Happy 2011

We're back and ready for all that this new year has to offer. The chestnut trees are looking good and we are starting to work on the fields. This year we will try to get on top of the weeds before they choke out everything in their path. There seems to be a shortage of 10-10-10, so we're checking some other fertilizer options.

There has not been much loss of trees over the winter. The main problem has been the wind storms that cause the bamboo in the tree tubes to break and knock over the trees. That has an easy fix, just replacing the bamboo with rebar. The other problem is how the tube ties are breaking due to weather exposure. When the wind comes through, the ties are broken, leaving the rebar standing and the tree on the ground. Other than that, the majority of trees have exceeded the tree tube in growth (5 ft) and we are now hoping for a good number of those trees to produce chestnuts this year.

The other focus this year will be irrigation. In order to have a quality chestnut, it is necessary to insure that the trees have the correct amount of water. So we are working on the irrigation system in preparation for a dry summer.

That's all for now. If you have any suggestions on weed control, fertilizer or irrigation, let us know your thoughts. And as the leaves appear on the trees, we'll have more photos.

One is the Loneliest Number...

...when you're a corn stalk. Really rough start for the garden. But I'm persistent, so still planting seed until the guy at the Southern States Store cuts me off from more seed purchases. More corn going in this week. I just planted more green beans (roma) and black-eyed peas in the last few days. We did have about 2/3 inch of rain in the last 3 nights, so hoping the storms will continue. Our irrigation pump arrived today, so we'll be talking about that in the weeks to come.

Pumpkins

We are considering planting pumpkins for fall sale and are discussing the different varieties. I am thinking about varieties that are powdery mildew tolerant, primarily Iron Man, Super Herc and Aladdin. In order to do this properly, I'll need to do a little more research about soil preparation before planting. To have pumkins by the middle to end of September, we have to plant seeds in the next 2 weeks. I'll publish more information on this process as we move forward.

6/2/07 Today I planted the first 100 of 750 pumpkin seeds. We are hoping to have a small first crop for sale in the fall to local markets. This will be a good test of the different types of soil that we have around the farm. I will post photos as the pumpkins germinate and begin to grow.

6/11/07 Today I planted almost 500 pumpkin seeds. The Iron Man and Super Herc seeds were planted in a new garden spot I have established at the bottom of our land, next to the creek. We using this spot to test the differences between this soil and the soil for the main garden at the top of the hil. The seeds planted on 6/2 have already germinated. Since there has been a decent amount of rain, irrigation is not needed at this time.

8/22/07 Today I cry "uncle" and accept the agony of defeat. I predicted that the soil close to the creek and at the bottom of the hill would be rich. I know that I should have tested it, however, it looked good (I know, not good farming). The pumpkins did germinate and there were flowers, up until the unpredicted drought. And I did not have irrigation in place on that area of the farm. So, I move forward and plan better for next year.

The Orchard

Once the garden has been planted and everything in place, we are ready to move to the orchard. We have just purchased about a dozen fruit and nut trees for planting. Although we have used soaker hoses in the garden, irrigation is going to be our greatest hurdle in the orchard. Trees will be spaced about 20 feet apart with rows spaced wide enough for a tracktor to pass for spraying and grass mowing.

First we measured each row 30 feet apart. We used string and stakes to insure straight rows when we began digging holes. Next we used an auger attachment for our Bobcat and dug the initial hole for each tree.

Then using a post digger, we made each hole at least twice the diameter of the root ball. While planting the trees, we added peat moss and top soil.

Following is a photo of the orchard, week 1.

5/14/07 update. The trees seem to be doing Ok, although some have a few dried leaves on them, even though we have watered and had a good amount of rainfall in the last week. Also, since we have planted the berries, the raspberries have started putting out stems already, so I am hopefull.

The Garden

The thing that I like the most about farming is gardening, watching things grow. There is certainly something romantic about living off the land. So last year, we tilled, planted, watered, put up deer fencing, etc., etc., etc. I think we harvested 2 tomatoes and a very small radish. And the year before that we all enjoyed one very small watermelon. Basically the best thing to gain from clay soil is, well, bricks (which is next on my list if I can't get anything to grow this year).

Each year, I have new optimism. So this year I have gotten off to a good start. We purchased compost from a paper company (very green and clean) and put a thick coat on the garden spot. In the last few days, I tilled the soil 3 times, in 3 different directions. I'm hopeful. In the days and weeks to come, I'll add photos as changes in the garden occur.

4/25/07 The next step is plant selection. I'll purchase some seeds and fertilizer locally and then some fruit trees and bushes by catalog. My plan is to begin planting this weekend. Once the planting begins, I'll install the deer fencing. Ok, don't laugh, but I'm doing my best to live with these woodland creatures. They really are pretty and also destructive.

4/28/07 Today we planted our garden. First we started by measuring between the rows and then tied string along the rows so that they will be straight when planting. This is the best way to optimize your garden space and at the same time spacing plants for optimum growth. Then we hoed each row and planted.

Since we are working with clay soil, we added fertilizer (10-10-10) as well as Miracle Grow potting soil to each row. When we cleared the land, the soil was full of pine trees. While this situation was great for the trees, it has not been good for new plants.

Once the plants and seeds were added, we placed soaker hoses on each row for irrigation. This has proven to be the most efficient form of irrigation for the hobby farmer. I try to only water 1-2 times per week, since we are watering from our home well. And the soaker hose places the water exactly where you need it, without waisting the water.

5/14/07 - update. We now have 3 rows of corn that have germinated well. However the lima beans and string beans are not doing well at all. Any thoughts? I plan to plant more corn this week, staggering my planting to lengthen the season.

5/23/07 I'm really disappointed with the plants that have just not germinated. Corn seems to be doing Ok and the tomato plants that I purchased are robust. I'm going to plant corn again in a different area on the farm, primarily to test the soil in different areas. Below is a photo of the corn growth to-date.


6/2/07 Today I planted the last of the silver queen corn and then planted 3 rows of golden queen corn. These have both been planted in another garden that we tilled near the creek. The soil is darker and has grown grass well in the past, compared to the soil in the first garden which is red clay. The new garden spot is also bottom land and hopefully will be rich in nutrients.


8/7/07 Well, the garden is done for now. We did harvest tomatoes, corn, string beans and watermelons. Although the crop was not large, I did find that corn did the best and the key was the soaker hoses, at least for this year. Below is a photo of my crop and my farm help.