I put a fork into the soil today and noticed it was beginning to dry out. Nevertheless, it is still too damp to transplant the peas. I used the fork to pry the soil, fluffing and aerating it in hopes that it will be possible to plant in the next day or so. I fluffed a little over 160 sq feet. When I was done I walked back to the spot I had first begun prying with the fork and noticed that it was already starting to dry.

The farm site borders a forest where manzinita bushes grow. In many places there are old manzinita branches that have broken off or dried out. Jason and I collected some of these branches with the intent to use them as posts for in a trellis system for the peas. I really like the way they look in the ground, especially in comparison to the steel posts that were originally in place. Although each farm job requires a different set of materials, it is nice to be able to use natural poles and branches in certain applications. I want to see if we can make a stable trellis system for the peas using these salvage materials. The wild bends and natural twisting of the manzinita branches give the walking path a bit of character. I have noticed that both kids and adults are excited and curious about this old baseball field that is evolving into a farm. Others have their doubts that the wood will be stable enough to withstand the weight of the pea plants.

Steel Posts as Trellis Option

Manzinita Posts as Trellis

Forked Section Ready for Transplants