The past couple days, Adam and I have been spending time at Heart Arrow Ranch watering the field we will grow most of the CSA produce. A few weeks ago, Jerry Yates, the wonderful vineyard manager there, disced the soil then spread lime throughout. These are the first steps in creating healthy soil. We use a tractor to disc the soil to break it up and pull up the grass (and future weeds) already growing there. The Goldens did soil tests not too long ago which found the soil there to be calcium deficient, hence the application of lime.
With a few sprinklers, moving them around every couple hours, Adam and I watered the ground in order to create the right amount of moisture in the soil appropriate for another round of discing. Then we will plant the cover crop, which in this case will be buckwheat. It grows quickly, will add organic matter to the soil, smothers remaining weeds, and will add tilth (the fine, crumbly quality of soil).
Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, but it is quite exciting to be breaking ground and planning where we will first plant. The field is partly a drainage area, so there are some slopes. Next time, I will put pictures of the new land, and you will see how I am intrigued to plant on this not-so-flat terrain!
Looking at the map above, the land we are farming is just west of the westernmost pond.
[...] realize that like many other natural resources, water is renewable only up to a point. I mentioned earlier that our field at Heart Arrow Ranch is being irrigated by a pond. This is one of a few man-made [...]