Yesterday I went to fetch the trees at the nursery. We are planting a apricot cultivar called Super Gold. It is actually an older cultivar and sort of out of fashion for the fresh fruit markets. It's biggest positive is the early ripening as well as good fruit size. It do sort of cracks if it gets to much rain which is why it's not used anymore.
Just by clearing the ground for the new plantings I managed to free nearly 0,33ha of extra land for planting. Surprising how much land is unused because of flood irrigation's limitations of use, roads, and bad planning.
As with most things all does not go according to plan. After getting the trees early and getting nearly 1600 trees in the soil my irrigation system (new) failed me. A big dissappointment. Hopefully this morning we will get that corrected. As with most new things added to older systems the older systems can not usually carry the newer power / pressure. Allready got two pipes bursting and a new valve blowing water. All in the process of expansion.
I know today is going to be a much better day and we will irrigate the new planting efficiently as well start to irrigate the others too.
I am very positive about raining coming in September / October. I read yesterday that their is a Low pressure over Gough Island which apparently means that lots of saturated air will be pushed over Southern Africa and which means spring rain. We are due for some of that so get the umbrella's out. I was asked a few times why plant in such a dry spell. Well I guess the answer is Hope. Such a difficult period usually means cutting out the older wood - in my case literally - and provide for the younger. But as I said the rain is coming and we must be prepared.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The final preparation
As with most things it sometimes feels like an impossible task putting together a big project but the funny thing is it starts just by doing something. Even the wrong direction might lead to the acceptable final product / system.
Our new pump arrived yesterday and last night I was wide awake mostly because of my youngest but also because of the planning of the new irrigation system. First we must pump through lines that was not used by anyone for maybe 8 to 10 years. And to make things more interesting the irrigation line was open most of that time.
The first step is to pump without any filtration into the old line to clean it and to suck the feeding pipe from the dam which might be filled with slush. This pump will run like that at a pressure of about 2.3 bar for 3 to 4 hours and the water will be splashed into the river. If the water is clean and thus the pipe on either side of the pump is suffiecently clean we will introduce the filter bank. From then we will try and catch up on the back log of irrigation for months of July / August. This is actually my biggest problem since the roots allready started their growth season and will be looking for water as well as fertilizer. Hopefully we will catch up and provide at the right time the correct dosage of fertilizer.
It is also tonight the Women Wine Wednesday. Twenty people will be attending and we hope all the ladies do enjoy the get together. I think it might be something to grow into something more formal and more diverse with other likewise businesses also provide an evening of leisure for the ladies of the town. I hope you all meet someone interesting that you never met before in town.
Our new pump arrived yesterday and last night I was wide awake mostly because of my youngest but also because of the planning of the new irrigation system. First we must pump through lines that was not used by anyone for maybe 8 to 10 years. And to make things more interesting the irrigation line was open most of that time.
The first step is to pump without any filtration into the old line to clean it and to suck the feeding pipe from the dam which might be filled with slush. This pump will run like that at a pressure of about 2.3 bar for 3 to 4 hours and the water will be splashed into the river. If the water is clean and thus the pipe on either side of the pump is suffiecently clean we will introduce the filter bank. From then we will try and catch up on the back log of irrigation for months of July / August. This is actually my biggest problem since the roots allready started their growth season and will be looking for water as well as fertilizer. Hopefully we will catch up and provide at the right time the correct dosage of fertilizer.
It is also tonight the Women Wine Wednesday. Twenty people will be attending and we hope all the ladies do enjoy the get together. I think it might be something to grow into something more formal and more diverse with other likewise businesses also provide an evening of leisure for the ladies of the town. I hope you all meet someone interesting that you never met before in town.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Plan comes together!!
With all the pipes and irrigation stuff delivered we started putting it all together. As with most things in life the practical side doesn't always go with the theory. Somethings seems to be missing in action and we had to drive everyday this week to Oudtshoorn to get the necessary bends, T's, etc.
But even if it seem to go a bit 'deurmekaar' things do fit in nicely. The process of laying out the pipes and connecting it goes much quicker than expected. I finished my micro irrigation pipelines yesterday and today I am going to tackle the drip irrigation next to the Calitzdorp Country Lodge. The drippers we use there is in line drippers as well pressure compensating meaning that every dripper will deliver the exact same amount of water. This is a must for uneven land like we have there.
