or not (on the winter rain that is)

So I have waited for this elusive rain to plant my little bags of winter wheat but 2mm does not count as rain in my books. Yesterday, I thought forget this, I'll water it a bit. Off I go to plant. I learnt a valuable lesson about farm life and long term thinking even with the seemingly small stuff.

Remember I said I have got a few bales of straw from my neighbour who farms conventionally? Well, there were lots of seeds in it and I let them grow and the birds ate them and dropped lots. Now that I want to plant my heirloom seed, I can't. There are still so many seeds sprouting and growing of the hybrid (probably GM) stuff. What a bummer! I don't want to mix my nice stuff with that junk. Who knew there would still be some many seeds growing.

So the lesson is- BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND.

I don't have a lot of the heirloom seeds so I guess I will have to plant small handfuls in bags or pots in my greenhouse. At least then they won't cross pollinate and I can still at least double my seed crop. Not ideal.

Next problem to solve (beginning with the end in mind), is how will I harvest thresh, winnow and clean these lovely seeds?

Winter rain started today...

And I am not quite ready! I am supposed to plant my wheat (heirloom non-gm seeds from a new supplier) now but feel my soil still needs some work. I think I am going to have to plant it and doctor the soil as it grows. Not the best solution but rather that than no planting at all.

Jan mowed a small field for me to prepare for spring planting- well done Jannie on figuring out how to attach the mower to the tractor and then how to do a great job.
Next on top of all that grass and weeds, goes all the lovely horse poo I can collect. Love that job. Feels like I am collecting treasure. On top of that goes a spray concoction of humic acid, worm wee and compost tea. Real muti! And finally on top of that goes cut grass from our yard. This is my basic plan to fix the hard pan which is supposed to be our growing land.

I suppose that sounds simplistic but I only did part of that in the veggie garden and it has worked so well. This has got to be better. When the weeds come up, we will cut them before they flower and then lightly turn it all in and begin the whole process again. I will take some photos of the soil before and after.

Fire up old Tarrance the tractor Jannie. Let's do another field before the rain makes it too wet!

hmmm. now about that dodgy driveway in the rain...