Mon, Nov 05, 2007 · Filed under Autumn, Fieldwork, People
A satisfying few hours today, spreading year-old cow manure on the market garden. Bob and the old White 70hp handled the spreader. I used the Kubota compact tractor to fill from the aging pile in the yard outside the loafing barn. Spreading, and the infrequent moldboard plowing, add up to an average of maybe one full day a year of big tractor action. For 2007, this was a good chunk of it! (Guest photo by Karen.)
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Mon, Sep 10, 2007 · Filed under Fieldwork, Gear, Summer
Steeping compost or manure in water is all it takes to come up with a healthy batch of…compost or manure tea. Here we’ve taken some partially composted cow manure and let it sit in a 55-gallon barrel of water for a couple of days. There are all kinds of fine point details about preparing this stuff, but I’m still in the broad strokes experimental stage: I make it up somewhat differently every time. This time, three barrels are going around the field, strategically placed next to mesclun beds and spinach. Hopefully the small amount of nitrogen, assorted micronutrients, and other possibly unidentified good things will give these late season plantings an extra growing boost! They’re used diluted maybe by half, applied with good ol’ watering cans, then soaked in hours later with a solid hose watering. Veggies don’t get more hand-tended than that! :)
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Mon, May 15, 2006 · Filed under Fieldwork, Gear, Spring
Here’s something easy that could come as a kit: a compost tea maker. One 55-gallon barrel, one strong, porous bag (this one’s a woven plastic grain sack) full of compost, some heavy twine, a strong stick, and water. Tie the sack to the stick, place the stick across the top of the barrel so that the sack is suspended, and add water. In a couple of days, a natural, healthy snack for selected seedlings. Apply by watering can.
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