Ryan from “How Farms Work” shares updates on their farming activities, including planting soybeans, harrowing fields, and dealing with unexpected rain. He also discovers what he believes to be a long-lost mine entrance on his property.
First True Day of Planting on the Farm: Overcoming Challenges and Embracing the Process
Hey everyone! It’s Ryan, and welcome back to How Farms Work. Today marks the first real, true day of planting. Although we managed to get into the field early last week, we didn’t accomplish much—just some work across the road from the main farm. But today, we’re diving headfirst into what I call the first true day of planting.
A Delayed Start Due to Weather
Interestingly, this first day of planting this year coincides with the last day of planting from last year. This delay is largely due to the persistent rain we’ve been experiencing. Just yesterday, the weather forecast promised two weeks of clear skies, which would give us a good week of uninterrupted work to complete our planting, assuming no major issues arise. However, the forecast has shifted again, and now there’s talk of possible severe weather in two to three days.
The Game Plan: Planting Beans and Corn
Our current objective is to plant all the beans as quickly as possible. We’re working hard to get this done so that we can move on to planting corn. The clock is ticking, and we’re already getting late into the year.
Dad has finished Vertical Tillage (VT) on all the fields at the main farm and at Travis’s place. Travis started planting at the main farm and will be moving to the British field next. My role today involves harrowing behind the planter to smooth everything out. This step ensures that when we harvest the beans this fall, our larger combine head can get as close to the ground as possible, allowing us to gather as many beans as we can.
Progress and Challenges
Travis is making good progress and is nearly done with this farm. This morning, I fed the cows and tagged several new calves, as it’s officially calving season. Over the past week, we’ve had five new calves, averaging about one per day. With two more on the way, it’s been a busy time.
Given that Travis has completed a few strips, it’s time for me to hop into the 76 and start harrowing.
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Fueling Up and Heading to the Field
Before heading to the field, we need to fuel up. Brittany just swung by with lunch, so we’re all set. Though it would be great to have a roller for the soybeans, the cost is quite prohibitive—around $40,000 for a 40-foot roller. It’s a steep price to justify, but it is what it is.
Favorite Subway Sandwich
On a lighter note, let’s talk about food. What’s your favorite Subway sandwich? Personally, I hate fish, but I love tuna. It’s a bit of a paradox, and I don’t quite understand it myself.
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Unexpected Rain and Field Observations
As you might be able to tell, it’s raining now. Despite this, we managed to get the three main farms planted with beans. We came up to one of my no-till fields, which is almost done. Travis has just seven acres left to plant, and he should be wrapping up shortly.
Dad was up at another of my farms, finishing the VT work. Unfortunately, the rain, which wasn’t forecasted, has put a halt to our work. We checked the radar, saw a giant blob of rain, and hoped it would dissipate—it didn’t.
Row Cleaners: A New Test
Since it’s raining, let’s take a look at how the new row cleaners are performing on the no-till field. They seem to be doing a good job, pushing all the chaff out of the way. The ground remains fairly dry, and the row cleaners are working consistently, which is promising for our yields on no-till ground.
Exploring the Pasture: A Hidden Mine Entrance?
With the rain halting our planting efforts, I decided to explore the pasture for morel mushrooms. While searching, I stumbled upon what appears to be a long-lost mine entrance. The trail leading out of the hole slopes up gradually, suggesting it could have been used for hauling materials like lead. It’s a fascinating find and one that I’ll be marking on my Google Maps for future reference.
Conclusion
That’s it for today’s update. Thanks for tuning in! Be sure to check out our other videos and stay tuned as we continue planting. Although the weather has temporarily set us back, we’re hopeful for clearer skies ahead. Until next time, happy farming!
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Feel free to leave your thoughts or questions in the comments below. See you next time!
