Wow. January is almost over. And as what seems to be normal for farmers, I am already behind. But that's ok...I love my job and I'll get around to it eventually.
This week I am hauling scrap up to a scrap yard for some extra cash. I've never done this before, despite the fact that my wife's family is in the scrap business. But my dear, patient, sweet wife has been waiting and waiting for me to haul off several junk items since we moved to the farm and I've finally pulled together enough steel, copper, aluminum, and tin to make a trip to the "yard" worth the trouble. While I'm not expecting much in terms of money, maybe I'll get enough to pay for the gas to get it there and back and maybe, just maybe, a little extra for a cheeseburger and a Milo's sweet tea from the gas station. I'm living the life!
We are also finishing up the removal of plastic mulch from the fields. This was a fantastic idea from March until August of 2012, as the production increased, weeding decreased, and conservation of irrigation/water was tremendous. But ever since August, plastic mulch has been nothing short of an ugly nightmare- laborious to remove, an eyesore to behold, and the constant anguish over what to do with it afterwards. Nevertheless, I will do it again next year, BUT with biodegradable mulch. I hope that the product is nearly as easy to apply without the cost and difficulty of removing it at the end of the season. I'll keep everyone up to speed on how things go.
As January comes to a close, the planting of seeds begins. This time of year, the majority of planting happens in the greenhouse, limited to those veggies that will be transplanted in the coming months. This week, it's broccoli and lettuce. I also hope to have fields prepped for potatoes, onions, and carrots this week. It's time to get busy.