Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Today is a chilly and gray day in SWIN.  This follows a warmer day yesterday, which had  periods of rain. John and Brandon worked on the field cultivator and the sprayer and our blue DMI NH3 toolbar to get them ready for spring work.  They had to duck inside from time to time to escape the downpours, but they were able to get those 3 machines the attention they needed.  The DMI still has a hydraulic cylinder to replace, but once that arrives and is installed, it will be ready.  Our Unverferth NH3 applicator remains at Alliance Tractor in Vincennes where it is being serviced under a ‘recall’ of sorts.  They should have that back to us by next week.

The field cultivator was serviced. Dad called this tool a ‘scratcher’.

The warm and dry days of the end of February and the beginning of March stirred our hearts toward some field work.  Last weekend, we could see a few tractors out in some local fields, working the soil.  It just feels a bit too soon for us, but on the very next period when the soils are dry enough to work, I think we will be out there, too.  Application of NH3 is one of the first operations we will perform.  The wheat crop also is needing an application of herbicide and growth regulator.  Soon, the burst of spring busy work will arrive.

Most of the DeKalb seed corn arrived this morning, and now it is safely stored onsite, ready for #plant24.

Brandon moves the boxes of seed from Nutrien’s trailer to its location in our old block building… one of the few remaining buildings from when we moved here in 1958.

The weather forecast is for cooler temps through the week, with more rain coming on Thursday and Friday.  March came in like a lamb, it may go out like a lion!