The scurs were tracking the return of the heat wave, although the duration was nowhere near the last one. It is that time of year. This week starting with Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs reaching 80 and lows around 65. Partly cloudy on Thursday with a slight chance of rain or a thunderstorm. Highs around 80 and lows near 65. Partly cloudy and gorgeous on Friday with highs once again around 80 and lows of 65. Slight chance of rain during the day on Saturday increasing in potential by evening. Highs of 80 and lows around 65. Sunday, partly cloudy with a modest chance of rain during the day decreasing in scope by evening. Highs of 80 and lows of 60 – 65. Monday partly cloudy with a moderate chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs of 80 and lows of 60 – 65. Cloudy and slightly cooler for Tuesday with a good chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs 75 – 80 and lows dropping to 60. The normal high for August 7th is 83 and the normal low is 60. The sun will set at 8:30 p.m. on the 7th, roughly the same time as it did on May 12th. The scurs will be enjoying a Cajun wrap at the Freeborn Cty Fair. One wonders who will be enjoying them the next day?
Crop progress this past week was nothing short of phenomenal. Corn pollinated and while it wasn’t perfect with the abundant soil moisture, supply it is in good shape at the present time. Some will fret and worry but changing anything at this point is next to impossible. Soybeans keep making their move and August is generally considered when the soybean crop is made. While there are some R4 soybeans here and there as of this writing, there are few entire fields that would qualify just yet. Soybean aphid numbers are increasing although they have shown an affinity for younger, later planted fields in areas. On the weed control front as expected, waterhemp has had a banner year, popping through those soybeans not yet sprayed with the second application of glyphosate. Small grain yield reports thus far have been disappointing, with test weight on oats and wheat suffering as a result of the hot weather to finish the crop. The main thing now some old timers say is to get some rain on the straw so it’s not so slippery and is more absorbent. I’m not so sure about that one. It was always nice just to get it baled, period.
The garden has been on the emergency rescue list at the ranch so it was time to sharpen up some of the garden tools. Now I got me a sharp hoe, yeah! The tiger lilies have been about at their peak this past week and oddly enough they are what started my weed control career. After seeing Dad chop off a bunch of “kingheads” or giant ragweeds, I got out my garden set and proceeded to chop off Mom’s tiger lilies. Needless to say she was not amused as I recall. Luckily tiger lilies are pretty tough and those she still enjoys today are descendents of my victims. Obviously my weed ID still needed a little work. It has vastly improved however, and I seldom hack off tiger lilies anymore. It does make me wonder sometimes how old the tiger lilies are at the ranch. Were they planted by Teamon Ruth, one of the original settlers whose name is scrawled on the wall of our granary? More on Teamon in another episode. Oh yeah, the garden. The first zucchinis appeared late last week and the first cuke showed up Monday night. In my zeal to remove the lambsquarters from their moorings in the potato patch, it revealed a couple golf ball sized baby red potatoes. Mmmmmm!
There are beginning to be signs our summer is starting to wind down. There are places where there are some acorns starting to fall already. Leaves on the walnut tree are starting to show hints of yellow. The lavender colored wild bergamot is blooming and its sage like fragrance just smells like autumn for some reason. Toads are getting big and fat on all the insects they’ve consumed and scads of their offspring are all over the lawn when mowing it. The fall birds have started to make their presence known too. There are some young nuthatches trying out the sunflower feeders now and the blue jays are becoming more numerous and more raucous with their calling. Chickadees, who have been absent for much of the time since early last winter are suddenly setting up camp in the windbreak. And last but not least, could it be that the male goldfinches are beginning to lose a little of that ray of summer sunshine glow? Say it ain’t so!
The little fat buddies have been on hiatus much of the summer although they found some time the other day to squeeze in a rare late summer session to eat cake and donuts as well as to discuss the Great Depression. Speaking of the Depression, I had the privilege to receive a 1938 Depression era copy of Successful Farming from my brother who had found it in one of his travels. It is in pristine condition so I make sure to keep it in its plastic sleeve when not perusing the pages. All kinds of fascinating info and much of it giving one a feel for the agriculture of the day. Producing fat hogs was a source of pride and by gum there’s an article that could help you accomplish that goal. Oddly enough, there was an ad for Parmak electric fencers. The electric fencer we have at the kindly neighbors pasture is a Parmak and they’re still being manufactured to this day. A little different perhaps than the 6 volt battery powered model offered in that old magazine but still keeping livestock on their side of the fence none the less. Now if they’d just invent an electric lid to keep the little fat buddies on their side of the cake pan.
See you next week …real good then.