One of the unseen benefits of gardening on a large property is that you can gather many materials that you would otherwise have to buy.  A gardener working on a small urban property can, with care, make excellent compost and a fair bit of mulch; however, other types of material are generally not possible.  Although, I suspect that with a bit more space materials for woven fencing, either from willows or pollarded trees, would be possible.  Pollarding trees is, however, a decidedly labour intensive task. 

That being so, I am rather appreciative of the fact that pretty much every year I can count on a literal windfall: enough pine or other evergreen boughs to cover the garden areas and shrubs most sensitive to winter wind and sun burn.  It does require time, of course, but not much else.  Sometimes it is a tree that had to be cut down, a blue spruce the other year, this year it was pine boughs broken in the big October snow storm, another year it was a thoroughly unexpected pine that snapped in the woods.  It is a very satisfactory feeling to collect from the land what you need, one is perhaps even more blessed if one is in the position to do so, but not in the position to Have to do so…

…now if only I could get the pine sap out of my jacket….