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Jul. 27th, 2019 08:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unicornduke I looked over my laser scarecrow and after some fiddling, determined that I had indeed burned out the pan motor. So I did some ordering and I have two more of the whole set on the way. The issue is that there is no documentation about that specific motor in the pan-tilt kit it came in, so I had to order more kits. They are $60 which is chump change according to dad. I also adjusted my programming a little, the pan will only move from 10 to 350 to keep it from hitting the edges of it's mechanics and I also inserted a statement that if it gets dark both servos will return to 0. That way, it won't be stuck halfway, which is what I think caused the issue. I also bought a new buck converter but I need to test it, it didn't seem to be working earlier but that could have been a bad connection.
One thing I found while I was out ordering a new arduino board (because once the new motor comes through, I'm pretty sure I'll be good to build the next version), is an arduino board with built in wifi! At this point, I've figured out that I don't actually need my arduino uno to be the board because my actual board hookups are very simple, I'm looking at the nano as well as the wifi one. The wifi one I think will be what I build my potential timer into. If the board runs on a timer, it will be set up to run the laser from first dawn until 8am, then shut off from 8am to 1pm, back on until 5pm, then on again at 8, turn off at dark. Those hours are when my parents are open for blueberry picking. But hours change! So they would need some way to reprogram it without having to pull it down and physically wire into it. ~wifi~ But that will be version 2 for next year. Currently on version 0.95. I'd have to run it on an independent battery maybe incase of disconnect from the main battery but who knows yet.
Other than laser stuff, I cultivated strawberries for a couple of hours and then cleaned the garlic so mom can sell it. About 170 cloves, which isn't too bad. Some were small and had insect marks which was disappointing but whatever, they're $1 each and people will buy it.
Yesterday I harvested a bunch of stuff while I was out looking at my patch. I've just decided to lean into the doing things instead of just looking. My jalapenos are producing fruit. They are tam jalapenos which are mild for non-spicy people (me). A bunch of green beans for dad. Some zucchini. I also harvested my second bunch of garbanzo beans. I might get more than I planted! My flax is all ready and I'm hoping to harvest some tomorrow along with spring small grains. Most of my flax ended up being short, which is probably lack of fertility. Running theme this year. I didn't apply anything since I haven't seen the soil samples. I just ran and dug them up from dad's computer and a lack of potash is likely it (potassium). They didn't pay for an organic matter test so who knows what that is.
My cowpeas have recovered from the lack of nodulation although they haven't actually developed any new ones. They are all rapidly growing and a nice dark green so okay I guess. Still a mystery although lack of nodules is the answer to why my legumes all look like crap. Don't know why there's no nodules. I had a beautiful cover crop of vetch/rye (although I didn't dig any up to see nodules) and I tilled that section in at least two weeks before I planted. The only thing I can think is that the vetch generated too much nitrogen but if that was the case, I wouldn't be seeing these issues so quickly in the legumes.
This is from the beginning of may and the tiny stuff that looks like saws is the vetch leaves.
I've got melons and squash running all over into the weeds I need to rototill. Oh yeah. I broke the rototiller twice. Once was a pin sheared in the PTO shaft, easy fix. The other was the bracket for the rototiller blades that came off the rotating bar which will need to be welded back on. I didn't even hit a rock and I didn't complete two full rows.
I've got a ton of tomatoes and peppers just waiting to turn. The heat and not much rain is delaying things but I'm not too worried. I'll have a billion of everything very shortly I'm sure.
One thing I found while I was out ordering a new arduino board (because once the new motor comes through, I'm pretty sure I'll be good to build the next version), is an arduino board with built in wifi! At this point, I've figured out that I don't actually need my arduino uno to be the board because my actual board hookups are very simple, I'm looking at the nano as well as the wifi one. The wifi one I think will be what I build my potential timer into. If the board runs on a timer, it will be set up to run the laser from first dawn until 8am, then shut off from 8am to 1pm, back on until 5pm, then on again at 8, turn off at dark. Those hours are when my parents are open for blueberry picking. But hours change! So they would need some way to reprogram it without having to pull it down and physically wire into it. ~wifi~ But that will be version 2 for next year. Currently on version 0.95. I'd have to run it on an independent battery maybe incase of disconnect from the main battery but who knows yet.
Other than laser stuff, I cultivated strawberries for a couple of hours and then cleaned the garlic so mom can sell it. About 170 cloves, which isn't too bad. Some were small and had insect marks which was disappointing but whatever, they're $1 each and people will buy it.
Yesterday I harvested a bunch of stuff while I was out looking at my patch. I've just decided to lean into the doing things instead of just looking. My jalapenos are producing fruit. They are tam jalapenos which are mild for non-spicy people (me). A bunch of green beans for dad. Some zucchini. I also harvested my second bunch of garbanzo beans. I might get more than I planted! My flax is all ready and I'm hoping to harvest some tomorrow along with spring small grains. Most of my flax ended up being short, which is probably lack of fertility. Running theme this year. I didn't apply anything since I haven't seen the soil samples. I just ran and dug them up from dad's computer and a lack of potash is likely it (potassium). They didn't pay for an organic matter test so who knows what that is.
My cowpeas have recovered from the lack of nodulation although they haven't actually developed any new ones. They are all rapidly growing and a nice dark green so okay I guess. Still a mystery although lack of nodules is the answer to why my legumes all look like crap. Don't know why there's no nodules. I had a beautiful cover crop of vetch/rye (although I didn't dig any up to see nodules) and I tilled that section in at least two weeks before I planted. The only thing I can think is that the vetch generated too much nitrogen but if that was the case, I wouldn't be seeing these issues so quickly in the legumes.
This is from the beginning of may and the tiny stuff that looks like saws is the vetch leaves.
I've got melons and squash running all over into the weeds I need to rototill. Oh yeah. I broke the rototiller twice. Once was a pin sheared in the PTO shaft, easy fix. The other was the bracket for the rototiller blades that came off the rotating bar which will need to be welded back on. I didn't even hit a rock and I didn't complete two full rows.
I've got a ton of tomatoes and peppers just waiting to turn. The heat and not much rain is delaying things but I'm not too worried. I'll have a billion of everything very shortly I'm sure.
