Onion Harvest

The onion harvest is here and over. Got them all cured and put into the barn. Now comes the boxing and selling. I am hoping we can get a good price for them. These are sweet onions, they don't keep real well but sell for more than regular storage onions. Anyway here is a photo of the harvested crop. Bean will be the next crop to harvest. Oh, and we did get all the Chile plants planted, more photos later.

How we do it.

Just thought it might be interesting to show how we plant Chiles. We use a mechanical transplanter. It is much faster than planting by hand. I also think it does a much better job.

The photo shows that we are planting, installing drip tape and applying fertilizer all at the same time. We are applying about 1/2 pint of water soluble fertilizer per plant. Using 9-45-15 at the 510 PPM rate. Way too high for potted plants but works just fine in the field.

Planting Chiles

Can you believe it? We are really planting Chiles. I am so happy, I am sure the Chile plants are too. The weather Dude is still saying more rain. But you can be assured that we will be back at it again in the morning.Of course if its not raining.

The wind blew like crazy today and was pretty warm, but all in all a wonderful day.

This photo is proof that it really is happing. More later.

Rain, no rain, Rain

We are having the crazy-est weather. Just about the time the fields dry some, More Rain. This has been going on for weeks. We have however been pulling and selling onions (Fresh). They are about ready for the tops to fall over. This will be the sign to pull and let cure. This also the time you really don't want rain.
BEANS, they are doing good, some bug trouble but nothing unusual. They are planted on some sandy land so have been able to work the after the rains. They are blooming, now if they will just set some beans we Will be in great shape.
CHILE PLANTING, will start in the morning if no rain falls tonight. Not bad only about 3 weeks behind. I will be so pleased to get those little buggers planted. I was begining to think we might have to harvest them in the flats. I hope to take some photos of us planting.

Rain Again Today

More rain, we will be late getting our Chiles planted, matter of fact we are already late.
Got most of the plants hauled to the field. Sure did want to start Monday but I am sure its not gonna happen.
We did how ever sell some fresh onions. Another sale or two and we will be in the clear on them.

What's been Going On?

Well Folks, after the frost scare, we have had rain and more rain. So needless to say it is really wet. But I am happy(Y'all know I am always happy) Why not, it makes everybody wonder what you been up to.

Anyway, The onions are doing great, and so are the Beans. Chile plants are being hauled to the field as we speak. Planting them will come next. Going to plow the onions again this morning.

Pictures are much better than words so here are the photos. Please feel free to comment.

Mighty long Rows

When walking with a hoe.

Sure wish you had some They are really good.Young Bean plants

Jack Frost

It surly looks like we dodged the bullet on the frost or freeze. Low temp was 35° there was a little frost here and there.

The good news the beans look OK so far. Corn got bit some but it may recover.

We covered the wife's garden and all the plants here at the house, I told them it was to early to plant flowers. But Hey, what do I know about flowers (nothing) only that I like them. This is a photo of the cover job. I think we used all the sheets, towels and blankets we had. Dang, I hope we don't have to do that again.

Weather

The weather dude, says we will have some cold temps. I am so not ready for this. Our beans are braking ground, I truly hope we don't get a frost. They are saying mid to low 30° mark and clear. Sure doesn't sound good.

Beans

We have our beans planted, they are just breaking the ground good. Coming up kinda yellow, but we have had rain, cloudy days and cool nights. So with some warm days and sunshine I am sure they will perk up. Soon as they are photo ready I will post some photos. I would not want to show you anything that did not look good. Later!!

Onion Update

Just an update on the onions, doing very well after a rocky start. Weather wise was not

very good. We are starting to pull a few bunches. We will save most of them for dry onions. I can only tell you these fresh onions with the tops are super good grilled. Sure wish ya'll had some.

Chile Plants

The plants are growing really good, course they are still in the greenhouse. Maybe in about 2 weeks we will be going to the field with them. Our weather has been so screwed up. You know, cold then hot back and forth. You don't know weather to wear shorts or an overcoat.

Happens each year, I just forget from one year to the next. I can't believe I just admitted that.

Anyway lets all hope we don't get a late freeze after we start planting. That is why I don't plant until after April 15th. So here is a photo of what our plants look like now.

Are they ready?

Baby Chiles

Got some baby's growing, wont be long before planting time. well maybe April 15th that is our target date each year. We plant a little later than most in our area, but can't take a chance on late frost, as you might know Chiles don't like cold. But heck I don't either. Our weather has been just right for me mid 70° range. The weather dude says Statuary night will be cold again in the upper 20's (not good)

Onion update, they are looking good don't have any ready to pull yet but maybe soon.

It will be time to plant some beans soon too, they take the cold better that other crops, like peas they like it hot. ANYWAY here are some photos of the baby Chiles.

These are the Habanero Chiles.

This photo is of the other varietys.

