Avenue Machinery

Avenue Machinery

Hi there! Thanks for reading this blog post about the yearly cycle of work you’ll do on an acreage or hobby farm. I work for Avenue Machinery, we’re an agricultural dealer that has been around since 1947. We’ve been helping the people of B.C to get the most out of their land for a long time!

Owning an acreage or hobby farm is rewarding. The right property will provide you many years of enjoyment. Being removed from the noise and clutter of busy city living, is reason alone to make the move. However, the real benefit will be the sense of achievement that working your plot brings. A bond will grow between you and the land you’re working. It is a feeling of delight to sit on top of a tractor after finishing a task. This blog will cover some of the seasonal cycle of work that will develop as you find yourself in a natural rhythm with the world around you.

Spring

We’ll start with Springtime. As the days become longer and  things start to thaw out, life will start to bloom around you. You’re going to turn your focus to the ground, starting with rototilling your gardens. You’ll also prepare the soil for any fields you plan on growing crops in, by plowing or using a disc harrow to till. Any pasture you have will benefit from an early season chain harrow. A chain harrow is a heavy set of chains you’ll pull across the field to knock down mole hills and remove thatch, moss and other dead vegetation. Using a spreader, you will start fertilizing growing areas and your yard. If you’re keeping animals, you’ll have a manure pile from the winter.With everything prepared and fertilized you will plant both your flowers and crops.

Summer

Summer will bring with it the work of maintaining your gardens. This means weeding and watering. You’ll need to use a brush mower to tame the thicker grasses and brush of your property. These are pulled behind your tractor and use two big heavy blades to knock down thick vegetation. You may choose to use a Groomer Mower for pasture clipping or maintaining large areas of yard you want to keep well-manicured. You may also appreciate the maneuverability of a lawn tractor or zero tun mower. Summer is also the time of year that you can use your land to make hay either for sale or to feed your own animals. Using your tractor, you will pull mower conditioner to cut grass, before drying it and turning it into bales.

Fall

Fall will arrive, and it will be time to harvest any crops you have, either for personal use or sale at the market. This is a very rewarding experience that lets you savor the fruits of your labour. This will be the time to start thinking about what you want the property to look like for the next year. After the harvest is a good time to work on projects like retaining walls, new garden beds or new fields. Fall is also the ideal time to plant new trees as the weather won’t dry them up and they will have time to take root before the freezing cold weather arrives. A late season manure spread will help your soil before the winter sets in. You’ll also use the fall to prepare firewood for the winter.

Winter

Winter will come. It will be cold and there will be snow on the ground. Warm fires and hot chocolates will help you feel cozy during this season but there is still work to do. Namely, snow and ice removal. If you keep animals, it will be important to keep up with cleaning the barn.

You’re going love living this way. The work involved will be a challenge, but you will settle into this yearly cycle and find comfort in its pattern.

In future posts I’ll discuss things like tractor size, equipment maintenance, farmers markets, and other useful things for someone just starting out on an acreage or hobby farm. At Avenue Machinery we love talking about these things and would be happy to have you drop in to any of our B.C locations. Thanks for reading!

https://www.avenuemachinery.ca