MC`s Forest Adventure

[markscastle]

Got the back ends framed in on the greenhouses and working with my son on the front tomorrow. I got the lower greenhouse plants all tied and pulled the suckers from the bottoms of the plants. Got the mix tank ready to water with the tea mix even have the pump and hoses set up for the early morning. Felt like krap but had to get some progress done. I`ll be so glade when I can stop using the light tower. Problem is It has to be started and midnight and cut off at day break. When my son comes I can`t take a nap and I end up behind on everything. But I need this stuff done ASAP. Some how I have to keep up on fetching water, taking care of the plants and I don`t know how I`m able to get done what I am now and I`m way behind. Lot of people get all jealous of growers making so much money in just a few months, they should walk in my shoes! And it doesn`t end at harvest time! There is always more to get done than time to do it. Does it have rewards? Yes, But it is also one of the hardest jobs I`ve ever done. It takes up all of my time and I miss out on much of life. I have know idea how some of the big growers do it. I mean thousands of plants. I know they have a lot more help, but how do they keep the expenses from eating up any profits? Far as I can see this type of farming is a make a job. Lots of money? Maybe years ago but with the prices heading down every year not sure I want to keep this up to much longer. want to have my farm set up and do some breading projects that have mostly been put on hold. I could wear myself out before I can get to that point real easy.

 

[markscastle]

Up early to get my chores out of the way and water with the =tea mix before my son arrives. going to be a warm one today.

 

[markscastle]

My son hurt himself playing with my grandson. He cut his leg open. he called to tell me he would be coming later in the week. I got done watering and took a much needed nap but woke to a hot RV because I didn`t turn on the AC. cooling it down a little and will ether start spraying or maybe take a much needed shower and head over to my friends for an other load of fresh well water? I can also star some of the cutting for the front end frames, not sure yet.

 

[markscastle]

Got all of that except starting the framing. Going to rush out emptying the fresh water and go for some water from the spring to fill the 1000 gal. tank back up today then water and work on the last 12 panels of insulation on the beds, working on some of the front framing if I can. If not I can start the project of the office trailer, change oil in the generators, check the fluids and air in the tires of the Truck and blazer, clean the tool shed up or a million other things I never get to. Always something needs doing.

 

[A-Roe]

I tell you what, you supply the land and permits and I'll grow it, split profits not the proceeds down the middle!

 

[markscastle]

I tell you what, you supply the land and permits and I'll grow it, split profits not the proceeds down the middle!

Problem is I`m not about to pay the state or anyone else for any permits. not going to jump through there hoops to do what I`ve been doing for the last 50+ years anyway.

 

[markscastle]

Decided to cut the light tower off tonight and let my crop go into flower. Yes I could keep adding light and I`d get a bigger crop but I`m afraid I`d have to add heat before the flowers get mature making costs go up for this crop. I also don`t want to run this crop so long that I can`t get a winter crop going afterwards. Still need to do a lot of stuff in order to have the greenhouses ready to try a winter crop. Heaters, better lighting for running in veg , CO2 set up and controllers as well as be ready to put up the plastic on the ends. May have to turn over some of this crop to pay for some of the improvements for a winter grow , but most of my flowers will be kept until prices are better and less competition in the market. I always end up running out just as the prices start to clime. Not sure how well the winter crop will produce or if it will be worth the extra costs yet so I need to get the best price from this crop I can. I may deside to just grow a 150 sq. ft. grow in spring if the winter crop works out well enough. That way I`m not as likely to run into getting fines from our county, not that I`d pay them anyway.

 

[markscastle]

Today is heavy watering day and I`ll need to fetch more. not sure what else I`ll be doing but lots to get done. I think I`ll take some before flower pics today and post them , maybe tonight? Thinking harvest will be somewhere between November 20th and December 1st.? Depending on how it goes. Having a later crop will mean the flowers are a little fresher later in the year than some others . May look at a wood furnace today. It would beat using a military style diesel or a propane furnace as I have an abundance of fire wood . Needs to be kept back away from the plastic so ambers can`t burn any holes. not sure how to put in insulated ducting and will still need power for the fans. thinking a battery bank and converter , could be hooked up to the generator to charge and run the fans when the generator is off. need to be able to hook it to a controller or thermostat. I need to make it simple as possible and use the least amount of energy. I was thinking a wood stove in a metal shed with ducting coming from the warm shed but still not sure how that would work out. I also need to keep a bunch of wood dry. Propane would be nice and could provide CO2 but most fuels would costly. Wood could be cheep but would demand my time to keep checking on the fire. Wish I could do a combination so I`d have redundancy and for when I`m out and about. I don`t want to have to take a trip to town and come back to a frozen garden this winter.

 

[markscastle]

Didn`t get water yesterday. I ended up finishing the insulation on the beds. It was tuff , got stuck between the greenhouses and got a bad leg cramp. I wish I`d planned them with a little more room to wiggle. I did take the pics and will post them soon. Ended up going to town for supplies as my son is coming up to work today. we will be working on the frames in the front. going for a load of water early before he gets here.

 

[phoenixfire]

Thanks again for sharing your experience. I wanted to ask about the light coming from the heaters or the wood furnace and how it affects the flowers in the greenhouse at night? Danks in advance.

 

[markscastle]

No light because it will not be in the greenhouses. I haven't decided yet if I want to go diesel , wood or electric or a combination. Could also go propane or even kerosene . Has to work on an off grid or by generator though.

 

[markscastle]

My son left early today but we got the ends almost half framed in in the front. I`m fast running shot of funds so it looks like I may have to sell some of this crop that`s not yet in flower before I`ll be able to put the heat in the greenhouses. If I can`t get it done soon after this harvest I won`t be able to do a winter run. I`m going to keep working on it and see. Anyway here are the before flower pics I took yesterday.

 

[markscastle]

End frames in the back. couldn't get a good view because of the new barb wire fence.

 

[markscastle]

here are some closer pictures of the plants. Notis the mantis in one picture. They were all over me when I was tieing up some of the plants!

 

[markscastle]

Running the light tower increased my plant growth by about 2x s. It cost me around $2500.00 but it was worth it and I still have the tower that has 6,5 kw diesel generator enclosed and on a trailer. Thinking I might sell it to pay for a heating system. I can use the power from the Lister generator and some MH shop lights if I need to run lights next time. It was jusdt faster to use the light tower than put up shop lights this time around.

 

[markscastle]

?????????? Just went out to check n the cat food, I feed a couple cats that hang around the garden area, and shined my flood light to see if any were eating. Ended up seeing my first skunk in the area. I`ve seen fox,rabbit, mountain lyon, deer, bear, miners cats, possum, squirrels, salamanders, every kind of snake that`s native to the area now. Oh and many birds of prey. Some of the streams have trout and there are lakes near by with bass. also Salmon in the rivers. I see wild turkeys every once in a while.

 

[geologic]

I didn't know ring-tails--
are called miners cats...

 

[markscastle]

Yep , that`s because miners used to have them living in there shacks to kill off rodents just like a cat back in the gold rush days. Skunks can be tamed also but I`ll not looking to tame any skunks. I`m not liking them eating up the cat food I put out for the cats. I don`t want to run into them at night and get sprayed. I was wondering why the cats ate so much food!

 

[geologic]

You have Rubber Boas???

 

[SmokesalotofVT]

@markscastle .. Green houses & Ladies look good. coming right along on the frameing,yeah don't wanna surprise them Skunks.
lol could get a bit stanky ..turkeys are all over around here..