Monday, August 28, 2017

First half of 2017

Biannual update in August.

Winter: snowy


Pruning browntail moth out of our favorite apple tree.

Adding overhead irrigation to the hoophouses with Rob.


Spring: Rainy



But thats not all bad


Got a new tractor on the farm: Satoh S-650-G.  25hp. Late 70's.
Thanks Prentice & Polly!


Added wheel spacers to give the Satoh just a bit more stability.


First harvest of our asparagus patch


The wet spring gave us nice rounds of radishes and scallions.


 And when it dried out we plowed up a half acre of the back field for the first time.
  (there's still plenty of work for the Super A!)


Expanded our blocks of plant families.
L > R Pickling cucumbers, a cover crop of buckwheat before fall pumpkins, potatoes.


Summer:  Dry

But dry weather is great for brushhogging the back field


And it's nice when the garlic was ready to pull.


So we got a few cucumbers...


Rows and rows of cucumbers.


 Red onions came out better this year.
  (considering last year, no onions at all)


I might have let this zuke go too long.  Look, it's got legs and arms and stuff.


Bowdoinham farmers market keeps rolling along



 And we love to make beautiful piles of veggies there.


Thank goodness I have helpers in the field.


We took time to watch the eclipse,


And dump lots of manure on the back field.


Managed to roll in the cover crop seed where the garlic was too.


now if you don't go to bed you have to stay up and clean garlic with dad.