AND AGAIN
The rain. On my hay. Raining on my winter feed. Every I bring home more free feed than ever for the pigs and every day the grass is growing – still I am feeling the ‘will I have enough hay for the winter’ fear. That you and I go through together every year.
My big field (169 acres) is still too wet to begin work. The top inch or so is hard as a rock and under that is black and wet. A big machine would just make ruts. But the hard pan has begun to crack which is nature’s way of drying so as long as we don’t get too much rain eventually the growers will be able to till and plant a cover crop to begin the lands recovery. 
Soon the weeds in the field will be higher than the fences.
What a year. There are many fields unplanted this year. The season will be an interesting one. My farmer and many others have put our field into a govt program, for the season, called Preventive Planting. It is an emergency measure. Quite a long standing program as I understand it. Essentially the govt. pays the tenant ( who has already paid his rent) 275 per acre not to plant a paying crop that year. So, the tenant does not lose his rent, and he can still plant the cover crop and continue to manage the land, clear water ways – weed control, etc. just no harvest.
So that is where we are at.
Airbnb bookings are booming these last few days which is great. The sky is full of clouds and moisture and it is windy.
It is Saturday!
I hope you have a good weekend.
Talk soon
Celi
12 Comments on “AND AGAIN”
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thekitchensgarden 
the water the water the water…it just keeps coming. fingers crossed something turns in your favor. Meanwhile, your resourcefulness is your strength! I love it that the airbnb is working so well for you. That’s GREAT!
oh dear- thank goodness you have the airbnb and your part time job too. Gosh how frustrating.
We are as desperate to get rain as you are to get rid of it, that is Mother Nature for you. Have a great weekend. Laura
I never really thought about rain being too much for farmers. But it’s all in the timing. I hope your hay works out.
Why does the government have a moratorium on the farmers planting crops? There are thousands of hungry people out there! Seems the gov’t should let the farmers plant and harvest, let the packing houses do their thing, have the gov’t pay for it all instead of paying them to do nothing, and then the gov’t can give ‘their’ food away to the needy. Seems simple enough to me…maybe three’s a lot more to it than I am aware?
Well – firstly there is a glut of corn and beans – secondly they can’t sell the beans – plus we only have a short growing season and if you miss the planting season due to weather which almost never happens the farmers can go under so this is a way to support them – many reasons why I would encourage growers to let the land have a break
As I was taught, (one of the) unwritten rules of farming was to leave fields fallow once every four years. Planting in green manure/ cover crops to suffocate weeds and give the soil a rest was just the way things were done. With your permission Celi, this article gives a comprehensive explanation of fallowing: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/what-is-fallow-ground.htm
In the long run, this will be the sunshine after the rain: )
that should have read “there’s” – sorry
Giving the soil a break, can be a very good thing, though I’m all for farmer support too!
I think the way you operate is a good example for other farmers. Diversifying into other income streams, added-value and a gentler use of the land is maybe the way to go for a lot of smaller operators.
Preventative Planting sounds like a good plan… ield and soil management then a good weather season will be beneficial. Traditional diversified farming has much merit, and I’ve long admired your approach… and dedication ♡