Rock & Roll Farming

Yesterday I found myself with an unexpected absence of what to do. The weather turned out to be much nicer than called for and I found myself with a last minute plan change. What to do? I decided to go ahead and sow some outdoor crops. Peas, fava beans, radishes, arugula, and a few other beds of assorted cold tolerant greens. For the most part this is right on schedule. Perhaps a tad early but most likely not. It felt so good to be planting again. especially fun with the ipod cranked.

In the process I made a new discovery that seemed to work well. When I plant peas and favas I use a 36" raised strip and make two furrows about 18" apart with tool on the tractor. I normally go back and cover the seed by hand with a rake. This method takes a long time and I have been experiencing some tendinitus in my elbows for the last couple of years and the raking is painful. So I was thinking of an easier way to cover the seed using the tractor. Finally it dawned on me. I ran my furrows a little deeper than normal, sowed the seed then made a pass with the tractor using my small 36" tiller/bed shaper running it at a low rpm and very shallow. It worked great! The seed was covered and the bed was re-shaped and now looks like it did prior to planting which will make it easier to cultivate. I love it when I have an idea and it works:) Were talking a couple thousand row feet here. I did in ten minutes what would have taken two hours by hand and achey elbows for days. Body pain is the mother of invention.

So we continue, slow and steady. Not so much to do that I run around all confused but enough to keep me busy enough to stay at it all day. Hopefully this little dry spell will hold on. After planting yesterday I only have three beds left open and soon we'll need space for plants coming out of the grenhouse's. Where's it all gonna go? If it dries up a bit I can make more beds.

It's getting light, time to go

Keep well,

John