So, I Sowed Not Sewed, So There!

You can't tell from these pictures but I planted my Winter Rye yesterday.

I sow it like I'm feeding chickens, just toss it around, then lightly rake followed by a good watering and now we wait.

Wanted to take advantage of the nice weather we've been having, so the rye can get established.

Doesn't look like much but I will post some follow up pics once it starts to grown and then again in the spring when it really takes off.

Almost Winter Rye Planting Time

I took a ride the other morning to the Ventura Grain Co, Inc. feed store in Taunton, MA to pick up my winter rye.

I used to buy this right here in Franklin at the Agway but sadly the store went out of business and closed earlier this year.

The nice thing about the Agway, besides be just a couple miles up town, was that you could scoop and fill your own bag with the amount you wanted.  I always did 3-pounds, which was more than enough for me, The smallest bag that Ventura Grain had was a 5-pound bag, so I'll have extra and perhaps it'll last till next fall.

It's still a little too early to plant now but soon, as the evening temps have been dipping into the upper 40's, brrr....

A Reliable Cover Crop

With the carrots harvested and the raised bed now empty, it was time to plant my winter rye.  A task I've been doing each fall since I began my gardens here at the ole homestead.

My large garden is sloped, so the rye's deep roots helps anchor the soil preventing erosion, as well as the leaching of nutrients.  Come the spring time I'll turn the soil, which in turn helps to feed and add nutrients to the soil.  Winter rye grows quickly even in the colder temps and adds some nice green color during the drab winters months. Back when I had chickens and rabbits I would pick a handful every couple of days and feed it to them.  They loved it and always jockeyed and fought one another to get as much as they could.

4 pounds on Winter Rye seed, purchased from my local Agway -

My large garden with the seed sown -

One of my raised beds, where the carrots were, freshly tilled, raked and rye sown -

Watered and now I wait...

Winter Rye Is A Popping!

The winter rye I planted is popping and doing great!

The warmer weather we've been having since I planted, along with plenty of rain has given the seeds the kick they needed to take off.

Winter rye grows fast and gets thick, so I don't want it going too gangbusters, as it will mean more work for me come spring time when I need to till the garden. UGH, my back aches already...

Feed Me!

I ran out at lunch last week, to our local farm supply store, and picked up 2lbs of winter rye -

Yesterday, I prepped my big garden, then planted the seeds -

I had been doing this faithfully every fall since I started my garden, with the exception of last fall.  However, I'm back at it and come spring time, after the rye is growing good, I'll get it all tilled in to feed the soil in preparation for the veggies I'll be planting.

Winter Rye 2019

After getting my garden picked, cleaned and turned I planted 3-pounds of Winter Rye.  With the mild, rainy weather we've had the past week it's already starting to sprout.

In case you're curious - "Winter rye is a cereal grain that's typically planted in fall in vegetable gardens as a cover crop. Having a thick ground cover also helps prevent soil erosion over winter and loss of nutrients from exposed soil. Winter rye is a deep-rooted plant."

Winter Rye And Spring Readiness

Today was on the chilly side with morning showers, so kinda blah for a Saturday. However, a perfect day to turn the garden soil in preparation for planting vegetables come May.

As I've been doing for years now, every Fall I plant Winter Rye in my garden and raised veggie beds.  It typically gets started before the real cold weather arrives, then really pops come spring and the warmer weather, as you can see in the top picture below.

Before - 

After - All turned by hand -

Jack 2.0, our ~8 year old mini lop rabbit enjoys the fresh Winter Rye too -

As it usually does, it'll be days before I can stand fully straight again...

Fresh Snow Fall and Animal Tracks

Following Monday's April snow fall, a lone deer made it's way, like a drunken sailor, up to the last remaining spot of Winter Rye.  From the tracks left behind it doesn't look like there was too much interest.  Perhaps too snow covered or it got spooked off.

I've since tilled this last remaining spot of Winter Rye. I'm concerned that they'll keep returning and do a number on the vegetables once planted.

A Little Gardening Work Compelte

The weekend weather, before the 4/4 snow storm, was nice.  At least nice enough to allow me some time to work in the yard.

I plant Winter Rye in my vegetable gardens every Fall and have been for as long as I can remember.  This helps hold the soil in place, adds nutrients to the soil once tilled and provides enjoyable snacks for our rabbits and chickens, which they devour.  In recent years the White-Tail Deer have taken a fancy to it also.  Yes, they're so embolden now they come right up beside the house to dine, no fear.

In an effort to prevent these four legged critters from visiting I spent a couple hours in the garden tilling the soil or rather turning the soil one shovel full at a time.  I've also learned over the years that Winter Rye grows fast and if let to grow too long it's a bear to till and work with, so it was needing tending to anyway.

NOTE: Please disregard the condition of the house.  It's in dire need of paint - on the list.

Before - halfway done turning -

As expected, turning the soil disrupts and wakes the grubs of which there were oodles!  I collect them as I work then feed them to the chickens who fight for and gobble them up like they haven't eaten in weeks.

After - ~95% complete.  I intentionally left the front left corner alone.  I wanted to keep some around to continue feeding to our rabbits and chickens.  Not to mention that I was too pooped to continue. 

Now the Winter Rye, along with the compost I spread on the garden in the fall, has time to compost and add it's nutrients for a month or so until planting time.

Pesky Bothersome Critters

So, as I do each Fall, and have been doing for as long as I can remember, I plant Winter Rye in my vegetable gardens. Helps hold the dirt, when tilled in come Spring it enriches the soil and I can pick some throughout the Winter and feed as treats for the chickens and rabbits.

However, as you can see from the picture below the deer have already found it leaving their hoof marks behind as evidence.  Although, still growing and coming in, they didn't waste any time in eating most of it to the ground.

They'll be sorry when the real cold weather is upon us, wishing they had saved some.

Of course come early Spring, with the days longer and warming the rye will take off and thicken up quite nicely.

Just need to figure out a way of deterring the deer from coming so close to the house and fussing with all our plants.

Tomato Garden Go Nite Nite!

Once the rain stopped this afternoon I made my way outside to put our big garden to bed for the winter.  I pulled and chopped up the remaining tomato plants, which were then dumped into the compost bin.  Pulled all the tomato stakes, cleaned and put away in storage.  Then proceeded to turn (till) the entire garden by shovel. The final touch was to plant winter rye, as well as in our other vegetable gardens.

Put all the tools away, took a nice hot shower and downed a half dozen Advil...

The Last Gardening Step of The Season

 

Stopped in at our local Agway this past Saturday to pick up some chicken feed and rabbit feed - 50lbs bags.

 

While I was there I also bought 5lbs of Winter Rye, which I will be planting in our vegetable gardens in the coming weeks.

 

I can't recall when I started this annual ritual but it's safe to say years now.  Of course it helps to fertilize the soil once I till the growth in but, and I think more importantly, it helps to hold the soil in place so it doesn't wash away or blow away.  Plus it displays a nice summer green throughout the long, cold New England winters.  That is so long as it's not all covered in snow, UGH.

 

Once this has been planted, my gardening is done for the season.