Oom Apie finished building the two filter banks and one is allready installed. The other one is ready we are just waiting for the new pumps to arrive. Irrigation pumps is a science on its own. I am no expert but learned a lot the last month. We were lucky to buy two similar pumps - one to do the job the other a back up. Yes being in Calitzdorp does have its draw backs and one is you must always have a back up pump.
I hope with the speed we are going now to start planting maybe next week late the apricots and the week after that the first of the vineyards.
My irrigation also started with the one system and I am running a twelve hour cycle just to wet up the soil. It is really surprising to see how dry the soils further from the riverbed is. You can also see the peaches blooming very promisingly. I hope for a big harvest there.
Hope all the plans stay on par as it did so far.
PS The labels for the Shiraz arrived and I will be labeling next week and Tuesday. The wines will be ready for Women Wine Wednesday.
But even if it seem to go a bit 'deurmekaar' things do fit in nicely. The process of laying out the pipes and connecting it goes much quicker than expected. I finished my micro irrigation pipelines yesterday and today I am going to tackle the drip irrigation next to the Calitzdorp Country Lodge. The drippers we use there is in line drippers as well pressure compensating meaning that every dripper will deliver the exact same amount of water. This is a must for uneven land like we have there.
Oom Apie finished building the two filter banks and one is allready installed. The other one is ready we are just waiting for the new pumps to arrive. Irrigation pumps is a science on its own. I am no expert but learned a lot the last month. We were lucky to buy two similar pumps - one to do the job the other a back up. Yes being in Calitzdorp does have its draw backs and one is you must always have a back up pump.
I hope with the speed we are going now to start planting maybe next week late the apricots and the week after that the first of the vineyards.
My irrigation also started with the one system and I am running a twelve hour cycle just to wet up the soil. It is really surprising to see how dry the soils further from the riverbed is. You can also see the peaches blooming very promisingly. I hope for a big harvest there.
Hope all the plans stay on par as it did so far.
PS The labels for the Shiraz arrived and I will be labeling next week and Tuesday. The wines will be ready for Women Wine Wednesday.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
A new day
Well with most of the preparations done on Withoek, we are now busy digging the holes and it is coming on surprisingly well. The workers are doing about 10 holes an hour with about averaging 14 working we should be finishing somewhere next week. What surprised me most is that we drove the tractors and my bakkie on the soil after the bulldozer ripped it and the places where we sort of left a small road the soil immediately were a lot harder than the other places. Just emphasising the pressure vehicles put on the soil during the everyday work -spraying, discing, etc.
Well you will see that there is a new blog on my links. This blog called http://www.diecalitzdorper.blogspot.com/ is a open blog where you guys can inform your fellow citizens on the happenings according to you in Calitzdorp. Anything from maybe a positve remark to just straight info like Laurence make excellent bread. I do believe there is a place for people to put info out.
The username is the email adress calitzdorp@hotmail.com and the password is a bit like the guesswork we had to do a few Sundays back at the Amazing Race - Calitzdorp. The clue is: It stands proud over the town and can be seen from 10km from the east. You can also go to the blog itself where I do explain a bit more. Hope you all take part.
My first dates again is
13 August 2010 -Wine Auction at Kwagga (Outeniqua High School)
15 August 2010 - Gemeente ete at the NG Kerk - get tickets from Marinda at the Church office
18 August 2010 - Withoek Women Wine Wednesday - Let Leanne know at 0442133639 before the 10th of August
Well you will see that there is a new blog on my links. This blog called http://www.diecalitzdorper.blogspot.com/ is a open blog where you guys can inform your fellow citizens on the happenings according to you in Calitzdorp. Anything from maybe a positve remark to just straight info like Laurence make excellent bread. I do believe there is a place for people to put info out.
The username is the email adress calitzdorp@hotmail.com and the password is a bit like the guesswork we had to do a few Sundays back at the Amazing Race - Calitzdorp. The clue is: It stands proud over the town and can be seen from 10km from the east. You can also go to the blog itself where I do explain a bit more. Hope you all take part.
My first dates again is
13 August 2010 -Wine Auction at Kwagga (Outeniqua High School)
15 August 2010 - Gemeente ete at the NG Kerk - get tickets from Marinda at the Church office
18 August 2010 - Withoek Women Wine Wednesday - Let Leanne know at 0442133639 before the 10th of August
Monday, August 2, 2010
Wine, women and .... spades
Well this month seems to contain everything. The wine part is the launch of the Withoek Shiraz the 18th of the month for the better part of the homo sapiens. The rest of us is going to wait till the 19th. We are going to bottle the Ruby Port this week. Looks like a traditional style but still sweet and very accomdating port.
The women is a bit slow out of the marks but this is apparently their right during this month. Leanne is putting together a list and she will deliver to people that indicated to me / her that they might be interested. Please give us just enough chance to prepare. So let the RSVP be about the Monday the 16th. I think that might be fair.
Well we are spading here in Withoek . Started to digg the holes for the plants. Interesting enough that is a very important part to great enough loose soil for early developement of the roots. The sides also should be a bit rough to allow the roots to enter the bigger part of the soil it is going to grow in. By digging to a small a hole you might end up with a tree / vine which may not grew up strong and be sort of limited to the hole which you dugg. You then dwarf the plant and hence smaller yields and less growth expected.
The irrigation project is also on its way this week. Digging all the necessary channels for the new pipelines and getting the irrigation system going. Quite an undertaking.
Feel free to comment on anything I do read and try and answer most of it.
The women is a bit slow out of the marks but this is apparently their right during this month. Leanne is putting together a list and she will deliver to people that indicated to me / her that they might be interested. Please give us just enough chance to prepare. So let the RSVP be about the Monday the 16th. I think that might be fair.
Well we are spading here in Withoek . Started to digg the holes for the plants. Interesting enough that is a very important part to great enough loose soil for early developement of the roots. The sides also should be a bit rough to allow the roots to enter the bigger part of the soil it is going to grow in. By digging to a small a hole you might end up with a tree / vine which may not grew up strong and be sort of limited to the hole which you dugg. You then dwarf the plant and hence smaller yields and less growth expected.
The irrigation project is also on its way this week. Digging all the necessary channels for the new pipelines and getting the irrigation system going. Quite an undertaking.
Feel free to comment on anything I do read and try and answer most of it.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The numbers
Numbers are sort of the things that make the world go round. It sort of explains a lot of things. I saw the other day someone claims he can predict the future with a algorithm. Great for him. We need a few number here too.
1. I had some great respons on the Women's Wine Wednesday and Leanne printed some lovely cards. We still want to know who is interested to send the invites out. Contact here on 044 21 33639 otherwise we are going to harass you till you all show up.
2. The church events which I wrote on earlier dates is the following: Wine Auction held at Outeniqua High School at the 13th of August; The 'gemeente ete' at the Calitzdorp Church Hall will be the 15th and cost R50 - what a bargain. Contact Marinda for tickets as they must prepare them for the masses at 044 21 33311; the church bazaar will be held in the middle of September
3. Our dam is about 29% full. You can get this detail on the www.dwaf.co.za website. This is the official departement of water affairs website. So by the way I forgot to mention that this was also the first cement irrigation dam build in South Africa.
4. This is the amount of people having sinus problems in my family.
Because of the low level of the irrigation dam the Water Board decided to have the first 'beurt' only at the end of August. For me as farmer this immediatly is something of a problem as the plants are starting to bud. With budding the top part of the plant start its physiological processes as the temperature during the day as well as the mean temperature is higher. The soil temperatures will still be low and because of that the root system might still be in rest. You can verify this by digging a hole and looking at the roots of the plants. If you see a lot of thin white roots then you know your plant allready started its anual growth season. I hope it won't create to much of a problem as we only have three months left till the picking of the apricots.
I will start my irrigation schedule in the middle of August - a month later than usual - sort of to accomodate the drought effect. We must now get some water!!!
1. I had some great respons on the Women's Wine Wednesday and Leanne printed some lovely cards. We still want to know who is interested to send the invites out. Contact here on 044 21 33639 otherwise we are going to harass you till you all show up.
2. The church events which I wrote on earlier dates is the following: Wine Auction held at Outeniqua High School at the 13th of August; The 'gemeente ete' at the Calitzdorp Church Hall will be the 15th and cost R50 - what a bargain. Contact Marinda for tickets as they must prepare them for the masses at 044 21 33311; the church bazaar will be held in the middle of September
3. Our dam is about 29% full. You can get this detail on the www.dwaf.co.za website. This is the official departement of water affairs website. So by the way I forgot to mention that this was also the first cement irrigation dam build in South Africa.
