Here’s a little farming update for those of you keeping score at home. The first photo is of two fresh eggs. They were still warm when I picked them up.With only three chickens we get 2-3 eggs per day. Soon we’ll have 10-12 chickens and they should all be laying by September. An unfortunate accident involving a dog that is still lucky to be alive cost us 9 chickens about 3 months ago.
This photo shows our new terraces. This section of land had too much slope to farm effectively so Michael decided he would set it straight. He did all the work with the little yellow grader you see. Borrowed it from his son….Michael did do all the work by hand with a shovel and maddock. Then gathered the rocks and built the retaining walls. He’s 35 with the back of an 80 year old from all the improper lifting.
This is my favorite of the day. We have kept bantering around about building an asparagus bed. We’re too far south for asparagus to grow in the wild but I’ve heard it can grow in north Georgia pretty well. I did some research and found that was true. Asparagus likes ph around 7.0. In the southeast lots of our soil is very acidic. This plot tested at 4.5. So I dug up about 10 inches deep and tilled in lime and cow manure. I then built the box box and added top soil and more cow manure. Then tilled it all again. I have a total depth of around 14-16″ of soil that has been cultivated. Added about 150 pounds of composted cow manure. Took me about 4 hours total work. Buying top soil, manure, and asparagus crowns cost a total of about $55.00 but since a typical bed can last from 15-20 years I figured it was well worth it. You can see an update on the planting here.
I also learned that asparagus spears grow best from male crowns and there is a hybrid out now called Jersey Giant that they sell in male only form. I bought 20 JG crowns and 10 Purple Passion. It’s a little sweeter and more tender. Ordered them from Starks Brothers. Will see how they do when they arrive.We’ll be able to harvest a little bit next year and then year 3 begin a full harvest.
Posted on April 25th, 2009 by John
Filed under: Country Life
Love the garden spot, love terraces too, they say dog tastes good, lol. Just kidding, but from past experience once they start doing that look out. Thanks for sharing your blog at biobees.
Charlie
Looks like you’ve done a lot of hard work there. And its paying off!
Purchased my 200 acres of woodland-swamp-field-pasture back in 86. Been clearing and cleaning ever since. The fields were badly over grown, fences were shot. Now it looks so much better. Bought a JD450-C Bulldozer and put in a couple of ponds. Sodded dwn all the old row crop fiels and started going as natural ass possible. Still got 30 head of cattle but will be cutting them out soon. Have observed one Cougar, two Eagles and numerous Deer, Otter, Beaver, Turkey, Red-Grey-and-Fox Squirrels, Bobcat, Red-and-Grey Fox, Coyote, Weasils, several types Hawks, Owls, Geese, Ducks, Herons and Egrets all while working here at my computer. Once had a large female Bobcat stand up on the windowsill and watch me for about five minutes. This place was the best puchase of my lif!e!
My neighbor went in with his daughter down the road on 30 chickens to split. She has five dogs and they ate pretty well for a couple of days as she left the coop open by mistake. Says “I’ll try again next year.” His will be ok if he keeps them off the road.
The deer do us a number here on the garden so we plant plenty extra. Put some potatoes in so far but we get a late start here due to the elevation. Getting our raised beds ready, compost looks good this year.
[...] next couple of weeks. Here’s a link to a pictorial on how to plant asparagus and here’s a link to my other posting with just a few technical [...]
[...] hard to believe how things change in a week. The asparagus is growing like crazy. Some stalks grew 8 inches in 7 days. Almost all of it has broken the ground [...]