The link worked fine, Gene.  Fox is not as bad as what I was thinking.  We have our share of Red Fox around here (not the junk yard one, Sanford) but I have not seen a black one.  Once in a great while I have seen silver.


Charlie

Charlie;

I had never seen a black fox either. I did a little research and learned the red fox actually develope 3 different colors. The commom red, silver gray and black. They can actually come from the same litters. I actually suspect what some people report as a black panther is actually a black fox. I have no bad feelings toward foxes and actually like seeing them around. A large portion of their diet is rodents and they are welcome to them. Any dog I have ever had seemed to take them in stride when they come around the barnyard. Guess they see them as cousins. There is a den of them somewhere in my neighbor's woods behind mine. Lots of good cover there. Have seen evidence of digging in some mole runs and they may be after them.

More rain here yesterday. I emptied 1.5 inches from my rain gauge yesterday morning from Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Even the Amish have stopped husking corn due to the mud.

Gene

Incredible amount of rain you have Gene. More than we have had all summer I think. Nothing here, just cold. Gas furnace running now as it was down to 62 in the house and downright uncomfortable. Sure glad my crop is all in the bin. Now I need to get rid of the flax straw but it is too dry to risk burning .
You need to set up a trail cam like I have here to catch some of the night life out in your yard. It is pretty entertaining.
Like this coyote who I think has noticed the camera.

Interesting picture of the coyote. I was just talking to my brother yesterday about setting up a camera. No telling what I would see. I am seeing a lot of deer tracks in the muddy field. Wish the critters would wipe their feet before they cross my airstrip.

I was able to drive the tractor across the field to the woods yesterday to retrieve my disc there. Got along alright with only light tracks as long as I stayed on the high ground. Hadn't used the disc for about 5 years since I caught the end on a railroad tie fence post and bent the gang axle shaft. Also broke the cast bearing on one side. Got the shaft straightened last night and put it back together with the broken bearing on the inside end so when I find a bearing I can change it without disassembling the whole gang. JD wants $147.00 for just the bearing spool. Can't justify that cost. Got a wanted ad on YT list for a used one.

More rain today and looks like heavier rain coming through tomorrow noon. Only harvest is the Amish husking corn. Cooler weather coming with possible freeze for Sunday morning.

 May be a cool damp day for George Willer's sale tomorrow.

Gene

Western Ohio has changed since last week. Finally getting some dry weather and sunshine. Frosty mornings and 50 degree days. Forecast to be in 70's for the weekend.

Farmers are finally getting a good start on harvest. Ground is drying out enough to run corn and soybeans. Some corn harvest started about Tuesday and today was the first good day for soybeans. Starting to see lines at the elevator. I got fertilizer spread on my bean stubble ground today. Did a little trial with the disc, but a little too wet. Hope to be able to plant wheat next week.

Leaves are starting to turn. Getting some nice colors. About 2 weeks for prime colors.

Gene

Our neighborhood in still in our first freeze.  Last night got down to 24 F and is not yet much above that.  I suspect this is what farmers have been waiting for before harvest of corn and soybeans.  Most look very dry but are still standing in the field.  Leaves are pretty well changed with some falling, but lack brilliant color this year.  The hard freeze may change that for as long as they stay on the trees.  I did see some acreage being seeded to wheat in the last few days.  The darn grass sure has not slowed it's growth.  We have been under the weather here with head colds and bronchial infections for a week or so.  Hopefully we are getting on the yonder side of that deal as the antibiotics are almost used up.

Charlie

Harvest is history on this farm, and pretty much the whole area although I did hear of one guy that still had a field to do as of yesterday. After a cold damp week I am glad it is done and the combines in the shed. We even had a bit of wet snow one morning. No measurable precip though and the ground is still hard and dry as bricks. Still got my flax straw to burn and working fireguards was hard going as the spikes would hardly go in the ground some places. Other places broke up chunks of soil like boulders and just about as hard. Lawn mowers and field sprayers are parked for winter but we could still see some nice days this fall. Picture of the yard a few days ago.
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Harvest in Ohio has been in starts and spurts. Get 2 or 3 drying days to get in to the fields for 1 or 2 afternoons of harvesting, then the rain comes again. Usually about 4pm. Still a lot of corn and soybeans still in the fields. Been trying to get my ground worked to plant my wheat, but the rains keep the ground just a little too wet to do the finishing passes.. Raining now since mid afternoon. Not hard rain, but sure not dryng the fields.

