A year in the life of a farm

[elgato]

To expand on the scope of this thread, here is where I've been spending most of my time the last couple weeks...starting the spring summer garden. I think I have posted earlier that one of our directional goals is to be as self sufficient as possible on the farm. That includes not only the critters we eat but fruits herbs and vegetables as well. I don't think I have ever posted that my wife and I are lifelong endurance athletes competing in numerous races up to marathon distance as well as many triathlons including multiple 70.3 races. Been part of our lifestyle. To support that nutrition has been an important part.

So let me introduce you to my garden. It is built on the 'back to eden ' gardening principles where I use deep mulches of alfalfa hay to eliminate weeds, provide fertility, and continually improve the soil. Been totally organic for years. I grow everything year round. The garden is also complemented with expensive fruit orchards, strawberries and citrus ...though I'm concerned the freezes this winter killed a lot of the citrus. To be seen.

Here is a view from the top. The rows are 40' x 4' . You can see a row of blueberries in the foreground.

[elgato]

Here are the top 3 rows. We have red,white and yellow onions, green onions, newly planted tomatoes, red, purple, yellow and orange bell peppers,spinach, rutabagas,roma tomatoes, carrots ,swiss chard, collards, red mustards, and red kale.

[elgato]

The middle row is lettuces of various colors, then red and white potatoes. I also have a tabasco pepper tucked in out of sight in the foreground.

[elgato]

The bottom 3 rows have broccoli in 3 different stages, cauliflower, more tomatoes, beets, radishes, snow peas, red cabbage, napa cabbage, and green cabbage,regular and Japanese eggplant, 3 kinds of garlic,4 kinds of kale, more spinach at the last successional planting and arugula.

[elgato]

Lastly is the asparagus bed. Its just getting started but we are already picking from it.

I will continue planting as space permits and crops come out. There will be beans and peas, okra,squash of all kinds, cucumbers, lots more peppers, and other stuff I'm not thinking about now. Life is delicious at the farm!

[texas shag]

You can make one heck of a salad rusty!

[Reaper87]

You have quite the green thumb. Good looking garden.

[bukkskin]

Sweet,
How do you keep the deer from getting it all?

[Mr Sid]

Good looking garden Mr. Baker, I like the posts that show other aspects of “The Farm.” Endurance training and races? Huge garden? Huge Mexican ranch? Huge deer farm? What do you do in your spare time? [emoji4]
Are you still involved in your business?


Mr Sid

[buckerup]

You sir, are extremely talented.

[elgato]

I've been mostly retired since 1998 when I sold a company I was ceo of . I am still Chairman of a family business but not very active. That leaves lots of time to obey my wife.

[Dustinb09]

Hmm? without going back thru the thread I'm not sure which 3 yr old you are referring to? Which post?

Page 19 post 916.

[elgato]

Page 19 post 916.

That goes back a ways. We lost that buck. Saw him for couple years after that then not sure what happened to him. Interestingly that was his most interesting rack . He got quite nontypical after that. It is also possible we were off on his age a year.

[Briar Friar]

Gato...I am motivated by your no till drill, overseeding and layover mulching. Awesome!

[elgato]

We've had quite a bit of flooding over the last month with the water just now starting to recede. Unfortunately found this guy as we have had access to more area. 8 pt with small point off base. 168" .