getting closer ...

We made some progress planting.   We looked at Mom's and thought it was too wet, but maybe we could plant the plot and 40 acres.  So Aman and Kent planted the bean plot while I Tilloll'd the 40

That's them changing varieties while I'm working on the 40 acres across the driveway.  Well, except I ended up doing almost 100 acres.  It was rather interesting.  The ground we had not worked at all this year was drier than the ground we had disked a few weeks ago.

Aman ended up planting over 100 acres after lunch.  I went across the road and dug up most of Gramp's irrigated 80.  I finished it this morning and we planted it today.  It's all a little rough in spots, but this year most everything was a bit rough.


We're down to 80, 43, and 10 plus 4 creek bottom fields.  I think with no rain Monday we might have a chance on some of it ... if we can scare the ducks and geese away (any conservation officers reading, kidding, just kidding ...).


I was able to side dress a little nitrogen in some spots that were missed or thin.  The corn in the picture above for instance.  We had 28% nitrogen broadcast with Bicep and Capture and then worked it in before planting.  The problem with doing that in split fields is getting the planted area to match the area applied.  We only had 2 fields that was a problem in.  In one we had them spread a few acres of nitrogen without herbicide.  In the other I made sure I planted farther than they spread.  So I came back with the applicator and put some 28% N down in about 24 rows.

Oh did it rain! ... in places

Tuesday evening I left the house for a fire meeting about 6:45.  it was just barely sprinkling.  It was obviously doing more in town. By the time I drove 1/2 mile it was raining.  When i got the other 1/2 mile to town it looked like this

I went on east of town a mile to the shed.  It looked like this

The gauge only had .55" in it!  Must have fell in  5 minutes or something as much water as was standing around.  I haven't talked to anyone with a gauge in town but judging by the west end of the field and the water running down the streets in town it  must have rained 1 to 2". 

THIS is the "dry corner" at the west end of the field the shed is in. That was looking north after the rain.  Here is looking south about the same spot while it was raining.

Danny Hone said he hadn't seen water fall like that since he moved here.  Earl's parking lot looked like this

After the meeting I checked the "official" rain gauges.  1E WU (the shed) had.55"  2NE WU (Mom's) had .02"  Yes, you read correctly, 2/100ths. 1W WU (my house) had .02" as well.

Illinois weather, don't ya love it!!

3 cows on one rock ...

There's an old farmer saying about raining like a cow .... well, you know what I mean.  Friday north of us it rained like 3 cows on one rock.  But that was there, not here, right?

Well, north is upstream from here:

I know, "Sonny, Ya knew that river was there when you planted it."  That's part of the reason I don't farm any "low bottom" any more.  I really enjoyed working the river bottom ground, challenges and all.   But speaking as one who went through high school on ulcer meds, I didn't need it.  In fact, I've pulled back to the point it takes an 18 ft river to even bother me.

Yeah, I said 18.  I know, the forecast says 18.5.  It's only 6 inches, right? 6 inches of water over corn for a couple days .... hot days with a lot of sunshine ... may as well be 6 ft.

edit:  Thought I'd jump back in here. NOAA has revised the crest forecast downwards! current forecast is 16.8  HALLELUJAH!

Isn't that beautiful ?

I know, most people don't get that excited about corn spiking through the ground ... even farmers.  But a week ago Monday we had corn and bean ground worked with chemicals and fertilizer on it that had been rained on we could stale seedbed plant into.  I told Aman we had crop insurance on the corn, we had free replant from Beck's on corn and beans, there was no reason not to chance it.

So we went out before the predicted heavy rain and planted corn and beans.  Barely planted them. So shallow in ground so wet the slot barely closed.  And it rained. Aman brought the seed wagon in in the rain.  I finished planting in the rain.

Yep, that is a beautiful sight.

The beans look like their terribly thin.  I'm told if drilled beans look so thin you think they need replanted they're about right.  In that case the beans are perfect.

On the other hand, the 80 acres I though we were going to have to replant, the one the crop insurance adjuster said replant, the one we have the free replant seed for,  looks like it may no need replanted.  After 3 weeks we still have seedlings emerging.  Not just stragglers, but big blocks coming up at the same time.  I guess Becks "Escalate" seed treatment works.  By the time we are going to be able to get across the field and do anything I suspect we will look at it and say "Ya know, it ain't so bad".

But my seed dealer isn't sure how he is going to explain to the computer he is returning free replant seed corn.  It doesn't understand that.

Done with corn the first time ?

Corn's planted

Milo's planted.

Bean planting is underway.

So why don't I have a feeling of relief and accomplishment?

Well, first thing is I don't get a feeling of relief until we get a stand.  And I know I'm not done planting corn.

We've got 15 acres we plan on planting to corn every year, knowing half the time it won't happen.  Other than that we are done planting corn the first time.  I clarify that because we know we are going to replant 80 acres.  If the 100 acres we planted just before the rain this week doesn't come up we'll replant more.

Normally you have this feeling of accomplishment and relief when you get done with corn.  Right now it is just ... I'm not sure what word to use.  It doesn't feel finished and until we get a stand there's not much feeling of relief.

We planted about 100 acres of corn Monday and about 150 acres of beans.  And so far we haven't planted the first Roundup Ready soybean.

Tuesday was supposed to be a rainy, dreary day so Aman and I planned on doing some running around we needed to do.  It was a beautiful day.  That's kind of how the week has gone so far.  But we've missed the heavy rains.  We've had about an inch and a quarter this week.  Not far away they had 2" dumped on them quickly.  The storms tonight went north of us.  We'll see what the ones do to our southwest.  May be wet by morning. If not we might get some more beans planted Saturday.

What a difference a week makes ?

Just a quick post while I am trouble shooting Mom's internet connection.  Progress this week ...  Well, we got the milo planted.  Disked about 60 acres.  Mowed some roads.   Saturday it dried out enough we were able to plant 50 acres of Liberty Link soybeans.

Now I need a big sign that says "NO GLYPHOSATE - LIBERTY LINK BEANS".  

Maybe 2 signs.

Monday we have 62 acres we can plant to beans, another 30 that may be ready.  Our corn ground ... it's going to have to dried amazingly Sunday afternoon to even be a little too wet.  Someone asked me why I had a 12 row planter instead of a 16 or 24.  I can plant faster than the ground dries the way it is.

oh, Mom's internet.  It quit last Friday.  By the time I found out it was too late to get anyone here.  When I called Monday I think they lost the service order.  Anyway, Wednesday the service guy made it out and replaced and repaired it.  Put a new box on the antenna, declared the router broke, reprogrammed the interface ...

And DID he fix it.  It makes my Wild Blue look sick and I currently have the "Pro Package".  I may have to cut a few trees to get me line of sight to the Merom smokestack.

edit: spoke too soon.  It's been flaky all weekend.  Off - On  - Off - On.  Mom was convinced it was my new router.  Didn't make any difference, still flaky.