Mowing and biochar prep
Several days of dry weather in the Willamette Valley afforded me the opportunity to embark on the first tractor work of the vintage without becoming mired in mud. After prompting from a friend, I have decided to explore the production of biochar using the recent prunings from last year's fruiting canes. I have had an Oregon open kiln constructed for this purpose (see photos), courtesy of The Lynch Company, a custom steel fabricator in Portland, Oregon. Plans are available for free at www.WilsonBiochar.com. I used the tractor with a brush fork bucket attachment to remove the prunings from between the rows and place them in piles to dry. I also mowed the cover crop between the rows at the same time using a flail mower. The vineyard is looking quite fresh and clean after this work. Tractor work is always a therapeutic endeavor for me and incredibly rewarding.
