INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Starting in the corner of your plot or garden, plunge your spade a few inches into the ground. Turn the dirt oil, keeping most of the topsoil on top (the topsoil will be richer, softer, and darker than the soil underneath it). Repeat this process, proceeding down the edge of your plot, then doubling back when you reach the end. Leave turned-over rows (or furrows) a foot or two apart from each other. In most locations, the topsoil is about six inches to a foot thick (though this can vary). Once you've tilled your plot into rows, go back over your work with a rake. Use the rake to break up large soil clods, loosening the soil so that it can accept seeds. You'll want this loose, broken-up soil to extend about two inches deep. For most crops, aim to break the soil into clumps smaller than the size of a dime. As you rake the soil, take care not to flatten your plot with your footsteps. A flat field will retain too much water in the event of rain, which can lead to crop failures. Try to preserve the highs and lows of your furrows so that excess water is directed to the edges of the field.

SUMMARY: Use a spade to turn the soil up in rows. Rake the ground. Leave furrows for good drainage.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Make the final stitch in your row, just as you normally would before starting extra chain stitches to turn around and move on to the next. Cut the yarn about 4-6" from where it comes off the piece you are working on. This extra thread is called the tail. You should have one loop on your hook at this point. Now, catch the yarn on your hook and pull it towards the loop as if you were going to make another chain. Now, instead of creating a loop with the yarn, pull the thread all the way through the loop. Give the tail a firm pull. You should see the loops behind and around it tighten up until it looks like your piece ends in a knot. Technically you are done, though you should not generally stop here as this connection can come undone. Take your tail and weave it back through the stitches that you have made. This will hide the tail and keep it from unraveling the knot you just made. Now, there are LOTS of different theories on the best way to weave the yarn through the piece. Some people use a yarn needle, others use the crochet hook, some people weave the thread back and forth through the first and/or second rows, some people pull it in a single line through the middle of the first row. Experiment and find a way that you like but most methods likely work equally well.

SUMMARY: Make your last stitch. Cut some extra thread. Start as if making a single crochet chain. Pull the thread all the way through. Tug to secure the knot. Weave in the ends.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Find the rod attached to a ball that floats on the top of the water and controls the intake of water from the pipes into the tank. This is the floating arm. If you lift up on the arm and the water stops, then your problem is that the water in the tank isn't coming up high enough to turn off and the pipes are getting the message that more water needs to come in, so the toilet runs constantly, or often. A running toilet can cost a fortune in wasted water. While it may seem like a minor inconvenience, a running toilet is a serious and usually easily fixable problem. Sometimes, the floating arm will be bent so the ball will rub or catch on the side of the tank or the tank ball arm. Flush the toilet and see if the arm catches on anything. If it does, just bend the arm gently so it floats freely and can rise to the level it needs to. Sometimes, water will get trapped in the ball, weighing it down and keeping the water from rising as it should. If this happens, dump the water out and replace the ball by screwing it back on. If the ball is cracked or otherwise damaged and allows water in freely, replace it with a new one. If lifting up on the arm doesn't halt the running water and adjusting the floating arm doesn't seem to help, the problem is probably with the flapper assembly, which creates the seal at the bottom of the tank leading to the bowl and connects to the toilet handle by a rod.  Shut off the water and flush the toilet to empty the tank of water. Examine the flapper for signs of wear or corrosion. If you find build-up from the water or other gunk, scour it off with a kitchen pad or a pocketknife and see if you can get the flapper to create a good seal. Also check the opening for the same corrosion issues and clean it. If water still gets through the opening, examine the wire rod that connects to the toilet handle and make sure it's aligned and allowing the flapper to fall freely and plug the hole. Like the floating rod, you should be able to bend it back into place relatively gently, or replace it with a new one. Some are connected with a chain that can become tangled or loose and may need replaced as well. If none of this seems to stop the toilet from running, you'll probably need to replace the ballcock assembly.

SUMMARY:
Remove the top of the tank and lift up the floating arm. Check the floating arm for misalignment. If it doesn't seem to be caught on anything, unscrew the ball from the arm by twisting it counter-clockwise. Check the flapper seal.