Cabbage and broccoli and chard, sage cuttings, planting peppers, the continuing saga of the Oliver 88

On Wednesday I found the first sprouts of the year. The cabbages and one variety of broccoli had popped up overnight. John planted them the prior Thursday. We put the flats on the heat mats to encourage uniform sprouting. We took them off after sprouting was complete so as not to push growth too fast. Today (Friday) I found that the chives and Swiss chard have also just barely started to peek out.

Cabbage seedlings popping up, the first seedlings in starts greenhouse for 2006.

This Thursday John started our 6 varieties of sweet peppers; two red and two yellow bell peppers, the Purple Marconi frying pepper that was very popular at Chef Brian’s restaurant last year, and a red Italian pimento pepper that I’m trying this year. He also started cuttings of garden sage and purple sage from our herb garden. The sage plants overwintered very poorly this year, so we’re starting with new plantings. We’ll be starting cuttings or dividing several other herbs, including the tricolor sage and the French tarragon. I’ve never done cuttings, so John is already teaching me on his third day at work.

John taking cuttings from sage plants in our herb garden.

I’ve been working on completing the planting plans. I like to say I’m making as many decisions as I can now, so I won’t have to make decisions later when I get too busy to think. I also need to make the decisions so I know how much supplies to order. I’ve ordered a pallet of organic seedling mix for the starts greenhouse. I’m getting ready to order dripline and mulch plastic for the raised bed and organic fertilizer to supplement the compost we add to the fields. (Walt from Walt’s Organic Fertilizer called a couple of days ago wanting to know about this year’s order.)

Chef Brian stopped by to chat. His backyard is full of transplants he plans to plant in the 2.3 acres he rents at the farm. He thought he had lined up the purchase of a vintage tractor for use this season, but apparently it is still in pieces in the seller’s shop. Now he’s looking at tractor rentals to get the season started.

Jaime & Juan finished weeding the raspberries, thornless blackberries, and Marionberries today (Friday).

uan weeding in the raspberries.

Jaime tilled in the cover crop and the compost Enrique spread on the area we’ll be planting in peas. I’m still hoping the weather will cooperate on Monday. We’ll spread some fertilizer and till deeper. We grow climbing peas, so we set up a trellis. Then we can plant the peas we’ve been presprouting (described in the last entry). Last year the weather didn’t cooperate and I had to decide whether to plant in an area that could have used some more work or delay and probably lose the pea crop entirely. As a result we spent extra time weeding.

Jaime tilling the field where we will plant peas this year. He is driving our small Kubota tractor.

Enrique is close to finished with spreading compost on the corn maze field. When that’s done he’ll use the side-throwing spreader for it’s proper use, spreading mulch on the newly weeded raspberries and blackberries. Next week if the weather permits we’ll be planting leeks as well as the peas.

Now that the weather is nicer and the daylight lingers a while past the end of work, Rob has been working on his tractor project, the Oliver 88. He solved the gas leak problem and got the valves adjusted properly. He started it up and was delighted by the purr – the engine was running beautifully. Taking one last look before mounting up and trying a test drive, he notice a coolant leak – a cracked block! He has a scheme for patching the crack, but wants to consult about the problem first. Another week or two will tell.

What’s playing today in the Jeep CD player? Great Big Sea – Something Beautiful