Thanks for the education on firebreaks, Ralph.  That was my concept of them, buy my mind always associated them with forests rather than fields.  I can see why thet are important in your situation.  Too bad about the anhydrous shortage holding you back.  Hope the weather holds for you to catch up.

Out temperature has been good the last three days.  low 80's one day.  On the other hand, the wind has been very strong and giving the now fully leafed trees a good workout.  It seems to be blowing 25-35 MPH every day.

No repeats or double sentences in your post on my monitor, so it may be a problem in your computer only.

Gene, glad you were able to find the parts needed for the case.  From here Missouri seems pretty far off.  Hard to think of you doing it in one day  i guess it comes down to location, location, location.  Hope the Dodge is easily fixable.  

Hey, it's past my bedtime.  I did not know it was that late.  Been doing some research.


Later,

Charlie V.

Charlie;

Glad you are enjoying the warm weather we are sending your way.. We are having great weather here in Ohio. Afternoon temps in the 80's with plenty sunshine. Farmers working everywhere planting corn and soybeans, even making hay. Ground is in ideal condition for spring work. My soybeans are breaking through the ground nicely and sweet corn in the garden is up and nicely rowed. Got the alfalfa field seeded on Tuesday, so hope that grows good. Even put out 3 tomato plants yesterday, so will have tomatoes to go with the sweet corn this summer. Grass is growing pretty fast and hard to keep up with the mowing.

Attended the Portland swap meet on Wednesday and going back today. Only found a few things, but get to do a lot of visiting with good friends.

Dodge truck still not fixed. Haven't determined if it is an injector or the fuel pump. Either way it will be an expensine repair. Just need to find someone with the right scanner to pinpoint the problem.

Gene

Charlie;

Glad you are enjoying the warm weather we are sending your way..

Dodge truck still not fixed. Haven't determined if it is an injector or the fuel pump. Either way it will be an expensine repair. Just need to find someone with the right scanner to pinpoint the problem.

Gene

I guess Gene is still fixing the Dodge and Charlie maybe planting soybeans in the garden. I have been in the tractor almost non stop the last two weeks it seems so not much time to check in here. I did take the time to set up the Gopro camera on the air seeder for a view of the machinery at work and was well satisfied with the results.
Planting going well . Driest conditions in a few years which is a nice change. Little rain this afternoon was just enough to shut me down. Only about 80 acres to go.
[video=youtube;6fs4-5_ckIk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fs4-5_ckIk&feature=youtu.be[/video]

By now Ralph, you probably have the last 80 acres planted.  Your air seeder looks like a get 'er done piece of equipment.  From the shots from the top of the seed tank, it looks like the ground was pretty dry then.  
from the name air seeder, I am guessing the seeds are blown into the soil.  Some different from the old Ontario grain drill we used to use.  It had the whole row of handles across the ack to lift each hoe as needed when they became tangled with vegetation so the seed would not cover.  I spent a lot of time riding on it, leaning over the seed and fertilizer bins to monitor the hoes and push the handles.  If there was much dead grass in the field, it could keep one busy.  I think the original operation was for a man to walk behind to do that job and manage the lines for the horses pulling the drill.


Gene sent me some cold weather with rain for a few daus, then the guys in Canada sent strong, cold North wind for a few more days.  Today finally settled down and we made it back over 70 degrees.  I finished my mowing late morning after the grass dried, then changed oil and filter on the mower.

Well I had a lot more here, but it somehow got lost and I got logged out.  This is all the auto save save saved.

Charlie V..

By now Ralph, you probably have the last 80 acres planted.  Your air seeder looks like a get 'er done piece of equipment.  From the shots from the top of the seed tank, it looks like the ground was pretty dry then.  
from the name air seeder, I am guessing the seeds are blown into the soil.

Well I had a lot more here, but it somehow got lost and I got logged out.  This is all the auto save save saved.

Charlie V..

