Whitsend Market Garden

Hello Everyone:

Yes it's been a while since the previous post.  Much has been happening, but with the days shorter, little time to write about it.

Much of the work involves preparations for next season - cleaning out the last crop residues, edging the beds, clearing stones and grass rhizomes, and adding the amendments scheduled for each bed, depending on where it is in the rotation pattern.

Extra attention is being spent on adjusting some of the beds position, some of the paths are a little narrow due to a mistake made surveying a couple of years back and so some beds are getting moved north a couple of inches and some a couple of inches south.  It's a little more labor intensive than the ususal fall routine, but worth it in the long run - I figure that I will have my paths a little more user friends in about two years.

Then there is work in the field outside of the beds - turning the compost one final time, and working on the new beds for next season.

Hoses need to be drained and stored, sinks cleaned and placed out of the way, all the infrastructure that was required in the season tended.  I hope I get a chance to fix that gate - as I said for the past three seasons.

Meanwhile, back at the barn, our new shed is slowly rising.  This is a much anticipated event, and I really look forward to using this structure next season.

Before I leave, there are seed beans to shuck, inspect weigh, and store.

By the time I get home, I find another 'early bird discount' deadline approaching for seed purchasing, so it's into the deep blue screen with me to source and compare seeds and look at the plan for next season and go through the inventory to find out what I used, and what I know for sure I will need next season.

No wonder I never have time to write!

It's mostly fun (I make an exception for moving the beds or loosing the last good drill bit), but the clock is always ticking.  The junco's have left, a sure sign that snow is on the way.

Talk to you soon,

Bob