Harvest Has Slowly Begun

Crops around here are just barely getting ready and some fields are still a little squishy from recent rain even though we're having nice days now.  We were able to get started yesterday around 4:00 and combined only about 40 acres of beans.  We got a loaded semi stuck in the field at elevator closing time, but it was able to be pulled out by a tractor and made it to town just at 6:00.

In the mornings, the ground is usually wet so today we had to wait for the sun and breeze to dry things off enough to get started after lunch.  The quad trac's air conditioning went out on an 80+ degree day.  Waiting for parts for that.  At about 5:00 I was riding in the combine with Bill waiting for him to get the cart full and something started making a bad noise.  A big part had broken.  So I headed to West Bend for the part.  Luckily they had the part and we were able to get it before they closed.

Bill and Tim are out finishing up the field - behind our house.

Tomorrow they hope to combine a field of seed beans.  They require special handling and go into a grain bin.  I won't be needed - probably - since they hope to dump from the combine directly into the semis.    

I've been making some things for quick meals that I can freeze like spaghetti sauce and this morning I made chocolate chip cookies.  Next will be a batch of ham balls - they freeze well.   This afternoon I was able to get some things in our landscaping cleaned up for winter.

Beaver Dams Can Be a Problem

Our crops are not quite ready so this is what Bill and Tim were doing this morning.  There was a small and a large beaver dam blocking a drainage ditch to two of our farms.   This first video shows blasting the smaller "practice" dam.
 
Then they mixed a larger amount for the big dam and waterproofed the container which was originally a cheese puffs plastic container that we had saved.  

This the big dam.

SUCCESS!!  The water is flowing through now!  This will help drain the fields when we have rain.  The County is supposed to come out and clear these out the rest of the way - whenever they get to it.

 

Pretty Southern Indiana

I've been back to visit in Indiana the past few days.  We've been able to visit some relatives we haven't seen for a while.  Glenn, Rob, Ross, Reed, Mom and I met Uncle Neal & Aunt Jan for supper one night.  We met Uncle Dale & Aunt Dana and two of my cousins for lunch another day. 

We had not seen most of my dad's relatives since he died seven years ago so we went down to southern Indiana and had lunch with several of them and got to visit  two of my cousins and five of my aunts and uncles.  Unfortunately, I didn't take the picture before Uncle Wayne and my cousin Paul had left.  Uncle Rich and Aunt Lois are the ones I've talked about here who used to grow melons and tomatoes to sell in the Knox County area which is well known for having great cantaloups.

cousin Cheryl, Aunt Vera, Aunt Sharon, Mom, Aunt Lois, Uncle Rich

It was a perfect Fall day to travel south from Carmel to the Freelandville and Vincennes area.   We stopped at an Amish store which is always fun.  The further south we went, we started seeing lots of combines working in the fields - working in both corn and beans.  

I think these farmers (above) are the family that now live where my grandparents did.  They farm lots of acres.  The house and buildings sure look different.  A new machine shed is in the place of two of the old barns.

We were able to visit at Uncle Wayne & Aunt Vera's house.  I love their old brick house that's back off the road down a long lane.  Uncle Wayne and Aunt Vera farmed together all of their lives until just a few years ago.  They're very happy that I'm doing the same with Bill in Iowa.  It's fun to talk farming with Uncle Wayne.  Wish he could come to Iowa.

We also visited long time friends, the Walters (they read my blog - hi!) and Dad's cousin, Liz in Freelandville where dad was from.  The Walters have a nice house with big yard and an amazing view.  Liz is busy right now feeding the crew that is harvesting her ground.  She takes them hot sandwiches for tailgate lunches and goes back out with cookies for them at 2:00.

Mom and I even got to stop at Gray Brothers Cafeteria on the way home.  It's a favorite restaurant of people all over.  We used to make a special trip there a couple of times a year.  Grandma & Grandpa Randall really liked it too.

It was a really nice day and I was teary a lot of the time.  Lots of memories of times there and knowing that I won't be back much with living so far away now.

Clay County Fair

Thursday, Bill and I went to the Clay County Fair in Spencer.  The link/web site says it has the second largest agricultural exposition in N. America.  Everyone here likes it much better than the Iowa State Fair which is in Des Moines.  It was an overcast, cold day to go, but that meant less people.  

I really didn't take pictures this time - just these of Farmer Bob. It was "Thank a Farmer Day" at the fair.

I still appreciate not working and being able to do these fun things during the week!!

We always split up - Bill goes to check out the new and bigger farm equipment and looks at tools, and I go check out all the booths in the buildings and occasionally a show.  Last year I wasted a bunch of time watching cherry pie judging so didn't make that mistake this year.  (they didn't talk about the pies entered at all so I didn't learn any tips)   We meet for lunch and then split up again until we're done.  

Even though it was cold this time (last year was perfect!), we always look forward to going at the end of the summer and before we get busy, and then it's kinda sad when it's over. 

This morning the temp. was right around 33 so we had a little frost in the yard but looks like my flowers next to the house may have been spared this time. 

Another Amazing Freedom Rock

A couple of years ago, Bill and I went to southwest Iowa on a little anniversary getaway.  On our way home, we made a point to go through Greenfield, Iowa to see the big Freedom Rock which is painted every year by Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II.  You may remember seeing a post here about it.

He is now also painting one in each of the 99 Iowa counties, and there are several already.  We have one here in our town which was one of the first to be done I think.  I recently went to lunch with friends, and we stopped to see the one in Rockwell City.  Wish you could see the details up close - amazing!

He is so talented.  Check out his web site HERE.  He says that he is doing this to honor America's veterans, promote Iowa tourism, and to provide for his family.  What a good guy!