Hi Charlie. I know how annoying that is to lose all you have typed. Unfortunately I did not finish seeding due to rain. While rain does a lot of good to whats planted it will make the last field late. Plus I'm thinking I may have to re=plant one field due to my own mistakes. A lot of those green wild oats growing in that video did not die and the rain brought them back to life so they will choke out the crop.
Yes the air seeder is a huge improvement over drills. Dump all the seed and fertilizer in the tank and it is metered out by precision augers into an air stream where it is delivered through the lines to each of the 42 openers. Transport is a dream, just push the hydraulic lever to fold the wings. I used to break my back taking apart the heavy hitch of the 22 foot seed rites and hitching one behind the other to move to the next farm.
I'll post a picture of the most expensive seed I have ever planted. That bag of canola sitting on top of the air seeder is over $500 . My old half ton pickup hauled home over $7000 worth in one trip and had room for plenty more.

OMG, Ralph.  Farming is really big business these days.  I hope the product of the crop has value in keeping with seed and fertilizer cost. I remember when I was a kid a bushel of Alfalfa seed cost $34.50 and if I remember correctly, it was only 34 pounds / bushel For the ground with the wild oats:  Would mowing the oats as low as possible now do the new seeded crop any good.  Naturally mowing would be time and money but probably far less than working ground and re seeding. Just the first thought that pooped into my head, but maybe not helpful.  

Charlie

Well I just looked it up and alfalfa is 60 lbs. per bushel.  Maybe Dad only bought 1/2 bushel, or maybe he did have 60 lbs.

Planting and field work is winding down here in western Ohio. Most farmers have finished planting with a few of the big operators still working some of the spread out fields.

I planted some of that $3.92 a pound alfalfa a couple weeks ago. $293.00 to seed 3.5 acres. Just now getting a little rain to get it started. Had about 3 tenths last night. I watered the sweet corn yesterday to help give it a quick start. Soybeans coming along nicely. Rain softened the thin crust on the beans and still have more emerging.

Got the truck back together on Saturday night after replacing the injection pump and all new seals on the injectors. Didn't want to drive till I got it checked out this morning on a scanner at the local diesel shop, so looks like it is ready to go now.

Had a cool holiday weekend. Not too good for the folks at the lakes. Was dry Friday through Sundaywith scattered showers on Monday. Warming up for the rest of the week with highs in the 80's and chance of rain at week's end.

Gene

No need to water the sweet corn here at the moment.  Two inches of rainfall yesterday and last night.  Yesterday I noticed a few fields of alfalfa hay cut and gone,  Another however was laying all nice and flat and was getting very wet.  It seems to me haying is getting going about two weeks ahead of time here,  Many acres of corn now showing in the fields in it's neat rows.  The tallest I have seen is four to five inches, but looking good. More storms expected for today.

Glad to hear the Dodge is back on it's feet, Gene.  I hope that will be the last time you will have to get your  hands dirty on it for a while. Diesels sure can be a messy deal when they need work.

Lots to do today, so I must pedal my tricycle out of here.  

Charlie V.

Wow, first of June already!!!!

Been having nice dry weather for the last few days. Was getting a little dry till last night when a storm came through. Looks like a little over an inch in the gauge. Was very welcome on the crops. It did however come with some strong winds. The sweet corn is laying over at about 45 degree angle, but is oly about 5 inches high, so will straighten up and be fine. Wind broke off a maple tree in the lawn next to the apple trees. Was about 6 inches at base. Broke off and split about 5 feet from ground. Had wind gusts about 65 MPH.

Looks like planting is all finished. Lots of hay being made. Appears to be good growth. Worked on the haybine and sprayer for last 2 days, so they are ready to go now. Should have a 4 day window next week to make my hay. Mild days and warm nights have got the crops and lawns growing nicely.

Hope Ralph has finished the last 80 acres and Charlie has caught up on his chores.

