On my final visit with my surgeon, I was told all stitches and staples had been removed, guess what… I have since been going to wound care every week. On each visit to wound care the Dr as removed more stitches or staples. Just last week he removed 1 more stitch, the week before 3 stitches and 2 staples. I have another appointment there tomorrow.
However I am doing much better. I finally got about half of my blueberries fertilized. Once I was well enough to drive the tractor, recent rains made the fields too wet, my 4×4 tractor with differential lock engaged struggled to gain forward movement and backing out of the aisles was not possible. I then, once I got the tractor out, checked into getting tire chains. That proved to be a no go. On my 2012 tractor the clearance from tires to fender is only 1.25″ and the lowest profile farm tire chains need a minimum of over 3″. The cab on the tractor makes it almost impossible to raise the cab and fenders.
Thus I waited until 6/14 and the fields were finally dry enough to spread the fertilizer. On the 14th I managed to get just over half of the fertilizer spread (on 4.5 acres) but then I had to rest. I use a tractor mounted spreader with a banding kit which throws the fertilizer out to the side, thus applying fertilizer to 1 row at a time. I managed to do 28 rows, each 300′ long before needing to get some rest (I’m still not back to 100%, maybe 40% or so and I can’t lift over 20#, Dr orders. I buy my fertilizer in super sacks and I use my excavator to lift the sack, suspend it over the fertilizer spreader while I open a tied closed spout on the bottom, then reach in with a knife and cut slits in the poly liner to dispense. When the hopper is full, I tie the spout tight and the excavator then sets the rest in the super sack back into the sugarhouse. Because of soft ground I only put about 275-300# in the hopper for each trip, otherwise I’d put about 400# in. That day I got 2 trips completed.
Since then it’s been too hot or raining. As of now it looks like Sunday will be my next chance. We have had more rain but nothing like the 2+” of rain in 1 day we had that caused to problems earlier. Had I not been forced to hold off because of my surgery and issues following it, I’d have been all fertilized in early March, but I didn’t feel well enough and once I did the Dr still said no. I finally got his OK on June 3, but the fields proved too wet.
For years I always thought my wet fields were because of clay, but then I had testing done by Soil & Water, they said my clay was not bad enough to cause it, but rather I had hard pan 24-30″ down that didn’t allow water to get thru. This summer I’ll need to try to break it up with a single point sub soiler. I hope once the fields are dry enough to pull the sub soiler that I can get it to break up enough of the hardpan to allow water to soak in better. I know it won’t get 30″ but I think it can get 26-27″ deep. For that I’ll need to add 2-300# of weight on the hitch to hold it that deep, then I’ll need to see if 36 HP can pull it. If it won’t I may need to get a 3′ frost tooth for my excavator to break it up.
Thank you again for all of your prayers for my recovery, they really meant a lot.