Outstanding in the field #6

      The corn is definitely getting tall. It is well over Simon's head and the tassels are swaying in the breeze. My husband tells me that cool weather with  a little rain is perfect for pollination. Today the high temp is 82 degrees which is cool for mid July, and there is a chance for a small shot of rain later this afternoon.  It seems like every part of agriculture is dependent on the weather and I haven't found a farmer yet who can make the weather do what they want all the time.

       The corn is looking good and getting to our 20th row to get the picture is getting harder and harder. All the broad corn leaves get in the way of the picture and as I look at this sea of thick green I can't help but think of all the sunlight and carbon dioxide these plants are taking in and making wonderful clean air for us to breath. It smells so good in the field like fresh greenness.

      The soybeans are beautiful right now and as you can see they are starting to fill in the rows. Their leaves are velvety on the underside and look thick and lush. A healthy soybean field is one on my favorite sites when driving down the road.

       I took a picture of a corn brace root system because I find them interesting. The roots start out above the ground and from a stand to stabilize the plant from tipping over. A corn plant has to grow very tall quickly (as you've seen in the "outstanding" posts) and without a strong hold on the ground it would fall over with even the slightest breeze. Out here on the prairie the wind is a constant I have seen wind storms where the corn is blown over almost flat to the ground. It looks awful but slowly over time the corn will start to stand it's self up because of it's strong roots.
      Researchers have been modifying corn plants for a long time to help make plants that can produce more fruit, and perform better in the field.  The original corn plants that were planted by the settlers were much smaller and would have difficulty surviving the extreme weather that we have in the places corn is grown. Without modifying corn plants to suit the areas in which they are grown the area where that crop could be produced would be greatly limited. Different corn is needed for growth in Minnesota compared to Texas. Modification of corn root systems allows them to stand tall and go deep into the ground to absorb the water and nutrients the plant needs even in areas that might have limited water available. I find the power of science amazing.

Outstanding in the field #5

Sunday July 13th crop report

       I took these pictures the day we got back from vacation and have been meaning to get them on here ever since. Boy the corn has grow while we were away.  Simon and I go 20 rows into the field to take our picture and now I have to make sure he is right next to me so we done get lost in there. There are many scary stories of children getting lost in corn fields and I would rather not have one of my own to tell. The corn is a few days from tasseling and the soil is getting dry. We could use some rain now even though earlier this spring we were seeing parts of the fields getting drowned out. With all this vegetation the moisture gets used up fast.

    The soybeans are also looking wonderful and are starting to fill in. The plants have many little purple flowers on them which will become the bean pods. I don't think the plants will get much taller but start to fill in between the rows.
    The next report is soon to follow.

Glorious Gardening

       These pictures were taken a few weeks ago but I still wanted to share them with you. I know that not many people would say they enjoy weeding the garden. I have seen many posts of Facebook of people lamenting about all the weeds in their garden and feeling defeated by the task ahead of them. I have to say that I have been in their shoes. After many years of gardening and trying many different ways I have to say that I have found a method that has helped my win the battle with weeds and brings joy into gardening.
       As I told you in an earlier post I use a plastic tarp on my garden to keep the weeds under control. The day I took this picture the kids and I spent about half an hour and all the weeds were pulled in the garden. The kids found to job fun and after we were finished we picked some of our first produce, delicious crisp radishes. As of today we have gotten radishes, lettuce, rhubarb, and asparagus. The yellow summer squash, zucchini, and green beans look like they will be ready any time. Fresh produce from the garden is the best. The plants are all thriving and enjoying all the moisture this spring has been providing. Right now I am enjoying all the fresh produce in a few months the hard work of canning will start.

Outstanding in the field #4

   Well the corn has made it to Simon's shoulders and looking strong. Tomorrow we head off for our annual 2 week vacation in the Michigan UP. The men only stay for a short time while my sisters and I stay with our kids for the full time. The cousins have so much fun together. I am sure that when we get back the corn will be well over Simon's head and probably even mine.
   The beans are starting to fill in and the next job on the farm is to spray the fields for weeds before the beans get too big. Most years the spraying may be done by now but with the recent rains the fields have been too wet. We feel blessed that we didn't get as much rain as some of the farmers around us who have lakes instead of fields at this time.

     The soybeans are starting to flower. I don't know if I have ever looked close enough to see a soybean flower. They are purple and kind of cute. Grow little beans grow.