I ran outside in the pre-dawn darkness yesterday to check the rain gauge. I was greeted with an incredibly gorgeous three inches. Rain gauges aren't particularly tricky to decipher, they are nothing more than a tall, skinny measuring cup on a stick, but I was so disbelieving that … [Read more...] about Full and By Farm: Rain at Last!
Full and By Farm Essex
Full and By Farm: A Field Wasteland Improved
The hot summer weather last weekend drained our soil of anything resembling moisture once again. We're back to the dry, dusty fields, wilting leaves and daily trips to monitor the spring. We made a rushed effort in the beginning of the week to seed down two of our newly turned … [Read more...] about Full and By Farm: A Field Wasteland Improved
Treating Late Blight
Late Blight is a water mold that infects plants and can devastate a farmer's tomato or potato crops. Knowing how to identify late blight in your garden or field is a crucial skill. It's important to always be aware of the spread of late blight. You can monitor current … [Read more...] about Treating Late Blight
Full and By Farm: Thinking Ahead
I am reminded of the first spring flush of grass right now—bright, vibrant and growing by the day. The cattle are happily grazing out in the fields again and we began mowing our second cutting of hay yesterday. The vegetables, so stifled by the hot, baked ground, were unable to … [Read more...] about Full and By Farm: Thinking Ahead
Full and By Farm: Only Good News
It's a sheer delight to walk out into wet soil. Everything seems to be standing a little taller and happier after the rain from the past week. The pastures are greening back up and there is even talk of a second cutting of hay coming soon. Beating Back the Blight So far the … [Read more...] about Full and By Farm: Only Good News