[dominiquer60]

The video doesn’t seem to be working, here are a few photos.

One plow traveled via Corolla from Northern NY.

Chalk lines snapped to evaluate and adjust Don’s plow

Jay Bailey doing a smashing job of finishing the land with a dead furrow, a little deep, but given the wear on Jay’s point this was an amazing job.

Jay Chases land with the Pioneer homesteader, not very deep, but a great plot for a garden!

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[dominiquer60]

It was a great weekend, a small but very interested and appreciative group of teamsters showed up and learned a lot.  We mostly worked on walking plows because that is what showed up, and also a Homesteader. Sam wanted to bring out his team to demonstrate the 2 way sulky plow, but a recent illness was haunting him so we were not able to do that.Sam will be the first to admit that there are better plowmen than him, some too old to practice, some to far to be convenient and some that are not the type to share. One need not be the best to help others learn better practices, they only need to be willing to take the time to do so:)

Hopefully the video attaches, otherwise I will attach a few picture.

 

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[dominiquer60]

Great to see some draft animals working on that big ol’ farm! 🙂

[dominiquer60]

Find a teamster that is willing to open his farm/shop up to participants, the teamster doesn’t have to know everything but should be willing to teach what they know.  Get some insurance, a pot-a-john, someone willing to cook and advertise it in every place that you can think of.

Sam Rich is not someone interested in promoting himself, but many of us at DAPNet wanted some more in depth instruction about plowing so he was asked if he would do a clinic. “As long as DAPNet is willing to do the leg work” was his answer.  So if you can find a teamster that you want to learn from and 2-3 people that are willing to do the paper work and maybe the cooking, make the teamster an offer, the worst that they can say is no thanks.

If more people would be willing to be teachers and others are able to support them, we could do a lot of good for the draft animal community everywhere.

I hope that answers your question.

Erika

[dominiquer60]

http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/grantspgm/projects/proj11/veg/seaman.asp

Some folks have used parasitic wasps with success, I just pick out the worm before I eat an ear.

[dominiquer60]

I have a 2.5 foot heavy copper wire that I use as a ground rod when I am moving frequently.  It isn’t what is recommended for a ground rod, but it is easy to slide into the ground and the fence is effective, so I keep using it.  Like the Millers I use water on the ground rod when it gets dry out.  Recently I have lost track of the heavy wire and I am using a small piece of rebar and a hammer. I found the wire this winter, but darned if I could find it today.

 

[dominiquer60]

Welcome Miller Family, it is great to have you join us.  Good luck with all of your new adventures!

[dominiquer60]

Wild Millers,

I am working towards your style of fertilizing. I have been involved with some cover cropping on other peoples farms, but now I find myself in charge and I could cover crop like crazy, IF I had the land base to do it. I will someday, I just have to be patient.

What varieties are folks planting?

I have a large porcelain type that started as Musik/German Hardy 25+ years ago, I am the 3rd person to have this line, this is my 6th year working with this one.  It is big, bold and beautiful, 4 to 7 large cloves.  The other that I have is Purple Glazer, a pretty little roasting garlic.  I planted a pound of it in 2009, with some culling along the way I managed to get 80 pounds in the ground last fall.  I am looking forward to really culling the Glazer hard this year for size and color.  I just moved it all to CT last fall so I am anticipating some acclimation to the new soil type (clay to loamy stony sand).

I don’t get to talk garlic often, so it is nice to be in good company here.

 

[dominiquer60]

URL not found 🙁

 

[dominiquer60]

Sue Brennan, daughter of the much respected Bob Brennan, will also be joining us this weekend.  Bob’s old plow needs some new points, some work to the beam and a general tune-up.  Sue will take off Saturday to the ECTDHA Plow Match and then join us again on Sunday for some advanced field work plowing around a land.

There is still room for one more last minute teamster and no limit to the number of auditors, so feel free to register at the last minute, this is sure to be a memorable clinic.

