First of all, Will hauled a whole lot of very nice, fine, rotted horse manure onto the Wolf Garden, managing to cover more than half of it very well. Then he and Drew walked over it, pitching rocks out of the garden as well as picking up perennial weeds and grass roots, which would certainly take hold later. As they finished up, I jumped (well, kind of crawled) onto the baby Kubota and tilled in everything in preparation for planting the asparagus crowns that were waiting in the basement.
On Saturday, David and his friend, Ian, stopped over to pick up some of David’s things that were still at his house. It was so nice to see them and visit with them! They also helped Will and Drew move the two hoop houses down in the Main Garden. That was wonderful. Now I can till where they had been. We’d like to burn it as there are plenty of weeds in there. But there is a burning ban right now, due to the fire danger. So no go there.
Yesterday it was warm and sunny. A perfect planting day. Will hooked the little middle buster plow onto the big Kubota and ran a nice furrow down, parallel to the Wolf Garden fence, leaving enough room in between to till or roll out a big round bale for mulch. Then the three of us worked at planting the asparagus. I threw a bale of pine shavings on the golf cart as well as buckets of water with the roots soaking in them, and headed out there. I dropped the crowns in the furrow, Will followed me on his hands and knees, tucking the roots out like a fan, and putting enough dirt over and around the plant to hold it in place. Drew followed him, hoeing more soil over the roots about 3 inches deep. When we were done planting, Drew cut the bag of shavings open and started pouring them down over the furrow. Will followed him, spreading the shavings out evenly. This will act as mulch, yet let the new asparagus shoots poke through. Today it rained. So that was perfect!
After planting, I took the baby Kubota out to the North Garden to till there. On Saturday, I tried to till but the big round bales Will had set in there to lure the cows in to eat and “fertilize,” were still pretty much intact — and right in the way. I gave up. Will went out yesterday morning and moved them all out onto the pasture. Again, I went out to till and it went much better. There was some ice under where the bales had been. But it was pretty soft and tilled up fine. I wanted to get it tilled so the hay that was still there from mulch and those bales would quickly rot when mixed with the soil.
While I was doing that, Will and Drew took a walk through the horse pasture to check the big beaver pond, which we can’t see from the house due to the trees getting so big. The pond is bigger now! I guess the beavers have been busy over there. And, in the pond, was a pair of Trumpeter Swans! Drew got a couple of pictures and, today, they were out on the small beaver pond, enjoying the day. I really hope they stick around and make a nest to raise young.
Last night, I heard the first spring peeper frogs out on the pond. What a wonderful sound of spring! — Jackie
So nice that the fellas all there to move the hoop houses. To then hang out and guy talk! Swans! Beaver pond what a privilege you have. Yes, slow spring and short growing season but Worth it 90 here on Sunday 70 nights- after weeks of 40 nights I hustled to get the corn and beans in. Still have abit left but garden is fast filling up! Thinking about getting some containers going with deer unlike produce They sure play havoc on shrubs flowers and veggies that aren’t properly fenced. Hearing the high percentage of farmers who are short in their fertilizer. Gonna make prices on groceries even higher. Hopefully we will all have a good growing season nationwide with our gardens Lord willing. Take care of your knees!
I just heard about mashed potato squash. Supposedly a good choice for those on low oxalate or low carb diets. Wondering if it really tastes like potatoes?
Things are moving along here in east central Georgia. We finally got some rain last week, the first since March 16th. Only 0.6″ but hopefully more tomorrow.
Tomato plants are almost 2′ tall, pepper plants about a foot tall, the first bush beans are up 10″ and the first small patch of corn is up 3″. We’re getting turnips and diakon radish, cutting kale and have just 2 heads of broccoli left to cut. Recently planted pole beans aren’t up yet except for your Britta’s Footlong which popped up yesterday. The other corn, watermelon and a few sweet potatoes will go in next week and then planting will be done. Spring is moving fast this year!
Wow, that’s so cool! I love hearing of your harvests while my crops are still either in the greenhouse or seed packets yet. It gives me encouragement! Yea spring!!
Still having blackberry winter here in Mid MO. We have a fire in the woodstove today. Rain and 46 degrees. We have been eating asparagus for the past month. Rhubarb and lettuce are doing well and we are eating lots of lettuce. Our potato plants are fabulous..the best we’ve ever had. Onions, carrots and strawberries are doing well, too. The ground is still too cool for tomatoes, peppers, squash etc. My house plants are all outside. They don’t like the cool weather, but it doesn’t hurt them. And I still have my flower starts in the green house. I hope to get them planted next week. I know….it will be hot soon enough. Right now we are grateful for the rain.
Wow, so nice to have asparagus, rhubarb and lettuce! We’re behind you, of course, but it’s coming along. Our rhubarb is just poking out of the ground and no asparagus yet, but soon. I’ll be glad to get the onions planted. The plants came today and look great. Cold and spitting snow today so we’ve had a wood fire all day, with a high of about 42 degrees F. Working inside today but for Will watering the cows and cutting a big bunch of firewood plus unloading another semi load of swamp pads. They were very nice today!! Nice and solid. Me? I’m washing more dishes and trying to shovel out the kitchen and dining room.
Swans! How beautiful. I’ve only seen a pair in this part of NE once, almost 20 years ago when there was a very rainy year that left large ‘sky ponds’ in the flatlands east of us. Weather here now is still mostly dry, with roller coaster temps. Yesterday morning was 37, by 3pm 90, and by 7pm 50. Frost possible next 2 mornings. That was quite a good crew you had there helping, and quite a team effort to plant asparagus! With fertilizer costs so high, hopefully more farmers will look to their rancher neighbors to get fertilizer. Wishing all good weather and Peace!
We love to see the swans and sure hope the pair will nest on the big beaver pond. Our weather’s turned cold again with snow and highs in the low forties. Brrr. The wood stove sure feels good today!
Planted the last of the taters today. Previously planted ones are up and will soon be big enough to hill. Garlic continues to get taller. Asparagus is so-so. Another hour of weeding in the strawberry patch will eliminate the violets I can see (nice the flowers are purple not white). I think I know what seedling violets look like and remove them. Dang things like to grow right next to the roots of the strawberry plant.
Next I’ll be weeding the asparagus bed. And I need to figure out where to transplant some sedge. It and catnip are companion plants to the asparagus.
My dad got nailed during the storm that hit a couple of weeks ago. Got his insurance check today so contractor has him on his schedule.
I got a box of German Butterball seed potatoes from Fedco today. We grew some last year and Will really loves them. We’re several weeks from being able to plant them, and our own seed potatoes yet. We always get a heavy frost periodically, at least until the first week in June or later. When the potatoes have come up, the tops freeze and it sets the plants back a lot. So we wait, impatiently.
Sorry to hear your dad got hit with that storm. But it sounds like the contractor will be at work soon to fix things up.