Maybe it's cold outside...

The temperature in Indiana sure is a little wacky these days.  Since Christmas, we have had several inches of snow on the ground and winter like temperatures.  This has all changed this week as the snow is almost all melted, we've had over an inch of rain in the last 24 hours, and we are approaching 60 degrees as I type this. 

The dramatic weather changes not only wreak havoc on everyone's sinuses at the pigpen, but it also makes me very thankful for the way we raise our pigs.

As you know, The Farmer and I are the fourth generations of our families to raise pigs.  Our ancestors would be amazed with the care we can provide our pigs with the changing weather patterns we are currently experiencing.  My mother-in-law can tell many stories of what it was like to raise pigs in snowy, icy, cold weather conditions that overnight become wet and muddy. 

This is just one of the many reasons that I'm glad that we can raise our pigs today in climate controlled barns that allow us to protect them from the elements (and predators) and provide them with a 70 degree climate year round especially when we may or may not be cozied up around our fireplace at home trying to stay warm (of course The Farmer is always makes sure the pigs are taken care of first).



So with the tune of Baby It's Cold Outside running through my head, Maybe it's cold outside ...

We really can't stay
Maybe it's cold outside
We gotta go away
Maybe it's cold outside
This evening has been
Been wishing the rain away
So full of ice
I'll hold your umbrella today
The Farmer would start to worry
But the pigs are warm inside
Bubby would be pacing the floor
The pigs are protected inside
So really we don't have to scurry
Farming is our first love
The pigs are our top priority

Farmer Fridays - Do you believe in signs?

This time of year our family is usually in full harvest mode harvesting our corn and soybean crop to ultimately feed our pigs.  However, the combine has not moved on our farm since Monday night as the rain that we needed all summer arrived on Tuesday and didn't leave until last night.  After it was all said it done, we got 3 inches of rain this week which means it will be a few more days until the combine is back in the fields.  

The bright side of the cold, windy, rainy weather we had this week is that today was an absolutely beautiful fall day and tomorrow looks like it will be the same.  For me, I'm hoping this is a sign that harvest will be back on track soon.  Additionally, I'm taking this sign a little farther.

My Aunt S who was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this summer had a bone marrow transplant 4 weeks ago.  She came home from the hospital a week and a half ago which was well ahead of schedule and all appeared to be going well until this week.  Wednesday night she was readmitted to the hospital with some side effects that the doctors are still trying to diagnose.  When she was admitted on Wednesday, the prognosis looked potentially grim, but it is starting to sound a little better today.  We are still waiting on all the test results and only time will tell, but I'm taking today's beautiful weather as a sign that she is going to be OK.  So I'm asking for all of your prayers and thoughts for my Aunt S as that's really all I can do as it is out of my control.  

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.
  

Farmer Fridays - Rain, Rain Go Away

Rain, Rain Go Away Come Again Another Day.  We all know this song and truthfully it is one we hate singing because it usually means we have had too much rain.  This is definitely the case at our pig pen. 

We have had a lot of rain this past week, in fact too much rain.  I think we have had 5 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings this week.  Storms were even the reason I couldn't get my Farmer Fridays post done yesterday as our satellite internet connection does not function well during storms.  So welcome to my first Farmer Fridays on a Saturday. 

As a farmer we are at the mercy of Mother Nature and as I said in last week's Farmer Fridays it takes just the right combination of heat and moisture for our crop to grow.  This past week has definitely provided its fair share of heat and moisture which has almost been perfect corn growing weather, but when you have fields that look like this in parts, you realize that we are heavy on the moisture side.

Another downfall of all this rain is we still have work to do in the fields and you can't drive a tractor in the fields if they are wet.  Just like our corn, we need to spray our soybeans to kill the weeds and grass that are growing in the bean fields and competing with the soybeans for essential nutrients for growth.  We are definitely at a critical point as the beans need to be sprayed now and with the additional 2 inches of rain we got last night it is going to be awhile before we can drive a tractor in the fields. 

The one upside to all of this rain is that we raise our pigs in barns.  This way they are protected from the elements such as wind, rain, and heat and we have had a lot of those in the past few weeks.  Although we can't stop the barns from being destroyed by the elements as our dear friend Jeanette at FenceRow to FenceRow had the unfortunate experience of recently finding out, we can do our best to protect the pigs which is our top priority.  From her post, you can tell that having her pigs in barns like ours, they were able to save their pigs' lives. 

My husband was also able to get our grass mowed last night before the storms which is a good thing as our yard was starting to look like the jungle and we also now have a stream running through our yard from last night's rain.

So while we were safe and dry in our house and our pigs were safe and dry in their barns, our corn and soybeans have been getting more than their fair share of moisture this past week.  We can only hope and pray that the fields dry up soon so that we can finish our field work for the spring and that Mother Nature will continue to provide the appropriate amounts of heat and moisture for the rest of the summer and this fall. 

Our fingers are crossed on this one.