It's good to be back in the 'blogosphere' after an extended break over the longest, wettest winter I can remember here in at least 10 years (that's how it's seemed even if the 'ol memory is subjective). It was not my original intention to vacate the farm blog for so long, but life has just 'happened' in other areas and taken over and to be honest there isn't much to report on our farm life during the mildest winters, let alone what we've just had! Consider this...cold, wet, weeding, windy, sow more green manure, rain, mud, weeding, windy, frost, cold, raining, raining, raining, slashing grass/weeds & on it goes...one day we hope to share with you more exciting cold season events than these and perhaps some animal antics and so on.
These photos above, are of a nearby farm's paddock. I took them to show a prime example of all the new 'lakes' (not pre-existing dams!) that sprung up in random spots in formerly dry, brown paddocks as a result of the inches of rain we have had this winter. This is after we have had so much rain that the soil is actually soaked and the ground water has simply risen to the point where no more can be absorbed, so it just ponds. Although a certain blessing, it's been a mixed blessing I think it's fair to say...we are all deeply grateful for the now full dams, lush paddocks, flowing creeks, replenished ground water and well-watered gardens etc. However, a few weeks back some of our community suffered destructive floods to home and property, which will take some getting over and recovery. The oft-present threat of getting bogged has also worn a bit thin for many! I think most of us are happy to see some blue skies and feel some warming sun on our backs and Souls, as nature starts to burst into new growth and we gear up for the productivity of summer and autumn. Fortunately, our farm has not suffered any damage from the rains and we are keen to see how much different a growing season can be when you've had above average rainfall after more than 10 years of drought.
The trees on the farm certainly look happy for their soaking, and those that can are in their fullest of blossom.
Our farm driveway at the moment, lined with flowering Manchurian pear trees and rosemary.
C'est magnifique non?
The 2010 garlic is looking fantastic for the abundant rain (other than some frost-bitten leaves!), as we anticipate it's imminent growth spurt as our weather and soil warms up. We reckon the first harvest will start in approximately 7-8 weeks or so...in a way it feels like we just planted it, but on the other hand we can't wait to harvest it! I probably say that every year, I expect? I know every year by now I am hanging out for decent, flavoursome garlic :).
A drawback for us from all the rain is that we've only just been able to start working our soils ready for the summer vegetable crops. Just like the ABC TV ad says (re 'Sunday soils'), you can't work wet, muddy soils. Apart from it being almost impossible to physically work on/with the soil, if you do go ahead before it has sufficiently drained, you end up destroying the soil structure you have strived so hard to foster. Soil compaction is dramatically increased when wet, and the pressure from a tractor or herds of hard-hoofed animals pushes air and water out of it so that it becomes more dense, then the earth dries rock hard and/or disintegrates into a powdery mess, rather than maintaining the integrity of good soil structure required to support soil life and plant growth. Good soils have complex, even aggregate patterns, often referred to as 'crumb' formation, which enable healthy balance and use of water, gases such as oxygen and nutrients within the structure and their ready exchange with soil microbes and plant roots to sustain ongoing and healthy life. It's our Holy Grail folks.
Evenly spaced soil particles on the left VS Compaction on the right.
Picture courtesy of NSW DPI website: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/resources/soils/structure/compaction
It's also only just starting to warm up enough for things to really grow around here and we have another month of likely frost events. We've recently started our seedlings off and eagerly await their little 'heads' popping up through the soil - this never fails to thrill us! So it'll be an even later than usual start to the produce season, and instead of being back at markets by November, we can't see ourselves getting there before December.
New seasons' seedlings are under way!
I know people tend to think farmers are rarely if ever happy with the weather and maybe some do complain disproportionately (and some try to grow certain crops in less than appropriate climatic locations to start with!) but to be honest it is a genuine juggle at times despite best efforts and there's a lot of risk involved. That's why we, as a country, don't want to be losing too many experienced farmers from the land because it takes generations to learn the skills and accumulate the intuitive feel for working with and around the variables to grow our food BUT it only takes one generation to lose that wisdom almost entirely. One reason to support Australian grown food and your local growers and farmers' markets.
My farm boys looking forward to a big 2010 - 2011 season.
One little brag before I leave you until the next post... Journalist Gail Thomas wrote a nice piece about us for the Weekly Times a couple of weeks back. Thanks kindly Gail, we appreciate the coverage and hope our story inspires others in positive ways.
Catch you all real soon!
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