This morning, after going to town and delivering seed packets to the post office, I came home and jumped on the riding lawn mower to chop debris in the gardens. As Will and Drew were pulling tomato cages and stakes in the Wolf Garden, I went down to the Sand Garden and started mowing. It was nice to get it chopped clean but boy oh boy, the wind sure blew chaff in my face when I turned to mow against the wind! Yuck! I’ve got debris under my shirt and jeans too. Shower for sure tonight!
After I got done out there, I drove the mower to the Wolf Garden, where Will and Drew were working. They had three rows of tomato cages and stakes pulled so I went down and pulled out all the variety name stakes. Then I hopped on the baby Kubota and started tilling. I had planned on only tilling where the asparagus will be planted. But the soil was perfect, so I kept up, nearly tilling the whole garden, some of it twice or even three times to break up the heavy hay mulch that was between the tomatoes.
Finally, I got pretty pooped out and quit while they still had a few bean trellises to pull. By the time I’d gotten home with the lawn mower, grabbed them something to drink and started back, I met them coming back on the four-wheeler. It was all done! Tomorrow I’ll finish up tilling out there and see how the Sand Garden tills. I do need to move a half bale of hay Will was using for mulch out of the way. But it should scoot along with the bucket of the baby Kubota just fine.
The wolves were howling fairly close, so we didn’t see hide nor hair of the fox last night. That was probably a good choice for the fox. Hondo went out and howled with the wolf for a while. Then he/they moved on and all was quiet. I thought I heard Wood Frogs croaking last night in the beaver pond! Yep, spring is here. — Jackie
Garden is tilled, seeds are planted, more rain coming Sunday/Monday. In our area near Des Moines IA, we’ve had over 9″ rain in April. No longer in drought, and fingers crossed on avoiding tornadoes. Hail has been pea-sized for us. I’m hardening off the tomato, onion, pepper and celery plants with hopes of putting them in next week. Last frost date is around May 7.
Rhubarb is plentiful. Asparagus is rampant and we can barely keep up eating it–a good problem to have–but I sure don’t want any more plants. I see canning is an option; could a person dehydrate them?
I’m continually impressed with your determination to feed the entire U.S., Jackie. Either donating locally or selling seeds and teaching, you are a “force to be reckoned with”, says Mother Nature! As I am considering cutting back on garden next year, I wonder if you would have any advice on that subject or maybe do not know how to do such a thing! {I’m smiling here….} My arthritis is making me adapt, but I do not want weeds to overtake the fenced-in garden. Tilling has to be done by family, I can no longer do it. I’m open to ideas!
Man three of you accomplish ALOt! End of harvest, one too tired and still the processing of harvest, to do any gardening cleanup. Onion sets and oats are up- nothing else. Planted more peas- probably All will sprout same time!35 last night so not surprised at the lack of sprouts. Though past year s I’ve had so much up by now. One can always count on the weather to be different. All the fresh plow work looks lovely!.what’s a few feet of irrigation hose compared to plowing in! Take care hope no one overdoes it
Yep, seeds, even hardy ones, sprout much slower when the temperatures keep the soil cold. I’ve still got to finish up transplanting the last few tomatoes and flowers. Then it’s on to planting cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower, soon followed by melons, pumpkins and squash. We can direct seed these but in order to ensure very-viable seeds for our seed business, we start them inside. Just to be sure.
Spring is almost over here in east central Georgia. All of the trees are fully leafed out and the place has been mowed several times. The peas are blooming so maybe picking will happen in 2-3 weeks. We’ve gotten the first broccoli, turnips and daikon radish. Tomatoes were planted out last evening and peppers will go out next week. Bush beans are up about 3″ with first true leaves and I’m waiting for planted corn seed to pop up. The garlic will probably be ready early this year.
It’s so dry here. Our last rain was 1″ on March 16. At least we don’t have the fires that are raging downstate. I’m “hydrating” all planting holes and rows, filling them with water several times and letting it soak in. Then mulch, mulch, mulch. Today I will set up the pole bean tripods or quad pods. Gotta decide which!
That’s so neat. I mean all your gardening progress! Holy cow, I just barely tilled 3 of our gardens for the first time. Then there’s manure and more tilling before planting starts. Whew!!
I hope those fires keep away.
Oh my what a day! How do the guys pull all those t-posts? That kinda tired makes a body feel sore, but the soul feel good, satisfied. Hopefully your water line won’t be too hard to fix. We had a water hose problem today too…the pump for the old well we use for the cattle kept tripping the breaker. So I spent awhile going up & down the hill to a hydrant on another well hooking up hoses so the tank could be filled. Repairman will be here next week. Then my good dh & I fixed fence around the windbreak. A good day here too, we even got 1/4 inch rain!
