Notes from the Field: May

Mowing.

We have a fabulous volunteer this year who I’m particularly excited about. Nick came 2 weeks ago and loaded our brush-hog, the mower that is pulled behind the tractor, onto a pickup. He’s taken it back and sharpened the blades, welded patches to the frame and adjusted and bolted the back wheel on. Despite its many, many years of use, we will now be able to squeeze another year out of the brush-hog.

This Spring, our cover crops that overwintered, rye and hairy vetch, have been growing incredibly fast and our rye had already formed seeds. They were still green, so they weren’t dropping additional rye seed that would germinate yet–it was the perfect time to mow them. The best way to turn in a cover crop of rye and vetch is to wait until most of the plant has spent its energy flowering or putting on seed head, and then mow it. Dicing and plowing the plant at this time makes it easier to incorporate into your soil.

He arrived just in the nick of time! Thanks again, Nick!