I couldn't write haiku this May evening but the air was filled with poetry. In addition to the chorus of peeps there was in the background an almost whirring amphibious purr. There was a point forenoon, with the tractor off, that in addition to birdsong, this purr was the only other sound. It makes weeding, thinning, hoeing the early garden almost sedating. A nice hour spent before lunch. Good thing, as the rest of the day was pure mechanized hustle.
The ground was perfect to work and till. With rain in the forecast we were in tractor mode. During the course of the day hay was spiked for the cattle. Then the big rototiller was put on and rye and compost were tilled under in the the potato and squash ground. While that was happening the field cultivator was put on another tractor and more vegetable ground and a small corn field got preliminary tillage. That was then taken off so the corn planter could be hauled into the shop for repair. Then the bed maker/mulch layer was put on and the brassica patch was prepared for planting. If all this sounds like talking about "6 miles of fence" it seems like more when written down than it feels in reality.
Patrice transplanted about 200 broccoli plants. Catie and Arie helped water them and covered them with row cover. it will help keep the bugs off and provide a little extra blanket for the cold nights predicted in a few days. That makes about 350 broccoli plants in so far. About half of them are a sprouting raab-sort of broccoli that is really early, good to eat raw, sauteed or lightly steamed.
Seeded a new 70 ft row of beets. Planted 100 summer squash seeds to be transplanted out later.
We ended the day at the Muller's place helping pick stone and backfill the water and electric line trenches to their brick oven bakery. Had a great dinner there that included fresh bluegill. Maybe next years amphibian chorus will be heard over dinner with fresh sour dough bread.
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