Raspberries Added to the farm

Yesterday was a very productive day at the homestead. The girls got all the raspberry plants in the ground.  We started with two forty foot rows. They are a red ever bearing plant called Polka.  I mentioned in a previous post that we are using a no till method for the raspberry plants. It is a very easy method so we will see how it works out.

The plan for this week is to plant two more forty foot rows of raspberries which will be the Heritage variety which is also a highly rated plant.  This will give us a total of close to fifty raspberry plants, a pretty good start for our first year.

The blueberries are looking good as well.  Needless to say I am praying for rain over the next few weeks to minimize the need to haul water.  We are also planning on getting the cabin started at least the foundation, beams, and floor joists set.  Wish us luck as it is a lot on the list.  I failed to mention we are also doing sheet rock work and painting at the house.

Polka raspberry plants

Work Day at the Homestead

We began our day early. I got off work on time and headed straight home. The trailer was loaded with the mower, gas can, shovel, and peat moss. I learned my lesson last time we planted blueberries and brought along a two wheel dolly. Compressed bales of peat are not light and I didn't feel like lugging them around.
Once we finished loading the berries and Race's toys we were good to go.  I didn't let in to the fact that I was worried about the condition of the pass from the front of our property to the rear. As you may recall we have a wet weather spring and it just so happens to run across this pass.

Once we arrived at the land it was quickly apparent it was no longer just a stream but a full on marsh. I was not about to give in and park in the front of our property and have to carry everything to the back half of our five acres.  I switched on the four wheel drive, my wife hid her eyes with her hands and away we went.  With just a little slipping and sliding we made it across the marsh.

I had already prepared the rows for the blueberries by tilling so it was a simple matter of making the mounds and mixing in the peat.  It took awhile but we got all the plants in the ground and watered.

We decided on the location for the raspberry patch. We are using a no till method which involves spraying the  intended row with roundup.  The plants can be planted the day after spraying but it will be a few days until we make it back out there.  We are starting off with two forty foot rows of raspberry plants which should be a pretty good start. I managed to burn off two brush piles and mowed the back part of the property so we had a fairly productive day.

Jenn preparing the hole

Race inspecting the results