The Fall Garden and Pigs in the Field

Today is September 1^st and it is a searing 95 degrees here in Northern Arkansas but I am in the shade and there is a cool breeze that kicks up on occasion so it isn’t half bad. The animals are all pretty much asleep or just lazing about. Diane is cleaning house in preparation for the arrival of our guests tomorrow. It is just another day in paradise.

The raised garden beds are all in and the 15 yards of topsoil that I purchased is all shoveled and distributed. I used 2”x 10” x 10 ft. treated lumber to frame in the beds and though it was a bit expensive I think it will be worth it in the long run as the beds should last for years to come. All that is left to do is to plant the rest of the fall garden. I have planted flats of lettuce of varying varieties, Brussels sprouts, kale, arugula, broccoli, cabbage, and some herbs. Two days ago I direct seeded turnips, spinach, lots of radishes, atomic red carrots, and two kinds of peas. Tomatoes are setting on the single bed that I planted at the end of June and it looks like we will get a bit of a crop, though I had my doubts. The original bed that I planted soon after we arrived here – remember I mentioned that I almost destroyed my new tiller breaking up the ground – is producing lots of cucumbers and peppers and beans, but in my haste and over zealousness I planted everything a bit too close together so everything is a bit crowded. I mixed 10 bags of store bought cow manure into the hard packed clay and rocky soil and that seems to have provided enough of the nutrients that my late garden needed.

Our GOS pigs went out into the field the day before yesterday and after spending several weeks in the shade of the barn they were ill prepared for the late summer sun that is nothing if not relentless during these waning days of summer. After one full day in the sun their floppy ears were burned a bright pink! They fared much better yesterday and today as I let the hose run in a little hollow next to their shelter and they have made a nice mud wallow to lounge in during the hottest part of the day. The mud has helped to protect their skin from the sun and it is endless fun to watch them wrestle around in it.

The temporary area that I have designated for them is fenced off with poly-wire electrical fencing with a solar energizer. Being the amateur farmer that I am, it was quite the ordeal for me to put the fence up, but after all is said and done it really wasn’t so difficult. I will provide a detailed explanation and photos of the project in a later post for those of you that would like to give it a try. I trained them for one full day with a single strand of energized poly-wire in their pen and that seems to have been all that was necessary. It was a little heartbreaking to see them put their nose against the wire and then squeal bloody murder but it certainly looks like they have learned. They are very wary of the fence and seem quite content in their new habitat.

More to come.