by Briscoe White | Dec 11, 2009 | Exploring, Life on the Farm, Miscellaneous |
Today we woke up to our first true winter day: cold even with the sun shining and a wind that dives the cold bone deep. I learned long ago to never mention the actual temperature to my buddies living further north. It is hard to impress them with weather that makes us shiver; they always end up laughing? But for us it is cold and we are busy just keeping everything going: waterlines, power lines; even the greenhouse is fragile and vulnerable to these winter storms.
Outside the nursery the farm has a windswept and generally bleak look. Not a critter or varmint of any kind is out in this weather. They are all in their nest, keeping warm and riding out the storm. And since it is Friday, I think I will follow their lead, and keep warm by a fire and hope it is over by Monday. I hope all of you all have made alternate plans, because gardening is out for this weekend. I guess for me the cycle will turn, as I look through seed catalogs and dream of spring as the winter winds howl outside.
by Briscoe White | Dec 4, 2009 | Exploring, Life on the Farm, Miscellaneous |
” And it rained for a real long time!” goes the old song about a great flood of long ago. I know we do not have it as bad as those folks, but 3.5″ overnight on top of the days of lashing Nor’easter driven rain is a lot of rain. All water that must run off somewhere; the ground was already saturated with standing water when the skies let loose a waterfall.
All that rain did run off and in some places the soil erosion is serious. I was planning to use a picture of some riverbank damage. I wasn’t sure if the camera could capture the dueling erosion marks. High water damage from the first storm, the gullies cut to the river where countless acre/feet of water ran into the river from the second. Then I saw this beginner Grand Canyon in a neighbor’s field; this was just a ditch not long ago. Like I said in the beginning, it rained real hard.
I can’t even begin to imagine all of the water damage it created inside the homes though. Goodness, it doesn’t bear thinking about. If there was this amount of water outside, then surely it must’ve created some damage on the inside too. I’m sure some of my neighbors would have had to contact property damage experts later. A distant relative, who used to live near the Roseville area a few years ago, had to face similar issues. It usually doesn’t rain that heavy in that part of the country, but that one time it did, She had to call in experts in property damage restoration in Roseville to get her house fixed!
Another time, it happened to my friend not so long ago. Her area experienced even more rainfall than us, and because she had a clogged drain, all that water ended up inside her home. Luckily, she had insurance but as they took ages to give her the money she deserved, she had to enlist the help of a public adjuster Doylestown to help drive their applications forward. It worked, and this allowed her to get started on the repair process as soon as possible. Apparently all of her electrics were ruined and she had no power for days. I told her to check out SALT Light & Electric to find an electrician who could replace all of her damaged wiring which all needed stripping out. I also made sure she knew to ask to have her plug sockets raised further up the walls on the ground floor so that if she is flooded again, she’ll at least still have a safe electrical supply. So, I really hope that none of this happened to anyone around here. It would be devastating. Thanks, rainfall…
by Briscoe White | Nov 23, 2009 | Exploring, Gardening, Life on the Farm, Miscellaneous |
Tunnels are a greenhouse type structure used to protect high value crops such strawberries, raspberries, and cherries. A roof, raised beds, and drip irrigation allow growers to raise crops in a more controlled environment. Many times high tunnels pay for themselves by saving a crop from late a freeze, heavy rain, hail, etc. Tunnels were first used in Spain; then, later redesigned as High Tunnels in the UK. By making them higher and wider, tractors can be used in soil and bed preparation; rolling carts can be used for harvest, adding up to huge cost savings, greater reliability, and unblemished fruit.
