World Narrowing

           FromthenonIkeptajournal.Itisamixtureofdiary,stocklist,andcommonplacebook.Inittherearenotesoftheplacestowhichmyexpeditionstookme,particularsofthesuppliescollected,estimatesofquantitiesavailable,observationsonthestatesofthepremises,withmemosonwhichshouldbeclearedfirsttoavoiddeterioration.Foodstuffs,fuel,andseedwereconstantobjectsofsearch,butbynomeanstheonlyones.Thereareentriesdetailingloadsofclothing,tools,householdlinen,harness,kitchenware,loadsofstakes,andwire,wire,andmorewire,alsohooks.

           IcanseetherethatwithinaweekofmyreturnfromTynshamIhadstartedontheworkoferectingawirefencetokeepthetriffidsout.Alreadywehadbarrierstoholdthemawayfromthegardenandtheimmediateneighborhoodofthehouse.NowIbeganamoreambitiousplanofmakingsomehundredacresorsofreefromthem.Itinvolvedastoutwirefencewhichtookadvantageofthenaturalfeaturesandstandingbarriers,and,insideit,alighterfencetopreventeitherthestockorourselvesfromcominginadvertentlywithinstingrangeofthemainfence.Itwasaheavy,tediousjobwhichtookmeanumberofmonthstocomplete.

           AtthesametimeIwasendeavoringtolearntheABCoffarming.Itisnotthekindofthingthatiseasilylearnedfrombooks.Foronething,ithasneveroccurredtoanywriteronthesubjectthatanypotentialfarmercouldbestartingfromabsolutezero.