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Life on the Farm
Stoker:
Bjrogg they are about 120 miles north of the US border and in line with the east side of Montana.
They mostly grow Duram wheat and lentils. All dryland.
Thanks leroy
bjrogg:
I wish them the best Leroy. If I’m not mistaken they were pretty dry last year.
We are nothing like last year. Still cold and snowing here. Had about 3” yesterday morning but it’s mostly melted again. Last spring was warm and dry at this time. There were a lot of sugar beets planted by now. Nothing yet this year. Still okay yet though.
I wanted a plan B for the fertilizer knife setup. I think they will work ok with new colters but with partially worn ones I’m afraid they might be to deep and not close enough to the colter. I’m afraid that rocks and residue might make problems.
I decided to drill another set of holes to use with worn colters. It would have been easier to drill in drill press before they were welded on. Oh well I’ll get them. 10 rows done 8 more to go.
Have to drill through 3/4” thick steel . 18 holes 1/2” in diameter. That drilling through 13.5” of steel. Working in very uncomfortable position.
I like the fit though. And it could save me a lot of time during planting season.
Bjrogg
bjrogg:
We also got the water routed into the shop again. Sure will be nice to have water again.
We are all kinda independent thinkers around here. We spent part of a day arguing the best way to do it. When we were all done arguing we used a combination of best ways to do it and came up with a plan.
It went really good other than still some pretty deep frost on the north side of shop in the shade. Dig hard in places.
Our plan was to find water line underground on north side of shop. We didn’t want to cut cement in new part of shop floor because it has in floor heat. We wanted to come up into old shop floor.
I got thinking. When we built the original shop we put in a solar wall my dad designed. The south wall of shop had a solar wall. Just a double wall painted black inside with glass panels over it. When the temperature would get to 70 it would turn on a fan and blow the air through drainage tile surrounded by field stone under the floor. When we put on the addition we eliminated the solar wall. But the tile was still there.
All we had to do was dig under the shop enough to find a tile. Then we ran line right into shop without even have to cut a hole in the cement. Worked like a charm. Love it when a plan comes together
Bjrogg
bjrogg:
Well we have been busy getting everything ready.
I tested every system on the planter now. Hopefully it all works when I actually take it to the field. I don’t think we will get any beets planted by my birthday. The 16th. It’s drying pretty good now though. Getting really close. If it’s still dry Monday I think we should be able to go. They are talking snow Monday though. Wouldn’t be the first time I planted in snow flurries. We always say to have really good beets they need to get snowed on after you plant them and again before you harvest them. Usually the winning combination for good sugar % and good tons.
We have all of ours and my sons clover cover crops seeded into our winter wheat crop. About 565 acres. Thinking it should be having some decent weather to germinate. Hopefully we get a good “catch” as the seed has more than doubled in price.
We have fertilizer truck ready. Tractor and field cultivator ready. Our micro nutrients ready for mixing.
We got a bunch more stuff fixed on the two combines but they still need more.
We continue to try to get as many of our inputs on farm as we can. Seems like that’s been par for the course the past few years with Covid and the supply chain issues from shutdowns. This year has actually been the worst of the three springs . I think we should be able to make what we have work. Wasn’t really plan A, but at least we physically have stuff for plan B.
It’s Good Friday and lots going on this weekend, I’ll try to keep updates. Happy Easter everyone
Bjrogg
bjrogg:
Didn’t get any beets planted by my birthday, but did have a good one.
Our Harbor Beach Community Theatre has been struggling for years and the shutdowns didn’t help at all.
They are doing some out of the box thinking. They have been doing band concerts this year and this one was on my birthday. It was a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band. They put on a good show and the theater was a really cool place for a concert.
Wife and I went with several friends. Had a good time.
Bjrogg
PS Happy Easter
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