REAL Grass

Over the past 4 years, we've debated between REAL or FAKE grass. After testing out various options in different yards and places in the Southern United States, we decided on real grass. And we decided to improve the entire backyard starting with rocking the exterior and making the chicken palace. Here is your step by step tutorial - mostly because I'm SUPER PROUD of my Sweetheart for tackling something HUGE!

Step 1: Move all the weeds. Yes weeds. We aren't perfect about the weeding in 110 degree weather with monsoon rains. Make sure ALL vehicles are parked out of the weeding zone.

Step 2: Prepare the area for landscaper cloth. If need be, dig out a trench so the little children won't reenact the story of David and Goliath with the river rock.

Step 3: Order 10 ton of rocks. 10 tons will hopefully cover the area and the landscaper fabric.

Step 4: Hire a young man stronger than Hercules to shovel, wheel, and generally support my Sweetheart to get the rocks in the right spot. My job was to feed them, water them, and take the pictures.

Step 5: Improve the chicken coop to becoming a chicken palace according to Sweetheart's brother. The new hens and the old ladies got about 25 more square feet with their remodel job.

Step 6: Rent a jackhammer because the earth is so hard that only a jack hammer will get through the caliche. Caliche is like dirt but not really dirt. It is more like cement. People here own them as part of their tool arsenal. Then ask more men to come and dig the dirt to remove all the rock to make a great place for dirt.

Step 7: Return the jack hammer and dirt sifter. Get a rototiller and add llama dung, steer manure, fertilizer. Then mix. And mix and mix. Then rent a lawn roller from a big box store to compact the dirt. Sorry - no picture of the poop.

Step 8: Put in an automatic watering system. Automatic water makes it so easy. The picture is of the young man who is about as strong as Hercules. He tells us his hair is naturally orange instead of red.

Step 9: Order sod and hope you are awake when the delivery guy brings it in the MIDDLE of the night. Our delivery guy brought it into our backyard and placed the sod next to our new grass area.

Step 10: Put in the sod before returning the lawn roller. Ask a friend to help roll it out because it is the funnest part! And this is the magic that happens!

 Step 11: Love, thank, and give praise to the man who made it all possible. He is EXHAUSTED and SORE! And so grateful to have it ALL DONE for now......