How did it get to be June again??? June, of course, to pumpkin farmers means planting time. We planted three different patches this year. The method to our madness is to better manage watering, weeding, and bugs. I hope our experimenting pays off. Our fields are separated into conventionally-tilled, strip-tilled, and no-till patches.
We used a cover crop of radishes (with some volunteer triticale) this year for our no-till and strip-till patches. The idea with no-till farming is conservation of the soil and its nutrients, bug and weed control. We chose radishes as a cover crop because they have been somewhat effective in squash bug control. Our timing in planting the radishes was a bit of an experiment as well. Normally, they would have been planted in September and died off already, but pumpkins are still in the field in September, so our cover crop was planted late. It had not died off when we planted the pumpkins. Half of the main patch is planted no-till and half of it is planted as a strip-till patch. I am a believer in no-till farming, but I have to admit that it makes me nervous not to see a freshly plowed and tilled field with neat furrows!
We planted another patch with mainly minis, giants, and gourds. This is our school and train patch. We did plant this patch with conventional tilling. We plan to use weed block and irrigation in this patch as it is smaller.
Around the house, we have experimented with some straw bale planting as well. The popcorn is also planted. We are looking forward to some great popped corn on the cob!
So with almost everything planted, we now have to pray that our experimenting will pay off and that the rains will come! This waiting part is not my specialty, but it is always a great reminder to me that God is the ultimate gardener, and He will provide all our needs.
Johnstown Farm 