Thursday, July 20,2023

It’s a hot day here in southern Indiana.  The temperature is only 89ºF(32C).  But with a humidity level of 76%, that makes for a ‘heat index’ of 106ºF (41C)!  As the old saying goes, “It ain’t the heat, it’s the humidity!”  We should not complain, because looking back over the whole summer, we’ve had many, many days below the average temperature.

John is back home from his family vacation in Florida.  He is once again spending his days in the sprayer, applying fungicide, insecticide, and/or herbicide–depending on what each remaining soybean or DCB field requires.  Brandon had treated many acres while John was away, and now John is wrapping up that spray task… should be caught up early next week.

John is refilling the JD R4044 sprayer here at the main farm, but in about an hour, I’ll take the truck to the Huey farm for his next fill-up

We had about 300 acres of a certain DeKalb corn variety that required a fungicide application.  The corn is too tall for our sprayer to get over the top of the corn stalks, so we had to hire a ‘crop duster’ (I think they now prefer to be called “aerial applicators”) to get that needed treatment done.  I got that application bill yesterday.

I assisted Brandon today on another milestone in the summer’s activity.   We decided to store our soybean air drill here at the main farm this year, so we separated the air cart from the drill in order to get it inside one of our buildings.  That was a new experience for me, but each portion of the machine slid into storage really well.  In early spring, I am eager to get the drill hooked up, and in July, I am eager to remove it!

Here is the ‘before’ picture, as the machine is ready to be disconnected.

… and after… the air cart…

… and the no-till drill safely tucked into storage until #plant24

I finally got the chance to start back with the JD 6145R tractor and R15 rotary cutter (commonly called a bush hog).  It was my intention to start with that work on July 1, but my days have been occupied with other tasks, namely moving and filling the water truck support for the sprayer, and using the Gator to spray a herbicide by hand on field edges and roadsides and ditch banks.  Just yesterday I was able to find some hours to mow roadsides.  I enjoy that work–it is even more pleasant with this particularly nice tractor.  Most of all, I like the look of the field borders, roadsides, and riparian strips on ditch banks behind me.

Running the bush hog along Old Wheatland Road…

This hand spraying with the Gator is much more pleasant these days.  The Gator has air conditioning, and I get the vents to blow cool air on me as I hang out the driver’s window to spray.  When going along the road to the job, of course I roll up the window and that’s very comfortable.

Here is the hand sprayer in the bed of the Gator. I just flip a switch to turn on the pump, and then apply the herbicide from the driver’s seat.

Two important things will be occurring in August.  We are now searching for a full-time person to help us here at Carnahan & Sons.  If you are aware of someone searching for an opportunity to work on a southwest Indiana grain farm, let them know of this opening.  If they are unfamiliar with us, they can browse this website and learn about us.  Our main requirements are 1. to arrive “on time” each work day, and  2.  bring a cooperative spirit.  The rest will work out okay.  No, it’s not a glamorous work, but we believe it will be a happy place to be part of our team.

The other important thing in August is that we are now negotiating for a new combine for 2024.  We think we are headed for a brand-new combine, but we will consider a year-old machine also.  By purchasing a new one in August, it will likely be built during the winter and arrive here in time for next summer’s wheat harvest.  That’s the plan, anyway, and we will see how it goes.  It’s a big decision, and it’s always surprising how much these machines cost.  So, a step at a time, as we move toward another machine purchase.

Have a happy weekend.  I hope to get our yard mowed on Saturday, and use tomorrow to run the bush hog on some more roadsides and riparian strips.