the hickeylooper

I'm sure going to be happy when the garden is planted, but I think, not as much as Miss June is.  We're just never going to see eye to eye about it and I think she's getting a little sick of me talking about planting the thing.  

We have differing thoughts about how it should be done.  She plants a little here, a little there, a little bit someplace else.  I asked her today why that was, and she said it's in case the bugs eat this one, or this gets some sort of disease, etc.   OK, Ok.  It's not the way I'd do it, but that's all right.  I gave in to doing that her way.

She was out planting this morning.  I want to get it in the ground because I know how long the growing season is.  She just wants to take her time.  I'm eager to get it planted because I want to mulch the thing so I don't have to pull weeds.  Her thinking is that if you spread it out, you get this thing then that thing, etc... and I understand that too.  But when it's time to harvest, we'll be canning like crazy.  I'm going to find another pressure canner at the DI and we'll be rocking things outside with a propane stove.

I ain't playing around this year.  We're gonna have quite the operatin.

I'm a gadget guy.  I've said that before and you all know that.  Today's post is about a gadget and the difference between June and I.

I have this Earthway seeder.  The thing is cool.  It opens the ground to the right depth, then plants the seeds, then covers them up.  It has different wheels for different types of seeds.  I planted a ton of beets and carrots with the thing yesterday, then showed June how to use the thing.  You know things have names around here.  The seeder is a left-over and discarded treasure I found in the back 40 when we moved in several years ago.  I didn't even know what the thing was until I saw one like it at the CAL Ranch Store a few years ago.  I purchased all of the wheels for the thing and got it working.  It's beat up though, and it's not good enough to be called a "Bob".  So it's the hickeylooper.  It's not good enough to even be a doo-hickey, so hickeylooper it is.

Anyway, as I said, I spent twenty minutes planting yesterday and probably planted about 100 linear feet of seeds.  I planted two more rows of beets and three rows of carrots.  I won't know how well this thing works until things start to grow.  Carrots take about three weeks to germinate, so that's going to be the true test of how well this thing works.  I know it put the seeds in the ground.  It's just going to be a mater of time before they sprout and I see how well it works.  I planted beans with it too and it works great for that.  I've used it before to plant beans and was happy with it.

For some reason though, June just abhors the thought of using the thing.  I don't know why.  She said something about not wanting to weed, and I get the thought of planting closer together so you don't have to.  I'm a fan, believe me, but I'm also a fan of herbicides, too.  I had to remind June that we're exposed to all kinds of chemicals when we buy our food so it's not that big a deal to use a few beneficial ones around the garden.  Or to use implements that don't have to be used by hand, like the plow to make rows to plant in.  I did have to hand trench the furrows from the last rainstorm though.  The tiller I used fluffed up the ground pretty well.  If I can keep it wet, it should stay that way.

I don't think there's anything wrong with tools.  I use a power mower instead of a reel push mower.  I don't use scissors to trim the edges of my lawn.  Sometimes tools work pretty well.  But then, it's Miss June's way and she's having fun with it.  And I'm going to have to shut up about planting the rest of the garden.  It'll get done.  I did have to remind her that there are eighty-five tomato plants in the garden and that was probably enough.  

Hope you're having a blessed day.  I gotta get going and get ready for work.