6th Week (October 1, 2012)

On Wednesday while on my way to Seven Pines Farm for some bonus learning experience I came across the following site.  This innovative farm family had invented a new use for plastic corrugated culvert pipe:

Homemade water slide into the local swimming hole.

Wednesday at Seven Pines was spent working on the endless list of tasks that need to be done on the farm.  We fed hay to the cows, put out straw bedding for the sows to place in their farrowing huts, staked down the huts, removed fence panels from the hog pen to open it up so the bedding that the hogs had been working on composting, could be cleaned out and spread in the field for nutrients, then we cut up firewood.  Next week I expect to be reporting on the new pigs that are scheduled to be born in the 5 or days.

Thursday before we started

Saturday just before we left

Thursday and Saturday were spent at Paradox Farm primarily working on construction of the winter greenhouse (goal is to have it finished so we can have fresh greens for Christmas).  Foundation drain tile was installed, scaffolding constructed, and the rafters were put in place. Additional time was spent on various farm chores, moving fences for new pasture and starting to get things ready for winter.

I can now add skid-steer operator to my resume

   Friday out at Bluebird Gardens we were in the High Tunnel helping pick the rest of the tomatoes and cucumbers.  They are down to the last two weeks for CSA deliveries and the decision to do this was a result of the cold weather which results in the additional expense of heating the High Tunnel to prevent frost damage.

Friday afternoon Farm Skills class was spent on learning fencing skill and completing more of the demonstration fence for the energized fencing workshop next weekend.  The following video demonstrates how to tie the New Zealand Fence Knot (used to tie insulators to wood fence posts).