Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Corn planting

On June 7, after helping to unload the moving truck I drove to SDak. 103 degrees in Mpls. that day and two mornings later I awakened to 48 degrees. Personally I prefer 103!
On the 8th I got my cornfield plowed and disked. The next day I went to plant corn and the planter immediately broke down. One of wheel hubs wore out.
I knew my friend, FA, had an old planter he used for parts. He said have at it and luckily I found the hub I needed. Then I stopped in at my favorite mechanic's, MH, looking for help. He was about to leave to celebrate his 54th wedding anniversary....by this time it was late in the day. So we decided we'd work on it the next morning.
When the wheel was disassembled it was clear that the bearings were worn out. MH disappeared into his shop and reappeared with needed bearings. Within an hour we had made the repairs and I was back in the field. The rain began an hour after I finished planting!
Last year I planted corn in April and this year it was June 10. Because the corn is left standing for wildlife it doesn't have to dry as it would if it were harvested and stored. All that is needed is that it has time to develop kernels. Even with a late planting there should be time for that.
While I was planting a rooster pheasant was running ahead of me. Perhaps he was supervising his winter food planting.

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