took this picture tonight with my cheap camera

This morning William and I met someone who is going to drill a well on some ground we own west of us about 2.5 miles from our house. Hopefully they will be able to get the well in soon because driving 16 miles to haul water everyday really sucks.

We finished filling another bin with dried corn this afternoon. Then once we got everything moved around again and after we ate supper, I fired up the combine again. Started another field that was testing 25%. We are trying to get the corn out; so we can build fence around a stalk field we drive through. The pastures have given out because of the lack of rain for 3 months. Once we get them on the stalk field, we won’t have to feed so much of the winter hay.

The skys were cloudy this morning. We transfered more corn from the drying bin to a regular bin. William had mowed 5 acres or more of corn stalks to round bale. We use them mostly for winter bedding but the cows do like to munch on them some. So they will help with the amount of hay we will need to feed. After I raked the stalks up, William started baling. He baled up about 40 bales before it started raining. Topping off the bin, we all were soaking wet. We called it a day after putting everything away and covering the auger hopper with a tarp. It was the middle of the afternoon by this time. We decided to go to a movie. No harvest today.

Last Friday was one of those days that has a domino effect for weeks following it. Originally, I was taking the kids to a livestock judging contest. Bill was going to sew some water ways where we just had some tile and terraces put in. But before we left to our activities, our well went dry. Change of plans. We had not had rain since the end of June. So everything was getting crispy. It turned out the cattle got up and all started to drink at the same time. Taking the water away faster than the well could recover. We had to move the cows to another waterer. Which meant that we had to take down part of a fence and add a gate to let them in and out. The ground was so hard that when we were digging the post holes we had to add a bucket of water to soften the dirt. I should add that the temperature was a toasty 104 deg.

Still, we were going to have to haul water. The water spicket in town was broke down. The only other available water for us to use is our irrigation rig 12 miles away. That was too far for us to take the water wagon. So I ran to the farm supply store to get a truck bed tank to put in our Ford 350. On our way to the irrigation rig, the guy from town called and said we could get water from the spout that day but not for a few days after. We filled the water wagon tank. Hauled it to the cattle tanks and our cistern. It took an hour to fill the truck bed tank at the irrigation rig. That was taken down to the well where we moved the cattle to as a back-up.

You might have guessed that since we had a water wagon, we have been dealing with water shortage issues for a while (long while). The well here is not as deep as it needs to be. And with 50+ head of cattle, we need a more reliable water supply. The last 3 or 4 years we have had plenty of rain for our water needs. But as our herd increases so does the water required for them. This week we are having a drilling company come out and look at where we can place a new well. With harvest staring up at the same time, things will be interesting around here. So goes the way of a farm life.

What We Did At The Show

I must say I enjoyed the Farm Progress Show this year. Mostly because William and I went on Tuesday when it was perfect weather. We started the morning at the gate waiting for it to open after the big ceremony with the parade of a motorcycle. Making a bee line to the hospitality tent, we met some people we knew right away. At the tent was Illinois State Univ. Ag Dept. breakfast. We ate and talked to some professors and alums. Afterwards KJ gave us a ride on his golf cart to the area with the livestock equipment where we ordered a hay hauler from another ISU grad who was manning his exhibit.

I am always disappointed in the lack of livestock exhibitors at the Farm Progress Show. It’s all corn all the time. It seems to me. Anyway we talked to a lady who had vet supplies. She explained this electronic immobilizer for cattle that was very interesting. William would really like a brand for our cows. So we discussed that. She gave us a tip on locating a dry ice supply.

William just had to hear the Quebe Sisters sing and I wanted to win an Ipad. I didn’t feel like sitting for the whole performance but I wanted that Ipad. The sisters and band were really good. Well, we sat but I didn’t win it. They went thru about 5 names of people who weren’t present, one we even knew. Those idiots.

Then it was off to the Morton Buildings where we entered for the $50,000 towards a building. We have been talking about putting up a barn for our cattle for years. I told William, “I am done talking. Let’s just build the @#^% thing.”

Stopped at the John Deere tent and looked over the new combine, of course. (more about that later). William wanted to talk to someone who knew something about the trouble we have been having with one of our tractors. But no one new anything. Went in the tent to look at the new GreenStar Monitoring system. The technician there gave us a walk thru the new features. The new screens will have video available. The GreenStar expert at your dealership will eventually be able to see your monitor on his computer to walk you thru the settings. Was so interested in talking about the monitor, I missed the tweetup.

