Field

Temperature hit the mid 50°s today. The field was very soft and muddy. Last winter was one of the top three snowiest years I can remember and this winter has been, by far, the warmest and mildest.

Also, the first tomato seed order arrived in the mail today. Another reminder that spring isn’t too far away. We’ll have 2012 tomatoes started in about a month!

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I disced down the cover crop in the field today. I’ll need to go over it one more time before the soil will be ready for planting. Lauren and I also spread composted manure on about half the rows in the garden (the ones that needed it.) Then we prepped the first raspberry row… I’ve been subsoiling it and discing it for over a year now, but today we formed the bed and took out the rocks on the surface. Tomorrow, we start moving raspberries from their current location to their new, permanent home. Good day today.

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Today, I laid out 4 new rows up by the vineyard that will eventually be planted with Raspberries and Blueberries. I had one row mapped out from last summer, but I decided to add three news rows parallel to the first one. The area is not an exact square; it’s actually a big trapezoid. Also, there are some giant boulders/ledges in the way, so i was trying to make all the rows evenly spaced, while still taking the rocks into consideration. So, even though I tried to get away without it, I actually had to use MATH for the third time out here on the farm. (The Pythagorean theorem comes in handy laying out garden rows and hoop houses, too.) This marks the third time I’ve used the PT since about 1986… and all three times were in the past year.)

After laying out the rows and feeling satisfied with the spacing, I put the subsoiler on the tractor and plowed through the new rows. Then I started the discing process, which is definitely going to take some time since this pasture area is pretty thick with brushy roots and moss… and ironically, wild blueberries. At least I know the NEW blueberries will do just fine here.

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