IH Super C

A very exciting day today. I bought this lovely machine last fall; brought it home today. Its a little older than myself. Runs well. It has a few issues that need addressing and will require some adjustment and modification for intended weed suppression tasks; I guess I wouldn't have it any other way. The belly-mount cultivator should make for nice close cultivation.

Spring;
New this year for anyone with South American cravings: Rocoto, Aji Amarillo and Huacatay.
Also, two new watermelon varieties, a few new squash and 5 new sweet corn varieties.
The weather is so nice that its pretty tempting to start working ground. I suppose we'll do a little this coming week, and start planting the following week. I don't like to get in too big a rush because if we get a cold hard rain it can really ruin early sweet corn plantings.
Transplanting will start around May 15th.
Planting is a little daunting at the start; I lose a little sleep. Gradually one develops a rhythm, and as the plants emerge and grow, the anxiety lessens.
I guess at this point its hard to imagine life without.

There are times, moments, when I have to move slowly. It helps me if I say to myself "self, one must be very strong to go slow". I suppose it is true, however, I have gradually discovered that I am not the strong one in that situation. And my role really is more like a partner in a dance that I do not know well, and the other knows all too well. I can only hope, in that moment, to move with some measure of grace so my partner is not embarrassed by my awkwardness.

Yesterday on the tree lot was rough; the Drive-in is right on the Dakota trail; bikers, walkers, bladers, all whizzing by, and me, I'm breaking down stands, pulling nails, watching for the trickle of customers coming through. The late season bargain hunters are tough. Some of them so crabby, some of them just so darn poor. One has to find a price that they'll accept and still leave oneself with some small measure of self respect. It's brutal. And you cant give them away or sell them too cheap because next year they'll come in 2 weeks earlier and want them for that same price.
There was a point where the darkness was overcoming the light, thankfully, a good bowl of hot chili and a rush of rather cheerful customers saved me and i went away from the day feeling good about the season.

today, i went north to pick up trees we cut last week.
the thought process can be funny when working alone; at first i thought, jeeze, we should have cut more. then as i started loading, i thought, oh man, i hope i can get it all on... i want to get all this in one trip.
once loaded, it takes another hour just to suck the pile down tight for transport.
awful nice to get it home.
delivery and installation is the easy part.
next week; one more load

Last load of pumpkins for the season
10/29/11; last market day of the season
see you there!!

next up? dogwood, spruce tops, birch