Consolidation of Effort and a New Format

I've not been very smart about my blogging efforts combined with my paper based garden journal, sometimes I focus more on the blog and rarely I will focus on the journal.  To be honest I've yet to see the value in the journal, I've read from many sources that it's vital to keep one but I just can't see how it will be useful.  Am I expected to flip through the pages looking for when I did certain things?  Do I review the entire journal at the beginning of each new season?

Punching holes for bean seeds - my knuckle is just under
2" from fingernail-chewed tip of finger

And after all, "blog" stands for "web log" ("weblog" became "blog") so why keep a journal and a log?  I can tag entries on my blog, search for posts, include photos, etc.  So this is another one of those circumstances where I thoughtlessly followed the guidance I've read.  I'm susceptible to such behavior when I reach a point where I'm so-out-of-my-league on a new hobby or process; if I don't have the time and mental bandwidth to truly digest a topic and evaluate my own interpretations on a subject I will take the easy route and "do what I'm told" rather than think, understand and execute. ... teach a man to fish and all that....

I wanted 8" spacing for my beans and started to look
around for a piece of wood in the garage that I could cut
to make a quick guide... then I saw the root and just
snipped with my shears

I also have a tendency when writing on paper to write out thoughts and points in list format to which a blog, with it's bulleted list formatting is perfect.  I'm thinking I may use a whole new format for my posts, try to introduce some consistency to them.

Excuse me for thinking out loud, it's a subconscious exercise to make a "thought" a "plan".  On with the farm news!

Spent two hours Today inoculating the bean seeds before sowing.  For those that don't know legumes (beans, peas, alfalfa, etc.) have the ability to convert atmospheric nitrogen (of which our air is ~78%) into ammonia nitrogen which can then be used to feed the plant (as well as subsequent crops).  This conversion is accomplished due to a symbiotic relationship between the rhizobia bacteria and legumes.  Inoculation is the process of introducing supplemental rhizobia bacteria to the legume seed.  The bacteria invades the plant's roots and eventually establishes itself behind a protective layer built by the plant.  Furthermore the plant provides nutrients to the bacteria.  It's like my relationship with top-shelf vodka; I keep it cold and safe in my freezer and use it for only the most respectable of drink and it in turn makes me happy.  For awhile.... then it can start to backfire...

Here's that list format I was talkin' about:

• My beets in NS1 are shot!  I'm pretty sure this is because I let the bed dry out too much, the dirt was real dry and the beets just look like complete shit.  I pulled 5 or 6 and ended up tossing into compost pile
• I need to mulch my beds as it's obvious that I can't water regularly enough, I just don't have the discipline
• The tomato seedlings are looking pretty good and after another week I should be able to differentiate them enough to re-group them after getting the tags all messed up
• Next time I mix inoculate using the slury method I need to use less water
• Carrots are a rad crop, I should grow many, many more carrots next year
• Weeds are getting out of control, I think I will spend a couple hours this weekend and try to get them under control
• A stick or piece of root makes a fine offset guide for planting, either mark with a pen the desired length or cut to length, then compost when done!
• Corn went crazy and decided to set fruit for some reason, I'm thinking it could be due to any or all of the following:
• Not enough sun
• Not enough water
• Not enough nitrogen