Monday, March 16, 2009

Spring work has begun.

"Put the lime in the coconut and shake it all up" This isn't the type of lime Mike put on his fields. Last week he put the powdered lime on 300 of the 1000 acres he farms. The reason you have to put lime on the ground is so it nuetralizes the ground. Plants take lime out of the ground and after so many years there is none left. The acid in the ground will burn the plant and it will not grow. (The lime is similar to taking tums for indigestion)

That is why you need to apply lime every 3 years. The cost this year is $12.50 per ton and you need to apply 3 ton per acre. $37.50 per acre. The 300 acres cost $11,250. That is why Mike does only 300 acres each year. Next year he will do a different 300 + acres and the following year the other 300+ acres and then it will be time to start all over again.

3 comments:

Holley said...

I love hearing about the inner working of your farm. It is so interesting to me! Thanks for sharing!

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

300 acres! I can't imagine!! We lived on 7 acres growing up, and thought that was a lot. ;)

Tracy said...

I'm embarrased to say that I grew up on the farm and didn't know that! *blush* (Don't tell Dad)