Farmer in the Making

What motivates you?  What makes you tick?  My boys are totally different and while I know that cows make my oldest happy (and gives me something to ground him from), finding what makes my youngest happy has been a challenge for me.

In December, we took our youngest son to an agronomy meeting.  He sat quietly during the presentations.  He visited the vendor booths and signed up for door prizes.  He listened intently as the door prizes were drawn.  The year before he had won a pair of tickets to a K-State Basketball game, but this year he had his eye on a framed John Deere print to hang in his room.  Sadly, he did not win the print, but instead he got a prize worth more...2 bags of seed corn.

He really wanted that print, but we finally convinced him that he could plant the corn, watch it grow and take the money from his corn and buy a John Deere print he picked out, so that takes us to this past week. 

His seed was delivered and he waited impatiently for the time to plant his corn.

 He learned that you should wait until the soil temperature is at least 50 degrees before you plant corn.  He learned how to check the temperature with a soil thermometer which looks a lot like a meat thermometer.  (Well, Ok that IS my meat thermometer, because the soil thermometer got beat up by a calf when I was using it to monitor the temperature in the hot box.)

 

 On Wednesday after school, I took the boy to the field to help plant HIS corn from Pioneer.  He ran to the tractor, because dad had started without him. 

 Dad let him sit in the driver seat.  Our tractor is equipped with Autosteer and will drive in a straight line back and forth through the field guided by satellites.

 I hear he got really good at turning the tractor around and pushing the button to get the autosteer started again.

 Even though the tractor can drive itself, it is hard to take your eyes off of where you are going. 

 Sunday evening, we finished planting the rest of the corn.  We started what will be a Sunday evening visit to the corn field to check on its progress and I hope to keep up and post here every week.  We walked out into the field away from the entrance.

 

Dad uses his pocket knife to dig down and find the seed very gently, so we don't break off the root. 

 

 Can you see it?

They dug it out of the trench, so we could see it and it has a root!  It has only been planted 6 days and already has a good start.  They carefully placed in back in the trench and loosely covered it with soil.

 

I am still not sure what makes my youngest tick, but I do know that he looked pretty proud walking into the field with his dad to check his corn.  I do know that the kid that I can barely get to read the minimum minutes required each week all school year, read 3 times the amount just this weekend.  Maybe getting to be a real farmer like dad will motivate him not only on the farm, but in the rest of his life.  Time will tell.

Thank you to DuPont Pioneer for letting a little boy become a farmer in the making.

-A Kansas Farm Mom

Common Knowledge or Science?

Another question from one of my Facebook followers and I got My Farmer to help with the answers!

Lisa asked, "First, let me say I am completely farming illiterate. I would really like to know how farmers know when to perform the functions of farming (ie: planting/sowing, harvesting, tilling, not tilling, burning a field, watering). Is it all passed down from generation to generation, or more trial and error? How much stock do you take in the Farmer's Almanac?"

First of all I want to say that I am so happy that I have those of you that are "farming illiterate" following me on Facebook and reading my blog.  That is exactly why I do this.  If you haven't noticed, I don't sell advertising on my blog which means I am making no money doing this.  I spend the time writing, so you know where your food comes from and how it is raised and if you have a question I can help you find a honest answer.  So thank you for following me especially if you don't know everything about what we do!!

Some of what we do is passed down from generation to generation, but honestly today most of our decisions are based on science and research.  Some decisions are somewhat personal preference and what works with your labor force and mindset.  Let me explain and try not to bore you to tears.

Let's start with corn planting.  Corn is one of those crops that is very dependent on temperature above and below ground.  We try not to plant corn until the soil temperature is at least 50 degrees.  If the soil is cooler than that, the seed will not germinate and will likely lie in the soil and rot.

Tilling and not tilling.  This is one process that is probably determined more by tradition than anything else.  We practice no-till farming which means we do not work or till the ground at all before we plant the next crop.  There are a couple other farmers in the area that farm this way, but most still farm similar to the way their fathers did.  My farmer has a degree in Agronomy and believes it is best for the health of the soil, earthworms and soil microbes.  We also see the benefit in reduced chemical and fuel usage.  