Then it was on to the seed dealers; Pioneer, Wyffels, & Stine. Talked to some nice guys there. Another ISU grad. William told them where their seed was lacking and what was good. Looked at a few plots. After this we were ready to head home.

QR Codes where everywhere. I think they just wanted to show off.

Lots of people were paying to give John Deere advertisement.  William said they were making more money on shirt sales than tractors.

I want one of these. And we have an old bin to do it. Will try to get the boys working on that.

Last but definitely the most expensive a big green combine. Praise God a radio with an audio input. Lots of cup, deep cup holders and cubby holes for a phone and stuff.(Refer back to my storage complaints: here & here) William questioned the Deere draper header. There is a big slat on both sides that grain could fall thru. And I can’t believe I didn’t even check out the refrigerator. Our dealer said it is more like plug in cooler anyway.

Well that is a wrap up of our experience at the Farm Progress Show. I was very pouty that I didn’t go home with a free Ipad. If you went and wrote about it like Dave did on his blog, leave a link in the comments.

I am dreading the fair this year. We move the cattle in this Friday. After a week of 100 degree weather, I really don’t look forward to hauling, setting up, and sitting with 10 head in it. But my hands have black dye stains, the steers are almost broke, and the heifers get their final clip job tonight. That pretty much means we are set to go. So I just need to suck it up and git-r-done. Thank goodness we just stay overnight and go home. Some of these ridiculous counties still make the cattle stay 4 or 5 days.

Z is taking a bull and a steer. Theo will show a cow/calf pair, steer, and heifer. And Bella is taking two heifers and a steer.

Wish the kids luck showing and that the forecast is wrong.

Baling Straw Video

When the 4th of July roles around every year, it also means it’s wheat harvest time which then means baling straw. For two hot days we baled straw into square bales onto rack wagons. Straw is bedding for livestock made from the stems of wheat after harvest. We store it in the hay loft of the barn for winter. William and Z took turns driving the tractor and riding the rack. Did I say it was hot?

Why Straw?

The stem of a mature wheat plant is hollow. This is good for wicking up moisture and for insulation in the winter time. It does eventually have to be removed as Z shows in the previous video Farm Boy and Tractors. Leave a comment on what you think of the above video. Thanks

No One Wants to Talk About Sh!t

Or If it’s Organic, it’s got to be good. Right?

I have been telling my suburbanite sister for years,  “I don’t buy organic because I know what’s put on it”. This spring someone had tweeted about buying organic or not. I replied that I did not because organic food is “over priced, over hyped and over manured”. This prompted a guy to tweet me questions about what I meant by over manured. I proceeded to tell him about use of manure by organic producers for fertilizer and how e.coli is found on vegetables. Then two weeks later I read this headline: “14 dead in Germany as cucumber crisis grows“. The poisoning turned out sadly to kill about 35 people who ate bean sprouts from an organic farm in Germany. Dr. Hurd wrote how the E. Coli outbreak occurred. Consumers just assume that if it is labeled organic it is better for you. Do they really want to know what organic “stuff” could be on their food?

Judged by Their Actions

Then the news about the outbreak just faded away. The silence to me was deafening. Where were all the food police, the nutrition gurus, public awareness groups who are supposed to be outraged over harmful food systems. The ones who perpetually deride factory farming accusing big ag of poisoning the food supply with all these chemicals. Their lack of press releases and absence of wrath is truly telling. Because informing the general public about what goes into growing organic food doesn’t bring in donations to their cause. They choose to keep quiet about how most organic vegetables growers use manure for fertilizer. Pointing the finger at chemical companies and industrial agriculture that uses them fills the coffers. Now there are some villains to make some noise about to rake in the money to prove the need for their existence (thus salaries).

Hypothetical or a Quick Death

So let’s see just how bad these chemical residues dripping from our fruits and vegetables are. A child could consume in one day the following amount of each produce without any effect even if the produce has the highest pesticide residue recorded for each food item by USDA. source

Produce                          Servings per day

apples                                154

pairs                                   851

lettuce                            11,713

potatoes                          6,494

celery                              98,413

That is just a few of the foods listed. You can find out more here. Pretty scary. How many servings do you think those in who died in Europe ate that made them sick. Peter Coclanis, director of Global Research ant UNC at Chapel Hill wrote an excellent article in the Wall Street Journal titled ” Food Is Much Safer Than You Think“. And I would add, been led to believe. It is a quick read and eye opening on this topic.

