Poppy's Perspective

The garden season officially opened today. We planted about three hundred feet of potatos. The soil was loaded with earth worms, warmth, and promise. There is an open ended word for you: Promise. Yeah, sure I could taste the June new-potatos, but I could also taste sweat and frustration as I eyed all those little chopped up pieces of johnson grass stolons laying beside the seed potatos.
The season opening was delayed by about a week due to 9.5 inches of rain that made for one spectacular flood but conditions not so great for tilling. But we are good to go for now anyway with onions, peas, and greens on the radar.
We have got another new fence. What we have called the potato-pasture now has a south and north half. The goats are presently inhabiting the south half. As of now we have six seperate pastures and are planning to subdivide a considerable amount more in the months and years ahead...the more the better or the more adjustable the better as this is all a part of, and our grand entrance into, a management plan known as intensive grazing. For more details on the ins and outs and what fors of this facinating system I would be pleased to introduce you to our local guru of grass: Mr. Tex.
We have also recently planted more trees. We have reintroduced an absent member of our arrowhead-spring-pasture floral community: The shortleaf pine. We have also planted three chestnut trees, three nanking cherry trees, and two fig trees.
One final bit of exciting news. We may have a milk cow on the way. Richard, our friend, computer technician, librarian, and fellow neighbor farmer has offered us the use of one of his cows who just happens to be mmm.... mostly Jersey. We will keep you updated on this exciting and most recent turn of events.