Tilling in compost with the trusty Kubota compact tractor. Frequent tilling eventually pounds the soil to dust, and driving the tractor over the garden beds compacts the soil, neither of which are good when taken to extremes. Most things in moderation are just fine (except, of course, SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS on the organic farm), and the tractor saves a ton of time.
Tools
Equipment for large-scale agriculture is too big or too expensive, and many home gardening tools don’t work efficiently on larger jobs or break easily. Tiny farming on plots up to two or three acres requires its own special gear…
Pond and barrel
This spring-fed pond was dug out last year from what was only a slightly soggy low end of the field. It holds around 30-40,000 gallons of water for not so rainy days. The barrel acts as a float, holding in position, suspended above the muck on the bottom, a plastic intake pipe that leads to the pump.
Water!
No April showers to speak of this year means it’s irrigation time already. Sprinklers aren’t anywhere near efficient, but they cover a lot of area quickly. This makes them a labor-saving choice for germination and tiny seedlings, where frequent but light watering is required in dry weather.
Scary?
The Scare-Eyes ball seems to work on birds and, from what I’ve seen, cows. I use it for beans, a favorite bird target. A lot of scientific-sounding info comes with each ball. The shapes and mylar circles are supposed to look like predatory birds to other birds. They come in three colors, which you’re supposed to rotate every three weeks, with six balls minimum to an acre. There’s been only the one yellow one for the last couple of years, but this year, I got three more: yellow, black and white… Better safe than picked to pieces by BIRDS!
It’s all about the rain…
The jumbo rain gauge is something to keep an eye on. Once in a while, that little red disc floats upwards, and then, you’re looking for the magic 25 (millimeters, that is, a nice inch of rain).
Global as gas
Red plastic gas cans connect the Tiny Farm to the global economy! Some for gas and some for diesel, take care not to mix ’em up.
The Milkhouse
The Milkhouse is an insulated corner of the big old barn. Right now, it’s the Seedling Room.