Corn’s Up!

Posted on May 11, 2009 by Dayphoto

New-Corn-003

And the lilacs are blooming!

Lilac-in-Bloom

Plus everywhere I get to pick up plastic shopping bags! Even in the lilac bushes! The wind has been amazing this year, bringing with it dust, dirt, mud rain, and other people’s trash.

Plastic-Bags

As long as there is snow in the mountains surrounding us we will have wind, but once the visible snow is gone it stops. We have had more wind than normal, so possibly there is more snow in ‘them thar hills’ than normal?

Today it is around 81*, lovely. No wind, just sun and blue, blue skies. Ahhhh.

Step Two of Our Western Colorado Farming

Posted on March 18, 2009 by Dayphoto

If you are opening up corn ground or tearing up an old hay field, all the farmers in our area plow.

I know that plowing is a dying process back east, but we have heavy clay soil and must plow.

So after disking we Terry plows

shinny-plow-shears

BUT if a farmer is going from a former bean field he can rip the field open because of how the beans grow causing a much loamier field.

ripper-002

Terry plowed all the old corn fields, and today he is ripping the old bean field.

I’m really glad he has retired, before all of this would have taken place after 7 at night and before 6 in the morning. Now, while I am at work, he is at work “playing” in his fields.

Corn Harvest Fall 2008

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Dayphoto

After finishing one field, and starting another field, the combine had a blow out. One reason Terry had 5 combines is one (and maybe two) is for parts.

But there was still enough light to continue the harvest. Besides Terry has lights on the combine and on the truck, but daylight is better.

Bladen wanted to help combine (which means ride).

Then it was time for Grammy to take Bladen back to his Momma and Daddy so he could eat supper.

Corn-Field Corn-Picking Corn-Feed Corn…..

Posted on September 5, 2008 by Dayphoto

Just like anything living, corn also has oddities in its lineage. This corn ear decided to grow on the top of the stalk, in place of one of the tassels.

Corn is food for deer, but not like food for you and I. Deer love to eat the silk. They will eat the kernels too, but yummm, they LOVE the silk!

The love to eat the silk just as the little kernels are forming, of course, that kills the ear. This ear has withered on the stalk from Deer munching silk.

This is the new variety of corn Terry grew this year.

The Plants are ‘Setting On’

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Dayphoto

The corn ears are developing….

The beans are blooming…..

And setting beans

Our Corn is Growing–

Posted on June 24, 2008 by Dayphoto

Will it be knee high by the 4^th of July?

New Corn

Posted on May 30, 2008 by Dayphoto

The corn is growing! A corn plant will fully expand about every three days during early stages of growth. As the days get warmer then growth accelerates to two days. Two leaves appear about the same time, creating a collar effect.

We now have acres of corn, rowing out!

Pheasant Damage

Posted on May 30, 2008 by Dayphoto

The pheasants LOVE to eat corn seed. They scratch up the growing seed and have a feast.

Something must have frightened the pheasant off, for it forgot to eat this seed.

Sprouting Corn Seeds

Posted on May 15, 2008 by Dayphoto

We checked (just before the rains came) to see where the little seeds were, in their creation process.

There is a baby sprout starting to attach itself to the ground as a root! WONDERFUL!

Time to Plant Corn

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Dayphoto

Higher input costs have not been good news for farmers, even though record prices were received last fall for corn. The cost of fuel, seeds, fertilizers, water, and taxes have ratchet up over the costs of last year.

Fuel and fertilizer are leading the way! The cost of diesel fuel has increased 55% since 2006. And fertilizer has gone up 70% since 2006.

Balancing input costs against sales is essential for a farmer….wonder what the forecast is for crops this fall?