Worms

[digitS']

Bob,

you went through quite a lot the last couple of years. Pneumonia in 2020.

🪑 Make sure that folding chair is comfortable and stable. And Take Good Care.

Steve

 

[baymule]

You have a tough environment going on there. Kudos to you for even attempting to garden, in the finest of health, much less in reduced health.

I’m interested in this worm conversation, having just bought a new farm of 25 acres in July. Tomorrow marks 1 month since moving in. Haven’t really had time to go digging for worms. The land is pasture, grazed by cattle. Cattle are currently on 2 fields, my sheep are in one field, as that’s all that I’ve been able to fence for them. The soil is a loam, in some places more sand, in others, more clay. The grass is a mix of Bahia, Bermuda, crab grass, many weeds and forbs. There are 2 small ponds. We’ve been in drought all summer, finally got rain but not enough to refill the ponds. Need more rain.

Fence rows have 30 years of growth covering the fences. Hand cutting would take years. I can’t even get to the fence to take down barbed wire and replace it with sheep and goat wire. I’m going to have the fence rows sprayed so the overgrowth will be dead and easier to clean up come spring. I hate to use poison but I don’t have many options. I’m deeply organic, this will be the only place poisons are used.

I’ve been in touch with the USDA local office and the NRCS. Their services and advice are free and there is a cross fence and soil conservation program I’m going to enroll in.
The health of my soil is very important to me.

Knee replacement surgery is tomorrow, I’ll be down awhile, going to physical therapy and such. But I ought to be able to get back in the swing of things, without being stupid, by spring. Can’t wait!

Any advice on the health of my soil, throw it out there! I’ll be easing back into gardening, probably a couple of raised beds to start with.