In November, Niigata Prefecture sees frequent rainfall, and on sunny days, we are incredibly busy catching up with accumulated tasks. Moreover, with shorter daylight hours, we’re striving hard, sparing little time for lunch.
Let me introduce the tasks for November 5th and 6th.
Leaf collection work
Normally, after the winter winds blow, the zelkova leaves cover the ground, but this year, perhaps due to the intense heat, they’ve already fallen considerably. Until recently, we used them for leaf mold in the spring, but now we’re spreading them directly in the fields.
The three essential tools for leaf collection:
- Bamboo rake
- Engine blower
- Transport set
Dried persimmon making
In Niigata, November has high humidity, so my dried persimmons always end up with blue mold. But undeterred, I’m challenging myself again this year.
Harvesting sweet potatoes
This year, I buried last year’s sweet potatoes in late May, and the sprouts emerged in mid-June. Therefore, the harvest is also late, starting around this time. Compared to buying seedlings, which are available one month earlier, the soil hasn’t dried out, resulting in muddy sweet potatoes.
Dealing with the vines is tough, so I pulverize them with a ride-on grass cutter. Then, they become organic fertilizer as they are.
Drying muddy sweet potatoes in the sun
For lunch, I’m having roasted sweet potatoes.
Storage of rice bran
SN, who operates a coin-operated rice milling machine, suddenly brought about 200 kg of rice bran, so we’re packaging it. Primarily, we’ll use it to make compost fertilizer for next year’s summer vegetables.
Since chemical fertilizers are expensive, we’re relying on organic fertilizers such as rice bran, chicken manure, and fallen leaves & grass to compensate.
After packaging, we put them into tin containers (old rice tanks). Rice bran is nutrient-rich, so we need to take measures against rats and insects.。
Since garlic sprouted, I scattered rice bran on top of the husk mulch as a top dressing.
Sowing fava beans, planting onions
It’s the time for sowing and planting crops for overwintering. Starting with transplanting strawberries, then garlic, fava beans, onions, and finally ending with snow peas, snap peas, and green peas, this year’s planting is complete.
Although I sowed fava beans in 120 spots, they haven’t sprouted yet.
Since the growth of onion seedlings varies, I’m planting them in four or five separate batches. I wonder if I’ll end up with around 400 seedlings?
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