Friday, September 9, 2011

Cover Crops and Weevils

I was reading this article about cover crops:  Cover Cropping Your Garden.  I have never attempted cover crops, but it seems like a great idea and an easy way to add nutrients to the soil.  I started a never ending search on what kind of cover crops to grow and got so confused that I went to my local farmer's exchange instead.

The farmer's exchange in my South Carolina town is always an interesting place.  I show up after work wearing a skirt and jacket while everyone else appears to actually be farmers.  Needless to say I stand out, so they are quick to come to help me.  A very nice old farmer thinks about my cover crop question.  He proceeds to give me a tour of the bags of seeds, mumbling about each one.  He decides that the best and most economical option is to get a mixture of winter peas, oats, and wheat (I think it is buckwheat).  He mixes all the seeds together- over a pound of seeds.  I go to pay and he says one dollar.  Did I mention he mumbled?  I was sure I heard him wrong.  Online I'd seen 1/4 lb mixes going for $5.  But no, it was really $1!  Lesson for the day- try seed shopping at your local farmer's exchange.

He also mumbled something about weevils.  I get home and put the paper back on the kitchen table and about half an hour later I notice all these little black things on the outside of the bag.  Lots and lots of weevils!!  Although for $1 I can handle some weevils and for some odd reason I think they are kind of cute.

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