Corn Grows 2011: Not

Last years corn harvest was pathetic. So I've decided to follow the Biblical pattern of the Sabbatical Year. This is the seventh garden since we moved to our house 8 years ago. So following Leviticus 25:3-4,

3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;

4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

This will be a no-corn year. I'm sorry if you're disappointed, but Leviticus says it must be so. But we did take the opportunity to replenish the organic matter in the soil. We put a TON of steer manure into the garden and mixed it in. (And believe me when I say that while the bags of manure said that it was "COMPOSTED", some of it was very well intact in the state that it left the steer. But we're hoping it will make the soil very productive for next year's corn! (I'm actually a bit worried that it was TOO potent and may burn the plants.)

Sara was a big help in spreading and mixing the "compost":

And Anna and Sara were both helps in planting the Carrots, Onions, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Crenshaw Melons, Water Melons and Green Beans. (Note that the corn is in its Sabbatical year). Anna was less enthusiastic at having her picture taken: