Remember my plowing misadventure? Well, Bill was right that it was WAY too wet to plow. I sunk in and started to slip and ran out of gas at the same time. Meanwhile, the water started seeping up into the furrows plus we got some rain for good measure. Temperatures in the 20's this morning left a skim coat of ice.
I got my wife prepared to assist by driving the Kubota with a length of wrecker chain. ( this is where the theme song from Green Acres starts to fade in) She grew up in New York City and I think she was 17 or so before she found out that fresh vegetables were not picked from the tree with the can wrapped around them
. I figured the hydrostactic drive was a good introduction to a tractor. (in fairness- it has been rumored that I married her for the 4wd standard shift pickup she owned at the time I met her but I categorically deny this rumor).
I went out to get things prepped and after I fueled up the 74, I thought I would see if I could get it out on my own. I had to back up because I had the plow mounted and there was no way I would be going forward. I was able to move it back a few feet so I was now optimistic as a now had a level track in the boot-sucking mud to work with as a runway. I had to rock my way back quite a ways before the tractor lifted up onto the sod but I was able to get it out without using any boards or the tow chain, so I am pretty happy.
I wish I had dryer ground but I've got what I got. i am just going to plant sunflowers here but I wanted to put in a crop of peas to fix some nitrogen first. once it dries out I'll get the sunflowers going and after I lay in the seed for winter bird feeding, I'll get in a cover crop of rye and maybe I'll harrow that in and try peas next year without tilling. I do have access to a few hundred yards of composted horse manure that probably has no value as far as nitrogen goes (with rotted wood shavings) but that and some sand may help the drainage on the surface. We'll see.
