Pole beans, swallows, corn maze setback, basket weeder, lavender
On Tuesday we planted pole beans. We set up bamboo teepees for the beans to climb. We like pole beans for U-Pick since they continue to produce beans all summer long. We also set up and planted the pole bean maze. This small maze is especially popular with the little kids since you have to duck through the teepees to solve the maze.
Once I got the crew started on the beans I started cultivating the corn maze field. The weeds are getting thick in places. I kept going until late – I’m worried about not catching up.
On Wednesday I started early cultivating the corn maze field. The swallows joined me, swooping back and forth and around, chasing bugs the tractor startled into flight. I enjoy watching the birds flit around with their indigo backs and burnt-orange bellies. I had to be careful to remember to pay attention to the corn and the weeds - it is easy to cut down a long stretch of corn by drifting two inches to the side. Later that morning I decided to give up on the corn in the fraction of the maze I had planted second – there just wasn’t enough corn showing. I had Enrique till it under and started replanting. Talk about a gut-wrenching decision. I’m guessing we have about a 50-50 chance of getting good enough corn from this second planting for the corn maze. Even so, the area of the first planting is big enough for a good maze. This is a big part of the reason I decided to spend the money on the basket weeder. My current cultivator setup does well, but I don’t dare use it until the corn is several inches tall. In the meantime, the weeds are growing too. The basket weeder only moves soil in the rows between the plants, so I will be able to get in much earlier. The basket weeder won’t deal with bigger weeds. Eventually I’ll have a variety of different tools to match to the conditions. The basket weeder arrived Tuesday, so I spent a couple of hours putting it together. As soon as I finish weeding with the current setup, I’ll switch cultivators. Switching cultivators on this tractor looks like a four man job, since the cultivator is tucked up under the tractor and will have to be dropped and hauled out from under.
The second picking of garlic scapes is not quite ready, but we started cutting the first lavender on Wednesday. This is one field task everyone on the farmstand staff enjoys. We try to have some useful tasks for the quiet time at the farmstand. Garlic scapes and lavender may be the most popular.
Bunches of lavender. This variety is Hidecote. The plant and flower stems are short, but the color and aroma are lively and intense.
The broccoli is coming on strong now. The raspberries are starting up. Persistent pickers found about 30 pounds Wednesday. The picking should be fairly easy by Saturday. Next week we should be in full production.
This morning after picking veggies for the farmstand, the crew started weeding in the corn maze field. It’s now time for me head down and help open the farmstand. I’ll be driving the tractor for the Farm Tots event. After that I hope to get the new basket weeder mounted on the Allis Chalmers G and give it its first try.
What’s playing today in the Jeep CD player? Shotts & Dykehead – Another Quiet Sunday