It’s quite hot in southern Indiana.  The temperature has not yet reached 100F, but with the high humidity, the ‘heat index’ has been as high at 112!  These are the days when we search for inside work, or at least in the shade.  It is a good time to run the bush-hog, and make the roadsides, waterways, and levees look ‘cared-for’.

Using the bush-hog makes this levee have a better-groomed appearance

The spraying is caught up for a few weeks, and the planting has stopped.  I’ve heard about neighbors doing some re-planting yesterday, and I hope for them the best.  We chose to stop on 15 July.   I have been out on the Gator, spraying Roundup on some Johnsongrass along fencerows, ditches, and roadsides.  At least the Gator’s roof shades me from the sun’s rays.  Not, bad really.  And, I can also find relief when I’m in the office, working on paying the bills, and entering the GPS information into Apex.

Next week, Pat and I will be traveling west to Oregon.   Our goal is to help Philip move back here to the farm, as he continues his job search.   We are looking forward to some time away, and seeing the sights of the west part of the USA.  We will be traveling quite a bit on US 50.  It’s something that’s on my ‘bucket list’… to drive across the US on Highway 50….. Ocean City, MD to near San Fransisco.  I’ve previously traveled most of the way from Kansas City to the east, and this trip will complete the part west of that.  Only a small portion of the road in Virginia and Maryland will remain to be experienced.

It will be good to have Philip “back home again in Indiana”, if only for some weeks or months.  He has certainly loved his time in Oregon, and it has been a beautiful place for us to visit.

We will continue to monitor the progress of the corn and soybeans.  All the corn now is in full tassel, and you can smell the sweet corn aroma if you’re nearby.  There seems to be no stress yet from lack of moisture, but the heat is a bit more than we’d like for the pollination stage.  Even so, we are pleased with the appearance of the crop, and hopeful about its development.   In my opinion, there is nothing more beautiful than a weed-free field of soybeans in late July.  The deep green color makes it look like soft carpeting.  I can remember the days when our soybean fields were not so beautiful, when you mostly saw cockleburs, giant ragweed, foxtail, or johnsongrass when you drove by.  But now, with the improvements in herbicides, you can see the soybeans!  Some people love to see the mountains or the seaside, and I agree those are nice, but nothing compares to the beauty of a good crop of soybeans to these eyes. – Dennis