What's Happening on the Farm

In a previous post, I talked about my effort to use a cover crop to help with a field with drainage issues.  Well, so far, so good. In the pictures below you can see the drainage affected area with the salt ring stretching towards the middle of the lane.  This is happening because the irrigation water is not able to…

You have probably heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers”.  Around here, though, it is more accurately sad that “March rains bring weeds”.  It may not have the same ring to it but pretty much sums up the next month on the farm. Spring in the Central Valley is when the weed wars really get heated up.  The days…

I know this doesn’t look like an alfalfa field.  Most alfalfa is grown for hay and is broadcast planted at very high plant populations which forces the plants to compete against each other for sunlight and grow very tall.  This alfalfa is grown for it’s seed.  I don’t want it to grow “vegetative” because it will waste all of it’s…

It is official… the tomatoes are out of “transplant shock”!  One of the advantages that tomatoes have over the melons is that they are planted deeper and far more resistant to cold weather. The tomato plugs are planted about 6-7 inches deep which puts the root ball firmly in the ground.  Also, immediately after transplanting, we run the drip irrigation…

You have seen the petal fall turn the orchard floor white, but probably have never even heard of sepal fall.  Admittedly, it is not nearly as aesthetic as its predecessor, but sepal fall has it’s own charm as the almonds appear to wear royal crowns.  The sepal is the outer “cover” of the bud and is the first to emerge…

I planted a strip of triticale along the berms last fall in an attempt to  improve soil structure.  Triticale is a cross between the wheat and rye and has a very vigorous root system that will penetrate deeply and help to add organic matter and floculate the soil.  I am having issues in this orchard because the soil is very…

One of the most difficult crops to establish is Alfalfa grown for seed.  First, the seed is tiny and does not have enough energy to emerge if it is planted too deep or if the soil crusts after a rain or irrigation.  Second, alfalfa takes a long time to develop and is very attractive to every bug and bird in…

Yes, this is a wheat field in Central California.  Its a crop that you don’t see around much any more but I am holding out.  This particular field is planted to a “beardless” variety and will most likely be cut for hay the end of April.  It fits my rotation well because it uses very little water due to the…

Organic vegetables are a big part of our farm and the first block was planted today.  I grow different types but these plants are the “Mini” watermelons that are also referred to as “personal” watermelons because of their small size.  These will be harvested around June 20th and will most likely end up in a Whole Foods Market for the…

Sometimes it’s easy to forget why the almond flowers are so beautiful.  Their sole purpose is to attract bees to bring pollen and fertilize them.  If the bees never visited the flowers and deposited pollen onto the pistil, there would be no almond. The pictures below are a great visual representation of the birth of the almond crop.  If you…