions– and the idea for the pond sounds great. And I think sheep grazing around the pond would be nice too!
Have a good one!
Juli
You’re too funny with the sheep…
Robin at Bumblebee
June 16th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Robin, don’t know if you’re still reading these comments, but this is a link to the potager at Villandry, France: http://web.mac.com/charlierj/ArtOfGardening/Home/Entries/2008/1/28_Villandry_Gardens.html
Enough to keep you busy for a while!
July 1st, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I suppose it’s all the same hard clay as you have in the rest of your yard too, isn’t it Robin? Hard to dig holes for trees and shrubs. A native prairie would be nice, but then you have the burning thing to deal with.
If that were my yard and I had unlimited funds, I would put in a big pond with a small waterfall and native plants all around.
Looks like you have lots of good suggestions in all your comments. Keep us posted on what your decide!
July 16th, 2008 at 9:17 am
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