Market Farming

[Mark A Abner <wizard1 AT kih.net>]

    Make no mistake donkeys horses or mules can kill you in a heart beat
but then so can tractors. Farming is one of the most dangerous
profesions in the world. We shouldnt take lightly the dangers involved.
    I am not sure about the tire thing all together I can see where
haveing a pile of tires soaking up heat filled with a small volume of
soil could give up polymers and the like in excesive amounts that could
pose a contamination problem. but probably no more so than gavanized
tubs or certianly preasure treated timbers. The thing to do I would
think is to test the soil season to season and the plants as well for
the susupect compounds.
    Over the years I have looked at folks doing tires and raised beds
and the like and for the most part it seems to me to be a lot of extra
work for not a lot of gain. If you have a drainage problem I can see
where a raised bed is a benifit but if not you are giveing yourself more
work haveing to irrigate because the raised beds dry out too quick.
Haveing the whole mass of the ground as a heat sink will keep your
seedlings warmer longer at night than in a raised bed.
    One application of tires I have seen work well is in earlu staring
of tender plants simply by putting a tire on the surface of the ground
after planting the seeds and covering it with a piece of plant bed
canvas like for starting tobacco sets and in effect creating an instant
cold frame. after the danger of frost is past the tires are picked up
and stacked outside the garden.
    All in all it makes more sence to me to build a hoop house for
starting but a lot would depend on the volume of starts you want start.
Over all it makes more sence to me to make your amendment in the ground
at ground level work them in deep then sew a good cover crop to be
tilled in come spring
    On another note what do you folks think of useing one of those
outdoor wood furnaces to heat a green house or high tunnel? I dont know
what it normaly cost in propane to heat a green house in this area (zone
6) but looking at those big modine heaters in the pictures in the atlas
catalog I have the feeling that it aint cheap. With an outside furnace
and just the ducting comeing into the green house or high tunnel I would
think you could regulate the heat fairly well but hope some of you with
green house experiance may have some pointers for me.

Mark Abner

BriarPatch Farms and Fiber
Monticello KY



> And on another front, you have disillusioned me. After one year
> spending a month in Egypt I sort of thought it would be a neat idea to
> get donkeys and a donkey cart for around the farm.  But if I'm going
> to run the risk of getting killed by the critter. Never mind.
>
>