Cutting Back and Cutting Out

Yesterday and today were much the same-- heading down to the 2 acre blueberry field (on the other side of the cow pasture) and got it cleaned up for winter. I marched along all of yesterday, trimmer in hand, clearing around the bottom of the bushes.

Today was cloudy, rain started in the early afternoon and we stopped work early. Temperature was in the upper 50Fs.

Newport and the cows and I have had the field all to ourselves. This 2 acre field was in rough shape-- it hadn't been mowed or weeded all season. It was an off year-- lots of growth on the bushes, but few berries to pick. I remember that Old Rudolpho and his family came down only once to check-- there was nothing. That happens, next year it'll probably be a heavy crop. Yesterday, the foreman finished mowing down all the tall grass between the rows and Newport had a self-propelled rental mower, chewing up the growth in between the bushes. I spent all morning finishing up what I started-- the detail work. Finished the whole field.


After lunch Newport and I set out again with shears to snip/rip all the bitter-sweet vines from the branches. We polished off several rows before the rain came-- we ran back through the pasture and called it a day.



Is it a premature end? Tomorrow I'm talking to the boss. I plan on busing down to Darlin in the city on Friday-- I'm spending Thanksgiving with her and her family, so figured I may as well stay the week. There will be a few days for rummaging about for work and housing, seeing friends-- all to get ready for this winter (and maybe longer).

Planned on telling the boss today, but I broke the trimmer-- he seemed almost happy telling me how little it mattered, all while he was rushing to get ready for a physical therapy appointment. Didn't have the heart to stop and press him with heavy conversation.

So Friday could be the last day, or maybe tomorrow, or maybe a few days the week after-- I don't know.
But it is sad.


Lot's of unknowns ahead, and I'm all outta beer. I guess there's lots to start doing.

Take it easy.

Broken Backs and Plastic Sacks

A cloudy and a breezy day. Light rainfall blew over after the sunset. Temperature was in the mid 50Fs.


There were some problems with the feed corn over the weekend. The boss's brother decided to harvest it too early, the kernels hadn't fully dried out on the stalk yet (it was a tough call, with the rough weather-- birds and mold were chewing up the crop). Unfortunately that meant the feed corn was in a prime position to mold/rot in its holding bin. So over the weekend the boss called Stretch in (one of the high school guys from over the summer-- a good fella), they laid tarps over the greenhouse floor and poured out the corn to dry in the sun. The plan is working pretty well so far, we just have to periodically rake around the mound in order for it to dry evenly.

We started the day cleaning up all the greenhouse junk they'd piled up to make room for the corn. Pesticides and extra fertilizer went down in the barn, the rest of the junk was shifted around into some sense of order. It was time to get out to the forest field and deal with the plastic. Eight rows were left.

Newport and I decided to start double teaming the rows-- things went much faster, as we pushed each other along. Newport spent the weekend down in the city celebrating his sister's 30th birthday. The whole family was there, his sister's girlfriend and everyone. Newport and his mother stayed in a robot hotel-- 1 or 2 "human" staff for the whole building, everything was handled by machines-- from baggage to cleaning to check-in/out. They rented out a karaoke parlor and drank the night away. We ripped away at the rows, chatting as we went-- but speed was everything. We were ready to be done for good with all this wrap-rubbish. Four and a half rows left at lunch time.


After lunch we returned up to the forest field-- and hit it hard. There would not be another day of plastic work. I entered some sort of fugue state (like last time) and ripped the hell out of that field. Newport called me the Plastic King. The foreman whittled away on the half row. Newport and I burned through the other 4. The sun was nearly set and dark clouds rolled over, but the work was done. This daylight savings roll back is terrible-- sun was set by 4:30.

The boss was gone when we returned to the store. We continued cleaning around the yard and greenhouse until he returned-- taking long cigarette sit downs and resting weary backs. The boss waved us down to the greenhouse and we cleared out all the wooden-pallet stacks. The corn is taking up most of the available space, but we need to set up for tomorrow-- wreath making. Orders are already coming in, so tomorrow we begin cutting and weaving. The boss apparently has a bunch of Scott pines planted somewhere on the property-- we'll hack a few down, cut the branches and get creative. I'm left wondering when my season is over-- half of me wants to move on to the next thing (winter and cities), the other half shuts up/is happy to still have paying work.

Who knows where it ends-- I don't-- and I have a sneaking suspicion that the boss doesn't either.


Take it easy.

Back In Blueberries

Heavy rains swept through Thursday-- no work. Today was sunny, but wet and cold. The temperature hung around 44F and felt a lot worse with the wind blowing.



