Spring On A Farm - Disking, Mowing, Grading, Raking-Work Work

I ache in every part of my body.  Before and since Easter, the weather has been without rain, the sun has been out and we have had a clear view of what has been happening in the fields.  The weeds are high, the tree pruning are still on the ground, there are piles that need to be mixed in the compost bins, and there are loads of fallen leaves and trees branches still needing to be raked and cleaned up.

Gosh about a month ago, I thought we were ahead of the game.  But the wonderful rain just gave everything a serge of growth.

Frank disked the field except for a huge pile of the larger limbs that could not be run through the chipper.  

I spent a day picking up the last remnants of last years black plastic that came up to the surface after the disking.  I hate that stuff!!!

Frank and I each took a row of trees and picked up all the pruned branches up off the ground and put them into the pile to be burned.  

The last time I raked up some piles, the chickens have since gotten into them and they all needed raking up again.  This time, they got picked up by Frank's John Deere.

And then there is the side yard, out of sight, out of mind.  There are a few very messy and large trees on that side of the house.  A big Sycamore, a Redwood and a Pecan tree with ivy under neath it.  About a month ago, I had started raking and piling and even started to cut back the ivy.  Then the rains came.  But yesterday, I was determined to get it done and I did!!  Sycamore trees are pretty but their branches are fragile and we always get tons of small to large branches that fall.  I think I made 5 Gator full loads to the compost and chipping area just from that section of the yard.  After wards, Frank mowed down all the ivy and it now looks like a whole new area never discovered before on our property.

I have also been working on putting together my next class, the Learn To Make A Rag Rug Class, set for April 20th, 6-8pm.

 I like to provide some supplies so people can learn in the class and then go home and finish their projects that they learned.  I ordered the rug crochet hooks and made some example rugs using a couple different products I want to show people.  

Do you have a huge stash of fabric and don't know what to do with some of those ugly fabrics?  Rag rugs are a great project for that, it is amazing how good some of the weirdest fabrics look in a rug.  And the rug will last a long time, can be washed and can be made into any specific size you want.  Give our farm a call or email to sign up.

My friend Sarah, invited me to take a class with her in Yuba City at a new gift store.  It is going to be so much fun, it is a painting class where everyone in the group paints the same picture.  This picture is going to be of a cow.  It will be interesting to see how other people put on classes so that I can compare it to ours, we always like to improve upon what we do.

Frank is always so clever and talented.  While I was in the house cooking a few afternoons ago, he came into the kitchen to show me something he made, a knife!!!  

It is so beautiful and interesting.  He had a piece of metal and just decided to shape it, then make a wooden handle for it.  After having me try it out in my hand to cut a few times, he took it back to his shop and did a few minor alterations.  The next day, he came out with a 2nd knife he made for his cousin in Los Altos.  She is a keen cook and loves anything Frank makes.  He is always fixing something broken on the farm, it is nice that he took some time to enjoy being creative.  The knives turned out beautiful!!

Next week I hope to have all my dahlias planted along with peppers and tomatoes.  My goal is to have double the amount of flowers I have ever grown this year.

I heard we are going to have some more rain towards the end of the week and it would be great for the plants if I manage to get them into the ground by then.

Enjoy the spring weather.