[AT] Farmall to the fields

[H. L. Staples]

-------Original Message-------
 
From: Grant Brians
Date: 2/10/2008 11:52:13 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: [AT] Farmall to the fields
 
 
     I'm curious to ask the other vegetable farmers on the list (I'm
including Farmer Robinson with his Pumpkins and Melons in this one), are you
using more drip irrigation and row covering? We are doing both.
     Also, are other vegetable people than me expanding? I am having better
sales this January/February than in a number of years and am leasing another
20 or so acres this spring.
                    Grant Brians
                    Hollister California
 
Grant on all our crops we use drip irrigation.  Not sure what you mean by
row covering.  We use black or white plastic mulch to cover  the plant beds
and the crops are planted through the mulch. So far we haven't used any of
the spun fiber row covers for frost or insect protection. 
 
Our sweet corn is planted, bare ground, two lines on beds spaced six feet on
center with a drip line centered between the rows on each bed. 
 
Fertilizer Nitrogen and potassium is injected into the drip irrigation as
needed phosphorus is applied and  incorporated pre plant using soil test as
a guide. 
 
Good luck on your expansion.
 
 
H. L. Staples
McLoud, Oklahoma
USA