Evaluating Our Experiments So Far #1
Working in Intelligence you learn that 100% success, predictability or perfection in assessing is not possible. So over the years I have learned to stop and evaluate my assessment, plan or progress regularly. I did this to make critical adjustments, identify changes in the battle space, enjoy the successes or laugh about some of the mistakes along the road before I had to cry. These evaluations have made me a better analyst, kept the soldiers and leaders I served alive and helped to keep me humble. They also helped me to manage my own developmental model that strives for daily progress rather than absolute perfection. Because I have found that demanding perfect outcomes in all things at all times is ultimately destructive and demonstrates a lack of understanding of one critical rule. Remember that the enemy get a vote in the outcome, and that the enemy is anything that’s not you (weather, land, animals, the plants themselves). This obsession with perfection also fails to acknowledge the fallibility in all of us. This approach has kept me sane and helped me mentor hundreds of soldiers, officers and young men on the trail to becoming more than they currently are.
Working with Veterans and family on LFV’s Urban farm I have tried to take a similar approach, especially with myself. You see, rather than stick with agricultural or gardening TTPs, I am very familiar with we tried a few different ones. So as part of the model describe above I am singling them out one at a time and assessing their successes, failures, and/or adjustments we have made to move forward.
1. Mounds: Growing corn in mounds as part of the three sisters rather than in blocks or standard rows. So for this one we did both to compare them.
Some of our findings you know if you have been reading this blog, but I will repeat them anyway. This specific model came to me as I was studying some historical texts, that repeated the three sisters jargon. The problem I have with the three sisters has always been the lack of space for everything to work effectively. But while reading this paper it commented on the hilling of corn and squash and it came to me. The three sisters where grown not in model rows but rows of hills each hill being spaced 3-4 ft apart which would allow for easy access to crops and growing space for the squash. So that’s what we tried or al least a version of that based on the space I had. The results so far have been amazing.
Three positives: 1. The mound corn grew ~20% faster, and came ripe 3 weeks sooner than the row corn. 2. We had more ears of corn that the row corn did, which may end up compensating for the reduced number of stocks per acres. 3. The spacing of the mounds allowed for greater mobility to pick weeds and periodically harvest corn and squash. Which will allow some of the corn to be harvested green and the rest to fully develop for seed next year.
Three negatives: 1. We planted a variety of squash most based on volunteers like the zucchini that we unknowingly planted on these two mounds. So next time we will make sure to plant only vine squash like pumpkins and acorn squash so we don’t crowd the corn. 2. The stocks were thinner than we would like, this was a result of us planting the corn to close together in an effort to maximize the square footage. SO next year we will plant a 4×4 and 3×3 square of corn on the 2 1/2 ft diameter mound rather than 4×4 or 5×5 on a 2 ft diameter one to see which one grows better. 3. We planted our beans too early, but they didn’t come up, probably because the seeds were old. So we will follow the plant beans when the corn is knee to hip high guidance before planting next year.
2. Structured food plots instead of general garden: Whats the difference? Why the change? Who cares? all of these questions we have been asked. So here are some answers. For us a garden is a single space regardless of how big is, that all your plants are grown in. The small size and density is typically very ascetic and bio-diverse to produce multiple types of crops on a limited consumption scale. A food plot is larger than a garden space and focused on growing 1-2 specific crops per plot, to scale for but consumption and production. A plot in this case is part of larger scheme of operation focused on multiple year production and cultivation using crop rotation to enhance production over time.
Our 4 food plots are ~750 sq ft and each focuses on a specific production category (Nightshades, Legumes, Brassicas, Roots). Each of these is ~1/4th of what our OMG system uses for its 8 year crop rotation. So the inclusion allowed us to measure time each week we weeded, trimmed and harvested to better estimate our week hours spent for the larger system.
3 Positives: 1. The multi crop lifting for our beets and turnips went very well and we will expand it next year by using growing trays for transplants in the future. 2. Stringing up tomatoes in the rows allowed us to grow them closer together. Growing them up rather than out further proved some of our misconceptions about crop density false. 3. The goal was to work 5 hours a week our less. That was proven generally true however we didn’t keep as good a record as I would have liked. But if consistent would limit the large 1 acre OMG system to ~20 hours of work and maintenance.
3 Negatives: 1. On the weeks I was in the field led to a lot of extra work when I returned. As, I tended to be one of the few who weeded without have to be prompted. I know for most weeded is tedious and labor intensive, as for me I find it therapeutic and worthwhile. Meaning that I had better find someone to cover the slack when I am out. 2. I didn’t keep as good records as I would like, and the first turning took much longer than expected. So better time keeping for next year is an imperative. 3. Crop rotation, the theory looks good by time will tell if the yields go up and the pests go down lets keep rolling to find out.
3. Ducks: My wife loves animals, and as such is always trying to find ways to include them in our plans. This years addition came in the form of two Ancona ducks. We had long ago learned t he chickens and geese can be destructive to our garden plots, so keeping them away was a no brainer. But ducks have frequently been recommended as helpers in the garden. So after penning up our chickens was allowed the duck to free graze in our food plots.
Positives/Negatives: Positive 1. They patrol the plots everyday nudging the ground with their beaks at almost every plant and we have had little to no bugs this year. No tomato caterpillars, Colorado or Japanese beetle and no aphids. One could say that there were not enough to start with. except our raised bed that the ducks can’t get to have had lots of issues. P2. They are playful and like to be around us, not touch us but around us. I know that sounds corny but geese attack and chicken run and explode which is distracting and dangerous from time to time so yeah ducks. P3. The pond water (a kiddie pool) needs to be drained weekly and the waste is an excellent input on the potatoes and corn mounds. Negative 1. After a few months someone gave us some Peking Duck, their size damaged some of the plants to they were removed. So only Ancona or a similar size duck will be used in the future. N2. The pond water gets smelly and unless you have a child who loves them so much they like to clean up, its very messy to drain and clean up. We would never get ducks unless we had something for them to swim in so the two come together. Thankfully we have a son who loves the ducks and is willing to do the work for us. N3 couldn’t think of one. In fact we got 3 more ducklings and 7 viable eggs in a incubator. So I would recommend them to everyone.
I will cover a few more of our projects next week but needless to say we are continuing to learn and progress. We are having so much fun at it that I don’t know if we will ever settle on a perfect version of or urban farm. Until then keep moving and enjoying the ride. Deven Little