O’Neill: Preparing the beds as a precision process (column)

Casey O’Neill is a farmer and owner of Happy Day Farms in Laytonville, Calif. The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of The Mendocino Voice. If you’d like to write your own column for The Mendocino Voice, send your idea to info@mendovoice.com.

The cool, moist soil cakes my gloves as I work, planting seedlings in the dusk as the day draws to a close. I’m nestling a row of lettuce mix in as close to the edge of the tunnel as I can, closer than the transplanter can reach because of the inward curve of the hoops. I am reminded of the days when I planted all the seedlings by hand, tens of thousands of plugs stretching back over the years, back bent, shoulders aching.