A Farm Weekend: {Potato Planting & Spring Calves}

Tweet

Pin It

What a gorgeous weekend full of springtime weather, family, friends, good food, and worship!   

The Weather Man™  helped get the weekend started off on the right foot by sending me this lovely Easter bouquet last Thursday.  

The potatoes were planted in the garden.

For those of you who don't know...to grow a potato, you plant a potato.

How To Plant Potatoes

Cut the seed potatoes, making sure there is at least one eye in each piece.

We always let ours dry for a few days after cutting.  I don't know that this step is necessary, it is just what we do.

Prepare the rows.

Place the potato pieces about 8 inches apart. Press into the soil. 

{Personally, I always place the eyes up.  Scientifically, I don't think it matters.  But, I figure if I'm going to go to the trouble to place them by hand, why not make it easier for the plant to see its way out of the soil?}

Using a rake, cover the potato pieces.  With the rake, apply a little pressure to the soil once it has covered the potatoes...sort of stamp down with the rake.  

This action marries the soil to the seed and promotes germination and growth.

Spring Calves

We have several new calves on the farm...'tis the season.

While they are all sweet and oh-so-cute,  there is one that is special.

This photo was taken when he was two days old.

He is a twin.

As often happens in that situation, the mama cow abandoned one.

This one.

Before you put on your judgey hat, you should know she doesn't have enough milk to support two full size calves.
{they weigh approx. 90 lbs. at birth...think about that}  

So, she chose survival for herself and one calf.

In an effort to give this one a chance, he has been put away in his very own stall in the barn.

He is fed with a bottle.

Although he has plenty of room in the barn, and access to natural light, 

we wanted him to be able to get full sun.

The Farmer and The Weather Man™  constructed a temporary pen outside of the barn.

A little vitamin D never hurt anyone.  

He is growing stronger every day.

My nephews have fallen in love with him.

We all have.