Watty's Awakening

Watty1

thank you all for the cheer leading. Am making virtual cups of tea to go with the delicious scones.

Bargainhunter30

Well done Watty, enjoy the treats. I am paying extra for convenience is great, you just have to decide what your priorities are.

Watty1

Rehab continues. Yesterday evening I read carefully the soil analysis that I had done on the fields here and my goodness much improvement is needed, no wonder I have such poor grazing.

The pH is very low (more acidic that needed for grazing) the soil is deficient in potassium, magnesium, calcium, sulphur (very) copper and sodium. I had guessed the sodium and give each horse salt daily and I have been supplementing Charming Cob with copper as I had guessed that too.

I now have an action plan on what to do - and researched products. Will talk to suppliers next week to check I have things correct.

The problem then comes up that the sprayer is broken (PPH damaged before leaving) the quad bike only has one almost working brake, the tractor still has multiple issues and the spreader has not been used for so many years it has seized up.

Discussed with VNM whether it was worth improving the grazing and I lean towards yes as we have no idea when we can actually move. His mothers house has still not sold and I will not have planning permission (if I get it) until the summer. VNM on account of the amount of stuff that needs fixing leans towards the "must we really?" but after a discussion I think we have agreed we will do the work as I have no idea when we will actually move.

Which means all the equipment needs maintenance or I will need to get someone in to do the work.

Decisions decisions but I feel well enough to think about them so I'm calling this a win!

daisy_1571

Sounds very productive over last few days. If we lived closer mr d would be round to help trying to free up the things that are supposed to jiggle and secure the things that aren't 😆 hope you manage to get a few things ticked off the list this weekend

Dxx

ladybird1106

I wish I could get my allotments soil tested but I think it would be too expensive. I definitely know it’s lacking something as we come across very few worms. Hope you manage to find a cheap way to rectify the issues.
love 🐞

Cherryfudge

If only we understood our bodies as well as you understand your soil, what an advantage we'd have! 😊 I can see it would be best (in my limited understanding) to have the horses out when the weather is better and the grass is growing more, and if treated sooner, you will get a longer season of better grazing (unless it continues as it is and all washes away).

I wonder how these things were managed before tractors? Obviously, in a horse-based system, there would be manure and straw keeping the soil richer, but I suppose people didn't know the science as well so it would just be a good field or a bad field. And what the horses don't consume, they can't put back.

I know from reading Paul Heiney that tractors compress the land, so perhaps the horses could pull the spreader? 😁(Charming Cob: "Anything you say my dear. Yes, no bother. It will be my pleasure." Most Handsome: "What?! But have you considered my fan club? And it develops all the wrong muscles - no way!". WattyDog: "Yay! This looks great fun! Will there be sticks? Please say there will be sticks! Let me have a go with that tractor, I'm sure it will play if I can just have a word! And that's a lot of space for you to throw things for me! What do you mean, you have to get your boots on first?")

You'll get there.

ladybird1106

🤣 cherryfudge.

Love 🐞

Suffolk_lass

With regards to the seized spreader, have you tried easing (penetrating) oil to help get it going again or is it beyond help??

To me, sorting the quad bike seems the easiest thing to start with, just one brake to replace/repair, and a means to broadcast the fertiliser. It needs to be a now thing, with grass starting to wake up after winter. Is there a combined seed/fertiliser/harrowing device you could consider renting?? Maybe your friendly farmer neighbour could help (in which case a tractor service is the priority, unless he would do it for you).

Back to your own spreader, is it worth getting it going? penetrating oil then blasting, then more oil on repeat, and after use, a thorough spray to clean out the residue and prevent corrosion and oil to be applied to prevent it happening again.

Number 1 question is whether you and VNM have the time and energy to do this yourself. Only you two can answer this

Cherryfudge

Some good questions from @Suffolk_lass , and more constructive than my contribution. 😊 Even if you've tried penetrating oil before, give it some more asap, then keep trying every few hours/days. We've seen it take a while to get through all the bits it needs to get through. That and a tap with a hammer.

Watty1

Hilarious @Cherryfudge

Pouring here although i did take Charming Cob out for a splash in the puddles, he was less enthusiastic than I was but we went out and got very wet.

On investigation, the spreader can be got going enough and the tractor is good enough to pull it so we are thinking a lot of oil and a blast and it should go again. Many years ago I bought it for £25 (probably had to pay more than that to keep it but hey ho) so it owes me nothing.

As far as the spraying goes, I want to get a quote some work from the person I've used to repair fencing as more fencing needs replacing so he will have his tractor here and I am thinking he will have a sprayer so I'm going to ask him.

@Suffolk_lass makes a good point that the grass is about to wake up so this is something I want to get on with so there is a chance of better grass this year.