My Wheel Horse is my real horse...

My folks showed up to help out around the farm this Sunday, which was great because it means I got to see my mom on Mother's Day. My dad brought my new (to me) tractor with him, a 1975 Wheel Horse B-80 that I purchased down in Cincinnati. She's been lovingly maintained by an older gentleman who loves Wheel Horse tractors more than almost anything, and she got her trial by fire here on Sunday as we mowed almost the entire property, including some parts that would have been more appropriately approached with a machete or flamethrower. Oh, if my crops grew like my weeds...

I was fortunate enough to find another B-80 down in Cincinnati for the paltry sum of $25. While it doesn't run at the moment, it did come with a snow blade, and I figure if I can't get it running I can just use it as a parts machine. Hell, for $25, I can set it out in the yard as decoration.



Flashy Trout's Back romaine.


Amish Deer Tongue lettuce.


Bloomsdale Long Standing spinach.


Tall Telephone peas, finding the fence.



Recent rains and diligent watering have got my greens beds looking like somebody pressed the fast-forward button. The black mustard (seen directly above) has coalesced into one big square patch, and the other lettuce beds will hopefully fill out as some later seedings come into play.

Took some time to plant some Fernleaf Dill and Spearmint in the kind of lousy soil right behind the house, and some Basil and other herbs in largish containers by the driveway. Also seeded some more small lettuce beds to get some variety in the coming Summer's salads.



While I'm probably already behind on this, I've started planting out some beans. Seen here are Blue Lake Bush 274, Contender, Broad Windsor (Fava), Hutterite Soup, and Jacob's Cattle beans being soaked before planting. Bush beans fill up garden beds fast, and I'm already wishing I'd sheet mulched more of the grass last fall. Maybe I'll get a head start and do some more this summer so they have a better chance of breaking down by next season's planting time.


Jacob's Cattle beans. So pretty!