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Getting dirty with DIY

There are some things in life that require us to get dirty if we are to achieve anything. All the magnificent buildings you see were built by people who got dirty to put a brick on top of the other.

People who sweated in the sun and soaked in the rain produced the food which graces our tables every day. It is the dirt that moves the economy.

It was with this motivation that I dedicated a few days of my recent leave to getting dirty. Armed with a pick, a hoe, a six-pound hammer and a shovel I attacked a mound of compost manure that I created a few months ago. It has beautifully matured.

I broke it down and spread it under the trees of what I call an orchard (although it may not meet the dictionary meaning of the word).

When I hit the ground level of the pit from which I made the manure, I started enlarging the pit. It was a taxing job.

With the pick, I removed the stones I encountered on the way down.

Those stones which refused to oblige to the force of the pick met the ruthless impact of the hammer and taken out of the pit in small pieces.

The soil removed from the pit was evenly spread above the layer of manure. The process has created a small piece of land that is ready for planting.

The dirt encountered in this project will bear fruit in the next three to four months when the water mellons which I intend to plant will give their best thanks to the manure made from domestic waste.

Maize seed has already been planted and is being watered every morning while we wait for the rains to take over.

Although it has been over a week since I encountered the bad smell from the compost heap, the stench lingers in my mind. I am not complaining, but I am just trying to warn DIY enthusiasts who may want to embark on such projects to be prepared with a mask, which I must admit, I did not use.

Wishing you a week full of activity. Remember, if you want it perfectly done, do it yourself. n

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