Agave Farming In Hollywood: A Day in the Life of a Gopher Fighter

Setting the Scene

So, here we are, planting Agave into deep baskets. You might be wondering, “Why such an odd method?” Well, let me tell you, gophers are the sneakiest little devils you’ll ever encounter. They don’t just pop up from the ground; they dig down, munch on the roots, and leave you with a sad, rootless plant. Despite our best efforts, we still find 2-3 Agaves fallen over every week, eaten from underneath and up through the pena. It’s frustrating to see our hard work undone by those little munchers, but we’re not giving up just yet!

We’ve tried all kinds of methods to keep these pesky critters at bay, but now we’ve landed on a hopefully fool-proof plan: metal cages! Yes, you heard that right. We’re putting our Agave in metal cages deep underground to keep the gophers from having a buffet feast. 

Hands-On Work

Today, we’re not just planting. We’re pulling up all the Agave we previously planted to get them into these new protective cages. It’s like a little Agave relocation program. While we’re at it, I clean off all the dead leaves and give each plant some love by opening up the middle to help them breathe and soak up the sun. They look beautiful and ready to thrive!

Bug Encounters

Of course, it wouldn’t be a day in the life of an Agave farmer without a few creepy crawly encounters. We’ve got potato bugs, black widows, and all sorts of other friends hanging around. At first, I was freaked out by the black widows, but now, I’m like, “Eh, I’ve got gloves on, I’ll be fine.” But seriously, who knew farming could feel like a scene out of a horror movie?

The Boulder Dilemma

As if dealing with gophers and spiders isn’t enough, we also had an unexpected rock star make an appearance—a 150-pound boulder! Yep, while digging, this massive rock decided to join the party. If it had rolled down the hill, it could’ve caused some serious damage. So, we carefully managed to get it out without turning it into a Hollywood disaster flick.

Planting Time!

After all the digging, cleaning, and boulder wrangling, it’s finally time to plant! We’ve got about new 600 Agave babies ready to go into the ground. These little guys have been with us since they were seeds, so it’s bittersweet to see them leave the greenhouse. But I’m confident they’re going to thrive in their new home, especially now that we’ve got those cages in place.

The Wrap-Up

And just like that, our day of Agave Farming In Hollywood is coming to an end. We’re excited to see how these plants do over the next month. With the cages in place, I’m hopeful that our gopher friends won’t be feasting on our hard work this time. Stay tuned for updates, and remember: when life gives you gophers, build cages!

Until next time, happy farming!

Jules