Wednesday, May 14, 2014
The rainy period continues. About 1.4″ so far, yesterday and today. This rain event is delaying the completion of our planting process. We need about 1 full day of work to finish the corn planting… the same for the soybeans. The conservation work at Lett and Watjen must, of course, be completed before the corn can be planted, and that work is also delayed.
We got the new 640FD header in the shop this morning and removed the extra-long divider snouts on each end of the header. We added a shorter hoop-style version. This smaller crop divider will be more appropriate to use when harvesting crops that are standing straight and tall. If we encounter soybeans or wheat that is “lodged” (leaning over) we will need to reinstall the longer crop dividers.

This is the smaller, hoop-style crop dividers we installed this morning on each end of the JD 640FD header. We can put back the longer ones when the conditions require them.
Most of the planted corn and soybeans has sprouted and emerged from the soil. Looks good. It is satisfying when you see those baby plants begin to grow and turn the field from brown to green!
So, we are seeking some sunny dry days. Looking forward to the end of planting season, and the beginning of the next “care-for-the-crop” steps. Wheat harvest in 4-5 weeks!