(DF) BAMBOO HARVEST

Today has been crisp and sunny, an all around beautiful day to do almost anything outside. There were a multitude of things here needing done and, as usual, not enough time to cover it all. I was not surprised when my step-grandson called to say he needed to stop by and pick up some things from me, because someone is always stopping by wanting something. It did however add to the frustration of things I needed to be doing, as most of them were away from the house, so I was left to think of what to do while I waited.

With a few seconds thought, I remembered the bamboo just outside the front yard fence. I planted a couple of small starts several years ago and it has since spread a bit. Though it has not reached the size this species is capable of, it is respectable. Last winter's extreme cold (extreme for here, at least) had killed back the leaves on some of the taller canes. Leaves didn't grow back through the summer, though the canes were still green, so I decided to harvest the damaged ones this winter. Today, while I waited, seemed like a good time for such a project.

So it was off to the bamboo patch with the pruning saw. What a tangled mess! Brush and vines had woven the thick growth of bamboo into a near impenetrable wall. With some work and patience (as if I really have patience), I soon worked my way through to the canes needing harvested. Within a short time, 29 freshly cut bamboo canes lay piled in the driveway.

Trimming the branches with a machete went quickly. Soon, the bundle was tied every couple of feet so the canes will keep each other straight, and ready to hang up in the dry. Now, the bundle is hanging from the rafters of the blacksmith shop. Yes, I did say blacksmith shop, but that is a subject for another post.

Now if Anna and I can just figure out what to do with the bamboo.