Hello all! I've been gone for over a year and am finally back! I thought that I'd re-intro myself before I jumped right in and started posting. :)

My name's Misha, married for 8 yrs, 4 wonderful living children, 10, 7, 3, and 1. I live in the eastern panhandle of WV and LONG to be in the country... much like what they did at Frontier House.

I can/freeze/preserve some of our food. I tried gardening for about 3 yrs, but the red clay won out. LOL I knit with a passion in the winter, do counted cross stitch, and sewing. I'm in the middle of making denim quilts for my children for Christmas this year. (Yes I know it's early LOLOL).

I look forward to getting to know yall again!

~Misha

-- Misha (Longing4theCntry@aol.com), May 02, 2002

Answers

Well, welcome back Misha!

-- Chelsea (rmbehr@istar.ca), May 02, 2002.

Misha...I have red clay, I ordered some top soil and put in raised beds. Things are growing now!

-- julie (jbritt@ceva.net), May 02, 2002.

Misha,

Wecome back! I am new to the forum so I don't think we have met. We have nasty black clay that is terrible for planting. We are building raised flower beds... and for veggies too. also I am getting into container gardening. This is a great forum. Most people are really encouraging and are great people to know. I hope you feel at home again real soon.

EV

-- Evelyn Flesher (etflesher@netexas.net), May 02, 2002.

Hi there! Just wanted to tell you not to worry about the red clay-- you CAN change it a little at a time. Keep adding lots of organic matter and within a couple of years you'll have a nice garden indeed. Ask your friends if you can pick up their bagged leaves. Ask a friend if you can muck their barn and put the straw and poop in the garden. Really works!

In Germany I read that they bury a rotting log, cover with dirt and plant on top of that. IN time the log rots giving great soil. You could try this and just use the "boughten" soil on top of the log.

-- Ann M. in Mid Tn (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), May 02, 2002.

Thanks for the welcome and advice about the red clay everyone! :) I would try to change the soil if we were going to stay here, but we really want to move so for me, it's just not worth the time.

-- Misha (Longing4theCntry@aol.com), May 02, 2002.