Monday, February 28, 2022
The skies are a clear and brilliant blue this morning. The day started at 29ºF (-2C) and is predicted to get to 55ºF (13C). And each day this week is predicted to get just a little warmer! Could it be that winter has turned the corner? This is southern Indiana, so that’s too early to think winter is over just yet. This is basketball tournament sectional week for high schools. We can go to the games through knee-deep snow, or in a T-shirt. Anything can happen. But today it is a beautiful late-winter day. For the last day of February, we will certainly take it!
Look at that clear blue sky!
John is spending the day on the phone speaking with farmers on adjoining property. He discusses our crop plans and herbicide program and tries to discover theirs for the coming crop year. That way, we are mutually aware of the plans, and can work out our herbicide applications in a way that will eliminate potential for drift damage. He has done this for a number of years now, and it has resulted in better neighbor relationships and not a single controversy over herbicide drift. So, this day on the phone is a very fine investment of John’s time. He has the personality to make those conversations friendly and polite.
Brandon has the KW truck out of the shop now– all shined up and gleaming. He has also been marketing the posts that were removed from the new Leser farm. He has taken on the bulk of the responsibility of getting the vineyard removed, the fencerows cleared, and getting the place prepared to receive the 2022 crop. Our local Nutrien plant has been across the place for grid soil sampling. With those results now in hand, we now understand exactly how to apply the lime and nutrients for our planned soybean crop. There are still many wires from the vineyard to clear away, and a couple brush piles to burn and bury. The many days of heavy rain during February has slowed that progress in significant ways.
The clock is winding down on the ‘get ready’ portion of planting season 2022. Most things are fully ready. At least the machines have received the attention they required. As March arrives tomorrow, I will soon go down to the Huey farm to bring home the soybean planter. I prefer the day to be frozen or dry in order to keep the tractor and air drill clean as we make the trip from there to here.
Sunny days like today make planting season feel like it’s not very far off. But we must view the calendar, too, and temper our anticipation. Looks like March will “come in like a lamb”… and Easter is late this year, so we will just have to wait and see what timing will work out for the start of 2022 planting season. In any event, it is our plan to be ‘on time’ when the timing and conditions are right.
