I really can not say how grateful I am to have a Troybilt and the man who runs it.

I don’t do much about the weeds between the row except pull out the big clumps. Once it’s been tilled, I go through and pull out the loose foliage with whatever roots are still attached. Then I cultivate the rows, tweezer weeding as necessary. When I’m done with that process, John runs the Troybilt through one more time.

By doing this every 7 – 10 days early in the season we keep new weeds germinating, prevent any of those new weeds from seeding and we reduce the ‘seed bank’ for the future. Keeping the soil loose and friable provides a more even moisture content and makes it easier for our seedlings to develop healthy root systems.

This is a wonderful tool for breaking soil and uprooting weeds.

The majority of weeding is done early in the season. As time passes, fewer weeds come up and the ones that do get away are not stealing many nutrients or choking the plants. Once I start harvesting, weeding becomes less important. Once I start canning, the weeds are about on the bottom of the priority list, however, weeding can make for a nice break time activity – outside.

“He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”  – Matthew 13: 22 & 23

Every 7 – 10 days, we need to run the Troybilt of self-examination through our hearts. How much do the ‘cares of the world’ influence our behavior? Have we compromised our integrity for riches? As a nation, we have not only become unfruitful but we are on the verge of being choked to death by deceitfulness. Why would someone want to deceive us? money / power? How could they deceive us? special action committees / non-profit organizations / media / laws? Who would do such a thing?

When the tares are all gone, we can still pick rock out of the garden…