Monday, April 14, 2014

Brandon and John were able to apply NH3 at the Pond farm yesterday afternoon.  But last night’s rain and today’s strong winds have stopped field work for a while.

So, it’s off to the local Farm Services Agency (FSA) this morning.  The goal there is to work out some details on the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).   In conjunction with Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS), we are going to do some soil conservation work on the Lett and Watjen farm locations.  This will occur immediately after the brothers of Shepard Construction get finished at our Burke farm.   This has been in the works for months, but now it’s time to get the work accomplished, ahead of corn planting.

Several of our corn fields for 2014 are in the White River flood plain, and last weeks flood waters are receding slowly.  As soon as the soils dry, we will pick up any debris that has floated in.  Next will come the NH3 and then the sprayer, and then the corn planter.

The soybean acres that have been sprayed last week are ready for the soybean planter… that is, as soon as the soil surface dries.

The weather forecast has some cold nights in it.  Ross even told me yesterday that the weather guys even mentioned the “S” word!

We said our goodbyes yesterday to Frances Dutton.  She passed away late in March at the age of 98, and her memorial service was held yesterday afternoon.  She was our neighbor since our family moved here in 1958, and we appreciated her so much.  She and her husband Richard, who passed away in 1992, were fantastic neighbors.  They were both  helpful and optimistic–always.  Our family called Mr. Dutton “the King”, ( I don’t know how he got that nickname)  and he was without equal in the realm of storytelling.  It was always a pleasure to be in the company of the King and Frances.  We miss them both.