FCL :: Day in the Life :: Tuesday 04/30/2019 :: Clover Mulch Spreading
Spent some time today finishing the sweeping up of all the crimson clover mulch from the “clover patch” (aka: park) in the neighboring field, and transporting it to the “donkey pasture” that I’m in the process of renovating.
A lot of trial and error involved in figuring out how to spread the mulch evenly around the pasture, before eventually tilling it in.
My biggest lesson learned was I should have let the freshly cut mulch sit idle in the sun for a few days to shed up to 50% of its inherent “green” moisture, which makes it much easier to sweep up and spread. Had a HELLUVA time trying to spread huge, wet piles of mulch … and eventually cried “UNCLE” and just gave up. I’ll till everything in today or tomorrow.
Feels good to have at least finished harvesting the winter cover crop of clover. I figure about 80% (by volume) of the above ground clover (which was between 2 and 3 feet tall!) was mulched and moved to the donkey pasture.
The remaining 20%, and all underground structure (e.g. roots) will be tilled under in the “park” lot. So, one cover crop will benefit two pastures, or roughly 2.5 acres.
FCL :: Day in the Life :: Crimson Cover Patch Mulching
Hello … world? 😉
I haven’t posted a FCL DITL video in some months. Not sure why … just didn’t.
For awhile now, I’ve had the itch to start blogging again.
Here’s my first foray back into video composition and publication. It’s a bit clunky, because my post-processing “saw” got a little rusty over the last few months of non-use.
In any event, I spent the weekend mulching about an acre and a half of crimson clover with a pair of Husqvarna mowers, a 54″ zero-turn for the first pass down to 3.5 inches, then a regular 54″ ride-on mower to take it down to 2″.
We’re now in the process of sweeping up all the mulch to move most of it into the large donkey pasture that I’m renovating, which desperately needs the additional nutrients and nitrogen from the clover “green manure.”
It’s a lot of work, but thankfully the mowers and tractor do most of the heavy lifting … I’m just along for the ride.
Deuce and Hooey did their part too … keeping the bees off me and fending off any snakes (zero observed). I was actually amazed that I didn’t get stung by a bee (or three). When I started mowing, there were 1000’s of bees out there. The smaller the patch got, the higher the bee density. Spooky near the end.
And there you have it!
DEF
FCL :: Day in the Life :: Monday October 8, 2018
Total of 4 new baby ducklings hatched by end of day.
I spent most of the day out hand tossing hay over the 1.8 acre ‘park’ pasture to protect the newly seeded winter cover crop (red clover, crimson clover, Austrian winter peas) from Hurricane Michael, which is due to arrive tomorrow or Friday.
It isn’t hard work (per se), but tedious. That said, by the end of the day I was completely bushed, ready to jump into the massage chair and/or jacuzzi. Did neither … fell asleep on the couch with the pup laying on my chest. Yeah, that kind of day.
FCL :: Day in the Life :: Monday October 8, 2018
As I described in the opening segment … I was on my first cup of coffee, doing my morning situational awareness review (SAR) (news, weather, etc.) when it dawned on me that I was hearing something … a bird of some sort … that struck me as … different. I thought, hmmm, sounds like a baby chicken. DOAH! I forgot about the duck eggs in the incubator in the window sill behind me!
Sure enough … first baby duckling had hatched! As you may recall, I found a clutch of duck eggs in a next next to my duck pond, and couldn’t find the mother duck. Thinking perhaps a coyote got her, I moved all 20 of the eggs into an incubator. I’ve incubated over a 100 chicken eggs, but never any duck eggs (until NOW!). I did some research, and estimated their hatch date to be the 10th of October. Obviously, I was only 2 days off. We ended up with three newborn ducklings by the end of the day, and there is still about 7 eggs in the incubator, with one showing signs of hatching now.
Also found that one of my mamma rabbits dropped a litter of 10 to 12 new rabbit kits into a nest box over night.
Then, I found a free-ranging rabbit of mine with a whole nest of maggot larvae in an open wound in her neck. GROSS!
Spent some quality time with the pupperino (Deuce). He and Hooey helped me unfurl a big ol’ hay roll in the freshly seeded ‘park’ next door, which we’ll need to distribute over 1.8 acres today (Tuesday).
Long day … but a good day. Country living at it’s best.
FCL :: Day in the Life :: Sunday October 7, 2018
The pup (Deuce) is doing well, and Hooey hasn’t torn his face off yet. 😉
I spent most of the day yesterday doing final prep work and then seeding the 1.8 acre ‘park’ with about 150 pounds of lime, 100 pounds of clover seed, and 50 pounds of Austrian winter peas. Winter cover crop that will add nitrogen to the soil, AND feed the local deer. Win/Win.
After I got the seed spread, my tractor wouldn’t start. I find the positive battery lug completely corroded through. Hmmmmm. I wasn’t about to leave all that seed just sitting on the surface to feed all the #$%^ crows, so I hitched up the drag harrow behind my truck, aired down the tires, and got to it. Worked out pretty well. If my truck wasn’t dirty before (it was!), it certainly needs a bath now. Thankfully, rain clouds are forming!