Been hauling soybeans for the Amish. They grow organic crops and sell it to an organic chicken farm for organically produced eggs. It is about a 27 mile trip each way pulling a gravity wagon with about 190 bushels. Makes for a long trip and sometimes hard to stay awake at 20 MPH. Made 7 trips this week. Next week they will start shelling corn and will be hauling that to the same place. Makes a nice income supplement.

Temperatures are jumping all over the scale, from frosty mornings and occasionally to 74 degrees in the afternoons. Lots of humidity in the air and makes the cool mornings feel even worse. Got the wood stove going tonight to take the chill off of the 42 degrees outside.

Gene

You sure do stay busy, Gene.  At 20 MPH, your truck is probably running in second gear all of the time.  That can make it drink a little extra fuel no doubt.

This weekend I notice that some area soybeans are gone from the field, but not a lot.  A few fields of corn are gone also and some of the ground has been worked.  Some fields of winter wheat look like huge, green lawns.  We have been seeing plenty of rain lately and our drought has been declared "officially over" by at least one newspaper article that I read.  Not many days lately without a 15 mph or more wind blowing.  With Temps in the 50's and low 60's the wind can make it just a little unpleasant out of doors.

Today is going to be sunny with little wind so I have to get moving to get as many getting ready for winter chores done as I can.

Charlie.

We might be only hours away from winter here in sask. 20 degrees this morning and snow in the forecast for tonight. Glad I got the combines put away in the sheds on the weekend when the temp got up to 60. Hope you guys in the south get the weather you need to finish harvest. Glad I got this flax straw burning job done a week ago too.

Ice on the plow seat this morning. Most of Sask. is getting wet snow and the highways are a little dangerous I hear. Is the real beginning of winter? Seems a little early even for Sask.

No ice or snow here today.  We are catching warm air due to the large storm along the lower U.S. East coast.  Current temp. is 77 degrees F. with full sunshine.  One more day promised before a drastic change.  Best to enjoy it while it lasts.

Charlie

We had 3 days of Indian Summer. Highs in the upper 70's and lots of sunshine. That all changed overnight last night. High yesterday of 77 degrees and 50 this morning and now at 4:30, it is 42 degrees. Rain started about 10:30am. I hauled a load of shelled corn to the chicken farm this morning and planned to plant the last 10 acres of wheat. Just got the drill hooked up when the rain started. Been raining steady light rain since. May not get the rest of the wheat planted. Planted the other 10 acres on Thursday morning after a 3 day rain delay. Possible snow forecast for Sunday and Monday and high temps in the 30's.

Local farmers had almost 3 days of harvest weather. Been good conditions for corn harvest. Soybean fields are showing many combine ruts in the wet areas.

I hauled a total of 9 loads of corn to the chicken farm this week. Felt like I was married to the truck seat, especially at 20 to 25 MPH for the trip. Working on my 3rd tank of diesel fuel.

Gasoline price is really taking a plunge. Local station posted $3.04 this morning and diesel price was $4.04. How to explain that?

Gene

Those warm temps sound pretty good compared to here in Sask. I am wearing full winter gear when I work out in the yard now. Never got above 28 degrees yesterday. A few flakes of snow fall each day but no real accumulation yet. Got my driveway trimmed up for winter last weekend when it was a few degrees warmer so it wasn't too bad sitting out on the Cockshutt 40.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieIg5iKliJM
[video=youtube;ieIg5iKliJM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieIg5iKliJM[/video]

Man, do not complain, Gene.  I bought gas yesterday at the lowest $$$ station near here for $3.909.  $ 3.04 around here would be like a Christmas present.  With seven refineries near Phillie, the next claim will be that Hurricane Sandy did damage to reduce the supply so price will have to go up.  It is all a giant con game.

We enjoyed a high of 82 degrees on Thursday and about 75 yesterday.  I put the plow on my truck yesterday.  It seemed like 75 is better working weather than Ralph has so get 'er done.  The national news is clamoring for up to a foot of snow in W. Virginia next week but I do not take much stock in those claims.  It is just good to have it done and be prepared for whenever.  Maybe it will keep the snow away.

Charlie