2009-10-22 Farmer Adria's Report

First, the gardens are looking good! Great job on getting the top terrace planted - hopefully the seeds will germinate & grow quickly!

So this afternoon I began preparing the last terrace for this season -- the long strip below the square-foot plots and above the bee boxes. As soon as our clover comes in we'll plant that and hope for the best. Some clover is already coming in on the plot furthest away from the road (under the pecan tree).

The rye I planted in the bottom terrace last week is just starting to turn green. The rain we had washed some of the seed into little piles, but there should still be enough there to get plenty of coverage.

I'm pretty excited about learning to keep bees. And maybe a little anxious.. I've only been stung by a honeybee once, but that was enough to learn not to irritate them (like by sitting on one while wearing shorts!).

2009-09-13 Farmer Adria's Report

We finally had a break in the rain so I drove by the DHS Community Garden to see how the clover Bruce planted was taking hold.

The soil isn't in the best condition now, so it's no big surprise that the cover wasn't taking root and growing as vigorously as we'd hoped. If we didn't touch this ground again for a few months, it would be right back where it was last month before we prepped -- hard as a brick! So, it is important that we continue working the soil by adding as much organic matter as possible. This will help provide nutrients for our cover crops later this year.



Here's the "back 40" :o)



This is the terrace below the existing raised bed plots. There are lots of rocks and brick still buried in the dirt in this plot.



Clover sprigs in the lower terrace (poking up between the bricks, metal poles, concrete blocks, pipes, ect :o) )



Looking up from the schoolyard entrance:


The reason why we created several terraces is to protect the soil from eroding during hard rains. If you've ever walked through the woods and wondered why there are so many evenly spaced ridges, or berms.. it's simple! Those woods weren't there 50 years ago. My grandparents owned a farm in what is now Hapeville - they grew a large garden of veggies, raised pigs and chickens and even had a cow. Where we see malls & shopping centers now, used to be pasture and fields of corn, beans and cotton. Farmers have used terraces (or berms) to conserve soil for as long as we've been farming.

Red clover in red clay!



Poor clover. Yes, the soil needs our attention. Hopefully we'll have compost delivered soon which we can begin working into this clay.