Plowing sod

[LongViewFarm]

Hi all,
We are getting settled into our wonderful new location, and thinking ahead to planting a big garden next year, and expending every year thereafter until we’ve got a rotating system like Nordells or Setphen Leslie (Much smaller of course).
We think that this fall we’d like to plow up next year’s plot and put in a cover crop of oats and peas, or maybe winter rye. I’ll be glad for anybody’s suggestions on which cover crop to use.
Now I’ve got a good team of horses, disc harrows, and some spike tooth drag harrows and cultivators. I can do all the bed prep but the plowing, and I’d be tempted to do that if I had a plow.
That said, I’m probably better off watching somebody more experienced plow, and learning from them. SO here’s my request:

Is there anybody out there near Charlestown, NH who wants to bring their team and plow to plow up my plot? It has been hayfield for the last decades, mowed as lawn for the last 8 (no pesticides/ growth chemicals added). The soil is quite nice and free. While putting in 20 posts nearby I never hit a rock bigger than my palm. I imagine there’s a dense tangle of shallow grass roots, but don’t expect much rock.
I want to plow 1/4-1/3 acre and hope to pay with smiles, sweets, beer, beef, or cash. Maybe some combination of the above, though cash is in short supply. We’d be glad to negotiate. Maybe there’s a labor trade in the works if somebody needs logging done this winter?

It’d be fun to make this a little social event too, but that doesn’t have to happen.
We’d hope to get this done in Sept if possible, or early Oct isn’t too late for me.

Thanks,
Jay

[dominiquer60]

Jay, I wish we were a lot closer, it sounds like fun. As far as cover crops go, the longer you wait the less biomass you will get from oats and peas. Winter rye, spelt or triticale can be planted into early Oct, but the sooner you plant it the better the chances of wintering over well. You can mix any of these with hairy or chickling vetch. If you can’t find these seeds locally, Johnny’s Select Seeds offers them, they are a little pricy but for the amount that you need it won’t be much and a better than no cover crops at all.
Best of luck,
Erika

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