In case you're wondering what we're doing with the rest of our spare time, here's an example: one of our potato patches. I took this photo on Sunday afternoon, after I had finished "hilling" the potatoes ... drawing up the soil around the base of the plants as they grow.
I planted this crop over Memorial Day weekend, when Alayne and I had spent all three days of that long weekend preparing seed beds and planting, planting and planting -- over 1,000 feet of potatoes, 144 winter squash, 422 beans, 44 zucchinis, hundreds of carrots, and hundreds of corn seeds. Then, late on Memorial Day night, we had torrential downpours from a severe series of thunderstorms, and we lay in bed wondering if three days worth of work was going to be washed away. The heavy rain kept coming for 24 hours. When it was over, we had lost half the corn, about half the bean crop, and nearly all the zucchinis.
But then we had to see if anything that hadn't been washed away would actually still come up. The weather turned cool and wet for ten days, making it even worse. We nervously waited to find out if the seeds would survive the waterlogged soil and finally sprout.
Amazingly, most did -- starting with the potatoes. When I saw the first green potato shoots poking up through the soil several days later, I was elated. We're experimenting with different varieties to see which work best for this particular farm. Of the potatoes, we planted the following varieties: Green Mountain (the first to come up), Elba, Salem, Katahdin, Kennebec, Red Pontiac, Sangre, German Butterball and Yukon Gold. The common theme here is actually storage -- these are varieties that are "good keepers" and store well over long periods. We have a root cellar to keep them in over the winter.
We ordered the seed potatoes from two sources in Maine -- Fedco (Moose Tubers) and the Maine Potato Lady. (Yes, we know about Johnny's and High Mowing Seeds and all the others, too.)
Even now, we're not done planting. Alayne just finished another round (green beans, zukes, etc.) on Sunday while I was hilling the potatoes and mulching the winter squash. And, of course, more heavy rain arrived yesterday and will pretty much continue through most of this week. After the Memorial Day storm I went to work on adding yet more drainage (we had already done a lot last year) -- ditching and channeling -- around the fields, which has really helped. But we have more drainage to do.
A lot of the crops, like the potatoes and winter squash, are for the carbohydrate portion of the dogs' diet, along with the veggies. Ultimately we want to be able to produce all their food if we can.
Our neighbor Jim, who was born and grew up on the family farm down the road from us, says no one has farmed here in more than 50 years -- and maybe longer -- so we are in the process of bringing this old farm back to life. Now, if only we could control the weather just a wee bit better....
Wow, you must have extra hours in yours days up there!! How do you get it all done?
I can relate to the feeling of joy when the first green shoots poke through the soil - I usually do some "jumpy-claps" - my neighbours must think I'm nuts, but it is such a good feeling when something I planted starts growing.
Here's to some good farmin' weather and a great harvest! Take some time at sunset to put your feet up with something cool to drink. Hugs&love to all.
Posted by: Bregda (South Africa) | July 03, 2012 at 01:54 AM
Hi Guys,
Just to reiterate - when do you ever sleep?? All the best to you and best of luck with your crops.
Shirley Parr
Four Winds Farm Sanctuary
Posted by: Shirley Parr | June 29, 2012 at 04:07 PM
Ditto to all blog comments. You two continue to AMAZE us!! We don't know how you keep up all the hard work. We're exhausted by reading it.
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | June 29, 2012 at 02:11 PM
You guys are super wonderful. You wear me out just thinking about all you do. Tending to the dogs and other animals or tending the farm would be a full-time plus job. But you two take both in your stride. You are super people! Great work. Thanks for all you do for the animals in your care. I am sure they appreciate it in their doggie or horsey fashion.
I thoroughly enjoy reading about all your escapades. Thanks for blogging about them.
Phyllis
Posted by: Phyllis Snow | June 28, 2012 at 04:02 PM
I can relate to the comment about the Seattle weather... hasn't been the best this year for us gardeners, even the hobbists like me. My best plant this year is the "pantry potatoes" that I potted up on the front porch. Just an interesting ornamental growing ambitiously up a trellis. More entertaining than tossing them :)
AWESOME work! Keep it up! Something tells me you might be needing a root cellar enlargement :)
Posted by: Margaret | June 28, 2012 at 12:13 PM
So when will you be canning the dog food to sell to the rest of us??!! It's got all the best stuff in there, and you've got a large, admiring market already right here. If Newman can have his own, I believe Rolling Dog can have it's own label too!!!
Posted by: Linda Murphy | June 28, 2012 at 11:01 AM
You folks are amazing. Where do you find the energy.
Posted by: Ev | June 28, 2012 at 03:22 AM
Good on ya, NH gardeners. Sounds like a Seattle spring. Here's to a bountiful crop for all the mammals.
