Ken Ross can still tell you where he put the mustard greens, carrots, peas and beets in a planting layout he drew in 2016. He’s got the sketch. When he wants to lay out another bed, he can pull it out and see where everything went. That’s the reason to keep a farm journal. A note that takes a minute today can save you from guessing next season, whether you’re tending a few garden beds or keeping track of work across a farm.
Put the Journal Where You’ll See It
Ken writes notes in the margins of his morning devotional. The dates are already printed on the pages, and he opens the book every day. If he’s out working and the book’s inside, he writes down what he remembers later. You can do the same with a notebook by the door or a note on your phone. Pick the one you’ll actually open. If you’re already checking your calendar in the morning, that’s a good time to jot down what you noticed yesterday or check which job you said you’d finish today.
Record What You’d Want to Know Later
Ken’s examples are ordinary. A section of fence was down. He’d started three rows. Those details are easy to forget when you’re walking from one job to the next. Give each entry a date and say exactly where you were. “Started three rows in the bed by the hoop frame” will tell you more next month than “worked in the garden.” If you’re tracking a planting, add the crop and variety when you know them. If something catches your eye, describe what you saw. You can always add a photo, but write down which bed it shows so you can find it again.
Give Unfinished Work a Date
Ken gives himself a day or two to get back to certain tasks. If he spots a fence repair, he writes it down so it’s there when he’s deciding what to do next. Try putting the follow-up date right beside the observation. For example, an entry might read, “Back fence near the gate. Bottom wire loose. Check and tighten tomorrow.” You can adapt that sample entry to the repair you need to make. When you finish, add the date you did the work. If the wire’s loose again a week later, you’ll know how recently you tightened it and can take a closer look at what’s moving.
Look Back When Something Turns Out Differently
Ken sometimes goes back a month later to see how he set up a spot that’s giving him trouble. In the episode, he recalls noticing more weeds on one side and checking whether he’d laid cardboard there. A journal can help you remember what you did. It takes more observation to figure out why something happened. If you want to compare how two beds perform, write down what you did in each one and what else was different, like shade or watering. Go back on the same day and make a note about both. You’ll have more to work with when you decide what to try again.
Sketch a Bed You’d Like to Plant Again
Ken’s 2016 sketch still gives him a place to start. He also shows an herb layout he could take to another garden. Your drawing can be as simple as a rectangle with rows marked inside it. Label what went where and add a landmark, like the gate or water spigot, so you’ll know which way you were looking. If you use the sketch at another site, check the new bed’s size and light before copying it. Keep the original plan and date the changes you make. You’ll be able to see what you moved when you compare the two later.
Start today with the first thing you notice on your next walk. Give it a date, name the spot and write down when you’ll check back if it needs attention. Watch Ken open his notebook on Tuesday Seeds and follow @blackfarmerscbo for more lessons from the farm.
