Wednesday, March 21, 2012

murphy's law

Today the air was lush with scent. We went out early in the shadow to plant. It was sopping, the rain yesterday soaking the beds to a sponge like quality. Today was tranquil compared to yesterday.
We had about 4000 seedlings to transplant with our trusty Planet Junior and Senior (Me and Gaelan's arms). The broccoli, cauliflower, kale, chard and onions do not wait for weather. Really though we should have waited,. but due to G's leaving for a trip, we've got to get these babies in the ground.
Yesterday started by G trying to fix the broken lug nuts on the tractor tire, which caused it to almost fall off! That in, in of itself proved okay, almost got the truck stuck in the mud while trying to help out! We got the tilling and planting mostly done, racing against the thunder and lightening. Just keep bending and keep planting , the rhythm almost mesmerizing, the motions done over and over. ..
As the thunder crashed we dashed to the truck and sat in a downpour. I asked " do you think we can get the truck out of here " as I see rivulets of mud streaming down the gravel path we are to take out. I guess I jinked us because it just got worse! The truck got stuck and then sort of in the way of a huge boulder we excavated out of the field some  years ago. We had to use the tractor to move the boulder, in the process of which the irrigation tubing got all tangled in the spader which was dragging on the ground for leverage... Then the tractor had to push the truck out of the muck!! All said and done, covered in mud and soaking wet, we prevailed in getting the truck out of the field and home. Today all the plants were planted out and we did not drive into the field! We learned something for once.
The air was so fragrant today and the plants happy!!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Planting out

What a great day to plant out! IT was in the 70s again. Our neighbors from Mexico say "Marzo loco" and I agree, March is crazy! We started out the day setting out our onion seedlings - white and red. We hoed our little lettuces and spinach that we sowed in Late January. They're so cute! Direct sowed beets and carrots too. The tractor had a tire hiccup at the end of the day- the lug nuts broke on the back tire! That 's why  I don't drive the thing! Hopefully we'll fix it tomorrow so we can prep the beds for all our beds of broccoli, cauliflower , cabbage and greens that need to be planted out before Gaelan leaves for the Grand Canyon Sat.
Farming is on!