Skalitsa Village Farm - Planning Crops

Back to the Skalitsa farmhouse and jobs on the farm were waiting. There had to be potatoes sown (yes more). Not knowing what the weather was like we knew that generally it is always different from the Yambol weather even though just 35 kilometres away and we never usually know until we get there.

Arriving is always exciting here in the village, it had been six days since I was last here and the onions and garlic were making a move skywards already, the tuliups had began to open their head and the bird life was deafening around us. A stork had already taken up residence in a local telegraph pole and the whole scene was about to burst into life. Galia now having seena stork placed here Martenitsi on a lilac tree with the others we had put there from the past years.

Looking at the ground, there must have been a lot more snow yesturday than in Yambol, it was too heavy to work with even though the very warm sun had been drying it out for a couple of days. Therer wasn't much I could do as far as planting and digging was concerned to my attention fell on the black covering that had lay on an extended part of the land for a year.

The plan was for each year to cover a section of land each year with the black nylon material to stop the grow of lucerne and couch grass, then each spring uncover it and another section will be ready for putting crops effectively the area for growing will be bigger each year.

As I uncovered the strip on turned it over for another strip to become ready next year, the area left was perfect now for digging over and planting, but far to wet, it would have to wait another day or so to dry out. Now this method is my own English method and looked upon as very strange from neighbours who query what I do. All they would do to prepare fallow land is plough it up with either a tractor or a horse and plough prior to winter, and another session prior to April, the frost would have also done the business and it's ready for planting in spring. I suppose I should succum to this method which was used in my first year here, but it's about getting this system organised and only being here a couple of days a week makes that quite tricky. Besides which, my neighbours would have certainly taken over telling me that the whole area should be farmed - Not what I want, but as usual they always know what is best for me.

By the end of the weekend and a little drier all the working areas were prepared for the sweetworn, two melon varieties and pumpkins. All these could go without water for up to a week and less stress on my part. Also the strawberry patch was weeded, there was a 70% success rate of the newly planted seedlings from the autumn, not too bad. the runners that form later in the spring will fill in the gaps so no worries there. Again, they can survive a while without water in the summer as they have established quite deep root bases now and they will be under the shade of the vines leaves overhead that will form a canopy by the end of spring.

It is all about organising and choosing the right crops for the right growing environment. Hopefully the thought that has gone for the Skalitsa farm will make me sleep better in Yambol knowing that the crops have a good chance of survival this year with minimum maintenance.
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11 comments:

  1. Martin, as I have said before ,you have to be the bussiest man I know . Glad you love it and also you have said before that it helps with the food bill, another good reason , besides your love for it . I kill the grass the year before too , but I use mulch to do it, as I don't like the sight of plastic ,as it is the biggest blight in the Los and the less I see of it the happier I am. Give Galia a big hello from me and Ciejay and glad your life is getting better , now that the weather has cleared up a little , "don't worry be happy" spring is just around the corner for you there in Bulgaria Malcolm

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  2. Hi Martin, thanks for your comment. I think it's appropriate that I respond HERE about weeding, where you are currently talking about farming. I love gardening and think the process we use to grow plants successfully, is very similar to how we grow as people.

    And with that, I'll also comment on how nice it is see all that nice bare soil, just waiting for be planted. You really do have your hands full!

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  3. My girlfriend and I took part in Martiniza this year. I flew back from Bulgaria on 1st March. The first blooming tree I saw was in Gunnersby Park. So that is where our red and white bands are now.

    I wrote about the traditons of 22nd february on my blog too, that was really funny to see, i like traditions. Keeping it real.

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  4. I have got to agree with Malcolm and Ciejay that you sure are one busy man. I hope you found time to see Bulgaria win in the football last night and I couldn't help but notice that your loaf of bread is down to two crusts now. I am sure all your vegetable produce will more than make up for that. Don't forget the old adage "all work and no play....." make some time for a bottle of the good stuff. Best wishes.

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  5. This is one of my favorite times of the year, planting, which is filled with hopes and dreams...a wonderful way to live.

    peace,
    mike
    livelife365

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  6. Nalcolm and CieJay:
    Good to hear from you guys. I'm the only one who uses plastic here, it was brought over from the UK so I use it to the amusement of locals who know best.

    Romancing Italy:
    Lovely to see your comment. The land may be bare right now, but that is short lived once Arpil hits -Hang on that's now! Weeding isn't too muchof a priority here, we are not after fashionable gardens and farms, just productive and if thast mean a few weeds here and there fine! Mind you we eat man of the weeds that grow here anyway!
    Take Care!

    Richard:
    The Martenitsa is one of the nicest traditions I know. It cost a few pence to make the gift and notign else. the friendship is the key element as you know. Long may it live! Glad yo had the experience and pass it on.

    Martyn:
    Thanks for the caring and advice Martyn. I don't look at what I do here as work, I love doing it. the evenings are always spend with a hom made rakia or two and much more enjoyable after a hard day of 'work'.

    Mike:
    I couldn't agree more Mike, spring has to be one of the best seasons, but summer, autumn and winter are all in contention here.

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  7. Martin, I think your system is great and a lot less work in the long run. I cannot wait to see your garden grow! It must be very exciting around harvest time. Do you trade vegetables with your neighbours or does everyone pretty much grow the same thing?

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  8. Hi Martin,
    Loved your description about how you're getting ready for planting and all the things that have already started coming up! And I'm very envious!! What a great feeling it must be (and save money, too!!) to be able to eat your own produce! And know exactly what is in that produce or what's on it!!

    Great pictures, too!!! I can almost smell that dirt!!! :0)

    Have a great weekend,
    Sher :0)

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  9. Just a Plane Ride Away:
    Hi thanks for popping in. Just to put you in the picture at village level, everyone grows everything generally, trading doens't really go on but gifting does. They give but don't expect something in exchange, at leastr that's my experience and with their own community not just with foreigners there.

    Sher:
    Good to see you here.
    I am very lucky Sher, many peopel in this world just don't get the change to grow their own stuff, or haven't been educated or had their blinkers taken off to realise how easy it is.
    Take Care.

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  10. It must feel very good to work with your hands and know that you are doing it for your own living. Getting down to the basics, the simplicity of life. And the people there seem to understand that.

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  11. American in Britain:
    Tnhanks for ther visit and comment. Yes I never though I wold ever get a chance to dot this and the feel good factor is 100%. Bulgaria is a land where everyone grows things.

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