Fresh Fields

May and June in Osada – The end of Spring, early Summer harvests and major changes on the farm!

As anticipated, my Sunflowers were growing strongly in the first week of May. Unfortunately, so were the weeds – time to hoe between the rows…

That task was completed quite quickly and I was able to spend the rest of the week making hay for a neighbour. The second week and and I did some more haymaking but this time I had to wait out the rain showers…

In the third week I was once more working for a neighbour before giving my Sunflower crops their second feed of fertilizer…

In the fourth week I turned my attention to my own grass field and made my own hay…

…A glorious end to Spring and June just around the corner – I was thinking, change comes slowly in Osada; if it ever comes at all😅

June and the first week was hectic as the Barley matured across the area. I harvested a neighbour’s crop and then my own fields 1 & 2…

…before harvesting another two neighbours fields. All that work builds up a thirst and it also puts a lot of cash in the bank. I can almost afford another field – The only problem is, my preferred field has a Sugar Beet crop growing in it! With that purchase option denied, I once more thought about converting my small grass field into an extension of the farmyard. I could picture a new road through the fence and bushes…

…Connecting the two areas – I’d probably have to take down those trees… 😒…I went back to work to think it over – thinking that lasted long into the evening.

The second week of June and time to put my plan into action. I’ve contacted local builders who will remove the grass to prepare the land for machinery as well as fencing it off. They’ll also create a hardstanding and erect a drive through shed for my trailers. So while they work, I’ll get on with baling the straw from the Barley harvest in fields 1 & 2…

By the middle of the week the area was cleared, the fencing erected and the soil compacted…

…We’d discussed taking down the trees and fence for direct access but agreed that it was easier to make an entrance from the side access track. That in turn meant I could install Beehives along the existing hedge…

…I continued with my farm work – applying lime to fields 1 & 2. Meanwhile, the construction of the new hardstanding and shed went ahead. By the end of the week it was ready for me to test access for tractor and trailers…

…The next stage was to add a couple of chicken coops up in the highest corner of the yard – that was done in the 3rd week…

…There is space to add a another later on. Chickens need feeding so I had to buy a small trailer for the purpose…

…I have a silo full of Barley and soon to be full of Wheat, so I didn’t have to buy any grain for them. Which is just as well – Look at the bank balance🙄 And that’s why I spent the last week of June on a neighbour’s farm, doing the biggest haymaking job I could find🤣…

That’s put the balance up to €9k. With the rest of Summer ahead, I’ll have harvests to do and preparation of fields 1 & 2 for a Canola crop. At least the farm has diversified a little with the introduction of Bees and Chickens. And no trees were harmed along the way😎👍