March 25, 2011

Follow the Plow

I can probably count on one hand the number of sunny days we've had since the beginning of the year. OK...maybe I'm exaggerating a bit...but I'd only have to take off one shoe to get the right number. On those few and far-between dry days, Ryan and I have been trying to get things ready for a spring that has to arrive eventually, even if it's in July.

We started tomatoes and onions inside a couple of weeks ago, and last week I planted the Walla Walla onions and shallots in the garden.  The garlic is looking good, and is already in need of its' second weeding of the season (weeds don't care about the weather).  Next to the garden, Ryan has been preparing fields for the oats, wheat and mangels.  Fred and Clark pull the plow, and the three Fjords usually follow up with the lighter work.

The old land sales pitch was "Rain Follows the Plow."  We're hoping it's the other way around this spring.

3 comments:

  1. Great picture -- man and beast working as a team.

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  2. I've been following this blog for about 6 months now and I love the pictures you post. More importantly, I am in love with the idea of farming with horses. If I wanted to take on this lifestyle where would you recommend starting?

    Thanks!
    Chris

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  3. Thanks, William and Chris, I'm glad that you enjoy the photos. As for using horses for farming...I remember Ryan telling me of the Joycean epiphany he had one day when coming across Lynn R. Miller's "The Work Horse Handbook" hidden in the stacks of the local college library. Both Lynn and his book(s) are the definitive reference sources (living and written) on the craft of farming with horses. Lynn in also the founder of "The Small Farmer's Journal," which is linked at the top of our page. If you don't already have a subscription, I highly recommend one. Thanks - Joe

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