Ever since I've moved all my vegetable production to one farm, my pea crop has been dismal. I used to grow bushels and bushels of peas every spring in the sandy soil at the top of the ridge on my aunt's farm. However, as I move toward organic certification I have moved all my production on to one farm. While it is much more convenient for many reasons; managing employees, keeping an eye on crops, and avoiding the "road trip" I needed to take every harvest day. It does have it's drawbacks. This year I tried to transplant early peas in April, but a late frost managed to take them out, I had ordered row cover to protect the crops, but my order was not yet ready to pick up. Plus they occupied so much space in the greenhouse, that starting more just seemed like too much of a nuisance.
I'm hoping with some experimentation that I can figure out what it takes to grow all my favourite crops here on the farm, but it might take some time. I always lament that with farming, you sometimes only have one chance per year to make something work.
On the bright side I am becoming more comfortable planting beans and corn with an old 4 row planter in the field, and using the scuffler to manage weeds. Hopefully, as I figure it out, I will be able to grow a bean and corn crop, and in the fall, a pea crop, that I am happy with.
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