4. This is the amount of people having sinus problems in my family.
Because of the low level of the irrigation dam the Water Board decided to have the first 'beurt' only at the end of August. For me as farmer this immediatly is something of a problem as the plants are starting to bud. With budding the top part of the plant start its physiological processes as the temperature during the day as well as the mean temperature is higher. The soil temperatures will still be low and because of that the root system might still be in rest. You can verify this by digging a hole and looking at the roots of the plants. If you see a lot of thin white roots then you know your plant allready started its anual growth season. I hope it won't create to much of a problem as we only have three months left till the picking of the apricots.
I will start my irrigation schedule in the middle of August - a month later than usual - sort of to accomodate the drought effect. We must now get some water!!!
Monday, July 26, 2010
The times are changin' ....again
I was surprised when I drove past my cling peach trees the weekend. The blooms are allready formed and will probably bloom within the next few weeks. It is a good thing and bad. The good part is the season starts and might be a early one. The bad if we do get some colder weather - frost - the trees might loose some flowers which in turn mean less fruit. The bees are also not that active at this stage meaning less possible fruit again. We can just hope for the best.
Still busy marking out my blocks for planting. I erased the block next to Calitzdorp Country Lodge. One of the vertical lines were not straight. This in it self is not a big problem. The thing is for the next 25 years I will drive buy and know that one of the rows is not perfect. Better repeat the whole process.
Some news of happenings in the community: The Dutch Reformed church is really getting busy. There will be a 'gemeente ete', an wine auction with Outeniqua High School and the normal church bazaar as well a choir performance. They are not sure about the bazaar and the form it will take on and are hoping for some input from the congregation and / or community for a better way of fundraizing during that. So anyone with an idea please let Marinda know at the church office (across the ACVV building). I really hope more people will get involved in this congregation even if it is only in supporting the different functions they have. SO GO AND SEE MARINDA AND GET THE DATES RIGHT AND SUPPORT THE CHURCH.
The church cornerstone was laid in 1910 which makes it in use nearly 100 years old. The town of Calitzdorp became a town because it had an congregation and started to have services of their own here. Another interesting piece of info is that the Calitzdorp dam was built only a few years later. A hundred years ago there was a lot of people with courage, hope and innovation in town. Not unlike now. If you look at the surnames of the people in those days playing a role in building the town the familiar ones like Fourie, Oosthuizen, Nel, Brink, Pretorius, Calitz, Geyser and a few others. Add to that the new ones investing in the town we can only go better. (Pleas don't use that 'i' or 'l' words - deffinately not kosher / politcal correct or nice)
Still busy marking out my blocks for planting. I erased the block next to Calitzdorp Country Lodge. One of the vertical lines were not straight. This in it self is not a big problem. The thing is for the next 25 years I will drive buy and know that one of the rows is not perfect. Better repeat the whole process.
Some news of happenings in the community: The Dutch Reformed church is really getting busy. There will be a 'gemeente ete', an wine auction with Outeniqua High School and the normal church bazaar as well a choir performance. They are not sure about the bazaar and the form it will take on and are hoping for some input from the congregation and / or community for a better way of fundraizing during that. So anyone with an idea please let Marinda know at the church office (across the ACVV building). I really hope more people will get involved in this congregation even if it is only in supporting the different functions they have. SO GO AND SEE MARINDA AND GET THE DATES RIGHT AND SUPPORT THE CHURCH.
The church cornerstone was laid in 1910 which makes it in use nearly 100 years old. The town of Calitzdorp became a town because it had an congregation and started to have services of their own here. Another interesting piece of info is that the Calitzdorp dam was built only a few years later. A hundred years ago there was a lot of people with courage, hope and innovation in town. Not unlike now. If you look at the surnames of the people in those days playing a role in building the town the familiar ones like Fourie, Oosthuizen, Nel, Brink, Pretorius, Calitz, Geyser and a few others. Add to that the new ones investing in the town we can only go better. (Pleas don't use that 'i' or 'l' words - deffinately not kosher / politcal correct or nice)
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