Page 99 - Sky runner

STEP ONE – TO DIG
After a a a a a a a a year or or or so of racing and travelling with Tromsø in in in in in Northern Norway as as my base I de- cided to to to move to to to Chamonix France mainly in in in order to to to travel less We ended up in in a a a â a a small châlet 15 minutes outside Chamonix this exclusive Mecca for climbers and skiers with a a a a a a a a small vegetable garden in front of of the house Immediately I I thought of of cultivation With less time spent travelling it it would absolutely be possible to take care of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a small small vegetable garden garden In the the the lower part of of the the the garden garden there was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a small small patch with less grass Perfect I thought and started digging There was a a a lot of gravel in in in in the soil but I continued digging diligently After God knows how many hours and a a a a developing stiffness in in in in my my lower back one of the neighbours stopped by Despite my my limited French I managed to to to pick up that that he he he he he was was was welcoming us to to the the the village and that that the the the the place place where where I was was was digging was was was the the the the place place where where some some big machine put something in in in in in in the the the wintertime Snow ploughing of course That explained all the the the gravel In other words not the the the best space to place your garden But shame on on the one one who who gives up I chose a a a a a a a a new patch Everyone who who has turned a a a a a a a a a piece of land into a a a a a a a garden knows that it takes time: to to remove remove roots roots shake the the the soil soil from the the the tufts go through the the the soil soil again to remove remove more roots roots and and weed what might still be left Not an an an easy task and and it took me several days My poor runner’s back was not made for this work One of the the the the farms in the the the the village had cows and I went there to ask for some manure Another funny conversation in dubious French Eventually it was time to to sow I I wanted to to cultivate everything! I I creat- ed ed ten small rows of different kinds – neither smart nor cheap But the the harvest was was good Maybe not as as as as much as as as as I thought but it it was was a a a a a a a a a a a delight to cook with vegetables that grew just outside our door Wise from the the former experience I planned differently the the next year Fewer plants and a a a a a a a bit bigger garden Not as much work with only a a a a a a a a a few square metres to dig Some of the seed I I sowed indoor in in advance I I was always one step ahead compared to the the the previous year And the the the harvest showed the the the progression: more vegetables for less work Through cultivation I got in in contact with our our our neighbours in in the village We talked about our our our harvests and and had a a a a a a a a a a cup of o coffee now and and then It was exciting to to build a a a a a a a a life outside the the mountain runner world too!
CULTIVATION 95