Well it is October and my husband usually tries to set out a white wrapped round bale for me to decorate. Some years we haven’t done this just because the time seems to disappear, and boom its December. My pumpkin still needs a stem, but at least its out. This year we switched the farm we are setting it at. The house is up off the road, so the pumpkin looks tiny.
So on with the farm. One of the fields that had been chopped for silage, is slowly getting the next crop on it. The first thing will be to spread stored manure from our animals. Because of regulations, we can only spread manure certain times of year. I know some people dislike this practice, because of the smell, but it is short lived and comes with the chore. However as we recycle by spreading manure from the sheds, and barn yard, we are replacing nutrients into the soil. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and sulfur are replaced back into the soil. If we didn’t do this than we would need to purchase and spray a chemical fertilizer. I would rather recycle, than purchase a chemical.
One we have finished spreading manure, we plan to work it in to the soil by working the soil several times. This also will help deter any weeds from growing, and level out the ground.
It will be worked once again to break the larger clots of dirt up, and smooth it out. Actually we were able to do that before the rains set in. Once the field dries out we plant it with Wheat, and the field will rest until spring. We wont do this with all the fields, but this was one that we needed to do. There were lots of ruts left from the previous equipment running when the ground was to soft.
Stay safe and enjoy the rain as well as the sun. As much as I love the nice weather, it’s the rainy days that bring the fresh growth from the earth.