pics from this week, lots of pictures

After we got almost 6 inches of rain the week of the 15th, most of it on the 15th everyone was getting seriously worried about getting the crop in. We reached the decision on wednesday morning the 20th we couldnt sit any longer. We picked the driest spot and resumed planting in earnest. Working late into the night and then getting up before 5 to get chores done and get the planter rolling in decent time makes for long days but we made good progress. We have worked and planted in condtions from good to not so good. I have planted around mudholes and standing water for the first time in a decade. Any place that could be wet was. The ground dried too fast and has a two inch thick crust keeping the ground underneath wet and sticky. We havent been stuck yet but I spent about 20 minutes at 6:30 this morning digging mud out of the planter wheels because I tried to plant somewhere I shouldnt have.
Here are a bunch of pics.
I planted the sweet corn while cliff started working ground wednesday morning.


Some pictures of the guys working around the neighborhood.















Pictures while out planting.










Here are pics of a place I had to detour around while planting. So far I have planted around three areas like this. Just too much rain!





Since wednesday I have spent most my time in the seat of this tractor but "home" is the white farm house in the background.


The water towers and school buildings of Farmington IL.


Of course wrigley is a big help.


I wish he would drive and I could nap!


These two calves where born this week. In the mornings I do chores as quick as I can and get going. Nick takes care of things at night after he gets home from work and on the weekends and that is a huge help as I am able to stay in the field. Thursday I put cliff in the planter so I could go help nick give shots, tag and band one of the new calves. We werent sure if he was nursing so we had to put mom in the chute which meant hauling him to the chute from the pasture which was no small job. I ended up coverd with snot, blood, poo and pee before we were done. I got back to planting at about 7pm and from then untill I quit at about 11:30pm and I smelled sooooo bad. Nick took these pics while checking the cows one night this week. Good looking little bull calves.




Things were rolling along great today. I figured to be done planting or very close to it by 10pm, but about 2 pm it rained us out. A small area here caught a thunderstorm. Maybe a 5 mile square got measurable rain. Where I was at we got 8 tenths in about 30 minutes. A little less where cliff was working and 3 tenths here at home. When we did chores tonight there was little sign of rain there at all. Very spotty rain storm. I just backed off the edge of the field to fill the planter and head to the next field. Cliff was moments from finishing working the last 80 acres.





We will see what morning brings. 100 acres and we will be done with corn. Most areas missed the rain today and they are still going. I dont think I will be able to finish planting tomorrow with this rain. Even with the rain, I am very happy and feel lucky that we have been able to get 700 of our 800 corn acres planted. A week ago today it looked like we may never get to plant, what a difference a week can make!
bill

Thanks for the pictures. I was needing that. Gerald

Thanks for the pics, always look forward to seeing them.

About haul'n the calf, I move pastures with cows every 2 or 3 days. Many times a year I have to move a new born on the four wheeler so momma will go with the group. Need to find a new way to do it, only thing I have found that works good is just put them across my lap. For some reason it always scares the pee out of them. Heifers work out alot better than bulls while doing this.

Thanks again.

Dave

I had back sugurey in 02, limiting my ability to lift. To move new borns, I built a "mini cattle trailer" out of a small lawn/garden cart.I added plywood sides and a drop down tailgate for a loading ramp. Maybe something like that would work for you.

Might look into something like that. The best part of how I move'm now is most of the time I do in the morings after work, so I go right home when the cows are seen about and I go to bed. I can put my wet jeans in the washer pretty quick.

Dave

Thank you for the pictures. Really enjoy "seeing" agr. from around the country. I can"t imagine being that pressed and tired and yet having the presence of mind to take pictures.
Would like to get your take on using the vacuum seed units when you have time.

Great pictures Bill, I like picture number 6.

Well we got john Boys corn in the ground but Eugene and i have yet to start on corn as i had some repair work that needed done first and with this great break in weather and the outlook on it we decided that we would do the first cutting hay first and get it all out of the way first . We are only planting 20 acres of corn for picking and twenty for chopping . I have to put four new notill coulters on the planter and put the fert. hoses on it and she is ready to rock and roll . We got the fert. yesterday so there is a spearder loaded with urea and one gravity box loaded with Dap . After i give the dogs there bath i am heading out to put them coulters on and maybe we can get in half today and half tomorrow and be done for 6 weeks other then the day to day chores and that only takes a couple hours a day.

bill-

Great pics and thanks! I realize you are busy.

Bill,
Thanks for taking time to post your pictures and share with us... THEY are Always GREAT to look at ... Love how you tell that's going on with them ...
Does Wrigley help keep you awake ?? or just likes to be there ?

GREAT PICTURES .... THANKS ...
Mark

Nice pictures, thanks for sharing. Looks like you have a lot better job than I do. If all goes as planned; I'll leave So. Korea and be back in the states in November.

nice pics. that looks like a nice setup with the big case ih and the 12 row Jd planter. good luck this year! -andrew

Your pup is a twin to mine. Good dogs

nice pics, what is that grain vac thing on top of the planter?

jared

Thanks for the pictures MADE MY DAY!! love the farm!1 and farmers!! Charles