All the Buzz at Honey B Farm: Kicking Into High Gear......And.....A Little Bit of History!

This is the start of a very busy time for us now! So much to do! The weather forecast looks like all the freezing temps are going to be over, and so we can begin yard work and tilling and gardening. Besides yard clean-up and continuing to finish outside work on the house, we need to get the gardens cleaned and tilled and get stuff planted.
The other day I planted leeks in the greenhouse and put a bunch of plants in there to harden up, as the plants need to toughen up after being in my warm living room for the past 2 months. I put some broccoli plants in there - my best ones - and this is what I saw this morning:

Some critter already ATE my broccoli plants!!!! I suspect slugs ate some of the leaves of about half of my plants. The internet says to put wood ashes or sawdust down around the plants to deter slugs. I'll try it, but I don't have much faith in "natural" methods. Luckily I have more plants than these, but it's a shame that my best ones were eaten.

Remember the garlic that was coming up, in the photo I posted in a previous article? Well, check out what it looks like now:

There are 70 garlic plants growing nicely!

In addition to all the work needed right now, I can add dirt hauling to the list! I need to add more dirt to the boxes in my greenhouse, and also to low spots around the yard. Harold took the tractor/loader and got a nice pile of rich black dirt for this purpose. So I'll be busy!

I'll be hauling big buckets of dirt via wheelbarrow into the boxes in the greenhouse, and also around the yard. Think I'll use up any calories doing this? Hope so!

Harold has been busy tilling up the pasture again, as spring weeds were beginning to show. We will be planting corn there, as well as spreading crops like melons and pumpkins.

Harold just finished plowing up the pasture again, and is putting the tractor out of the way right here.

This year, when we plant corn Harold is going to use a vintage 2-row corn planter from the late 1940's! He really enjoys using vintage farm machinery and getting those old equipment pieces going! Like the true country boy that he is, old time tractors and old time farm machinery hold a special thrill for him. The 2-row planter that he will use is an old International Harvester. He and his Dad bought this item at an auction back in the 80's, and used it to plant corn here on the farm as late as 1989. In fact, the land that our house is built on was once planted up in corn by the vintage IH planter that Harold just resurrected from the "farm graveyard". Using the old vintage machinery is a link to the past - going back in time to a simpler, less hectic world. Old timers like us just love this kind of thing!!

Harold had to dig this one out of the 'farm graveyard', where it has sat since it was put there in 1989.

He carried it down the road with the loader.

Almost to the yard with this thing!

We are not exactly sure of the vintage of this old International Harvester 2-row corn planter, but Harold is guessing it is a late 1940's vintage. To most folks, stuff like this is a "nostalgic yard ornament", but to Harold it is something to get running and use!

When we opened up one of the bins, there was still corn in there from the late 80's!

Another view of this old timer!

It needs tires, though.....can't go anywhere with these!

Well, Harold will certainly have fun getting his old planter going. It's been about 27 or 28 years since it was last used.
I looked at our apple tree tonight - there are buds ready to blossom out!