The fields were still soaked through from the rains, so we were saved from plastic digging. Instead-- we loaded up grub-hoes, shears, chainsaw and trimmer, then drove over to one of the blueberry fields abutting the cow pasture. It was nice-- out in the sun, the hill protected us from the wind, cows ambled by and the stream went along next to us. I fired up the trimmer and hacked back (carefully) all the grass grown up around the base of the bushes. Newport and the foreman followed behind, weeding/uprooting stray trees/ripping off poison ivy vines tangling up the blueberries. We chugged along all morning-- I've got the trimming down to an art now, so by lunchtime I'd cleared the entire field.


After lunch we grouped up and rode back to the berries. We all got down and dirty yanking out the remaining poison ivy and there was tons of it-- every bush was tangled over. Careful as I was, I am sure to have a full body worth of rash/itching ahead. After several more hours we finished the entire area-- it looked pristine. We headed back to the store and set out to pack up all the big irrigation artery-pipes. The big job was dragging away the line of heavy galvanized steel pipes that lead up the hilltop-- we kicked 'em all apart and stacked them up nice. Next we took apart the artery running along the horse pond, up through the woods to the forest field.

The sun was sinking low and time was running out-- we gave the boss's brother a hand ripping up the plastic wrap in his garden (for the giant novelty pumpkins). Only 2 short rows, thankfully, so it all went fast.

Finally, we ended out the day in the store. It was dark outside-- so the foreman started packing holiday gift baskets with jam and Newport/I sliced up the last sad looking sauce tomatoes in the kitchen.


Done day.


Thinking about hunting down Gizzie tonight for a few celebratory beers-- another week spent successfully alive. Lots of yard work set up for tomorrow-- gonna fire up the chainsaw and clean up the yard mess. Work, work, always work.

Well, take it easy.

Over, Under and Again

Full sun throughout the day. Temperature 53F.

Another day out in the plastic-- it's really starting to take a toll. Started off the morning by finishing the last rows where the trellised tomatoes used to be. The foreman came in late, but brought a box of trash bags. We worked through all the finished fields and bagged up the mounds of shredded plastic/drip lines. 19 full bags from the big tomato fields, 16 from the trellised area and 14 from the forest field (so far).

The foreman hitched up two hook attachments to the tractor and dragged it along the pepper rows and a few of the cantaloupe rows-- then the tractor ran out of diesel. We abandoned it for the time being and started pulling. The long rows in the forest field are heart breaking-- 600ft of inch by inch digging/delicate ripping/frustration. Newport lost his mind for a bit-- we finally talked about the end of the season. The prospect of no work coupled with endless plastic fried his brain. I caught him staring into the dirt, hardly blinking an eye, for a straight half-hour. Each of his row took about two and a half hours to complete. The foreman had his earphones on, listening to talk shows and music-- took him around one hour and 45 minutes to finish a row.

I somehow figured out this plastic business-- keeping the loose flaps at just the right tension, rocking them back and forth, while digging/carefully knocking off the dirt with the other hand. It was exhausting, but I finished a row every hour. I had the boys 2:1.


After lunch the boss came by-- asked him straight about the end of the season. He said-- there's no way to finish all the plastic today. Tomorrow is going to rain out. Friday will be work (maybe too wet for plastic pulling), we'll be real lucky if the fields are cleared by the end of the week. But more work ahead-- after the plastic is done, the 3 blueberry fields will be trimmed back (he changed his mind). So another week, or at least another few days on payroll.

I updated Newport about my conversation with the boss-- he hardly seemed to hear. We took a long sit down over water and cigarettes. After careful consideration Newport has decided that pulling plastic is at the top of his worst-farm-jobs-list (beating out potato digging, raspberry weeding and even rock hauling). The boss came by and refueled the tractor-- we kept on pulling.

The full moon was up and the field was pitch black, but we managed to finish all the rows the foreman carved out earlier in the day. I climbed into the tractor cab and turned on the high beams-- drove the three of us back to the farm store. Another day is done.


Tomorrow's canceled on account of rain. Gotta find something to keep busy.

Take it easy.

Closer and Closer

Full sun all day through. Temperature in the upper 50Fs.

These final days have been hard and heavy-- today was no different. Newport got an early start and was out in the field when I pulled up. Pulled plastic from start to sundown.

Once the foreman showed up we dragged along, clearing most of the fields. The big tomato field is done (8 rows), we headed up to the forest field and pulled the cucumber/early zucchini & summer squash rows (5 long rows)-- then down to the trellised tomatoes (12 rows finished, 3 rows half cleared). It's been a while since we've dug deep and dirty in the soil-- my hands are sliced to ribbons.

