Farmer Fridays - It's almost time to head to the fields

Well it's almost time to head to the fields for planting season which is one of the most favorite times of year on this family farm.  This winter has been extremely cold and full of ice so Spring Fever started awhile ago around this pig pen.  The Farmer and his Dad and even Big Sissy and Bubby can't wait to get in the fields and start planting.  The fact of the matter we all can't wait.  It is such a fun time of year and everyone's mood improves once they can spend time outside and get in the fields.

To prepare for the planting season, The Farmer has been applying organic fertilizer, as the weather allows, onto fields that grew beans last year and will grow corn this year.  (The 3 inches of rain we received on Monday have halted this process for the time being.)  Remember this is just one of the many ways we are "green" on our family as the organic fertilizer is the manure from our pigs that allows us to dramatically reduce if not eliminate the need for man made fertilizers on our family farm.  Additionally, it also allows use the pigs' manure to fertilize the corn that we will then turn into feed for our pigs.  Truthfully it is a pretty cool process if you ask me.

The Farmer and his Dad have also been working on getting our planter ready so when the fields are dry and the manure is hauled they will be ready to head to the fields and start planting corn and soybeans. 

So needless to say... there's never a dull moment on our family farm.

Be sure to check in for next week's Farmer Fridays as one of my fellow Real Farmwives of America and Friends, The Hoosier Farm Babe, will be doing a guest post. 

Farmer Fridays - Wheat Harvest

 It's been a busy week at our family farm and its time again for another Farmer Fridays.

Wheat harvest normally coincides with the 4th of July so my husband never knows if he can travel with us to my mom's house for the 4th of July holiday. Last Saturday, we were able to start and complete wheat harvest in one day. (We don't grow a lot of wheat in a year on our family farm. We primarily grow wheat to help with one of our recycling programs on our farm, but more on that later in another post.  Additionally, we didn't bale any straw this year. ) My husband and son were in heaven.  So the prospect of my husband joining us for the 4th of July looked good.  
 However, more rain arrived on Sunday and put a hold on my husband's soybean spraying activities for a few more days. Needless to say when I got ready to leave yesterday for my mom's house, my husband was heading to the fields to spray our soybeans.
I'm so excited that the fields are finally dry enough to spray as we are dramatically behind schedule this year due to the wet weather. Thus, you will not hear me complaining about my husband not joining us for the 4th of July weekend. On a positive note, we are planning a family cookout and fireworks with his family on the 5th.

Needless to say it is just another day in the life of a farmer when the farm comes first and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy 4th of July and I hope you enjoy my wheat harvest pictures. Wheat in the field
 The combine cutting the wheat.  This is the same combine head we use to cut soybeans.
 A partially cut wheat field
 Side profile of the combine cutting wheat
 The combine unloading wheat into the semi to take to the elevator to sell.
 A view after the wheat has been cut.  The layer is straw and could be baled to make straw bales.