 

[dominiquer60]

Here is where I cheated, though the field was plowed and cultimulched with the horses, I used the tractor to make these rows.  I have a Rain Flo water wheel transplanter with 2 super 26 wheels with removable spikes.  I used all spikes to get a dibble every 6″, I had them set right next to each other so that I have 2 close rows every 3′ on center.  I am hoping that we can make a frame so that we can eventually use this transplanter with a forecart and oxen.

Last November it was easy to do the familiar and use the tractor, plus I need to work on my driving draft animals straight skills. Just a note, the water wheel basically marked the rows, the tractor does not have a creep gear or hydro  feature so it goes too fast to ride and plant.  Second, it had rained and the ground hardened up and we had to hand dibble each hole deep enough to plant the garlic at the proper depth, over 8,000 hand bored holes = lots of blisters, I think next fall I will have a custom dibbler made, like a pry bar with a conical end.
Andy the straw will hopefully be enough because it would be unbearable to try to cultivate with all that straw. I have never cultivated garlic before, I mulch in November and I will go thru and hand weed the patch a couple times this summer. This is a new field to me, I expect a lot of weed pressure here, I already have clusters of lams quarters 3/4″ tall in some places.  Thanks Andy, I like a neat an tidy field, they are so much easier to manage that way.

[dominiquer60]

I took this course at the November LIF event 3 years ago, it was wonderful and our instructor was great.  As a woman with no prior chainsaw experience it was completely worth the cost and effort, plus both instructors treated everyone equal and yet gave us each the personalized attention that we needed.  It is very liberating to be able to go out and help with firewood, tidy up a hedgerow and cut down a sapling for a pole.  I highly recommend this workshop.

[dominiquer60]

Thanks for getting a hold of us. The 2013 DAPNet Plow Clinic is on!  We have enough folks committed to meet our expenses.  We add another sulky plow for the Friday Plow Refurbishing Clinic, an old JD that needs a tune up and a hopeful conversion to store bought points for ease of parts replacement.  We also welcome back one of last years participants who will bring his walking plow Sunday, last year we refurbished his 2 way sulky plow.  We welcome anyone else interested in attending, you can pay when you get here, but please let me know if you plan on joining us for meals so that we can plan ahead. We look forward to seeing a great group at this very educational event.

[dominiquer60]

The flags just mark the end of the row so that in-laws don’t drive over my crop.  I always plant garlic in October, I have planted sprouting bulbs from winter storage in a hoophouse in January and sold them as green garlic in the late spring (use like scallion, mild flavor).  Yes that is winter rye straw cut before pollen stage, never use combined rye straw, the leftover seed with germinate over the winter and stunt your garlic crop with a chemical emitted from the young rye roots. Mike if you plant in the spring do it as soon as your soil is workable, spring garlic tends to be smaller and not store as well, try planting a little at both times and see what does best for you.  I once planted garlic late (Nov 19th) and the ground froze 5 days later.  Hardneck Garlic is amazingly cold hardy and as long as it has a few days to grow some roots in the fall, you are good to go.

Too many shavings can be a problem binding N, but you want some bedding to bind N or else the nutrients leach off easily.  The carbon in bedding holds the nutrients and slowly releases it as it breaks down which makes for a great slow release fertilizer.

[dominiquer60]

We are very close to having enough teamsters and attendees for the DAPNet Plow Clinic.  If you intend to join us next weekend please speak up, tomorrow is the deadline.

We have on board 3 walking plows, a sulky plow and a shiny new Pioneer Homesteader!  Haflingers, Suffolks, Percherons and Milking Shorthorns will be represented.  We have three types of ground that we will be able to work, old corn ground, sod and a rye cover crop in a large garden.  Teamsters of all skill levels will be coming from 5 different states, discussions should be delightful and educational.

We welcome you to Abington!  Please contact Bekah 802-763-0771 or dapnetinfo@gmail.com, or Erika (518) 441-9870 tomorrow Monday April 15th if you plan on coming but haven’t contacted us yet.

Thanks,

 

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