Another way tunnels add crop value is with season extension. By closing doors at night, summer produce can be grown for several months earlier and later each season, using trapped solar heat. This allows a grower to produce more common vegetables such as squash and tomatoes earlier and later than those grown outdoors. For customers, supplies of fresh local produce are not interrupted by late freezes, storms, or rain. Pickers always have access, so things get to market as planned. And fresh fruit and vegetables are available locally for many more months than is possible with outdoor growing. And because plants are not exposed to uncontrolled moisture from rain and dew, pest and disease problems are minimal. In six years of growing strawberries in tunnels, we have never sprayed anything on them. This could be luck or it could be the results of covered growing, ether way, we eat strawberries from the field with out any cares about pesticide residue.
The Growers Exchange operates one acre of high tunnels. In them he grow a varying array of crops for the local market. We were the first in Virginia to use high tunnels, they are used widely in areas north of us, but are just catching on here. Supplying local farmer markets, super markets, and CSA’s, we grow strawberries, selected seasonal vegetables, and cut flowers. The Growers Exchange ships plants all over the U.S.; but because we are also a farm, we feel strongly about being apart of to “ loca-vore” movement. Our high tunnels allow us to be a reliable supplier with only top quality produce, with out that roof we are vulnerable to anything the weather sends our way. Tunnels can and do get knocked down sometimes, but for the most part have allowed us to grow thing not possible with out them. We see them a very important tool in securing local sources, allowing local growers to compete with the reliability of grocery stores.
Learn more about high tunnels..
by Briscoe White | Nov 16, 2009 | Exploring, Life on the Farm, Miscellaneous |
It wasn’t so sweet yesterday morning, because something upset the skunk passing outside our office and it let go! I don’t know your experience with being skunked; they vary with how much spray gets you. Fortunately, we had an indirect hit, but close enough to drive the office staff to the greenhouse for an inventory check. Skunk smell is so powerful, it can tear eyes through walls. Our office was unusable because the acid air would make your eyes cry a river. Oh, did I mention, we didn’t have water?
Having started the morning in the greenhouse, I learned of the skunk problem only when I found I was expected to not only make it better somehow, but actually find out all the ‘where’s and why’s’ of how such an awful thing happened. Deciding it would be an easy trail to follow, my nose led the way.
Passing the shop, someone yelled out that the skunk had been to the henhouse, leaving only shells of yesterday’s eggs. And sure enough he had, but had not sprayed the henhouse. The odor way everywhere and was hard to pinpoint because my nose was cauterized to all but a burning acid smell. But, I knew the skunk had passed by and sure enough it was the last dog, whose kennel the skunk confidently walked by. And even though he is an old dog, and wise to the ways of the farm, he just couldn’t let that skunk go by that close unchallenged. He wore the proof in like an aura all around him.
So, life here has it’s challenges, I did make the office better – we ran some fans when the power came on, hosed the kennel, and doused the dog in the skunk smell remover, which really just makes them bearable. A swim in the river for the dog, and the skunk smell’s epicenter was neutralized and our office soon became it’s old cozy self and life went back to normal. The dog will bear a faint skunk odor when damp even two months from now, but will be bearable to humans, when dry, in a few days. Just another day in the country.
by Briscoe White | Nov 10, 2009 | Exploring, Life on the Farm, Miscellaneous |
After blogging about my spade, I had a little inspiration and made a “still life” photo of my old favorite spade, my backup spade and some fruits of our fall labors. After working in a greenhouse all day, you would think I’ve had enough plant time. Some days, that is true, but every fall I collect seeds of trees I want growing on our farm. Some are planted immediately, with a spade, and others are grown for a year in our nursery before being planted the following winter. The spade and I plant a lot of trees each year.
So, the photo below is a shot of the back of my car the way it looks each fall. Bags and buckets of seeds in the early fall, transitioning to bare root trees, shrubs, and perennials as winter begins. Anywhere a clump of plants have overgrown, I am quick to dig and divide, bringing the extras to plant out on the farm. Tree seedlings are free from many yards, and the spade can gently lift them out of the ground, and since they are dormant, never know they have been moved.
I guess the title of the picture could be “still life of a spade and some of it’s winter chores” Can any one identify some of my collection?
