Monday, November 12, 2007

Harvest and Planting

It works out that harvest season and planting season are the same season around here. That makes for a very busy time on the farm.


The summer rain cycle ended a bit later than normal (yea right, normal weather, sure!).


In mid October we had almost no hay in the barn. I crossed my fingers and cut one hay field. That was immediately followed by just over six inches of rain in a week.

The rain stopped and I doubled my bet, cutting a second field and just let the first lay there and attempt to dry out.

I set the rake to tedder mode (just to toss the hay around without putting it in a windrow) and fluffed up the rained on hay. Then raked up the fresh cut hay. Then baled it all up, about 125 small square bales from each field.

The we went to work on the planting.

I plowed up about an acre. It got disked and run over with a spring tooth harrow and made into a smooth seed bed. I broadcast both winter rye and Rye grass (Gulf) separately then ran the drag over it.

Another acre just got torn up with the spring tooth harrow and seeded the same way.

The idea is to see if the extra work of plowing is justified by the resulting growth.

The cooler dry weather continued through last week when the last hay field was cut, raked, baled and put up. The barn is nearly full.