Not often that I say this, but the weather here is doing O.K..  Still a little cooler than it should be at this time of year, mostly due to wind of varying strength.  In balance, that same wind has taken away a lot of surface water from the ground so although not "summer dry", we are not totally under water either.  I started the M and ran it for a few minutes before robbing the battery back for the JD 316.  got that done, hooked to the old roller and filled it with water. Day before yesterday I hauled the roller around for an hour or so and covered about 1/2 of the yard.  A little cooler out yesterday but full sun and I was O.K. with a quilted flannel shirt on.  Knowing rain was in the forecast, I kept going until the yard was finished.  In some low areas I was actually running in surface water, but brought up no mud and did not spin tires, so I kept going.  Now all that remains is what I usually refer to as the back field.  It looks like it may be dry until tomorrow, so with a high of 68 promised, that may be a good time.  We did have a fair amount of rain during the overnight, but no puddles showing in the driveway today, so not a total soaker.

As I recall last year, it was too wet to roll for a while, then hot and too dry to do any good after that.  I guess that puts me ahead of that game this year.

I have not been out and around to see what is going on on area cropland, so no report.  I suspect some fitting of ground is going on in the higher areas.

CharlieV.

Still too wet here in Ohio to do any field work. The rain Tuesday night flooded the fields again. Lawn needs mowed again, maybe Saturday afternoon. Have work day ay Portland tomorrow, so won't get much done here.

Project this week has been repairing the fenders on the 700. Gut in South Dakota makes repair panels for fenders for late SC's through early 830's, so got a pair of them and prepared the fenders and my brother, Gary, welded them up for me. Spent most of the week grinding and filling them. Got them painted today. They aren;t show quality, but will work great for a working tractor.

Wow, Ralph is at 41 degrees today. I imagine the snow is finally melting. Has to give him hope for some spring work.

Nice calm, sunny day here. It is about 56 degrees now with light breeze. Nice drying day, but still a bit cool to think about planting any corn in the area.

Gene

Its true, we have had a couple of days of real spring like weather. Just a month late. I thought I had posted this pic from the 25th April here but guess it was somewhere else. I dug out a trail to my air seeder with the dozer blade. Surprisingly there is not a lot of water showing up from the melt yet and the snow is disappearing slowly. Rain predicted for Monday though. Not what we need.

Stellar day here today.  Two days ago at least one forecaster called for 68 degrees, and that is what we had.  About 98 percent bright sunshine and almost no wind.  That is about as perfect as it can get. I finished the rolling and put the battery back into my Wifes Cub Cadet so she could do a little mowing.  Not a lot of grass to take off but it looks better with the taller spots evened down.  

I did not get to installing the new tire on the wheel for the golf cart, but not as young as I used to be.  Just happy to get something accomplished.  Tomorrow is another day.

Hope you men enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Charlie V

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Ohio and Indiana. Had our work day at Portland. Our gang  did a lot of tree trimming at the club grounds. I took my trailer to haul the brush to the city grounds. Hauled 3 loads and were done by noon. Temperature got to about 72 degrees with light winds and lots of sunshine. Was nice to get together with a lot of friends and catch up from the summer. I came home and mowed most of my grass. I had started on Friday night with the John Deere and just got a good start when it destroyed the mower drive belt, so spent the evening cleaning the mower deck and sharpening the blades. finished the mowing Saturday afternoon with the Gravely. Grass was really getting rank for the second mowing. Finished about 7:30.

This morning started with light rain and on and off showers all day. Been working on the Gravely getting it ready for the next mowing. Cleaned the deck, sharpened the blades and adjusted the belts. Just got it done and in the barn when the rain started heavy and got wet getting to the house.

Looks like Ralph is getting some warmer spring weather. Will sure help get rid of the snow. Hope the water is not a great problem. Gonna be a lot of long hourd when he can get in the field.

Gene

Got a real range of extremes here as usual. Grass fires in SW Sask. , snow north of me and then fairly nice right here today. Got up into the fifties today but tomorrow the high is forecast to be the freezing point along with some nice new snow. So I got inspired to plant a row of early potatos today. Kind of a contrast with snowbanks in the background.

Ralph, that potato planting brings a whole new meaning to the very old country song, "TAKE AN OLD COLD TATER AND WAIT".  Hope the soil warms enough to allow the little buggers to sprout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBi_CyJe604

We are doing good here.  We are going for highs in the 70's the rest of the week with a couple of days at 77.   That warmth will surely finish bringing out the partially formed tree leaves.  Have had a few showers since Saturday night, but more off than on and pretty light.

The lawn is all rolled and completely mowed once so we may be good for a few days there.  The new tires ordered came last week, so one is mounted on the wheel and on the electric golf cart.  I do not expect to catch up with Gene, but little by little we make progress.

Charlie

Ralph, that potato planting brings a whole new meaning to the very old country song, "TAKE AN OLD COLD TATER AND WAIT".  Hope the soil warms enough to allow the little buggers to sprout.

