2019 - The Farm

TrentL · Apr 14, 2019

Comparison of relative values of fertilizer amendments to potting soil, 2019 left, 2018 right

Pot up population density by potting soil mix. (G1-G3 are the rested soils from last year, batched together A-F, being discussed above)

V= offtype culled plants - obvious crosses, I kicked them off the pot up table but didn't have time to record what mix they came from; those plants were not dead from soil mix, just growing way off type (e.g. no true leaf development, obvious annuum cross, whatever)

TrentL · Apr 14, 2019

This does not include plants growing in these soil mixes of other types, since we're focused on peppers here. But I also have a plant population of > 10,000 of various brassicas, onions, raddichio, lettuce, tomatoes, melons, basil, chard, cucumbers, etc etc growing in mixes H and I. Of those the only notable issues are with swiss chard, which had root decay in mix I for some unknown reason (suspecting pH issue, but not sure)

Tomatoes have especially vigorous growth in mix I.

These are 2 week old tomatoes in 2" (36 cell, deep) starter trays. Keep in mind, these are 15 days from *seeding* date. Unbelievably fast growth.

TrentL · Apr 14, 2019

Anyway enough talk about soilless mixes for a while lol.

We were approved last year for hydroponic, but didn't get the greenhouse done in time. Now that the greenhouse is done, we've received word that we will be one of 8 certified organic hydroponic operations in the midwest. Since our indoor isolation crop is growing entirely in soilless media, it technically meets the USDA definitions of a hydroponics grow (since there is no actual soil component in use). I'm sure at some point the dry fertilizers will be exhausted and I'll have to prop these up on liquid fertilizer (fish emulsion, screened rock phosphate, etc), but since this is a biologically active grow in soilless media with microbial activity, using all OMRI listed components, we've met the organics part of hydroponic.

Anyway, what this means, is all isolated seeds, starts, and pods harvested from the greenhouse will be USDA certified organic.

So that's good news.

TrentL · Apr 15, 2019

Lots of fun with weather. Greenhouse went from a high of 96F yesterday (fans would kick on once in a while) to 38F overnight (with heaters running)

Had some Romaine kick the bucket with frost damage in the high tunnel

Meanwhile other lettuce doing fine

Some of the plants got overwatered by the help, before they were brought out

Some got some frost damage

This basil not so happy

And this habanero not at all happy

Tepin x lemon drop lost some leaves from cold shock but still flowering

These caribbean reds still looking good, and setting flowers

Pulled out this guy today, orange ghost, think it's viral, nothing around it was showing signs of damage

Fortunately not any aphids, whiteflies, etc in there to spread it, so should be contained.

TrentL · Apr 15, 2019

Chickens sealed up in the stables

Strawberries don't care about cold and snow.

Neither do the garlic or onions

That's it for yesterday. Fell asleep for a "nap" at 5 PM and woke up at 1 AM... going to be a long, long day today

TrentL · Apr 15, 2019

Orekoc · Apr 15, 2019

Congrats!

TrentL said:

TrentL · Apr 16, 2019

That last line is the important one, we've been waiting on.

"Greenhouse production of transplants for on-farm use and for sale"

That means our plants (which I will begin selling as soon as I load up the online store) are USDA certified organic, and can be used in USDA certified organic farms.

Or for folks who care about such things, in their own gardens.

PtMD989 · Apr 16, 2019

Congrats [emoji106].

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

PtMD989 · Apr 16, 2019

Are you going to do bee hives this year?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TrentL · Apr 16, 2019

PtMD989 said:
Are you going to do bee hives this year?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Didn't have time to take any training this year, it coincided with chinense pot up. I'll have to bring hives in again.

m1hagen · Apr 16, 2019

Congrats Trent! Hope you have a great season!

Ruid · Apr 16, 2019

As much as I love peppers, I hate being stung more. If bees and wasps make my place a home, I'm putting up bird houses.

Bhuter · Apr 18, 2019

TrentL said:

Holy moly, Trent! 28 pages! I have some catching up to do. But hooray!!!! CERTIFIED ORGANIC!!! That's fantastic!!!! I'm so happy for you. Great news!!!!

-Adam

TrentL · Apr 19, 2019

Circling back around to the first batch of peppers I brought out and the iron toxicity problem. This filter was the first one installed, in service for about a week before it clogged up.

Baby gabby making friends

General Tso

TrentL · Apr 19, 2019

On 96' row of tables for starter cells and seedlings, I deployed mist irrigation

It works well.

Eventually I'll build a microcontroller to stick here

Works slicker than shit, just complete a 24v circuit and 1,000 plants get watered. Each zone of chinense is 32' long, 10 rows of peppers w/ dripline across, aligned trays just right, and 4" drip emitter tape gets drops in to every pot down the stretch.

Beats hand watering by a country mile.

TrentL · Apr 19, 2019

Planting onions is less of a chore when you have a few beers first. Rows are mostly straight-ish, considering I'd had a few and was working via trucklight and moonlight.

Approx 500 onions per tray had to get split up by hand

Worked until midnight that day...

Also put some raspberries in the dirt that night

By the time I finished 5 hours later, was sobered up and ready to drive home to eat, shower, and sleep. Up the next morning early, to go clear over to Indiana to get a grain drill...

I SPENT ALL THAT TIME AND MONEY TO BUILD NESTING BOXES AND SET YOU UP WITH A NICE PRIVATE BED TIME AREA AND YOU SLEEP ON THE F'N PALLETS

TrentL · Apr 19, 2019

Was time for The Duke to get new shoes, yet again.

He's now in his permanent 15 gallon container.

That's all for this week

TrentL · Apr 19, 2019

Grain drill we picked up yesterday

Got new springs for the harrow in a box

Mostly these were pics of loading so I could prove we tied it down well in case of accident or whatever (I always take pics of my loads for insurance) so not the best but .. meh.

Paid $10k, plus $724 in parts to fix it up (some broken and worn out bits here & there). They sell new for over 45,000 so not a bad deal.

DWB · Apr 19, 2019

TrentL said:
Circling back around to the first batch of peppers I brought out and the iron toxicity problem. This filter was the first one installed, in service for about a week before it clogged up.

Be thankful it's not iron bacteria. We have that in the well at our Styx River property and that stuff is pure merde.