The Newfarm Forums

[HilltopDaisy]

Hi all, decided I'd add my information here, too. I've been gardening for personal use for 35 years, and can't imagine life without a huge garden. I still have Organic Gardening mags from the 80's!! I love forums like this, because it reinforces the fact that I'm not alone. No one in my life understands my need to grow food. I grind organic wheat for all my baking, too. That's just not normal in today's fast-paced world.

I have 5 acres in central NY, a gently sloping open area on the southern side of a big hill, right at the top. My biggest problem here is the never-ending wind. I bought this place 2 1/2 years ago, and immediately began planning/planting for the future.

This will be my first year growing for market. I have 10 raised beds and several tilled areas for peas, corn, potatoes, etc.. I've planted 16 blueberry bushes, 14 fruit trees, and asparagus, but I don't expect them to produce much for another year or two. I also have a couple dozen laying hens. I will be adding bees and strawberries this spring.

This year I will sell at a well established but small market about 15 minutes from here. I also will provide produce to a local natural foods store. I am single and work fulltime at a very stressful job (direct care in a mental hospital). I will probably stay at this job until I am eligible to retire in 17 years, because of the wonderful benefits and retirement offered. I don't see myself ever expanding to a CSA, but one never knows what's around the corner.

The biggest challenge I'm facing right now is deciding how much to plant. I guess too much is better than too little. Anything I don't sell will be used by myself, canned or frozen, or fed to the critters. I have sheep and goats, too, as pets only. They love tomatoes and green beans! Spring is very slowing making an entrance here in NY. Right now the ground is beginning to thaw, so it's very muddy. No tender vegetables can go out until early June.

To date, I've started seeds of 8 varieties of tomatoes, 4 of eggplant (mostly because I adore it), 3 of peppers, lots of herbs, pak choi, 6 kinds of lettuce, and so far everything looks great. I've begun transplanting lettuce seedlings into 6 packs and preparing the beds that they will eventually go into. I should be able to plant peas in a couple more weeks. Come on Spring!

[HilltopDaisy]

Heavy rain today, looks like it will last all weekend. I set up my hay bale coldframe yesterday, but won't put anything out until the rain stops. I transplanted 126 lettuce into 6 packs today, and have 2 more varieties to tackle. I have no idea how to figure the correct number of any item to grow, so I guess it's simple trial and error the first year. I'm amazed at how seriously I'm taking the record keeping, but I admit it's quite simple using Word Perfect. I've found a new outlet for my eggs, too. I dropped off 6 dozen eggs on Friday. (Now if I could just find someone who wanted duck eggs!) I ordered address labels online, with HilltopDaisy printed on them, which is pretty exciting. The last 2 deep supers have arrived, and once I locate my hammer, I'll put them together and paint them. I know that hammer is in here somewhere!

[HilltopDaisy]

We're experiencing severe flooding in our area, they say the worst it's been in 75 years. Thankfully, I'm on top of a hill so have not really been affected. I'm actually quite surprised at how nicely my soil is warming up and drying out.

I'm feeling so overwhelmed it's close to the point of being paralyzed. I have hives to finish before the arrival of the bees, animal sheds to clean, I'm still trying to find someone to shear my ewes, all the poultry, sheep and goats need worming and vaccinations, I need to organise a delivery of topsoil and mulch, finish the installation of my solar charger and fencing, keep seedings moving along, and my asthma is out of control. My brother is coming for the weekend, so that should be a huge help. I have a list and all I can do is start somewhere and tackle it one thing at a time. 'Tis the time of year.......

I worked on a couple of the raised beds this morning, pulling weeds and fluffing soil. They look great. I'm laying feed bags and/or cardboard in the walkways this year, and covering with mulch, in hopes of making it lower maintenance. I'll try to get collards in a bed in the next couple of days, followed by peas planted along a cattle panel fence line. I have a week of vacation coming up in a few weeks, so I should be able to accomplish a lot then. Better get moving while I still have a bit of time before the "real job".

