The Big Dig

No, we haven't moved to Boston. Thankfully we haven't had to deal with that sort of debacle. But as Ronald Reagan once said, "Two of the most terrifying things to hear are, 'I am from the government, and I am here to help.'"

Last week there was a back hoe in our backyard for two and a half days. The local sewer authority was absorbed (perhaps aquired is a better word) by a larger regional suburban authority. As part of their agreement with the EPA, they have to make a specified number of repairs to the system they acquired.

Our neighbor's line was slightly damaged and a vent cap was missing. Thankfully there were no leaks, but there was a deep hole four inches wide in the yard where the vent cap should be. Over the years that hole got more than its fair share of balls, kid's shoes, etc. It even ate some of the lumber we tried to use to prevent things from dropping down its maw. Eventually all of these items damaged the line.

Now that the new sewer authority came to the rescue we faced a new set of problems.

The crew chief was reassuring. "We think we will only have to dig a five foot hole. When we do we will be very careful with your yards, and we will replace all the grass. Now we don't think we will go into your garden at all. What is growing back there anyway? Dill?"

"No! Asparagus!" Bobbie replied.

The final hole was 17 feet deep and we lost the entire asparagus patch. In the top photo the backhoe rests right on top of it! We dug up some of the roots saving them to transplant later.

But this loss also presents us with an opportunity. We intended to move the asparagus patch anyway and this event forced us to reconsider this garden plot that we had left fallow for almost 10 years.

The bottom photo shows the new vent before it was cut and capped at ground level. After driving the backhoe up the hill, the crew spread straw to hold down soil erosion. Next spring the authority will be back to finish the job. The former asparagus patch will now become part of the lawn when the crew returns in the spring to plant grass seed...and ASPARAGUS!