[ETA on 4/15/14: I am updating this post almost exactly nine years after first it, because this is the entry we get BY FAR the most inquiries about from other farmers out there. It must pop up in a search engine for cultivator parts, because we get regular emails asking about our spyder weeders. Well, I should update this to report that we never once used this cultivating set-up with the G — it was way too heavy for the G and totally unsuited to our operation. We ended up trading it to another farmer for some other random things. Instead, we have mostly had success using old G-specific sweeps and shovels (plus some hilling discs). At one point we had a Lely tine weeder fabricated, but that wasn’t a good fit for our operation either, and then it got run over by an employee. Oops! Honestly, our farm is bigger than ever now, and we more and more appreciate the beauty of a good wheel hoe (plus we’ve learned to avoid weeds from the start with proper bed prep, etc.). There you go. If you are looking for cultivator parts, we recently heard about this resource: Shoup Manufacturing. Good luck!]
It’s starting to feel like a farm around here, which is good since our first CSA pick-up is only two months away. At some moments, that feels like forever from now (especially since we’ve only been working full-time out here for about two weeks so far) — but at other times it seems like tomorrow. We still can’t plow the ground (too wet from all the recent rain); we’re getting a bit anxious about that. I’m sure we will get in the ground soon enough, but we’re used to the early sandy soils we worked in Washington. This soil type is very different. We keep reminding ourselves: it’s only early April.
We also have four families officially signed up for the CSA so far. We’re waiting for the last two weeks of mail from Bellingham to be forwarded, and I imagine there will be some forms there (plus our cool bumper stickers — so exciting!).
And, some images from the last little while:
First, the most exciting photo of all: look at all the baby plants! I’ve been waiting to post another photo of the greenhouse until there was a sea of green. And now there definitely is. (I love the bright green of new plants.) So far we’ve had great germination on almost everything, which I suppose is due to our propogation mats and fresh seeds. The seedlings in the foreground are peas!
We spread lime on the fields yesterday — one ton in total. We used the old-fashioned bucket and scoop method, which worked surprisingly well since it was a calm morning. But boy were we tired and dusty at the end! (I was also a bit disconcerted by the overall scene. I’m used to ‘organic’ things like brown and dirty and kind of squishy. Powdered lime is very white and powdery, but organic nonetheless!)
I got in some practice on the Allis last week. It is incredibly easy to drive, which is great since I’ll probably be driving it several times a week this summer. It’s like a bumpy orange go-cart, except much taller!
For the farm nerds out there, here’s a close-up on our new ‘Spyder’ weeder for the Allis G. Casey’s been working with it today to try to estimate the spacing for the discs and such.
An aerial shot of the cultivator bar. Ooh la la.
“…………one ton in total”
Ya’all are having TOO much fun! (by these photos) What happened to the dower faced old couple standing outside the homestread, pitchfork in hand…it’s so americana?
My sub-caption for this post would be “A Ton of Fun”. The contrasting blue off the orange body makes a nice touch. Wishing you well & dryer weather.
Regards.
Green is a very good color. Those peas will be loaded with good pods before you know it. I planted mine, in the ground, last week. I am anxious to see if they have sprouted yet. Our ground is definitely never wet! Dry, dry, dry, and wind. it is a good thing this is just a hobby garden for us. We would go broke very quickly or run the well dry trying to keep things moist.
You both look happy! We miss you but are thrilled that things are growing and looking so good.
Thanks to both of you (Scott and Mom) — it HAS been a fun week. Now that we’re fairly established with our infrastructure, we’ve had more time to do little tasks. We’re kind in ‘waiting mode’ until the ground dries out, so we’re trying to get lots of the summer planning stuff done now (buying our market set-up items, organizing insurance, etc.). We know that soon enough we’ll be back in panic mode (or at least frenzy mode) for awhile. Maybe until October?
—Katie
The Chalmers looks like a great set up.
Who makes/sells the spyder cultivators and the bar clamps?
I’m not sure where you would buy something like this today — we bought it in 2006. FYI the spyder cultivators were much too heavy duty for the G. We traded them with a friend for some other parts.