[HilltopDaisy]

Wow, what an incredibly beautiful weekend we had here in central New York. The temperature was in the mid-60's with the bluest skies and a gentle breeze. I was blessed to have my dear brother here at the farm for two entire days, and he worked tirelessly. I am still amazed by how much we accomplished.

The chicken coop and sheep/goat shed are clean! There was 18" of bedding in the big shed, and it is now in two enormous piles just outside the garden area. I'll let it compost over the next several months and spread in on the big beds in October, then till it into the soil next spring. We were able to till two areas this weekend, leaving one more to do.

I planted sugar peas and snow peas today, and will plant some greens tomorrow. I plan on buying my seed potatoes this week, but will only plant enough for my family. Corn will follow shortly after that.

The germination rate of my heirloom tomatoes has been very low. I don't understand it but will try again while it's still early. l should have about 8 different tomatoes in all. The eggplant that I started, as well as the lettuces, are growing well. Things look good overall, and with weather like this, the garden is getting a very good start. I'm optimistic that this will be the most productive garden that I've ever grown.

[Eric Deci]

Hiya Hilltop!
Sounds like you have been busy as we have. Plowing, setting out some asparagus crowns I dragged out form TX, rhubarb, a couple cherry trees, etc. It certainly was a great weekend. The neat thing, though? I get to do it all again tomorrow! No office to go to, so there really is no "weekend" for us. We also put in some hops rhizomes around the old silo - I make beer now and then and thought fresh stuff would be neat to try.
I have been working very sandy soil for 12 years - figuring out what attachments work best when tilling this nice black dirt has been a challenge - especially since we are breaking sod that has been fallow for 40 years. At least I don't have to worry so much that it will all blow away!
Sorry to hear you had a germination problem on the tomatoes. Sounds like they maybe 'damped off' on you. Mine ran about 98% this time around. I hear people talk about having a couple hundred plants - the 1200 we have going might be a bit of overkill!

[HilltopDaisy]

Oh, my aching back.........

I put together two more raised beds today. I filled one and planted a couple of Canada Red rhubarb roots, and seeded some red and green bunching onions. I've planted several rows of Early Wonder beets and Rhubarb Chard. I started another flat of Romaine lettuce, too.

I found a website for a farm in MO that sells Welsumer chicks, and I'm ordering 20 so I can set up a breeding pen. For anyone not familiar with Welsumers, they are a fairly rare breed of chicken that lays very, very dark brown eggs, the color of dark chocolate. I'd like to eventually have several different rare breeds, to sell as breeding trios. I love my chickens, they are so much better than TV!

[HilltopDaisy]

Transplanted 100 lettuce seedlings into a raised bed today, and you could almost here them say "Thank You!". I've been a bit cautious with the babies, as our weather has been too nice, if I may say so. I know we could still have some cold nights, so I put them in a bed with pvc hoops on it, just in case. I also planted some potatoes this morning, and as always, I can't get over how stony my soil is. It's quite frustrating. I can grow many vegetables intensively in stone-free raised beds, but some of them really need to be allowed to spread out.

I work my "other" job this weekend, so I have very little time to do anything here other than think about everything I have to do. I envy you folks that make your living from your farms. I'm 47 years old, and at this stage of my life, I can't bring myself to walk away from excellent health benefits and a pension. Yet, I don't see my farm as a hobby, either. I'm very much a believer in creative visualization, so if I see this as a productive, successful farm, then that is exactly what it will become.

I have my two new beehives set up, just waiting to pick up the bees in 3 weeks. I hope to generate several avenues of income, all farm related, in the next few years. My farm sign says "Eggs, Honey and Produce". I need to start getting serious about my table for the farmers market. I need baskets, a bright tablecloth, and I have to finish my laminated produce signs. There just aren't enough hours in a day!

