Farm Journal
I managed to harvest some corn out of the field despite it being embarrassingly overrun with weeds. It's gotten so bad, I saw a groundhog hole as I was navigating through the field. I'll have to remember to watch out for that when I take down the field with the tractor next month.
We're just going to eat what's left of the corn -- maybe can some -- because there is just not enough to sell. Moreover, what I have doesn't look good enough to sell, so it will not be making it to market. The small, crappy corn, I tossed to the chickens, who devoured it along with a few of the bonus caterpillars that had taken up residence in the ears. Ha ha, caterpillars. One minute you're lazily eating great, organic corn that someone else worked hard to grow; the next minute you're being ripped apart by fowl beasts. I bet you weren't expecting that, you little voracious bastards.
In any event, that's where we're at. More than halfway through the summer, and we have had some successes and some losses.
Potatoes -- Total Success!
Corn -- Fail!
Turkeys -- Two-Thirds Success!
Chickens -- Success!
I remember reading in a book on sustainable farming in Wisconsin advice from one farmer, who suggested only trying one new thing a year. Well, I tried four new things this year, and I'm happy to say that three out of four is not too bad. Next year, with the additional help of a cultivator, I'm hoping the corn will be significantly better. Also, I should be able to plant even more potatoes, which makes me very happy.
In spite of the failures, I feel pretty good about things. Win or lose, it doesn't really matter. I'm just enjoying the journey here.
We're just going to eat what's left of the corn -- maybe can some -- because there is just not enough to sell. Moreover, what I have doesn't look good enough to sell, so it will not be making it to market. The small, crappy corn, I tossed to the chickens, who devoured it along with a few of the bonus caterpillars that had taken up residence in the ears. Ha ha, caterpillars. One minute you're lazily eating great, organic corn that someone else worked hard to grow; the next minute you're being ripped apart by fowl beasts. I bet you weren't expecting that, you little voracious bastards.
In any event, that's where we're at. More than halfway through the summer, and we have had some successes and some losses.
Potatoes -- Total Success!
Corn -- Fail!
Turkeys -- Two-Thirds Success!
Chickens -- Success!
I remember reading in a book on sustainable farming in Wisconsin advice from one farmer, who suggested only trying one new thing a year. Well, I tried four new things this year, and I'm happy to say that three out of four is not too bad. Next year, with the additional help of a cultivator, I'm hoping the corn will be significantly better. Also, I should be able to plant even more potatoes, which makes me very happy.
In spite of the failures, I feel pretty good about things. Win or lose, it doesn't really matter. I'm just enjoying the journey here.