This meeting occurred on Halloween at 1:30 PM, which proved to be one of the most miserable weather days, since I arrived here in August. It was raining, windy, and bitterly cold, as we walked around the 750 square foot garden plot, where I had hand-sown Late Flat Dutch cabbage and Calabrese broccoli the end of September. Seeing the small shoots struggling against weeds and grass, made me think of Green Acres. In fact, when various programs were being explained to me, I thought of this episode:
(1965) "Green Acres: Parity Begins at Home (#1.11)"
Oliver Wendell Douglas: [Hank Kimball has just read aloud a confusing pamphlet] I don't understand what that means.
Hank Kimball: You don't? Well, you don't have to understand what it eh, it eh... It was printed in eh... [turns to back cover]
Hank Kimball: ... Washington. Well, and when they print something in Washington, they know what it means.
Because in reality, I was told if we would use the USDA’s grass and ground cover, they’d pay us $175/ acre per year to graze our animals upon it. First, that is significant seed savings, and second, a tenant farmer only pays $100/ acre/ year to lease farm land. If I fully understood the program, it is OK to grow anything, as long as people cannot eat it. We decided to go with the flow (which is another issue with the high tunnel) and will let the USDA plant the entire 31 + acres with their seed. Nothing like raising fat goats on someone else’s fodder. J I was also told if we take readings on the water (from our well) we use to irrigate (even if it is with a hose), they’ll pay us to keep the records.
Regarding the high tunnel specifically, the sewn plot slopes in an unusual fashion that cause a corner to stay wet. Yesterday our County Agent (I won’t call him Hank because he is neither disorganized, goofy, or dating Ralph Monroe) brought an engineer to the farm, who said if we wanted the high tunnel where the plot is, we’d have to flip it 90 degrees, which would shorten it to 60x50. They dig a swale and lay French drain on both sides. However, if we wanted the maximum 70x30, we needed to relocate it next to the aquaponics greenhouse. That poses no issue in theory, so long as it is far enough away to create no sunlight blocking or filtering on the other structure.
However, I mentioned that the high tunnel was supposed to cover the crops that I was told had to be planted first, before we could apply for a high tunnel. The agent replied that, although there would be questions, he’d vet us as having had corn, grass, and soybeans! I am not sure where he saw soy beans but I wasn’t going to argue. The agent and engineer proceeded to drive their official USDA jeep around to the other side of the cement pad, and later took PSI readings on the well.
That said, we seem to be moving in the right direction.
"Green Acres: Neighborliness (#1.7)" (1965)
Hank Kimball: I'll, uh, leave you a couple of bulletins from the department. Maybe give you a little help there.
Oliver Wendell Douglas: Oh, thank you! You know, you county agents certainly perform a great service to us farmers.
Hank Kimball: Well, it's our job to help people who don't know what they're doing.