Harvesting.  The basis of determining when to harvest a crop centers around the moisture content of the grain and not the actual plant.  When grain is harvested and stored in a elevator or grain bin it cannot have excessive moisture.  Simply put it will spoil, large fans and heaters can decrease moisture some but there is no substitute for wind and sunshine to dry a crop.  Farmers must also harvest their crops before they get too dry.  If the grain gets too dry, it will shatter out and fall to the ground before the combine can harvest it.  This is good for the field mouse, but not the farmer.  -The Farmer

Burning.  Most crops do not require old dead material to be removed by fire; however, there are a few grass crops that can have tremendous benefits to having the old material being removed. For instance in the tall grass prairies of the Flint Hills, fire has become an important tool in managing encroachment of brush and trees.  These prairies developed under centuries of fire in their ecosystem.  Only recently has human intervention disrupted this process.  Now we have more residences in rural areas that need protection from wild fires and with these homesteads come fence rows, shelter belts and other areas that provide seed to infest native prairie with trees.  -The Farmer

Watering.  We personally do not irrigate our crops actually there are very few in our area that do, but my friends in California irrigate their almond trees.  Would you believe that their computer tells them when to turn on the water?  They have sensors buried in the ground that tell them when the ground is getting dry and tells them when and where to direct the valuable water. 

Farmer's Almanac.  To be completely honest, I don't remember the last time I read a Farmer's Almanac.  The Farmer and I were in a store the other day and laughed at the number of options there were for an almanac-I think there were 5 different ones in one store.    

I hope this answers your questions, if not ask me some more on Facebook.  I need some help on what to keep writing about.  I have ideas, but would love to answer your question if you have one!

-A Kansas Farm Mom

An October Tradition- Ghosting

The Farmer has been busy planting wheat and since we no-till farm, I have been busy with my own projects.  I still have to keep the seed wheat trailer to the field so he doesn’t run out of seed, but the boys and I have time to do other things as well.  One of our favorite October activities is “Ghosting.”  My brother in law told us about this activity several years ago.  I like this activity, because you do something nice for someone else and don’t expect anything in return.  Halloween is too much about what kind of candy and how much they can get.

So here is how it goes.  I put together some goody bags of Halloween supplies.  If I remember, I try to buy these items on clearance and store them for the following year.  I don’t usually do a lot of candy, but instead have decorations, spider rings, even some Halloween shirts, themed plates, napkins, cups, etc.

I also include a note that explains the ghosting process.  I have left it plain, because I don’t want people to be overwhelmed with the thought of Ghosting.  It should be fun for everyone involved and the kids honestly don’t care what they get.  The surprise of getting a gift is too much fun for them.  I just draw a very simple ghost for them to hang on the door.

Happy Halloween!

"You've Been Ghosted"

• Now it's your turn to "ghost" two other people in your neighborhood.
• You should "ghost" these people within 2 days of receiving your treat.
• Hang the ghost on your front door so that everyone can see that you have been "ghosted" and will not ghost you again. This will also let you know who you can ghost.
• Fill 2 bags with candy and treats. Copy this letter and the ghost twice. Include treats, letter, and ghost in your bag of goodies for the neighbors that you choose.
• After dark, and only with an adult, "ghost" 2 of your neighbors. Do not let the person that you are "ghosting" see you, for it adds to the fun of it all. Place the treat bag on the doorstep, ring the doorbell and run!
• Let’s see how many ghosts we can make appear before Halloween!

Next, we have to pick someone to ghost.  Since we live in the country, we always try to pick at least one family outside the city limits.  We have found that it is much easier to Ghost in town than the country.  The first year we did only rural houses.  We got caught at the last house and ended up eating supper with them.  LOL Only in rural American!

The idea is to leave the goodie bag on the front porch, ring the doorbell and RUN!!  The Farmer almost killed himself one year running off a porch.  Last night it took the boys 3 times before they finally knocked on the door.  I couldn’t believe we didn’t get caught since we were driving the diesel farm truck that is really loud and we parked outside this house for what seemed like 10 minutes.  

Ghosting in the country takes a knowledge of how to keep the headlights turned off on your car.  These new automatic headlights make it a bit more difficult but not impossible.  It also helps if you are friends with your friend’s dogs or you know when they won’t be home.  I only know these because I have had friends use both tactics.

Last year, we ghosted the boys Kindergarten teacher only to find out she had taken her ghost down the day before.   Lesson:  Don’t take your ghost down until after Halloween. 

Happy Ghosting!  Let me know about your adventures in Ghosting!

-A Kansas Farm Mom

The Farmer's view while planting wheat this week.