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Garden Gate:  Tilling for beginners!  |
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BuckBellHill
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Fern
Belfast
Tennessee
USA
32 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 7:41:18 PM
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Okay, I hate to do this to you experienced true blue farmgirls, but I could use some advice about the best way to begin planning to till part of one of my pastures for planting in the spring. I have a 10 acre pasture that I've had baled which produced high quality clover hay...so I'm told. I want to start small with 1/2 acre at first. I've been doing research, but there are so many methods, I don't know where to begin. I'm really new at this!
Fern
Buck Bell Hill
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 7:57:42 PM
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What is your end goal for your half acre, Fern? That will help determine what methods you use to work the land. Be mindful that clover is rather hard to irradicate from where ever it grows... but you most likely might begin with hiring to have someone custom plow then disc the sod. Plowing goes deep and turns over big chunks of dirt. It is often now not recommended because it may promote erosion. Discing will work up the top layer of soil and turn it over. You might go back to your county extension service again for recommendations on soil tillage for your area. It all depends on what type of soil you have,- sandy, clay, loam, etc... for what the best method may be... (Doing a half acre by hand tilling would be an overwhelming job for you and for the rototiller.)
**** Love is the great work - though every heart is first an apprentice. - Hafiz
Set a high value on spontaneous kindness. - Samuel Johnson****
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BuckBellHill
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Fern
Belfast
Tennessee
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 9:14:48 PM
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Ahh, something to start with! Thanks. I want part flowers, part vegetables (though I haven't decided what kind of flowers or what kind of vegetables..I'm scoping out the local farmer's market each Friday to see what people are growing and I'm asking questions there... I know I won't be able to do the tilling first time around. i figure if i start now trying to figure out what to do with the clover field, i might be ready to plant the next spring! We have a really good extension service, so I like the idea of asking for help there. I have 45 acres with about 30 of it in separated pastures, but all of it has grass/hay/clover/junk...none of it has been used for gardening, only cattle, in at least 60 years. I honestly don't know what kind of soil I have, though I know that perking for sewage systems is quite difficult around here, though I'm not sure exactly why. We have tons of rock, but not in my pastures thank goodness. Do you think I should start with much less than half acre as a serious beginner? I guess I need to pay a visit to the extension office and get to know them really well! Thanks again for getting me started...
Fern |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2005 : 06:12:34 AM
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If you haven't had much experience in growing things, especially for sale, I'd just start with a garden patch size plot and work myself up from there as I gained experience. There's a huge learning curve to growing things, plus some years are just better than others. One thing to think about is how will you water and weed a half acre? What methods do you have access to for water? Will you mulch or tarp (there's another word for it but it escapes me now) for weed control? Book learning and asking mentors is a very good beginning.
**** Love is the great work - though every heart is first an apprentice. - Hafiz
Set a high value on spontaneous kindness. - Samuel Johnson****
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BuckBellHill
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Fern
Belfast
Tennessee
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2005 : 07:05:23 AM
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This is just ONE of the reasons why I'm so glad I found this community of women...sometimes I need permission to actually think small! It's so overwhelming and so exciting that sometimes I don't work out the details...thanks for bringing me down to earth and still encouraging the dream! I see that I need to go slow and set myself up for success, not failure...there's a lot to learn and I actually feel so much better after these posts.
Fern |
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2005 : 5:46:44 PM
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Don't hate your clover! Clover has one of the highest nitrogen producing contents of any cover crop out there, so when you till it under you will have some of the RICHEST soil! Grasses come in second behind clover.
I just use a little roto-tiller for my garden to turn it under. I'm also big on composting and keeping the kitchen garbage. Eggshells are also high in nitrogen, do keep those and crush them up! Anyway, just as the weather starts to turn too cool for the summer crops I till everything under, add the summer's compost, sometimes even the latest fall leaves, turn that all under at the same time, then plant clover or rye as a cover crop to till under in early spring for the summer garden. Works wonders! |
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ThymeForEweFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
705 Posts
Robin
An organic farm in the forest in
Maine
USA
705 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2005 : 06:21:50 AM
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We turned a half acre of pasture into garden this year. It's a challenge in a first year spot.
I paid someone to turn it over and rototill the spot with a tractor. Before I planted I turned over anything that had been sitting long enough for weeds to grow with the tiller. I keep most of my rows far enough apart to run the rototiller through to keep weeds down if they get ahead of me. I bought a TroyBilt Pony years ago. It's rugged enough to handle two acres and not too big for me.
A soil test is very helpful. You'll get a detailed analysis back. It will tell you what you need to add to your soil. If there's a check off for organic be sure to mark it.
If you can turn over the space now and get a cover crop on it you can help control some weeds. It will also put a crop of green manure into the soil.
Before ordering seeds you should take a look around at the potential market. What is there already enough of? What is needed? Who are your potential customers?
A half acre is easily manageable with certain plants. Some things take very little work once the seed is in until it's time to harvest. Corn and vine crops are a good example. If you want a fall crop you'll want some early maturing crops so that you can pull them when they're done and replant the space.
Eliot Coleman's book The New Organic Grower is very helpful. http://fourseasonfarm.com/main/books/books.html
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com |
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PocketFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
119 Posts
Sarah
Utica
New York
119 Posts |
Posted - Jan 23 2007 : 7:42:31 PM
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| Robin, can you give me an idea of what someone would charge to turn over 1/4 to 1/2 an acre? This is probably what I need to do, as I'm pretty sure a tractor's not in my budget this year. I thought I might be able to get an early spring cover crop in, mow and till that, and plant straight through it, plus on the spot mulching and tons of lasagna gardening as time goes on and materials are available. |
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gregs_lil_farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
219 Posts
birdi
hartford
me
USA
219 Posts |
Posted - Jan 24 2007 : 04:03:02 AM
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We are extending our garden for future planting. It also is full of junk. We have decided to have "natures plows" give us assistance....PIGS We are going to enclose the section around the new spot and let them have it for this season. They will root up any junk and fertilize it at the same time. Since we knew we would not get to it this season anyway, it seemed like a feasible solution for us. And will also serve a beneficial purpose to us in the fall.
-Simple pleasures make my heart smile- |
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Garden Gate: Tilling for beginners! |
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Tilling for beginners!
