Farmall Cub

Don

+1 on the snow. We've got a few feet here on Chestnut Rigde in WV with temps right around where you're at. The main garden is put away but since I use raised beds the undulations in the snow still show the beds. I got plenty of garlic in the ground in early November so that should be one of the first things to show in the spring. There's still a few salsify in the ground to be dug later when we get a warm spell (if we do). The truck patch was plowed in late fall and the winter weather is doing it's work on it. The orchard is asleep but I keep the electric fence going around it just in case a curious deer wanders by. Plowing the driveway and waiting for spring.

Thanks for starting me thinking of spring Sonny. I always enjoy your video's (thanks to the lady behind the camera too).

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a great idea that benefits both the farmer and consumer. The farmer gets the money they need to plant/prep and the consumer gets fresh food and a chance to visit a farm. For arm chair farmers it could even give them an opportunity to meet a 'real' farmer and possibly put a Cub to productive work.
http://www.umassvegetable.org/food_farming_systems/csa/

My asparagus is still an all time favorite.... perfect for a lazy gardener.

I thought the bike was a joke, till I saw how it could be used. Very clever Sonny.

Virginia takes all the vids. and MOST of the pics. for posting! Have problems with visiting teens wanting to use the creeper for a skateboard!!---It IS for real and I couldnt garden at all without it!---I know its crude, but I can lay/sit on it and work down the rows to plant/weed/harvest/etc. and would not be able to do so without it!(due to spinal degradation ) --It even has a lever on the right side(chain drive gear reduction) hooked up to the rear wheel to help propel it if needed, but mostly just walk yourself along while sitting up, OR push a little with your toes while laying down on it!
It dont weigh much steers/moves easy in soft ground and dont leave the giant footprints behind like walking down the row would, so compaction is minimal and I dont need to run the tiller back down the row middles after planting to remove footprints.--this slows down the weeds and soaks the rain up fast as it comes down without washing/packing the surface!

I started to make a crawler track type/hydro drive creeper, but still need a few parts to continue work on that unit! I wanted to make it hyd. adjustable for height so it could work taller crops at harvest time.(Virginia has to harvest a lot of the tall stuff, as I dont last long doing it but can make long hours on the creeper!)----I have the tracks/sprockets/etc. for one side made, and mostly it will be a try-and-see as to if the materials/design will work or not! thanks; sonny

Here are a couple pics of me planting cabbage early in 07 at the other place.---also a pic of the new hydro creeper track design that I came up with!
Cabbage planting 2007

different view cabbage planting

new creeper track design!


I havent had the time or parts to go much further on it right now but wish I had it made and in operation for 2010 season! thanks; sonny

Sonny, Thanks for the great pix and vids. Just what I needed on this 13 deg. morning to remind me that spring is coming.

Glad the picks. and videos take your minds off the nasty cold, snowy, weather outside right now!!!

This really would be a good time to start checking your seeds and order what you need before some of the varieties run out! ---some suppliers had a short seed crop last year!
Also If you have saved seed, (as I do,-- LOTS of it) a germination test would be in order too!

I have been saving the seed from all the nice squash that we have stored in the basement as we use them!---These should have the best quality seed since they are still keeping and flavor has gotten even better with age in most of them!
Green beans ,soybeans, (both black and green), cowpeas, red FRED beans, (a nice big red shell soup type bean, really mild), blue hopi flour corn , and several other kinds of seed are in our collection, so testing will take a while!

I am ready for better weather so I can go over the equipment and check the condition of it!---Some of the homemade stuff could use a few changes to the design and go from there!---Just too cold in un-heated shed to make any progress on doing anything out there! thanks:sonny

Sonny- warm weather on the way, clean out the cutting torch tip and warm up the welder! Something tells me you have been glueing metal into useful tools for most of your life..I bet you cut your teeth on a torch handle and had welding rods in your back pocket instead of a sling shot...
changing subjects
What is your favorite method of testing germination on saved seed? Would you recommend checking seed that was bought?..Greg

Spring is coming!!!

Walked out to the garden this morning as the temperature shot up to 18 degrees. Seemed like a heat wave from the 8 degrees below zero last friday. The garden still has about a foot of snow, but that will begin to melt later in the week, as they predict 40+ degrees tomorrow.

It was too wet to plow the garden last fall so it's still just mowed after the crops came off. Almost got the mower stuck mowing. Hope we get an early dry spell to spring plow.

My plan is to expand a bit more than last year.

Can hardly wait!

Bought seed was supposed to have been tested before they packaged it up!---If you have some "left-over" seed from---say 5 or 6 years ago, it might pay to check the germ. before using it!

Saved seed here, usually gets the flower pot-in-warm-window treatment!---plant a few seeds(5 to 10 seeds) and see how many come up.--this gives a fair idea of how thick to plant in the garden/field.----also serves as the cold soil sprout ability test of the seed.(our house is always cold!--about 68 degrees average so tests here are mostly the cold test!)

Some say to wrap the seeds in paper tower and moisten,--put in plastic bag, close to help keep moisture in and place in warm place, 65 to 80 degrees,--check seeds daily after 3 days or so and add moisture if necessary, (dont over water to the soggy point) and keep this up daily until they sprout, then count how many did sprout!(also how many actual days did it take?)
I will try the bag idea on some of the seed this year and see how goes!

If you have a small electric heated plant starter, that works really good too.

We have about a foot of snow left here too and today a lot of it went away! (the sooner the better!--The below zero stuff was making for rough times here!
Figure 6 to 8 weeks from your last frost date then start seeds for the cabbage/maters/peppers/ eggplant/etc.
Dont start too early or they will grow up and fall over!--making for spindly plants of poor quality that will struggle when planted into open ground!thanks; sonny

I checked the seeds from last year yesterday. I had 90 to 100% germination. The seeds were in the bag 7 days.

The bag test did not work for me, the house is too cold to keep the bags at the right temp., so I have to wait till closer to planting time to try a test in the potting soil like I always do.
de-sprouted spuds today and checked onions and they are just starting to sprout!---we dont have many left, so none will go to waste! thanks;sonny

Start seeds inside 1st of march
Hope to plant potatoes by St.Patrick's day
Silver queen corn by April 7th
Set out plants may 1st

Guess I better get busy and prune the pear tree and grapes...

Spuds on St Pat's day, how appropriate!

In this area, they say spuds planted Good Friday, or on the hundredth day is good.---I dont usually wait that long. Onions go in as soon as I can get plants.---need them sooner, but we do ok when we do finally get them, just have to hussel to get them in. thanks; sonny

Been talking about gardens so time for me to start thinking.Doing more hot peppers this year,maybe not as many peas.Hope to have a better growing season also.Warmer would be better!!!! At least we are thing and getting ready.Long snowy winter this year.Kevin