Miller's Wagon

Good Sunday morning to you all. We are going to kick the week off with this picture of a Miller's wagon. In front of the wagon is a small child, who is seven years old. He works for the mill, moving 25 pound bags of flower. He makes 25 cents a week. The picture was taken in 1910.

Domestic Update:

OK, lots going on at home this last week. Several of you have asked for an update on Lovie and the peacocks. Lovie and chicks are doing well. Little Rufus is turning out to be a fine young peacock and I have high hopes for him growing up to be a leader in the flock. He is attentive, quick, and eats a lot. He and Peggy Sue are getting along well, and growing every day. Lovie does not like being penned up in the peacock palace. She would prefer to be out with the flock, but with the chicks this small, there are just too many things that could eat them. So, until they get bigger, Lovie and the babies will stay in the palace.

I have also made significant progress towards my goal of becoming a Gentleman Farmer. While I am working on getting the greenhouse built, I went ahead and put together one of the small hydroponic systems on the screened in porch. I want to go ahead and try growing some things hydroponically, so I can learn the ropes. The picture below shows the simple system.

The tank under the system contains the nutrient fluid. There is a pump that pumps the nutrients through the black hose, up to the white grow channels. The fluid flows through the channels, like an underground river. The plants are grown up through the little squares on the top. Each seed is placed in a small cube that holds the seed in place. The cube wicks nutrients up from below. After passing through the channels, the nutrient fluid dumps into the large white tube on the right, and then flows back into the tank underneath. So the nutrients recirculate in the channels underneath the plant. I am testing the system by growing a variety of different plants, to see which works the best. The picture below shows a lettuce that has sprouted and starting to grow.

With this stunning success in lettuce production, I feel I am getting ever closer to my Gentleman Farmer goal. Could a tractor be far behind?