Happy corn

The corn is certainly happy with all this rain, even if the rest of us are ready to dry out just a little.  Much of the corn is waist to armpit high in the fields I've seen.  We are thankful that Paul was able to get them sprayed in between rains before the weeds took over.

There is one more chance of rain today and tomorrow, but after that, we have a relatively dry forecast.  It sure would be nice  to get beans in the fields and wheat out.  Then, we might be happy to sit back and watch it rain again for awhile.

Growing beans

The early beans are up with a good stand.  Quentin is anxious to get more in the ground, but it is raining again today.

Rain, rain, rain

Although we've missed the big rains and nasty storms, we have plenty of moisture!  We received an inch over a couple days early this week and another inch last night.  I guess the men will have plenty of time to get ready for Yates Center Days tomorrow!

Slow days

Slow days around the farm this week.  It rained another 0.2" Thursday night.  The fields are pretty soggy right now, and there are several chances for rain this week.  By the time it dries out, it will be time to get the planter rolling in the soybean fields again!

In the meantime, the men are filling their days with little jobs around the farm and working in at our new church building in town.  They are also puttering around a little bit with the old John Deere tractors.  Yates Center Days parade is next weekend, and we usually get out a few tractors for that.

Soggy weather

We have had a couple more days of soggy weather.  We received about 1.5" thus far.  For the most part, it has ranged from a drizzle to a nice, soaking rain.  No "gully washers" or nasty storms.  Quentin says that the soybeans he planted are up, but they look like they've changed their mind about coming out.  (If you're not familiar with beans, they emerge looking like an upside down "U" so right at first, they do look like they are trying to grow back in to the ground!). It has been unusually cool the last few days.  I even had to break down and turn the heat back on in our house!  We'll all be ready for the sunshine when it comes back out.

More showers

We received another 0.3" of rain yesterday afternoon and evening.  We have been blessed to have the fields kept moist, but not too wet.  The men have no plans to plant more soybeans for a couple more weeks so the rain is welcome.  Paul has been out spraying corn and bean fields.  Also, he's been working on fencing off Ken's new pond before the cattle are turned loose in there this summer.  Lots of "busy" work these days.

Throwback Thursday

I couldn't resist posting this picture for "Throwback Thursday" today.  This is my favorite picture of Clayton and Marjorie (Quentin's grandparents).  This was taken at our wedding (14 years ago yesterday!)  At the time, we had no idea that we were going to be back on the farm one day.  I often wonder what Clayton and Marjorie would think if they could see us now...living in their old house, farming their old farmland.  Hopefully, good thoughts!

Growing corn

We had just over 0.3" in the rain gauge from last night's storms.  The corn is nice and happy!

Heads of wheat

We received another 0.2" of rain yesterday with more thunderstorms expected this evening.  The rain and sunshine have been good for the wheat.  The heads filled out nicely.  Before we know it, the wheat will be turning brown and harvest will be upon us!

 

Soybean planting!

The first soybeans went in the ground today (about 55 acres).  Quentin is trying a short season bean planted early to try and beat the dry August heat which we seem to run in to most years.  Most of the beans planted later will be longer season so they may be able to wait out the heat and mature later in the summer when rains typically start up again.  If only we had a crystal ball to let us know what the weather will do this summer...  I guess that's something for my Christmas wish list!

Almost dry enough...

The fields continue to dry out this week.  Paul has been able to do a little spraying on corn fields as they dry out, but several still have muddy spots.  The corn loves the moisture, but unfortunately, so do the weeds!  Quentin may try to plant a few early soybeans tomorrow.  More rain is expected on Sunday.

Drying out

There was a chance of rain showers yesterday, but we managed to miss that bunch.  We may have a chance to dry out a little this week!  There is another front coming through Sunday so we'll have to see if the men are able to get in the field before that or not. Quentin is taking a couple days off of working on the tractors and combine to do some other projects around the farm.  He said he's tired of equipment maintenance because every time he fixes one thing, he finds three more things that need work!