[Eric Deci]

Hi, Daisy - it does sound like you have a case of the "busy's" going on. I thought of you today while I was in Whitney Point at the auction. We ended up going home with a sheep in the back of our Hyundai Tiburon, which certainly had a lot of folks laughing up I-81 this afternoon!
Our girl needs shearing in the WORST way, and I recalled you saying you were looking for someone to shear yours. My wife used to do it in Russia and would be happy to show you how after we do a 'refresher' course on the one we just got. It is not really all that hard, she tells me!

[HilltopDaisy]

What a coincidence! I was about to tell you, Eric, that although I wasn't able to make it to the auction, my neighbor was thinking of me. He just dropped off a bunch of T-posts and a piece of hog panel he picked up yesterday. We were chatting, and he commented on my new hives, which led me to mention my latest purchase--the Welsumer Chicks. He told me that a breeding trio of Tophats (Polish) chickens sold for $60!! and a pair was either $30 or $35, he couldn't remember exactly. Well, that's reason for me to be optimistic about the more rare birds I'd like to raise.

I only have 2 sheep, and they've never been sheared so it should be interesting. I just might take you up on your offer to help me with them. I thought that if I could see it done once I'd be able to do it myself from here on out. (Then my line of thinking goes something like this "Well, now that I have these $350 shears, I ought to buy that flock of Southdown Babydoll sheep that I was admiring.") So thanks, and keep me posted on your progress. What are your sheep going to be used for? I want to hear all about them! I really love my sheep, they are such easy keepers.

[Eric Deci]

My wife asks if you have a ram! She would be happy to demo a shearing as soon as we find some REAL shears - the household scissors was a bit hard and the poor gal looks really ratty!
The auction prices for the animals were surprisingly high, I thought. Starved-looking heifers going at 500-600 each, those chickens you mentioned; heck, they got 20 bucks for plain rabbits on the premise you were getting a cage. Someone bought two medium pigs for 210 each, and paid 55 each for piglets - it was just way out of line with regular prices I am used to. Except no one wanted a dirty sheep and I got her cheap.
We now have two huge hefty bags of wool to clean and card. Natalia wants to make some stuff for the household and maybe hit the internet with something after we find a few more of the critters. This one follows us around like a dog and is really tame.

[HilltopDaisy]

No ram here, only two very sweet ewes. My animals are all pets (I don't think I mentioned that I'm a long-time vegetarian). I've been playing phone-tag with a woman who shears, but she called last night to tell me when she can come, and it looks like it will work out. Be careful with that wool because it can catch fire under the right conditions.

I will finally get my 60 bee frames assembled today. My coworker will do them, with my assistance, in exchange for me picking up his new bees along with mine. I'm getting really excited about the bees.

We need showers here in NY. It's a little too dry. The grass hasn't even begun to grow. I'm still feeding hay to the sheep and goats. I frost-seeded two small paddocks in early March, but they really need rain.

As for the garden, not much is happening. Everything is in that can go in, and nothing else is ready to transplant yet. I need to dig two holes for the new Gala apple trees that I ordered, and spray dormant oil on the rest of the orchard. Hope it rains pretty soon, so the peas will germinate.

[HilltopDaisy]

Hi everyone. Kind of slow around my place; it's been chilly and raining for the past couple of days. I'm happily transplanting basil, tomatoes and eggplant into 6-pks, and I'm amazed at the sheer volume of seedlings everywhere I look. I hope this summer goes well so I can justify the expense of a greenhouse.

I've always grown the majority of my vegetables from seed, just because I love all the options available through the various seed companies. It's been so exciting watching all the different varieties of tomatoes and eggplant germinate and flourish, and I can hardly wait to compare notes with you all this fall. I'll be curious to see what sells well from one area to the next. I'll be selling at a very rural market and a very nice natural foods store, so I think that will give me some diversity; some room to play around.

I finally got all the bee frames assembled. Now all I have to do is move the cement blocks and the hives to their permanent spot and wait for the arrival of the bees. I really am pleased with how I conducted myself when I was around my coworker's hives last week. I was not the least bit afraid! Cautious, yes, but no real fear.

