Friday, April 18, 2008

On the farm part II

After my last post about the farm my sister recommended this really great website http://www.blurb.com/ for making my farm book. The website is awesome, I have already started the book and it is turning out so cute. It is going to be a rather big book I think by the time it's all done. I may have to edit it down when I'm all done. I also plan on making a baby book for Anthony on it. The books are pretty reasonable priced too, and you can order as many as you like. When you think about how much scrapbooking costs these days, it really is a bargain, and I think I like the look of these books better than a scrapbook. So now I have to divide my spare time (Anthony's nap times) between blogging and working on my farm book. My two hobbies of the moment. Although, once the farming thing gets into full swing, Todd will be working late hours and I will be able to work on it more in the evenings after I put Tony* to bed.
Going back to the beginning. The seeds are planted in the first trays with this machine (which I don't know the name of). The seeds are coated with something to deter bugs and mice from eating them, they are blue to help you see them, otherwise they are the same color as the dirt. Those little green prongs you see pick up the seeds with a vacuum seal and drop them into the dirt. Two cucumber seeds go in each tray and as they grow they form a vine.
After the seeds are planted the tray is topped off with more soil. Here is the big picture of the process. Remember the picture of the empty greenhouse where they were transplanting? It's not anymore. It is now all full with eggplants.Now for a little info on what's going on in the fields. At the end of each farm season, after the fields are all cleaned up, they plant Rye for ground cover. When it gets warm in the spring the Rye starts to grow. The first thing they do in the fields is mark Rye strips with the tractor. In between these 2 lines is a Rye strip, which will later be a driveway for the field. First they do this.Then they to this. That little strip of grass between the two dirt paths is the driveway, not the dirt path, and everything in between will be plowed and planted. Here is a picture of Todd and Tony in the tractor. It was Tony's first tractor ride.
There has been a lot of rain this spring, making the fields wet, so marking the Rye strips is just now getting done. Last year they started much earlier, so Todd is a bit stressed out about being behind. But I'm glad he made time to take Tony and I out on the tractor for some pictures.
I got to go on my first tractor ride of the summer too.

*I am starting to call Anthony Tony now, just so he gets used to both names.
P.S. Did anyone else locally feel the earthquake at 5:40am? I had just put Tony back to bed and was trying to fall asleep myself when I heard the house start to creak and then the bed started shaking. It took me a little bit to figure out what was happening, then I woke up Todd to tell him I thought we were having an earthquake and to verify that I wasn't crazy, that the bed was shaking. We checked to make sure it wasn't just really windy, and no wind outside. Then today on the radio I heard there actually was an earthquake.
P.S.S. I didn't have Todd proof this, so I may be wrong on one or more things, if so I'm sure he will tell me about it and then I can correct it.

4 comments:

Denise said...

I'm inspired... Maybe I'll make a "concrete book." Max loves all the big trucks involved! I'm sure Rob would love for me to follow him around one day!

Rachael said...

I wish there was a way for you to show us some pages of your book.

Is there?

Unknown said...

I didn't feel the earthquake, but one of my coworkers said she woke up and heard the dishes clattering. I'm kind of disappointed that I missed it! Although I did wake up around that time, so I'm wondering if maybe my cats felt it and they woke me up.

Paula said...

That whole process is really interesting. I like the website to make the books. I made one for Hannah called "The Story of Hannah" and I used Picaboo. It was kind of pricey (hardbound $40), so yes this place you've reccomended is much cheaper. Thanks.