Charlie

I remember my uncles talking about that song by little Jimmy Dickens. I might have been a little early planting those taters. Although they are well insulated from the cold by a snowbank this morning.  Today is absolutely miserable with snow and drifting and temp in the 20s. I've seen nicer days in January at 20 below zero . This is just crazy for April 30.

82 degrees today, full sun, and low humidity.  This would be fine for the entire summer.  It is supposed to hold for several more days.  In my travels the last couple of days I see a lot of freshly worked ground and some planters in the fields.  It looks like we over the winter hump for this year.  I took the car and the SUV through the laser car wash for a good under body wash.  I do not expect to have to travel in any more road salt for a few months, so time to get rid of it.  Went and got a needle in my right eye this morning but it is not feeling too bad at this point.  Good for another ten weeks on that.  

Charlie V.

What a difference a day (or two) makes. We are catching up to you Charlie. I saw 70 degrees here this afternoon. Sunshine and blue sky made for a beautiful day and we sure enjoyed it. Still too much mud and the odd snowdrift in the fields to do anything but we made good use of the day I think. Carpe Diem!
[video=youtube;Uno-NWC--xU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uno-NWC--xU&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Wow, what a difference at Ralph's. Can't believe the snow melted off that much in the past week. Really nice to have a few genuine spring days.

Been nice here in Ohio also. Typically 70's for high temp and upper 50's at night. No rain the past week and ground is really drying up. I have about 8 acres to plant to soybeans and I have it ready to plant. Disced it and leveled with the Harrogator on Friday and on Saturday I ran the cultimulcher over it. Ned to get inoculant for the seed and plant them Monday. Tried working the hayfield down today, but still too wet to do a good job. Just have to wait on it. Been seeing a few farmers in the fields, but not a lot of activity yet.

Gene

It certainly is amazing how we have changed in less than a week. Up to 80 degrees on Tuesday when I shot that trucking video. I posted a link to it on the old ATIS list but I don't know if it got through or not. Seems like most of my mail there goes missing. I actually did a little experimental tillage today working fireguards in stubble with the 2090 Case and old Cockshutt 249 cultivator. Those narrow shovels tore up the ground pretty well. Still the odd snowbank in the bushes though.
[video=youtube;9_QoiMznXeI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_QoiMznXeI[/video]

Interesting video of your ground ripping, Ralph.  Are the fire breaks so you can burn the straw, or is it just part of working the ground??  I am a little dumb about some of the ways of big farming, so have to ask questions to learn.
   
Summer is over in this neighborhood, and winter(almost) has returned.  A low somewhere in the 30's last night.  Only at 39 when I looked at am, after an hour of sunshine.  The weather people have a freeze warning posted for tonight.  I hope not.  things are doing too nicely.  Yesterday was in the low 50's with wind at 25 to 44 MPH, so not too pleasant out there.  More of the same today with a little less wind.  We have had some rain, but not huge amounts.  Without a gauge out, I would guess around an inch over three days, more off than on. The warm up should start again tomorrow.  You can send over some warm air sooner if you want, Gene.

Charlie V.

Charlie;

You will have to look to Ralph for warm weather. He is at 81 degrees right now, We are at 46 degrees, about the same as you. Just missed frost this morning by a couple degrees. Supposed to start warming up here tomorrow, so after we get done with it we will send some your way. Last Friday's rain put everything here on hold. Ground too wet still. Did see some fertilizer being put on today. Forecast for 70's rest of the week and daily chances of rain. Portland swap meet is this week, so can plan on rain for that. I plan to go on Wednesday and Friday. Have an appointment at dentist on Thursday to get fitted for my new teeth. Getting a partial plate to replace the 4 bottom teeth I have missing.

Made the trip to Missouri on Thurdsay and back home on Friday. Got the parts to fix up the big Case, I hope. Trip went well till the last couple hundred miles before I got home. The truck started blowing out oil from the breather tube and the alternator quit working. Got to within 45 miles of home and just got off the I-70 freeway when the truck wouldn't go any farther. Called my neighbor and he came to the rescue with a set of jumper cables and got enough charge in the battery to get home. Diesel fuel is getting into the crankcase and diluted the oil to the point it was forcing it out the breather tube. Guess I will have to give it some attention now.

Bet Ralph is working some of his high ground right now.

Gene

Charlie, the fireguards are just insurance in case a neighbour's fire gets into my place. All south Sask. is under a fire risk advisory right now as conditions have dried up so much and with winds like today a fire would be almost unstoppable.
Yes, getting a few acres done with as usual , holdups and waiting. Changed anhydrous suppliers and the new guys are doing their best but just run off their feet and running out of anhydrous so I am limited to one tank a day . Got a good 300 acres done. It goes well when I can go but this waiting is hard to take. Still seed to haul and clean. Showers this morning and wet weekend coming up so I'm losing hope of getting a crop planted on time this year. I don't know what is going on with all the repeats and double sentences in this post but I can't seem to stop or edit it out.
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