So I will continue to purchase food from factory farms and big ag. If they choose, the food police can eat sh!t and take a chance.

Has this event made you think twice about the produce you feed your family?

A Week in the Life of My Farm Family

We are a family of 5 (William, me, and 3 kids; 16, 14, & 13 yo). The following is what we did this past week in addition to the daily cattle chores and school work.

Wednesday May 4:

Cultivated ground- 65 acres; planted corn – 170 acres; evening Planning Commission meeting

Thursday May 5:

Helped two heifers have calves; Planted corn – 105 acres; Artificial Inseminated a heifer and cow; Rained; evening Zoning meeting

Friday, May 6:

fields too wet; did book work; washed show heifers; after ground dried planted corn – 15 acres; hauled manure

Saturday, May 7:

cultivated 22 acre field then moved to another field to work gulleys; planted corn in two fields – 90 acres; cleaned the barn; hauled manure

Sunday, May 8: Mother’s Day

After church cultivated 29 acres; planted corn 120 acres

Monday, May 9: Wedding Anniversary

Assisted cow having a calf; planted corn 65 acres; replanted corn on sections of two fields; hauled manure; Artificial inseminated a heifer; went out to eat for anniversary

Tuesday, May 10:

Double disked 30 acres corn stalks where cows over-wintered; planted the field; replanted section of another field; worked on cattle fence; hauled manure; washed show heifers; drained Buttercup’s udder

Wednesday, May 11:

Made 3 trips to pick up more seed corn for replant; replanted on sections of 2 fields; hauled manure; trimmed hair on weaned heifers; washed show heifers; had a rain shower; electricity went out because of storm to the north; went out to eat because couldn’t cook and celebrate finishing corn planting & replant

Thursday, May 12:

Picked up load of soy bean seed; switched planter units over to beans; ect.

Sometime a few months ago, I remember seeing a video taken in New York City about what the people there thought of farmers. Almost everyone said that farmers are hard workers. This is a stereotype just like the general opinions of doctors or lawyers. Though not a bad stereotype to have, I wondered what brought this generalization about and how true it is. I mean, does a farmer really work harder than the average urban worker.

I think it has to do with how farmers are shown on TV in commercials, shows and movies. Because how else would people in the city know what a farmer does? On television a farmer is always doing something; working on a tractor, feeding animals, or generally getting dirty. They are never in a suit and tie in an office on the phone.

So is doing manual labor mean you work harder than someone in an office?

What do you think?

A Week in the Life of My Farm Family

We are a family of 5 (William, me, and 3 kids; 16, 14, & 13 yo). The following is what we did this past week in addition to the daily cattle chores and school work.

Wednesday May 4:

Cultivated ground- 65 acres; planted corn – 170 acres; evening Planning Commission meeting

Thursday May 5:

Helped two heifers have calves; Planted corn – 105 acres; Artificial Inseminated a heifer and cow; Rained; evening Zoning meeting

Friday, May 6:

fields too wet; did book work; washed show heifers; after ground dried planted corn – 15 acres; hauled manure

Saturday, May 7:

cultivated 22 acre field then moved to another field to work gulleys; planted corn in two fields – 90 acres; cleaned the barn; hauled manure

Sunday, May 8: Mother’s Day

After church cultivated 29 acres; planted corn 120 acres

Monday, May 9: Wedding Anniversary

Assisted cow having a calf; planted corn 65 acres; replanted corn on sections of two fields; hauled manure; Artificial inseminated a heifer; went out to eat for anniversary

Tuesday, May 10:

Double disked 30 acres corn stalks where cows over-wintered; planted the field; replanted section of another field; worked on cattle fence; hauled manure; washed show heifers; drained Buttercup’s udder

Wednesday, May 11:

Made 3 trips to pick up more seed corn for replant; replanted on sections of 2 fields; hauled manure; trimmed hair on weaned heifers; washed show heifers; had a rain shower; electricity went out because of storm to the north; went out to eat because couldn’t cook and celebrate finishing corn planting & replant

Thursday, May 12:

Picked up load of soy bean seed; switched planter units over to beans; ect.