I know it's the so called British obsession to talk about the weather. But us farmers (smallholders) are dictated to by the weather. The last weeks been dry and I have been busy tending to the veg plot, digging a drain and ploughing and rotovating (neighbour) a field. Here's some pics.
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| Field ploughed and rotovated. Just needs digger man to arrive and clear drains. Me to stone pick with my bucket. Then it will get a run of the harrow and the grass and barley seed will be spread. Hopefully we will get a big crop and we can round bale it. Leaving us with fat and happy cattle. |
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| Mixed area for different vegetables. Carpet is doing a great job smothering grass and weeds. Must trim that box hedge. |
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| Orla 'early' seed potatoes and Sturon onions waiting to be planted. I always grow Orla because they come from Scotland and that means they aren't prone to Blight like their Irish cousins. Great taste too! |
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| Potato plot ready for planting. Compost area in background. Two raised beds will sown with carrots or what ever we think of. May be even potatoes? |
Field looks well for a 65 Euro plough, lets hope the grass and barley mix comes up well, don't suppose there'd be anything to prevent the addition of a percentage of peas as well?
ReplyDeleteLooks like plenty new potatoes and onions to come, you've got the basics covered. Maybe a few carrots, turnips or kohlrabi in the deep beds, with a row or two of cabbage and brussels somewhere.
And a few rows of peas and/or beans, lovely to eat fresh, and good for the soil as well.
Slow cooking a chick-pea and belly pork stew today, with a bit of smoked French sausage and an onion; it's smelling good at the moment.
Another lovely sunny day here, blue sky with the touch of frost this morning.
Raggy cat in and asked to go out again.
Hi Cumbrian, can't believe how the fields dryed out the last few days. I have been having difficult finding ley mixes. The organic one was a none starter. Not paying 190 Euros. Opted for a bag of barley for 30 and a bag of grass seed (traditional grasses that don't want a lot of nitrogen) for seventy Euros. Then there's the bagged lime. It's not cheap to reseed a field. But hopefully we will get a good crop.
ReplyDeleteYou're right peas and beans are legumes. So they do wonders for the soil, extracting nitrogen from the air and releaing it through their root nodules into the soil. Would liked to have added some clover but it gets if you use the grass for hay or silage.
Missus got some vegetable seeds from Aldi the other day. They are really cheap like their onions -30 cents! You can't beat your own though!
It sounds a great meal. We are on our potato and bacon cakes and beans tonight. Good simple and very filling food.
Got lots done again today around the farm.
Thanks.
I am so pissed off with this flu as we too have had lovely weather.
ReplyDeleteI should be outside working hard with a spade
Sorry to hear you still have the flu John. I would get some one to dig over your new allotment for you this weekend, if I was you. Supposed to rain on Tuesday. Why not get the paper and pencil out and plan the new allotment?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment.