Where Corn Don't Grow

If Jenny looks a little glum, it could be because she is contemplating this season's somewhat meager corn crop. Of everything that we grew in the garden this "summer," the corn probably suffered the most from the cool temperatures and lack of sunshine (conversely, the potatoes, cabbage and salad greens all had banner years).  As you can see in the photo, each stalk has struggled to produce (on average) a single, small ear of corn.  But for what it lacks it size, it makes up in delicious sweetness. 

Harvest

Thanks to Ed for the photo.

Digging My Potatoes

Thanks to Aidan Foxley for these photos.

In the Still of the Night

We finished the hay last night with the final load going into the barn just after the sun had set. There's always a lot of satisfaction (and relief) knowing that the job is finished for another season.  Despite the adverse weather and some minor equipment break-downs (along various and sundry other breakdowns), we now have a loft full of hay that will easily last through the winter. But we're not going to think about winter just now....

Cruel Summer

Here it is - a full week into August - and we're only now getting serious about loading the hay into the barn. During the entire month of July we put only four wagon-loads into the loft...which is pretty pathetic when you consider that we can do five loads in a single good day. Obviously, we haven't shared in the record hot summer the rest of the country has been having, with only one day above 80 degrees so far. But we did get a lot of work done in the last week, and the weatherman claims that we should have abundant sunshine for at least another week as well.

Here's a shot of Ryan on top of the wagon after setting the double harpoons into the stack. After he jumps down, a team of two Fjords will pull the hay up into the loft, and I'll release the harpoons with a trip-rope. The double harpoons are an idea Ryan came up with that allows us to lift more hay in each load - saving both time and work. Climbing up on the stack and driving the harpoons into the hay is a bit of a chore, and it's nice to be able to do it half as often.

A Bold Young Farmer

We've had a lot of help with haying so far this summer...it's too bad the weather hasn't cooperated. 

Cool Drink of Water

The chicks that have been inside for the last few weeks are almost ready to make the move out into the pasture and the chicken tractor that Ryan finished today.  The nights are warm enough, and the chicks are just starting to develop true feathers.  It's amazing how much food and water twenty-five baby chickens go through on a daily basis, and I'm sure they'll be much happier on a diet of fresh grass, clover and bugs.

Summertime

The calendar may have noted the turning of the seasons a couple of weeks ago, but here on the farm summer doesn't officially start until the first hay is cut.  We've had a stretch of beautiful weather, and (as you can see) the hay is ready.  Ryan took Fred and Clark out for a few trips around the upper pasture in the morning, and then used two of the Fjords to finish things up in the afternoon.  To make things easier for the smaller horses, Ryan has modified a No. 4 mower with a shorter cutting bar which doesn't take as much power to cut through the tall grass. 

In the Garden

"You must pay for everything in this world, one way and another.  There is nothing free except the grace of God."

I've thought about those words now and then while pulling seemingly endless strands of quack grass from the garden.  Weeding is the unavoidable price for fresh and healthy organic produce, and sometimes I think that the western Washington climate forces us to pay a bit of a premium.  Along with the hated quack grass, we get burdock, chick weed and buttercup popping up almost as soon as the ground is turned over in the spring.  Once the weather and the soil start to warm up, the lamb's quarters, shepherd's purse and those spindly things I don't know the name of (but there are lots of 'em) take over.  And there are always the stray blackberries and volunteer crops from the previous season to deal with.

The horse-drawn cultivator and the wheel hoe (in the picture) keep the rows clear, although you still have to go back a rake out the roots that have been turned over.  Anything that isn't completely removed from the garden will take root with the next rain.  For the beds, we have a wide variety of hoes of all shapes and sizes, but inevitably it comes down to getting on your knees and pulling out the really stubborn weeds by hand.  Sometimes while I'm down there, I do some praying that we would get a little less rain.

Before the Deluge

With some dry weather this afternoon, Ryan hooked up the three Fjords and took the spring-tooth harrow down to the winter loafing yard to get it ready to plant with oats.  By the time spring finally rolls around, the horses have stripped the loafing yard clean of anything even vaguely edible, and have left it bare and muddy.  The oats, in addition to holding the soil in place, give the horses something to eat when we go back to the winter schedule.
 After dragging the yard with the harrow, I walked along broadcasting seed while Ryan followed with the disc.