Posted by: Jane T | June 27, 2012 at 10:26 PM
Garden disasters are always heartbreaking. Glad some of it survived. Your potatoes are looking really nice. Let us know when you get that weather-control thing ironed out... we'd all love to know how to do it!
Posted by: Tonya Allen | June 27, 2012 at 05:24 PM
I agree with Janet about farmers. Ran across a saying....'If you have something bad to say about farmers, just make sure you don't talk with your mouth full'. Happy Farming!!!
Posted by: Anne in FL | June 27, 2012 at 02:38 PM
This is so nice to see, and I bet the land is happy to be tended and planted again! My grandfather had a small farm here in the Netherlands and I was lucky to be around when it was still a working farm, I helped as much as I could. We have just a few potatoes and some pots and plants around now, but for me it's in his honour.
Good luck with the weather (but, in ALL the years I've known my grandfather, something was always wrong with that ;-))!
Posted by: Jessica, NL | June 27, 2012 at 02:17 PM
Spare time? You have spare time? When? Do you actually take time to sleep? (Or do you have somebody to sleep for you -- I've been trying to figure out how to do that for years!)
Posted by: Janet | June 27, 2012 at 01:22 PM
Hey, dachshunds like to dig. You have any furry 4-legged little guys that are willing to help you out? Hmm, now that I think of it...maybe not a good idea. My dachsund like to dig the plants OUT of the garden... not help with the initially planting. Strike my initial idea.
But congratulations for all of your hard work in making your farm self sustaining. (And that would have been a LOT of zucchini bread!!!!)
Posted by: Penny Heinrich | June 27, 2012 at 01:12 PM
Holy Moly! Do you guys ever rest? I'm going to go lie down, I got wore out just reading about that. Keep it up and you will live to be 100!
Posted by: Celia Brown | June 27, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Cool. Patience is certainly an aspect of farming (for me, gardening) - the weather is out of one's control! It is exciting for you to bring this farm back!
Posted by: Dawn | June 27, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Looks beautiful, I love seeing things growing. Here back in Montana we would sure take some of the rain you have gotten, it is really dry here with very high winds. As of the news last night we have 10 large wildfires burning up the state. One by Helena & another 25 miles north of Billings have both burned several homes from what I understand. Feast or famine here, glad you have some moisture! We look forward to seeing more pictures of your farming efforts!
Posted by: Kathy Huffman | June 27, 2012 at 10:40 AM
I too know what rain is all about (we've had a touch of it here in Florida these past few days). Good luck with your crop, it will be fine and the dogs will thrive with such love, care and fore-thought. It's not just your thumbs that seem to be green, but your whole lifestyle.
Posted by: Anne in FL | June 27, 2012 at 10:20 AM
Holy cow! As if you aren't doing enough with dog care, horse care, haying, goat herding, laundry, poop scooping, cooking, and blogging. If it didn't rain, you guys would never get any down time.
Farming in NH requires as much optimism as farming in MT between the short growing season and wild weather.
You guys are the best!
Posted by: Debbie Burke | June 27, 2012 at 10:12 AM
It definitely is a strange year for weather all over--I hope the weather evens out for the rest of your growing seaon. Your comment about the farm not having been farmed for more than 50 years reminded me of the blog showing the hallway of closets in your house. At that time, you wrote that the house had an interesting history which would be shared at a future date. Could you please point me to the blog that has the story of your unique house?
Posted by: Jan in Winnipeg | June 27, 2012 at 08:57 AM
I don't know where you find the energy to do all this but God Bless You! Did you farm like this in Montana?
It would seem that the soil would be very rich after laying fallow for all those years. Good luck and good eating to all of you!
Posted by: Kathleen Rivard | June 27, 2012 at 08:33 AM
Wow, you are really working farmers! Back to grass roots. Healthy fresh veggies for all. Glad for your rain as many of us haven't had any for a while. Be safe in the heat.
Posted by: Dee in KY | June 27, 2012 at 07:22 AM
How wonderful that you're bringing the farm back to life again. May your crops be hardy and plentiful!
Posted by: Ann | June 27, 2012 at 02:53 AM
Looks and sounds like you guys are loving the "eastern" life. A whole lot different than the world back here in Montana.
Posted by: Craig from Great Falls | June 26, 2012 at 11:37 PM
That's just awesome! Sorry about getting so washed out, but what you're doing is just awesome. Farmers are wonderful people. Awesome.
Posted by: Janet in Cambridge | June 26, 2012 at 06:05 PM
Your hard work for pay off for you and your family. The dogs and horses will love it. Potatoes - Yummy!
Posted by: Mary Ann | June 26, 2012 at 05:54 PM