Cultivating

Used the neighbors tiller to cultivate between the potato rows. After loosing up the ground and chopping up the weeds and grasses I hilled the red potato plants which are growing like gang busters. The Yukon's are growing well also but are significantly smaller. They don't need to be hilled for another week or so. Things look much nicer now that all the weeds between the rows are gone, hopefully I will be able to keep it in shape now that the heavy stuff has been taken cared of.

The sweet corn and popcorn continues to come up. I need to put in some more rows in the next week so that our harvest will be spaced out nicely.

Pumpkins Planted and More Coop Work

Put in two types of pumpkins in a small patch up past the corn and potatoes. The corn is still going strong, all except the popcorn which has yet to break the surface yet.

Framed up the walls for the chicken coop. Need to order the studs for the roof as well as the sheeting.

Corn coming up!

Last night the kids and I were up in the field doing some weeding when we noticed that the sweet corn was coming up. So far the corn is ~ 1 inch high, but you can clearly see the rows. We will have to wait and see if it makes it or the deer get it. There are numerous deer tracks through out the field, and the night before Emily and I saw a doe in the neighbors field not 50 yards away.

Pop Corn and Chicken Coop

Sam helped me sow in the hybrid popcorn this morning. I then spent an hour or so weeding and hilling up the potatoes. These are going to be the tastiest potatoes I ever had!

Put in the posts for the new chicken coop. It is going to have a 24' x 12' footprint and be attached to the barn on the end. Need to order the lumber to finish it this week since we have 50 new peeps which need a home to be transferred to in the near future. I am also going do some retro-fitting of the barn at the same time. Most importantly I am going to widen the door out to the pastures so that I can bring the tractor in and out that way. As it is now I need to drive through the lawn to get out to the pastures. I will also replace some rotted sheeting and give it all a fresh coat of paint.

Weeding and Planting Corn

The potatoes are still coming in, but so are the weeds. So I got out there today and cultivated around the potatoes so they would not have to compete with the weeds.

I also re-worked the ground around the potatoes to prep it for the corn. I pulled the middle buster through a number of times which did a good job of removing the grass clods then ran the disc until the bed was as preped as I could get it. I was able to borrow a planter from my neighbor and put in 4 short rows of super sweet white and super sweet mixed corn on either side of the potatoes.

We are getting a nice gently rain tonight which we desperately need. Hopefully we will get enough to soak in the seeds.

Potatoes Coming Up!

May 4, 2006

Took the kids for a trailer ride last night and noticed that the potatoes were just starting to poke through the surface. I was happy to see this since it has been extremely dry since I planted them.

Upon further inspection I realize that only the Red Nordlands have come up. The Yukon Golds have yet to break through.