
This, from my brother Charlie, who regularly helps us haul the good stuff from area horse farms to the garden. He helped with the initial loads for our raised beds behind the house nearly a decade ago. Then again when we hatched our crazy idea to transform the sprawling front lawn into an edible landscape.
For that, his heavy-duty pickup truck took a timeout in favor of a friend's dump truck. (Not to omit our gratitude for the unsolicited dump truck-load of composted cow manure from a column reader who wanted to further our cause.)
But Charlie's truck has been called into regular service since the groundwork was laid for annual renewal loads. Each fall and spring as our schedules allow, he drives out to pick us up or we meet at the farm in question. Then, after lining his truck bed with a tarp to ease cleanup, we set to work forking the equine form of black gold -- first into the truck, then out once we've driven home.
Last fall, because I was still undergoing physical therapy for my arm we decided to wait until I could fork my fair share.
Now that I'm healed, and the ground is conveniently frozen, Charlie might be on to something. If the weather cooperates, his truck --and his help -- may be called for next weekend.