Tomorrow is the doom day-- I don't know what will happen. We have about 8 rows left in the trellised tomatoes, 3 long rows of peppers, 5 long rows of cantaloupe, 3 long rows of eggplant and 2 long rows of basil. If we keep up the pressure pace, it'll all be done. Then no more work. Long ago, the boss mentioned that the blueberry fields needed to be trimmed back-- but with money so tight, he might just let 'em be.

Newport and I have been real buddy-buddy these days. With the foreman either keeping to himself (maybe dreaming of new jobs and the city) or off in the tractor-- the two of us trade cigarettes and horse around. It was a busy day up in the sky-- we counted planes passing overhead while ripping plastic. Got to seventeen planes. Newport doesn't like to talk about the season ending-- he used to have a winter-job in a sandwich shop and he'll do anything never to go back. He's been calling up a hydraulic factory he was laid off from several years back-- hoping they'll have the budget to hire him back. Doesn't look like they ever will. With things so bleak, we stick to talking bullshit and complaining about the fields/weeds/weather.

We're lucky that the moon is up and near full-- makes it easier to find our way back to the store after sundown.


Whatever happens tomorrow, I have plans for one final post/picture day. Once I'm let loose I'll have time to scamper around with the camera and shoot some late Fall photos. Then it'll be time to pack up the Farm Blog. Maybe just for winter, but maybe for longer than that. We'll see.

Take it easy.

Thick beers are in order.

Chainsaws, Hoes and Combines

We're getting to the end. I bet this will be the last week of work-- 3 sunny days, then heavy rain is due on Thursday. I have a feeling the boss will tell us Wednesday-- that's it for the year.

Last Friday was a fine day. Newport, the foreman and I rode around clearing toppled trees-- just 3 houses, but they took all day. Newport and I split logs into firewood for one of the "loyal customer" families. Spent the rest of day sitting atop brush piled onto the wagon-- we ferried endless loads of wood back to the farm for the Spring bonfires. The highlight of the day was watching the foreman drag a 40ft pine tree through town with the tractor.

It was a busy weekend-- drove straight from work to bring my brother home from college for the weekend. Got back and had just enough time to make dinner and then pick Darlin up from the bus station. Saturday was an action day-- Darlin and I headed out west state to check out a friend's bookstore (she and her mother run the place, called the Book Mill). Went out for dinner with my parents and then met up with the gang (Gizzie/his girlfriend/Pipes/Gizzie's parents) for drinks and singing.

On with today.

Sunny all day through. Chilly morning gave way to warmer breezes in the afternoon-- temperature climbed to 54F. Turned the clocks back this weekend, so sunset comes early-- it was dark by the time we left the fields at closing.

It was a dog work day. We had one job today-- pull the plastic wrap. Finally finished the cantaloupe rows and started on the big tomato fields-- Newport and I made great progress. We'd used a millimeter thick plastic on some of the tomato rows and they pulled up fast and easy. Unfortunately it didn't last long-- most of the field used a cheaper/thinner wrap that disintegrates in your hands. We inched along, foot by foot, until lunch time.


After lunch the boss called me over. We headed up the hilltop to give the brother a hand getting his feed-corn-combine calibrated and running. (I never got a chance to do a run-through of this machine's mechanics) It jammed over and again. The boss and I climbed all over-- cutting free wads of tangled stalks. The brother finally got the machine running right and cut through several rows, while I hung from the corn wagon watching it fill up. The boss said they harvested a little over 4000lbs of feed last year-- enough to give the herd 30lbs a day through the entire winter (3-6lbs per head). He explained cattle nutrition-- corn is a carbohydrate, fattening up the animals for meat. Coupled with a good diet of hay (protein), the cattle do pretty well over the winter.

Back down the hill and back to the plastic mines. Newport, the foreman and I hauled well past sundown-- as I said before, it was dark leaving the fields. We made good progress though-- 12 out of the 20 big tomato rows have been cleared. 8 rows left, then the 25 short (formerly)-trellised rows and finally the long veggie rows up in the forest field. Might manage to finished everything by Wednesday if we keep today's pace.

Hot showers, cold beer. The end is here.

Take it easy.

Winter Peaches

Sunny and cold today-- the temperature danced between the 40Fs and 50Fs.


Every once and a while you just have to dust off and get outta yourself for a bit. The end-of-season depression had a hold over me the past weeks-- the farm itself looks pretty gloomy these days. I've had enough of it though-- moving onward. Last night while drinking with Gizzie I let slip what the boss had said-- that my friend is out for the season now. Maybe that wasn't the best idea, Gizzie was a bit on edge the rest of the night. Oh well.


I had one task today-- cut back the fields of grass surrounding each peach tree in the orchard. Headed straight up the hill this morning-- taking the trimmer, spool of cutting string and gas/oil mixture. Had the hilltop to myself, it was a perfect day to settle down and work.

