Organic Farming is Hard Stuff

A lot of people have ask me why I choose organic farming when I starting this berry farm. After yesterday, I was wondering too. I planted the remaining 8 acres in blackberries this spring. I had good intentions of mulching right away to keep the soil moist and deter the weeds. Well time got away from me and the weeds were taking over. I pulled out my troy built tiller and starting down the paths yesterday at 9:00am. At times I felt like I was riding a bull for 8 seconds as my right hand would fly up in the air as the tiller bucked though the weeds. I finished that field 6 hours later and still have a lot of hand weeding to do and then the mulching will begin. Organic farming is very labor intensive and it would have been much easier to just pour herbicide all over everything there.
That is something everyone should consider as they are purchasing produce especially coming in from Mexico. Chemicals that are banned for use in the USA are allowed to be used in Mexico and that product is being shipping directly to us to consume. It is very hard to find vegetables and fruit these days that are grown the USA; which should be your first choice instead of foreign products if you cannot afford organic products. The restrictions that are enforced on organic farmers (which there needs to be) and the high amount of labor that is involved, creates the higher prices on organic produce.  So support your local organic farmer!!!

Updating the farm here in April

This is a picture of the Broccoli growing. I planted radishes in between the rows. Looking good so far.

Theses are my tomatos camping out in their tents. Believe it or not they are keeping very warm in there.

Seascape strawberries in the morning sun.........

Now I don't think my blackberries know its only April. This worries me some. This is only one plant. Wow that's a lot of berries.

The red raspberries have multiple on me..........

We are allowing the red clover to work as a cover crop this year in between the berry rows.

Let's meet Donald. I am slowing giving all the chickens names and I started with this rooster. No one likes him at all. He's the first to come out the hole each morning and he's getting mean on me. One day I told him if he tried to peck me I'd throw him over the fence and let him sleep outside. He made it though the night and hasn't pecked me again. I hope he learned his lesson.  

Garlic is looking wonderful. That's not a bear to the left that's my chocolate lab brownie...................

Lastly my grand babies growing faster than the weeds in my garden. Gracie is on the left and Cole on the right.