Egon
Epic Contributor
Date :
Sun, 16 Jun 2002 09:24:51 -0300
Downeasterner Reports:
I have just returned from almost two weeks at the farm. It was hard labour. Ground was tilled again and rocks picked as I was rotatilling. Many-many rocks. Tired/sore/stiff back. A small area was planted to a Rocky Mountain Eastern Slope grass mixture that was given to me by a friend. Another small area was planted to white clover and a finch seed mix. It has already started to sprout. Then a much larger area, perhaps 2 acres was planted to buckwheat for deer feed. Apple and wild cherry trees were pruned of new spring growth and other trees received the same treatment. We also planted two cherry/two apple trees and several dozen raspberry bushes. I have also started to plant a Balsam fir tree hedge around the area we have picked for future garden spot. Baler twine will be strung through the trees to deter deer and they will be kept pruned to a six foot height. The fence around the Hazelnut bushes had more twine added to make a fishnet appearance. Perhaps it will deter deer. Some potatoes, onions, beans, squash and cucumbers were also planted. The squash planted in early May only had two hills sprout. Limbs from tree pruning were collected and piled to be used for burning road kill at a later date.
The winter rye is just heading out but is not as tall as expected. It would appear to need fertilizer or else it was too dry during May. Fortunately the apple and wild cherry blossomed during warm weather and have set well. Pruning appears to have helped these trees.
Weather was lousy during my stay at the lake. Cold, wet and windy most of the time but there were just enough sunny days to produce a sunburned neck and arms and a myriad of bug bites that still itch.
Wild life was prevalent and my partridge is still following me around. Just start a diesel and there it is. Saw my first eel in the lake and a bullfrog that must have been as large as my hand. Lots of bullheads around the rocks in the lake. A snake swam across one night and another night a raccoons eyes were caught in the beam of my Petzel headlamp. Two Mergansers have young. One has four about 20% grown, the other has 8 or 9 just maybe a week old. Couldn't count them properly as every time I got to five I had to switch hands on the binoculars and would get them all mixed up. Talked to an Owl for about 15 minutes one night till it decided I was Owlish as well as English challenged and ceased communicating.
Now what will I do with the rye when it matures? Thinking maybe a scythe and stack it for winter deer feed or perhaps bundle it for roof thatch. or just leave and till it under next spring as a cover crop when I sow grass seed.
Egon
Sun, 16 Jun 2002 09:24:51 -0300
Downeasterner Reports:
I have just returned from almost two weeks at the farm. It was hard labour. Ground was tilled again and rocks picked as I was rotatilling. Many-many rocks. Tired/sore/stiff back. A small area was planted to a Rocky Mountain Eastern Slope grass mixture that was given to me by a friend. Another small area was planted to white clover and a finch seed mix. It has already started to sprout. Then a much larger area, perhaps 2 acres was planted to buckwheat for deer feed. Apple and wild cherry trees were pruned of new spring growth and other trees received the same treatment. We also planted two cherry/two apple trees and several dozen raspberry bushes. I have also started to plant a Balsam fir tree hedge around the area we have picked for future garden spot. Baler twine will be strung through the trees to deter deer and they will be kept pruned to a six foot height. The fence around the Hazelnut bushes had more twine added to make a fishnet appearance. Perhaps it will deter deer. Some potatoes, onions, beans, squash and cucumbers were also planted. The squash planted in early May only had two hills sprout. Limbs from tree pruning were collected and piled to be used for burning road kill at a later date.
The winter rye is just heading out but is not as tall as expected. It would appear to need fertilizer or else it was too dry during May. Fortunately the apple and wild cherry blossomed during warm weather and have set well. Pruning appears to have helped these trees.
Weather was lousy during my stay at the lake. Cold, wet and windy most of the time but there were just enough sunny days to produce a sunburned neck and arms and a myriad of bug bites that still itch.
Wild life was prevalent and my partridge is still following me around. Just start a diesel and there it is. Saw my first eel in the lake and a bullfrog that must have been as large as my hand. Lots of bullheads around the rocks in the lake. A snake swam across one night and another night a raccoons eyes were caught in the beam of my Petzel headlamp. Two Mergansers have young. One has four about 20% grown, the other has 8 or 9 just maybe a week old. Couldn't count them properly as every time I got to five I had to switch hands on the binoculars and would get them all mixed up. Talked to an Owl for about 15 minutes one night till it decided I was Owlish as well as English challenged and ceased communicating.
Now what will I do with the rye when it matures? Thinking maybe a scythe and stack it for winter deer feed or perhaps bundle it for roof thatch. or just leave and till it under next spring as a cover crop when I sow grass seed.
Egon