The first thing (after moving the cows off ) is to start disking

The corn stalks and leaves must be shredded

Terry disks both ways

After that comes plowing

Terry only plows the corn fields.  The bean field is ripped and the alfalfa is marked out

The soil is just perfect right now.  It has just the right amount of moisture so we actually have loam.  Our soil (in this area) has some clay mixed into it, so getting the ground worked up when it is in the loam stage is really nice. 

It doesn’t always happen that way.

Misty is helping farm this year.  Although, I didn’t get her in the tractor she has been there. She spells Terry giving him a break.  She wants to take over the farm when we decide the work load is just too much. 

But back to the loam — Once the soil is plowed it is good to have freezing temperatures at night to help finish drying out the dirt.  Then (which is happening as I write this) Terry (and/or Misty) will go back in with the roller flatting out the plowed clods.

What we do NOT want to happen right now is for it to either rain or snow.  Plowed ground is like a sponge.  If it collects too much water then the farmer has to wait for it to dry out and because of the clay we then get clods.  Not good.  Those nasty lumps of soil stay that way for the rest of the season.

So far the weather is holding, the equipment is staying together, and having more people doing the physical work makes the work load a lot lighter.

Linda