Gene

Thanks for the good wishes, Gene.  Actually, I have no hope of ever catching up on my chores, at least until after I go to the hospital and "get fixed" ( not in the same manner as one would do a tom cat).  We just finished two do little days here with temp. at 90 degrees +.  We may have broken the 91 degree record high yesterday, but I haven't checked the official report.  We showed 92.5 here in the shade at one point. --------------------Nope. No record. Just checked.  The official was 89.8 with 94% rel. Humidity.  We did some necessary travel, then laid low for the rest of the day.  I did see one field of corn that was knee high, at least on a midget.  The germination looked a little spotty, but it was not volunteer as it was all in rows.  Looks to be loose partly sandy soil in that area.

Only going to 85 today.  I hope to get out shortly and move some iron to mow where it sits.  It annoys me to see two foot grass growing up around things.  I guess I will take a can of raid along to deal with any hornets that have set up housekeeping.  That much activity will most likely finish me off for the day.

It is good to read the progress reports you two men post up here.  Lots of hay going down in this area right now.  I hope the thunderstorms hold off so the farmers can get it up and in.

Charlie V.

Had a couple 90 degree days this past week. Humidity was low, so not too uncomfortable working outside. Air was so dry that we didn't have any morning dew. The rain yesterday was welcome and temps are coming down.

I was in the process of moving machinery and mowing the high spots. Rain came up and drove me inside. Had a light shower then and when I was going back out, the storm came up and ended that plan. There is some hay down locally that got wet yesterday evening. Most agree the moisture was worth getting the hay wet.

Been suffering with a pinched nerve in my back that makes any bending and walking painful. Went to chiropractor on Thursday and got readjusted. Still pretty sore this morning, but should be better when the nerve heals.

Gene

We had some of that terrible wind here too. I think there was one decent day in the past ten that the wind was not excessive. I managed to spray 55 acres to apply some pre emergent herbicide. Had to re-seed a 130 acre field due to wild oats. Finished the last 48 acre field of oats today and here is the view out the back window of the 2090 of the Morris packer harrow I was pulling after I finished seeding. Fifty feet wide but that wide lens on the Gopro camera fits it in . I might eventually get around to putting a video together for youtube but it is far down on the list. My yard looks like a hayfield in places. Still waiting for the first cutting. Chem fallow needs doing . Still rocks to pick and harrow on the last field so I doubt I will ever catch up but hopefully not fall too far behind.
We actually had a frost warning here last night but it didn't get that low. Highs are not bad, somewhere around 70 most days I think.

That is a good looking cultimulcher in your last photo, Ralph.  Looks to break the soil down pretty fine.  I can't imagine working with an implement more than ten feet wide.

After my last post, we had more 90 or near 90 degree days, then the strong north winds came up again and hauled the temp. down fast. We hung in the 50's and low 60's with the cold wind for a few days. The rain started yesterday morning.  This morning we have a new 2  3/4" in the rain gauge and may get spotty rain today.   Yesterday was the first time ever the opening day of the LPGA tournament at Locust Hill Country Club had to be completely cancelled.  That Club is about 10 miles from here.  

Not a whole lot else going on around here at the moment.  So far it looks like it is going to be another very good year for crops, but everything is subject to change when it comes to the weather.  I guess no one knows that better than Gene and Ralph.

Charlie V.

That is a good looking cultimulcher in your last photo, Ralph.  Looks to break the soil down pretty fine.  I can't imagine working with an implement more than ten feet wide.


Charlie V.

That is actually a packer harrow I am pulling Charlie. Coil packers in front and spring tine harrows behind and it does a good job of smoothing and packing. Nobody uses them much these days of zero till and once over seeding. But they work well for my "old tech" farming methods. When my SIL drives it she carries a small saw in the cab in case she gets the wheel too close to the trees . You can't back up with this implement.
Been spraying chem fallow and canola here for what seems iike most of the week. Perfect conditions yesterday. Not too hot or windy. We could use a little rain. I even got in an hour of grass cutting around the yard one evening while waiting for the wind to drop (It didn't).  First time over so its heavy going for the little JD in some places.

So I guess the difference is the cultimulcher usually would have packers front and back with spring drag teeth in the center.?