Onion Photos

I have been waiting for some really clear days, I wanted some good photos. Weather Dude says rain tomorrow and we have not had any real sunny days. So I took a shot today, not real good but a photo never the less.

At least you can tell we really did plant onions. They are growing, got fertilizer today, may get to put it out in a few days. They are not hurting right now, we disc in our summer and cover crop.So they still have plenty to eat. I hope soon we will have plenty of onions.

No Photos Yet

I know, I know I promised some photos of the new onion crop. But with all the activity around our house these last few weeks, just haven't gotten there yet. First we had Thanksgiving, then we celebrated Jesus Birthday (Christmas) And then I had a Birthday. Not to even think about the cold and wet weather, you know what I mean dark and Drury kind of weather. Anyway I just haven't done it yet. But I will.
I wish all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! I think we gonna need it. Don't forget those Blackeyed Peas for luck, and some cabbage would not hurt.

We Did It !!!!!

We got all the onions planted, and rain coming tonight. Now you tell me, how blessed can one get.

I do hope it is a slow gentle rain and not one of our famous down pours. I did take a few photos. So here they are. In a few days when the plants start to grow I will get photos of them.This is my Son, tilling plant residue and cover crop.

And this is yours truly, plowing rows for the onions and being cold.

This is the girls planting the onions, they are so good and super fast.

This next photo was taken this morning just before I left for the farm. I think it is just too wonderful not to post for all to see.

Onward Through The Fog

Thanksgiving day is now over but giving thanks is not. Be Thankful each day.
Christmas in looming near. I am happy to be part of Christ Birthday.
Our weather has turned cold and wet, but is still mild compared to you Northern folks.
But now is the time to plant onions in our area. I picked up the plants yesterday Approx. 29,400 plants. Not a lot but about what we plant most years. These are the Texas Sweet Onions. Really good and mild, you know fresh eating onions. Not those Strong make you cry type. Any way the field is ready to plant, so my son and I will be making rows and planting in the morning. I have 3 girls that plant each year for us. They are real fast and make no mistakes.
I really hope we can finish before rain starts in. Weather man says rain is possible. I will post a photo after we finish planting. Although when first planted they are hard to see, onion plants are small and have no tops.

Thanksgiving

Giving Thanks is what its all about, I have so much to be grateful for I haven't a clue where to start. I would think that if we all reflect on our past and daily lives you would find more blessing that you could ever imagine.
Yeah, I know we all have some down days but we also know that there are better times ahead.
I look back on my past childhood and find such wonderful memories (good and bad) but they are all part of what we are and what we have become. I posted this photo of a wild turkey because it is the symbol of thanksgiving. Growing up we always had a roasted chicken hen, turkeys cost too much and we didn't raise turkeys. But what a feast we had with all the family, it was truly a thankful day. One of the things I remember most was having iced tea, (sounds strange huh) Not really when you realize we didn't have any ice most of the time. Growing up in the country we had no electric power, ice had to be brought from town. Every kid got a small chip of ice wrapped in newspaper, we would all run around playing in the yard and sucking on our ice chip. I think living and growing up in the rural south has a lot to do with who I am today. And I am happy knowing who I am.
Each morning when I get up I walk outside to look at the world, And say thank you Jesus for this day, thank you for all my blessing for they are great. Happy Thanksgiving !!

Are we ready for 2009 crop year

Naw, we are not ready, but we are working on it. Maybe pick what peas we have left next week.
It is almost time to plant onions again, time surly flies when you are having fun. All of our Chiles are gone for the year. The seed people are sending out the catalogs and some are calling on the phone. Wonder what new things they might have this year. I always look forward to the new catalogs, you know just to ponder what might be good.
I am a little spooked on what seed and fertilizer might cost this coming season. And the irrigation supplies. Who knows it may be cheaper this year than last year, well we can dream can't we.
The fields have been mostly all mowed, starting to disc and maybe plant a winter cover crop. It is a little late to plant cover. It never too late for weeds, they are better than nothing, they hold the soil from washing during winter rains.
Got the blueberry field all clean of weed and stuff. maybe a good crop this coming year. Later ya'll

Sneaking By

We did sneak by with the pea crop, well some of it anyway. Frost did not get them all. The poly spray helped a lot.
As did the weather, Remember this is Texas the temp today is 76 degrees. The plants that did make it through the freeze are perking up, they like this warm sunshine. Matter of fact so do I.

Well It finally Happen

Yep, freeze it happen this morning 30.1 deg. I am not ready for cold weather. But what the heck this is Texas it might be 90 deg. next week.
We did however have one more picking of Habanero Chiles still in the field, and several fields of peas. I am pretty sure they have gone by the way side, but one can hope not. When the sun comes out we will know for sure. We did spray yesterday the pea fields with a poly coating in hope that it would hold back the frost.
I am hoping that this coming year will be better economically not just for us but the whole country. Everybody talking about change, we already have the greatest country in the world we just need to take care of what we have.