Planting Time and Nature Encounters

We've been gone for two weeks since we went to graduation at West Point (that was pretty cool).  While we were gone, Van got the fertilizer and spread it on both the clover fields and the plots for planting.  He uses a loaner spreader pulled by my tractor.

I disk up the plots and then smooth them using a  chain drag pulled by the atv.  This is the garden/pumpkin plot after smoothing.

I plant the garden by hand.  This year I'm experimenting with a textile on one strip to help control weeds.  I used some old straw bales around the edges. 

Most of the pumpkins will get planted in a couple of weeks.  I planted a few a few slow growing varieties this week in mounds.  Also a few melons and gourds.

I moved the semi-rotten straw bales in the Ranger.  As I was pulling the straw out to put in the garden, I noticed something moving - it was a copperhead snake that was in one of the bales.  Now he was in the bed of my Ranger,

He was between 3 and 4 feet long and not at all happy with me.  Normally, snakes and I get along pretty well but poisonous snakes are another matter.  I took a whack at him with a hoe and he slithered away.  I think I hurt him but he was still moving.

I also planted the sunflowers.  I used an atv spreader and the chain drag.

Then I planted soybeans in the plot by the orchard...

...and also by the driveway stand.

Only one of the clover fields needed some lime.  This wasn't enough to use the commercial spreader service so I bought bags of lime and I spread it with the atv.

Our old friend the groundhog.

A deer on the minerals with a turkey out in the field.

Turkey

Turkey

Strutting gobbler.

Toad on the barn porch.

Sydney trying out Joan's new quilted dogbeds.

Minerals for the bucks.