I keep thinking about a farm stand out front. I live 2 miles from a fairly well-travelled road, and 4 miles from a large lake with a picnic area. It wouldn't take much to sink 4 treated 4x4" posts and put a shed roof on top. Something to consider........

[HilltopDaisy]

I'm having one of those mornings, where I'm full of self-doubt. I must be crazy to willingly be taking on so much extra work. How can I possibly pull this off? I work full-time, and in the summer months we have to work mandatory OT, to provide coverage for all the units in the hospital. I'm having visions of myself begging my family and friends to come help themselves to the bounty so it doesn't all go to waste.

I still don't have a solid plan for how much to grow. I just keep starting seeds, almost blindly, dumbly, starting seeds. I hope I'm being steered by some "inner wisdom" (what, it could happen.....).

I must view this year as a learning experience. I tend to think everything I attempt has to be absolutely perfect, from day one, and I know that's not realistic. I have to keep this fun, in some respect. Deep breaths............... Anyone else feeling panicky?

[HilltopDaisy]

Hi everyone. We're getting rain here today, drizzly and chilly. I'm greatful for the gentle rain that will help my seeds germinate. I think the beautiful weather we had earlier this month kind of tricked me into believing we were further along into spring than we really are. I can hardly wait for it to warm up and stay that way.

Yesterday I planted 2 more semi-dwarf Gala apple trees in the orchard, bringing the total to around a dozen trees, most of which are apple. I lost a pear and a cherry tree this winter. We had temps in the -20's and -30's several nights in a row, so I expected this. I also added 6 more blueberry bushes to the berry patch. These are "BlueGold", a variety that I tasted a couple of years ago, but only recently found available. They are my absolute favorite. I have 50 strawberry plants awaiting their spot in the garden (Mesabi). I think I will plant them in a raised bed, and remove the runners as they form. I don't have much experience with strawberries, so once again I will be flying by the seat of my pants.

I transplanted 90 more lettuce out into a raised bed, about half Romaine, and half Ruby Red. The Ruby Red is the slowest growing lettuce I've ever encountered. They best make up for lost time or the remainder of the seed will go in the compost pile. The rest of the varieties look great.

I came home from work one night this past week to find 3 of my goats in the garden. This was past midnight, so I returned the little darlings to their paddock, dreading the damage I would find come daylight. Fortunately, all they did was remove every single plant marker from it's spot, and nibble a bit on a plum tree. There were little hoofprints everywhere but they didn't touch the lettuce, peas or onions. Apparently, they had squeezed under a section of fence in a new area of pasture that I had just opened up for them to graze in.

I'm itching to start my melons and squash seeds, but I'm waiting one more week. Tomatoes look great but are still only a few inches tall. I have a full month before I can plant them out, so I'm not concerned. I will have a total of 12 varieties of tomatoes. Some are just for my own comparison--to help me decide on my favorite paste variety. I do a lot of canning for my personal use. I own a Champion juicer, and I've found the easiest way to make tomato sauce is to core the tomatoes and put them through the juicer whole, skin and all. The juicer seperates the pulp from the seeds and skin. I want 'maters that fit the juicer just right, so there's minimal prep work involved.

I'm in the process of locating containers for my produce, for the farmers' market. I would like to use biodegradeable quart-size for many items, but I need to find a local source. Otherwise, I'm afraid the shipping will make it impossible for me to go this route.

I want to say how much I enjoy reading everyone's entries. I learn so much from you all. Enjoy the weekend!

[Eric Deci]

Hey, Hilltop!
Go to Griffin Greenhouse Supply in Auburn, NY - they sell every imaginable pot and container for plants, etc. They are a national company and just happen to have a warehouse in our 'hood. No shipping if you make the drive and they should have something bio-friendly.
The rain has been nice - ALL my stuff is coming up as of this afternoon and time to plant the next wave!