Plow, Disc, and Plant

[hunterridgefarm]

In between building and moving I was able to get one of my fields hogged and plowed. Stirred up a little dust Saturday with the second discing, pictures attached.

I did my final dics last night draging a large post behind my dics to level. So planting should begin this weekend. This field had not been turned for about 3 years so I had a lot of sod to deal with but hopefully by next year it will be in better shape.

I have seed for around 1500-2000 pumpkin, 100 squash, 100 cucumber, 200 cantaloupe, plus tomatoe, corn, beans, okra and other regular garden stuff. But with the wifeees honey-do-BOOK and the need to finish landscaping around the new house I may only plant 1/4 to 1/2 of everything and fill in with sunflowers and a green manure.

I post more pics as we get it planted and things start growing.

 

[sunspot]

That's a nice looking field. I guess Sundays rain missed your place.

 

[4720 OWNER]

Sweet field.

That is a serious amount of produce!!! Going to can it all?

Not sure of what 'hogging' is?

You make me feel better about not having the garden totally in yet, and finish discing and planting a pasture this weekend.

As soon as i said i was going to get the windmill, the wind finally died down!

 

[hunterridgefarm]

That's a nice looking field. I guess Sundays rain missed your place.

Received a small amount of rain but this field drains really good.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Sweet field.

That is a serious amount of produce!!! Going to can it all?

Not sure of what 'hogging' is?

You make me feel better about not having the garden totally in yet, and finish discing and planting a pasture this weekend.

As soon as i said i was going to get the windmill, the wind finally died down!

"hogging" is just what we call brush or bush hogging around here .

Actually I am late getting everything in except for the pumpkins. We are hoping to do a pick-your-own farm. This produce is kind of a trial to see how well it will grow is this soil. I have someone who will take it to the Farmers Market for me this year and sale it for me. I will pay them a percentage of the sales.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have seed for around 1500-2000 pumpkin, 100 squash, 100 cucumber, 200 cantaloupe, plus tomatoe, corn, beans, okra and other regular garden stuff.

It looks like you know allot more of what you are doing then I do. Last weekend, we were at Lowes and the kids showed an interest in seeds. We bought a variety of seeds, including pumpkins and water melons.

I put my disk on my tractor and plowed up an area for the garden. We added a few bags of planting mix to the soil and planted the seeds. I've got another week or so until I expect to see anything sprout.

How lond will it take your pumpkins to grow? Do you keep them on the vine until Halloween? Do you leave some on longer for pumpkin pie around Thanksgiving? Do you pull them off sooner and let them ripen off the vine.

I'm worried that we've waited too long to plant, but since we've gone ahead and done it, any advice that you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Eddie

 

[hunterridgefarm]

It looks like you know allot more of what you are doing then I do. Last weekend, we were at Lowes and the kids showed an interest in seeds. We bought a variety of seeds, including pumpkins and water melons.

I put my disk on my tractor and plowed up an area for the garden. We added a few bags of planting mix to the soil and planted the seeds. I've got another week or so until I expect to see anything sprout.

How lond will it take your pumpkins to grow? Do you keep them on the vine until Halloween? Do you leave some on longer for pumpkin pie around Thanksgiving? Do you pull them off sooner and let them ripen off the vine.

I'm worried that we've waited too long to plant, but since we've gone ahead and done it, any advice that you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Eddie

Eddie,
For Halloween, which is what I grow these for; and I have several different kind. Large..25-40 lb, medium 15lb, small 5lb, and extra small 2 lb . I also have what is called a "khaki" pumpkin which is a stripped pumpkin that has hull-less seed for roasting.

I can plant these as late as mid June and most take 110-120 days to mature.

So you should be fine as far as planting. You could possibly wait another few weeks to plant your pumpkins and be okay...but I don't know much about the Texas growing season. If you start having your pumpkins mature early you may want to shade them from the hot sun.

I usually leave them on the vine until the first of October then pick them and let them "cure for a few days. Also if I plan to store them a few weeks before selling I will use a 20 % bleach solution in water to wash them. But hopefully all of these will be picked out of the field . I will pull around 100-200 for the campground since we have a Hollween party and pumpkin carving contest on Halloween. I usually sale them at a discount at the campground.

If your mature early and you want to save them for Halloween, pick them and let them cure a few days semi-shade, wash them in a bleach solution adn dry them off, then store them in a cool place like a basement.

I buy most my seed from Johnny's Seed, and Harris Seed, a google search should bring them up.

Johnny's has several pumpkins with hull-less seed for roasting. Just pull the seeds out, wash them, put some kind of oil on them and roast them in the oven...little salt and ...hummmm

 

[4720 OWNER]

Pie pumpkins are usually a little smaller and sweeter than the average ghoul pumpkin, and do not put them close to squash, they WILL cross pollinate.

Heck, we are just getting our gardens in here and we still get some produce.

Have heard that people visiting the pick ur own can be really hard on the produce and the land. Wastage and wreckage come to mind besides trash and whatever or just outright stealing, but if it works for you then go for it. Personnally stick with quality goods that i consume ourselves and maybe trade with the neighbors.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Have heard that people visiting the pick ur own can be really hard on the produce and the land. Wastage and wreckage come to mind besides trash and whatever or just outright stealing, but if it works for you then go for it. Personnally stick with quality goods that i consume ourselves and maybe trade with the neighbors.

We will not advertize in the begining and will sale to friends...cheap for now , until I decide which way to go. Not too worried about stealing since the river boarders the field and its 600' off the nearest part of the road. Also I will be donating much of this to the local soup kitchen. I would just like to sale enough this year to recoup my cost and maybe pay for seed and fertilizer next year.

 

[Luremaker]

It looks like you know allot more of what you are doing then I do. Last weekend, we were at Lowes and the kids showed an interest in seeds. We bought a variety of seeds, including pumpkins and water melons.

I put my disk on my tractor and plowed up an area for the garden. We added a few bags of planting mix to the soil and planted the seeds. I've got another week or so until I expect to see anything sprout.

How lond will it take your pumpkins to grow? Do you keep them on the vine until Halloween? Do you leave some on longer for pumpkin pie around Thanksgiving? Do you pull them off sooner and let them ripen off the vine.

I'm worried that we've waited too long to plant, but since we've gone ahead and done it, any advice that you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Eddie

Eddie, I plant my pumpkins the first or second week of June after all risk of frost is over and harvest just after the first frost which for us is sometimes as early as Labour Day Weekend but usually mid September. This weekend I'll till my garden, add fertilizer and get the pumpkin squash section ready for planting. Our low for tonight is 32 degrees F so we are still a few weeks away from frost free nights.