Trimming around the trees is tricky business-- the trees are still young and delicate, so any accidental knick into the bark could kill the whole thing. I took it nice and slow, inching from tree to tree down the rows. This is just the first step in preparing the orchard for winter-- next comes a round of top soil to fill in the dips/hollows around the plants, then comes herbicide and finally we attach steel tree-skirts to protect the trunks. I said it the other day, but the whole idea of cutting back the long grass is to discourage mice and other vermin from burrowing in over winter (and killing the trees). Seems almost anything can kill a tree.

Peach problems. Not sure what to make of it, but I noticed a few orchard issues. 1-- Many of the trees (both young and old) had gelatin-like ooze collected around their base. I pointed it out to the boss this afternoon, he had no idea what it was and didn't seem to care. I got some research to do. 2-- Some animal or another has been burrowing under the root systems--I counted 15 trees with holes leading underneath 'em.

I trimmed through the orchard and the day. The foreman called me over at one point, we stacked up a few more lines of irrigation pipe and cut the final round of broccoli. Back to the peaches.

It was nice to have a day working alone, finally had a chance to think. Lots to sort over these days-- all matters of cities, apartments, farms and what comes next.


I finished the orchard ten minutes before closing. Met up with the boss and Newport down at the store-- we prepared one last batch of tomato sauce in the kitchen and called it a day.


Wild days ahead, wild days are here. Darlin is coming up to visit tomorrow and my brother is gonna spend the weekend with us. Work tomorrow looks like a wash-- the boss mentioned several more houses needing brush cleared. On with it then.

Take it easy.

Back On

Clear skies and sunny throughout the day. The temperature was 31F this morning, but reached a 50F high.


The boss gave me a call this morning-- we were on.

Instead of going to the farm, I drove over to one of the houses on the far side of woods. Newport and the foreman had just pulled up-- the boss had rented us out in the hopes of scrapping together a few more end-of-the-season dollars. We got busy dragging broken tree limbs out to the drive-way. The boss showed up with the chainsaw and cut everything into a manageable size. The foreman brought around the tractor, with the wagon attached-- piled it high with brush. It took all morning and 5 wagon loads to clear out the storm damage.
Then lunch time.


I fell asleep for a while, sitting out in the sun.


After lunch we headed up to the boss's house with the tractor. In the hour or so of lunch he'd finally had his electricity reconnected-- five days after the snow storm. He said warm showers were the only thing he really missed. The area around his house and wood's edge took a heavy hit from the snow-- broken trees everywhere. The boss seemed a bit sad-- we had to chainsaw down a cherry tree he and his wife planted thirty years ago, when they built the house. The boss's brother came up with his bucket tractor and gave us a hand clearing away the plant rubble. We managed to have the area in decent shape by the day's end.

Chatted around with the boss back at the farm store. The boss is headed off to a farm bureau meeting tomorrow, so we checked over the machinery and got the day's orders all laid out. Gizzie doesn't know it yet, but it seems that his season is over. Last to join is the first to go. It'll just be me the foreman and Newport from here on out.


Down to the bottom of the barrel. On we go.

Take it easy.

Snowed Out

Aftermath at home.

It has been an eventful few days around here. An early blizzard rocked through the region on Saturday and has left everything a mess. We had 8-9inches of snow accumulation, but it was enough to weigh down on the trees (still with leaves) and snap 'em like matchsticks. A town off to the Northwest got 27 inches. Word on the news is that 3 million people were without power-- the boss and farm still haven't got it back. Our electricity came back late Sunday night, just in time to get the heater going for a 13F (overnight low) frost.

I spent the weekend with Darlin down in the city-- only coming back to all this mess on Sunday. Lots of chopping and chainsaw work ahead. Unfortunately the fields are still covered over in snow-- so no farm work. The boss has called up each day, giving me updates and chatting about the state of things-- but it's too bad, we can't dig up plastic wrap that's buried in ice. Mercifully, warm weather is on the way-- already the snow drifts are melting back to dirt. Maybe we'll get back to the farm on Wednesday or Thursday.

I've been keeping busy dragging and breaking apart tree limbs. Made a few bucks on Monday shoveling and chopping. Today I'm hunkered down over the computer, looking for a place to live in the city-- not much luck so far. But it's time to get things squared away for winter-- lining up doctor's appointments, new jobs and writing projects. I'm very happy with the progress Gizzie and I have made on a few scripts-- some are actually good. Gotta keep busy and keep that momentum.


What a mess.


Picture day is coming. It has been a long time since the last. I'll bring the camera next time and show all the winter-field preparations. Onward, onward.