Irrigation Time

As a soil water conservation agency it is no surprise that the EMSWCD is promoting the use of organic farming practices and targeted irrigation. All the farmers this tear have elected to use drip tape or "T" tape to supply water to their crops. Drip tape slowly drips water to the base of the plants where it is needed most without watering the pathways where weeds can thrive. It all starts at the EMSWCD supplied irrigation riser:

Which the farmers connects to using oval tube:

From which the valves and drip tape is attached to create the crop rows;

Let the planting begin! We'd like to tank Fisher Supply in Canby for all the great advice on setting up the irrigation system. We got a great deal on emitter style drip tape (As opposed to slit style). It worked great but be aware that making end closures for the drip line is tricky, you can't fold an emitter. Instead I just cut a blank where there is no emitterr.

Spreading Compost

In order to add both nitrogen (to fertilize the crops) and organic matter (for tilth), Rick at Abundant Fields Farm and I went in on a lead of organic composted cow manure from Mt. Scott. It arrived on a rainy day when the truck couldn't reach our fields so a large pile if compost had to be spread across the fields, A tough task when new farmers don't have a tractor or a compost spreader? Thankfully teamwork prevailed, Rowan used the EMSWCD's utility tractor to till in the spread compost, our Friend Rick brought his tractor down from Sandy to load truck loads of compost for transfer to our fields and Farmer Rick and I used elbow grease to spread out the compost. 

End of Season PS: Sadly I anticipated a relatively healthy reserve of organic matter in the soil that would break down and release nitrogen to the growing plants. Therefore I under applied the composted manure which resulted in stunted early season growth until I determined the problem early in the summer. At past farms I worked we would only apply the compost or fertilizer onto the growing beds instead or across the entire field, however since I am without a tractor I did not have an option to apply the compost over the course of the season as I established beds, but instead had to apply it all at once. The result is I ended up diluting the compost by applying it on areas that would become paths. First year farmer lesson learned #1.

The Blank Slate

Spring is arriving on the farm and compost is being spread on the newly cleared and tilled fields. This former nursery has been transformed into the Headwaters Farm Incubator a program of the East Multnomah Soil Water Conservation District (EMSWCD). Approximately 60 acres if land has been protected from development and will remain in agricultural production due to the efforts of the EMSWCD. Approximately 15 acres of land has been set aside along a tributary of Johnson Creek to protect the watershed and the remaining acres have been set aside as a business incubator for new farmers. Farmers receive access to water, reduced rent on plots from 1-3 acres, farm related business classes, and guidance from farm mentor Rowan Steele of Fiddlehead Farm. This is the first year of the program and 5 farmers have signed on with diverse offerings from honey to flowers and of course fresh produce.  All this in an idyllic setting with views of Mount Hood and great sunsets!