NO TILL Homesteading Organic Vegetable Gardening method with deep mulch for beginners 101, Pt 6. Also How to build healthy soil – You can use composting leaves too.
Prices on new items:
New sickle bar for tractor: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&ipp=48&Ntt=sickle+bar
other source: https://www.everythingattachments.com/Tractor-Sickle-Mowers-s/10538.htm
BCS New blade ONLY: https://www.groworganic.com/bcs-tiller-attachments-sickle-bar-mower-40.html
THIS is the paper mulch I use. http://www.weedguardplus.com/
34 Comments
I can find used 3 point sickle bars for $300 to $400 all the time here in the midwest. Im wondering for your watermelon field why not just roll/crimp the rye? Seems like it will take much longer and much more effort to cut it with what your using. Is there some advantage you have found with cutting over rolling?
good sickle plus technique you will be surprised how much can get done! great for around tree's and posts etc with no damages unlike weed eater. So glad you bought one and look forward to following video with. (All videos excellent teaching.) Thanks again…
Hi, Mark. I am glad that works well for you. It is just easier for me to ow and bag the grass to use as a mulch. it does break down. But, maybe 3 time I re do it. It has been too wet to accomplish much this year.
Get a cheap used deck type lawn mower and cut the front of the deck out exposing the blade (you may have to reinforce the deck) then just cut the grass or brush down.
I can't wait to see your watermelons. 🙂
ji, what is that paper cover product you are referring to? can i buy it at home depot?
Hi Mark enjoy all your video, Starting to try and apply no till here on out farm here in Philippines, Here they have destroy the soil,,, they plant rice every year and just pile on the fertilizer , We have no leaves like you got , very little, But we do have rice hauls from the mill. Glad I found your channel. By the way we do raise Red Dragon Fruit here all so about 1600 plants so far . I'll be watching , Dave
Great video. Does the paper you use in the lettuce area decompose in a season?
As always, I love your videos! Nice scythe. Keep up the good work. My family owns a farm and they plant rye for crop rotation. They have some very nice equipment. They use a mower attachment and a rake attachment. They rake it into huge rows, then come back a few days later and spread it out again. I didn't realize that the mechanized rakes could spread the straw out so evenly.
bet you are sore from using the scythe – I would be
all the best
Good morning Mark. It seems we are all getting more rain than we need. Best wishes Bob.
I've just bought a scythe as well for cutting grass with it. I haven't quite got the hang of it yet though. I think grass might be more difficult to cut than rye. Some of it just bows down and gets back up 🙂
A used sickle bar for a tractor is about $600-800, not thousands
Prices on new items:
New sickle bar for tractor: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&ipp=48&Ntt=sickle+bar
other source: https://www.everythingattachments.com/Tractor-Sickle-Mowers-s/10538.htm
BCS New blade ONLY: https://www.groworganic.com/bcs-tiller-attachments-sickle-bar-mower-40.html
New Cover crop roller/crimper :http://farmingwithhorses.com/crop-roller-models-and-prices
we need some rain
That Romaine lettuce looks fantastic! Looking forward to seeing how your peppers turn out. Do you have any problems with slugs hiding underneath the mulch?
Maybe you can answer a question I am having a hard time finding the answer to. This fall, will you plant more winter rye on top of the straw already there? Just broadcast it, or what?
This is a great video! Thanks!
You thanked viewers for stopping by to watch your video's – I'd like to thank you if you allowed me to become your neighbour … I could listen to you for hours. I enjoy this free information, it's concise, entertaining and I just wished I lived close enough to taste some of that produce … especially a handful of free strawberries :- )
Sorry, is that your seeder in the video – will that work in the no till soil with mulch?! Thank you very much for uploading this video.
you really are organic gardening. Everybody else is very theoretical with flashy animated videos. But you do it in practice, the proof is there.. I have a 1/2 acre fallow field growing next to my house. It is strong, waterlogged compacted clay soil. However, I think I will spread coffee grounds over it and then plant it with Rye, clover and alfafa and let nature do the rest (as you showed me). So that in 2-3 years of that cover crop growing, I could send a pig on the field who will plough it for me. Then I could plant with the ploughed field with brassicas, root crops and other vegetables! sound like a plan?
I'm totally hooked on your videos…informative, down to earth, frugal. I like it! Plus, you seem like such a pleasant individual! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!!
Have you ever considered a rice harvester (push type that binds the sheaves).
informative, to the point, interesting, thumbs up!
What kind of paper did you use?
When, or why, do you roll the rye to plant like the last video and when, or why, do you decide to cut it before you plant? Thanks, very helpful stuff!
Hey Mark. I use a string trimmer, but instead of a string, i attach a two point disc, and it does great mulching. It results in something between the scythe and the string trimmer.
No shock to me. Planted cover crop of rye and crimson clover next to my wood chips and some got in my chips. Clover now a foot high and rye 5 feet tall. Just left it thought it would be beneficial to my plum trees and blueberries. Just recently went out and crimped it over. Question about cereal rye. I know you should crimp at the milk stage. If you wait till it matures, are you going to lose any benefits or nutrients of the rye by letting the plant mature?
I like your engineuity, waste not want not. I know you did a video on the seeder you use, but I was unable to find it. What I wanted to know is, where did you buy the seeder at? Thank You Mark for your time.
Thank you
I wish our winter rye would get to 4ft tall for straw. Here in zone 3 a foot or so is best we get.
What was the wire that you had the lettuce and kale growing through? Looked like fence paneling but it was so long. Really neat, informative videos – thank you!
Why not use a string mower?
great video, how to you reseed a winter cover crop for the fall if you terminate a spring/summer cover crop?