My dead Squash Plant

Have you ever heard that sick plants get infected by insects?  If your plants were healthy they would mysteriously ward off harmful insects. The idea that strong plants somehow protect themselves from evil insects is bull.  My case point is my squash plant.  Every year I grow a zucchini squash plant that starts out beautifully but by the time it starts to produce it is infected with squash beetles.  It doesn't matter how much you kill the beetles, each day they increase in number.  I get the same-old results, one zucchini, from half dead plant.  Oh, how I would love to use insecticides.  I grow organically, so I must confess, I can't grow zucchini due to the squash beetle.  I'm beaten by a bug.

Alfalfa bales can sell for a lot more than hay bales. Alfalfa roots reach way down into the earth where all the rich minerals dwell. It is also a legume which fixes nitrogen into the soil. The home baler can make alfalfa bales in the 40 lbs range and 38 lbs for hay.  I should get $5.00 to $10.00 a  bale for pure alfalfa.   The bales would make excellent livestock feed or compost bales if I can't sale them.
The picture is a spot of land I'm going to broadcast seed balls of alfafa. The plastic will set back the weeds, clover and grass from crowding out the alfalfa balls. The plastic has been on there for about three weeks.

Those who use manual balers it is convenient to use (what I call) the mini compressor.    When you need a half sized bale in place of a 38 lbs large bale.    They can be useful for beds, wind protection, and disintegrating compost bales.

SOYBEANS

The number one cash crop in Missouri is Soybeans.  When I wanted to grow some, I could not find the seed anywhere.  After an exhaustive search, I found some at a health food store in Springfield, Mo.  I made some seed balls and broadcasted them in my yard.  They are growing very well in this hot and  humid environment. 
There is nothing like green cooked soybeans.  If you have a yard, you ought to try growing some soybean plants.

The Universe of Clover

White clover originated in Europe. It has been popular throughout the world.
It likes clay and silt soils and a cool environment.
Its roots only go down as far as 2 feet.
It fixes nitrogen into the soil and is often called, green manure.
There are no problematics pest.  Deer and Elk love to feast on clover.

With the extra seed corn, this year, I made seed balls.  Native Americans used the seed ball concept.  The seed ball protected their seed from weather and predators.  All you do is mix a little compost,  clay mud and add your seed.  Pinch some of the mixture with a seed and roll it up with your hands making a ball.  Let it dry a little and then broadcast your seed. Don't make the ball too small. The larger the seed make a bigger ball.
Thank you Indians for making the USA a greener place due to your clay balls.

This scythe is an American classic.  It is engineered in the old timer day, when only Americans built like oxen could use it.
 I'm over 6 feet tall, and I had to adjust the handles. The angle of the blade seemed wrong, so I angled it with some washers.
I taught myself to scythe. I literally tore through many of the brush and brambles until I bought a stone to sharpen the blade. There is no better feeling than cutting through hay or brush with a sharpened blade. 
You will find me in the hot humid heat cutting with my scythe in the field.  I would tell myself at times when the heat got miserable, "They pay big money for hot saunas and sweaty exercises in the cities.  I get it here for free."
I am trying my hand at mow free yard.  I cut down the sprigs and let the clover smother the rest. Clover flowers are so beautiful. They reminds me of a universe of stars.  In this case it is a green universe of stars.

The Home Baler

I used my home baler today to make a plastic bag bale.  I gathered up all the junky top soil bags from around the property and laid them in a bundle in the home baler.  I still can't believe all the bags I gathered made this small bale.  I think I'm going to use this bale to give weight to some plastic I'm using to kill down some grass and weeds.