Preparing Fields

Rock Removal
Originally uploaded by Beaver w/ a Toothbrush

Today was a fun day of manual labor. Luckily we have Mido the Mighty Tractor to help make it easier. Husband started by tilling a few strips in the field where we are planning on planting (I'm not sure what yet). We have a bunch of seeds coming on Monday and most of them are from a "Medium Package" from Baker Creek. So we won't know what we got until we open the box.

Then, for the next couple hours, he and I (mostly he) went through and picked out rocks by hand and with pitchforks. There were so many rocks! I'm a wuss so I get tired pretty quickly and only spent about an hour out there. It was a little windy today too so we got completely covered with a fine layer of dirt.

The rows looked so nice after we were done though. And if you step on them, they're all squishy and soft. I can't wait to start growing in them.



When I came back out to get some pictures of the part we had finished I noticed the flycatcher who was watching us work most of the day was back. I followed him back and forth from the tree by the house, to the tree by the pen, to the tree by the field, and back. After a few rounds he sat still long enough that I was able to get close enough to take a few decent picks. This has to be one of the most striking birds I've ever seen in person. He looked particularly bright today against all the browns and grays of an overcast desert.