The Farm - Week 4

The beginning of the school year substantially impacted the amount of work getting done around the farm, but just like our evening sunset performances, the future of the farm is bright.

This week revolved around planning. The Dargatz crew has some surprises up our sleeves and are looking forward to sharing some new aspects of our adventures on the farm.

One upcoming adventure involves the beginning of the restoration process. The last few months have been quite educational. New terms have entered my lexicon, including vegetation buffer, sedge meadow, ditch plugging, shrub carr, and brush hogger. I still am wrapping my head around the whole process but am excited to get started transforming out land.

Currently degraded by reed canary grass, there is a ton of work to do. Reed canary grass, or RCG, is an invasive grass that outcompetes native plants in wetlands that have been disturbed. Ditches were placed on this land about eighty years go to change the hydrology and set up suitable parcels for agriculture. Unfortunately, while changing land to be farmed, it also invited in this invasive and aggressive species of grass which is difficult to remove without plenty of patience.

In learning about this land it is important to have a plan of attack. Removing RCG usually involves a long term plan of consistent mowing, spraying and/or prescribed burning. Strategically mowing, baling, and removing this grass will hopefully allow the native grasses, plants and flowers, which have been dormant and overpowered by RCH, the opportunity to grow and thrive.

This fall, the process begins. It is one of many steps, but an important one nonetheless.