Monday, May 2, 2022

Preparing!

     The ground is still too cold to germinate corn that's seeded. However, local famers were planting until the recent rain stopped activity in the field. Modern seed corn is treated with antifungal and other protections. Consequently, it can lie dormant until the ground warms and then it will germinate.

     Most days have been too cold to drive a tractor without a cab so I'm not ready to plant. Today I cleaned and lubricated the planter so it is ready to go. Can you guess why it is necessary to clean an old planter prior to planting?  If you guessed spiders, you're correct. Their webs in the chute that delivers kernels to the soil can foil the flow of kernels.  This is probably not an issue with modern planters. Mine probably is 60 years old.

    This cold spring has been difficult for farmers with cow/calf operations. These farmers need sufficient feed, mostly hay, to carry their stock over winter. The cold spring has retarded grass growth in pastures. This necessitates farmers having to feed these stock longer. This isn't too serious if the farmer has sufficient hay from last summer. But, last summer was dry so hay production wasn't good. Farmers out of their own hay have to buy it and that's very expensive. It's time for a serious warm up!  Let's get those cattle to pasture.

Takk for alt,

Al


         Today's random is a vineyard in Portugal.

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