A Season's Projects

The New Land

Our new land from the top of our barn

We thoroughly worked with the new land this season, preparing it for 2000 and beyond. Intern Owen Harvey did much of the tractor work- subsoiling, seeding, spraying microbes and Biodynamic preparations. We also applied lime and gypsum, and some trace minerals such as boron, copper and zinc.

Meagan on the drill

So much of what would normally be done next spring is already done; and our clover and alfalfa cover crops are creating great vitality in the fields that will be planted in 2001. It is such a privilege to have this land-this is an example of true Community Supported Agriculture!

Irrigation System

Our Old Irrigation Tape

Drought is a big farming problem that we will no longer worry about at Angelic Organics; after years of yearning for water when we need it, wherever we need it, the dream has finally come true. Now we can put water on the whole farm with our new traveling irrigation gun. It applies 220 gallons of water per minute in a 220 foot swath; this will easily cover all our fields with an inch of water in less than a week. (Even with the 15 miles a year of t-tape that we would typically lay out, we were still delivering water to only about a third of our crops.) The new system will save a tremendous amount of labor, and now we will be sending a lot less irrigation tape to the landfill each year.

Lowering the irrigation pump

It took the whole season to get the system in place. We dug a 450 foot well. We planned to save money on the project by acquiring a used pump, motor and wire, which was available in Ohio. The spring work delayed the trip east-Brad and I finally got out there in July. When the drought came in mid summer, we were still trying to figure out if we could salvage the used equipment. Although it was spoken highly of by the retired farmer we bought it from, we discovered it was just about all unusable. And a drought was upon us.

Hannah and crew enjoy the water

I ordered a new pump, new motor, and new wire. The well man installed the equipment, but the 3 phase electrical system we had installed would not handle it. Finally, in September, Commonwealth Edison solved the 3 phase problem, and we could test the system for next year.

Service Road

Dumping more crushed rock for the service road

With the new land right outside the barn door, a new service road was in order. Pickups, tractors, and semis had been roaring through the farmyard in an increasing frenzy over the years. I wanted to divert that traffic around the farmstead.

We constructed a by-pass. When I was sick with the flu this summer-really sick-the one thing that mitigated my sickness was this project: I dreamt about it; I hallucinated about it; I fantasized about it.

The New service road

The bypass has been a victim of its own success. Everyone wants to use it, unload from it, park in it. It's like those 4 lane highways that get expanded to 6 lanes, and then they get more crowded than when they were just four.

Facilities Building

The new barn roof

We've got about 10 buildings on this farm. Most of them don't just need maintenance; they need to be restored. Last spring, I was planning to turn our dilapidated corn crib into an office. Then I realized we needed a place from which to conduct our building upgrades-a place where tools would be stored properly, where building materials would be easily accessible, and where lumber could be stored appropriately. We also needed a place from which to manage the grounds-trimming, mowing, weeding, etc.

Primo at our mini menards

Primo worked on the project throughout the season, fitting it in amongst the many other jobs for which he is responsible. We felt our way with this project, letting it grow and inform us as we went. It has an office, a heated workspace, and its own little lumber yard. It has a green roof, yellow walls, and purple trim. We haven't tested it yet as a facilities building, but it works for farm parties.