Wow! We got a little rain, but not even 1/4″. The water line is easy to fix and Will can’t say much about me running over it and the hose as he did the very same thing last year! Hey, stuff happens on a farm.
I have tater plants emerging and a ton of violets in my strawberry patch, which is starting to bloom. After all that rain we got, the asparagus patch looks dry. We’ve harvested but a lot shoot up (skinny) and go to seed. We wanted to burn the patch this spring but it was too wet so a rake job was it. One nicely fat stalk pushed up from under a garden block. Sedge and catnip appear to be companion plants for asparagus. I do have an area where I’ll transplant the sedge.
Went out to eat tonight and saw more damage from last week’s storms. Some farmers will have to decide whether to remove storm debris from fields before planting. There is still a lot of standing water/rivers over their banks. Not as high as I’ve seen it in the past but hoping no more heavy rains for a while.
I will be weeding this weekend. Seems like once we have one weed under control, another takes its place. Oh well, good exercise for me. I just have to remember I can no longer squat two hours at a time.
Morel sighting on the 21st in my area. I am keeping my eyes peeled.
I mowed our asparagus patches early, just as soon as the snow was off. No weeding gets done as there is too much. But the asparagus doesn’t seem to mind and is always putting out nice fat spears. I can’t wait to plant the new bed!
Yes, spring is a busy time of the year. But what season is not when you are gardening? I counted 5 fluffy baby Canadian geese on the big pond this morning. Spring has come early here, too. I am seeing late summer wildflowers already blooming here in southern middle Tennessee. I wonder if we will have a long productive summer or an early fall/winter. Time will tell; but I am enjoying each day that we have. We have strawberries galore and the blackberry bushes are in full bloom. I made 16 jars of strawberry jam and 12 pints of green peas. Loving every minute of it.
Wow, I guess you should love it all! How sweet. Our geese have just barely arrived and are thinking about nests now. We have a pair that always nests on our small beaver pond, just below the house. We love seeing them and their babies swimming out there! My rhubarb is starting to poke up. Yea!!! I can’t wait!
This is the “crazy” time of the year. My head is spinning with all the things to get done. My old body isn’t keeping up. A friend decided to quit heating with wood and allowed me to load his split and unsplit wood home. Peas, asparagus, and onions planted, 14 new calves, 19 cows yet to birth. I planted 30 maples and 20 white pine trees. More tillage to do. Sometimes I just sit and relax. I figure I can only get so much done in a day and to be happy about that. It’s great to be alive and enjoy the beauty of our countryside.
I totally agree with you! This year, spring is coming earlier than usual for us as we didn’t get the deep snow, which has to melt before things get under way. Today, I finished tilling the Wolf Garden then tilled the Sand Garden. Oops!! I suddenly looked back and discovered I’d hooked the black water line, which had broken and been dragged 50 feet AND the garden water hose, which was starting to wrap around the tiller. I drove up to the house, dragging 150′ of hose behind me as I couldn’t get down and back UP on the tractor. I got down, went to get a knife and cut it off. Fortunately it was not too bad. Then I tilled the Main Garden as best I could for a tree had broken off and fallen on the fence. Another job!
We heard peepers last night too! It is always so exciting. :^) You mentioned in an earlier post about getting 3 year asparagus crowns. Would you share your source? This sure is a whip-lash spring so far. 75 one day and 30 the next.The Bluebirds have returned in Embarrass so my heart is happy.
I ordered 3 year old asparagus crowns from Andy’s Asparagus Acres. They were not cheap but will give us a good harvest in two years. I also bought some 2 year crowns from Hoss at http://www.growhoss.com that were VERY nice and a lot cheaper. We’ll be planting them Saturday, if it doesn’t rain then. Wow! Bluebirds. I haven’t seen any yet but keep looking.
Good to know a source for 3 year crowns. Locally only 2 year crowns are available.
I’ve mentioned more than once to better half we need to mark the “dead” areas in the asparagus patch. Better half doesn’t, I will this year. I know he planted in an area that *did not* need to be planted.
All of you had such a productive day…must had been very tired but felt good to get so much done. Always a lot of work on a farm. I am happy spring is finally here.
Sue
We did! And I slept very well too! Today I tilled what I didn’t finish yesterday, then the Sand Garden and Main Garden. The North Garden is a bit too wet yet, plus it has a bunch of old big round bales Will set out there to use as mulch that are in the way. A project for another day!