Friday, November 9, 2012

Go Time



This is a snow pile outside my place of work near Columbus Circle. By afternoon, I expect it to be half this size, and gone tomorrow. I can only laugh at the Frank farms smack down that has been the past several weeks. One of the reasons for planting on the Island was to avoid the weather that can afflict upstate at this time of the year. Except, upstate has gotten little in the way of weather and the Island received it all! The temperatures this Sunday and Monday look to be around 60 degrees F in Amagansett. Ideal sums that up.

Tonight, after work, I will make my way to the studio to collect all the things I might need for A) preparing a quarter acre field for planting 10,000 cloves, bulbs, and corms, B) living out of my van for two nights on the beach near Montauk. The challenge of distance farming is completely logistical -having what you need when you need it. This project breaks down when I cannot plan and execute efficiently. 

The soil on the farm is very low in organic matter, 1.7%, and my margins are so slim that I cannot afford to buy the 30 yards of compost that it would take to get the field to a respectable percentage. I do not even want to think of  the work needed to spread it without equipment. I can only add organic, granular fertilizers to help my cloves along. But you know what, I'm feeling lucky. 

It'll be a little strange sleeping on the ocean after so much destructive power displayed only a week ago. Wish me luck and warmth! If I have any 3G on the beach in Montauk, I'll post from mobile. 



2 comments:

  1. Good luck, Frank. At least the weather is getting warmer. I choose to take that as a good sign.

    ReplyDelete

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