Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Rainy interlude

Yesterday was a super planting day. Travis, my niece's husband, showed up to help plant tomatoes. So the three of us planted 200 of 300 tomatoes in 2 rows. We planted a set of rows because we were planting tomatoes in 4 and 5 inch pots. Using a hand post-hole digger to make the holes for plants up to 2 feet tall is easier done in an area off the back of the pick-up so we worked a row on each side, thus the set. Travis was a digging machine! Oh, for the vigor of youth. Plus it just turns out Travis is a pretty good worker. Good enough to wear out dad and I.

It totally rained last night like way over an inch according to the bucket in the yard. And it is still gently showering now. Perfect weather for the transplants.

Can't work much in the fields, the king of mud rules the land. So I'm going to run errands in Grants Pass, go to Greenleaf Nursery and pick up some eggplants if they have them. Then I'll probably spend the rest of the day working on some website design stuff.

Enjoy this lovely day on planet Earth.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Wonderful showers

The cool weather and rains have persisted!

Yesterday afternoon dad and I finished planting about 1280 tomato plants from Dave's Greenleaf Industries (they rock!) We did that in just a little less than a day. We've got about 900 more of from own sprouting to go including a bunch of heirloom types, pear and golden tomatoes.

Unfortunately they were out of eggplants. We're hoping they have more next time we stop by.

All we have left to transplant is peppers and melons, only another 1200 or so of those.

Yee-haa! planting season is rocking on. I need some trained monkeys or robots or something to take up the slack.

Mom and dad and I went out for breakfast to celebrate their 51st anniversary. Delightful way to pass a morning.

A happy and reflective Memorial Weekend to you all.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Hoorah! Good weather

A mighty heave of gratitude for whatever agency has brought on this cool, drizzly weather! A fervent prayer that it continues into next week.

We've got the plastic rows pulled for tomatoes and melons, now I'm scrambling to get the filters charged and dad will soon be running the terracer to sculpt the ends of the rows and walkways. Once that is done I'll hook up the drips and by this evening if all goes well we will be planting the first of 1500 tomatoes and about 800 mixed melons and assorteds.

It is soooo nice out there! Everyone have a glorious day.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Sunday pause

It is very hot out there, 95 and humid. The sun leans on me every time I walk out into it.

Took a bit of the afternoon off for a long nap. Thank god for air-conditioning! That rest will help make up for the early and late hours.

Tonight, even though it is Sunday, we'll go out to hand water the lettuce and cabbage one more time. This will hopefully be the last time since irrigation is supposed to be in the ditch sometimes this week. It is also likely to cool off for the next 5 days or so which will help the lettuce a bunch. Damn those lazy fools at the Grants Pass Irrigation District for taking so long to get us water.

The corn, pumpkins, winter squash, cucumber, watermelon, cantaloupe, and etc. we planted last week have all started to sprout at farm#2. Before the nap dad and I went over and set water on them to help them up.

Tomorrow we hope to pull black plastic mulch for the tomato rows. That'll be a lot of pressure off our minds. Still gotta find stakes for those too.

On the bad news front our tractor is sounding signs of potential failure. The PTO clutch has began to rattle the internal spline which is not only noisy but also means little or no rototilling, bush hogging or post hole digging unless we have to or until we break the tractor apart and fix it.

On the good news front, the polywogs in the pond are starting to show back legs. If they can stay alive until the cool weather or water comes in the ditch then we'll have a huge batch of frogs for the first time in about 7 years. Another big (sarcastic) thanks to the GPID.

Happiness, my friends.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Spring vississitudes

Yesterday was a pretty good day. Got the pumpkins, winter squash, watermelons, cucumbers, potatoes, onions, cantaloupe and corn planted, in that order. Now just have to do that all over again every week until the 4th of July. With the tomatoes thrown in for good measure.

The PTO clutch spline on our tractor is starting to wear out so we've got to cut back on using it to till, bush hog or run the big one-way disc. So we'll have to rent a tractor with a tiller a couple of times in the next few weeks. Ouch! Time and money...

Dang Grants Pass Irrigation District is taking its good time getting us water again this year. They say they'll start working on getting water in the ditch around the 12th which means we probably won't see water here until the 20th. So we're also having to hand water our early transplants such as cabbage, broccoli and lettuce.

Oh well, life can be a struggle at times but at least I'm free to decide.

Friday, May 02, 2008

Bird day, planting day

We saw many wonderful birds today. A hawk being chased by 2 crows, an osprey displaying for a mate, and a suave little cedar wax wing hunting bugs in our field. And to top it off mom saw a lazuli bunting at the feeder. The lazuli is a lovely blue headed bird about the size of a tow-hee.

Dad and I got about 1500 (mixed varieties of) lettuce planted today. Turns out we finished all the cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli yesterday. That makes a grand total somewhere between 2500 and 3000, not really sure how many.

Tomorrow we plant cucurbits and corn.

Y'all sleep well now, y'hear.