Doing this brushing has two handy benefits:
1- It exposes the south edge of the field to more early season sunlight. The soil should heat up more quickly in the spring, which means more veggies earlier!
2 - The main trunk of these brushy trees are just a few inches in diameter. Perfect for bean poles, and tomato trellises. Thats some local sources of materials!
3 - Oh yes, there's a third. All the branches and whatnot I'll chip up to make litter for the chickens. Deep litter method anyone? (Chicken poo is high in nitrogen, wood is high in carbon, combine the two and it becomes great compost)
Perhaps I'm looking at these side benefits because I feel guilty cutting down trees. Don't worry! I'm keeping all the carbon right here.
Note the near border of the field is less shrubby... Ah, you can't really tell here. But it is another snapshot of the field mid January.
Over the holidays I picked up an old Coleman lantern from my folks basement. (no electricity out at the farm.)
Coleman lantern collectors clubs take note: It's a Coleman model 275, circa 1976. From Bradlees (now defunct department store.) Had to replace the knob though, now it's a block of wood that conveniently indicates nothing in terms of whether it is shut off or not. Just have to listen for the gas.
This little bugger lets me work at the farm later into the evening. Not sure that's a good thing...
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