Fencelines (269)
Those scurs have been off a cog when it comes to the later week forecasts, but then so is everyone else who tries to predict the weather for more than four or five days at a time. Will their fortunes improve and do we want them to? Starting Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain. Highs in the upper 40’s and lows in the mid 20’s. Thursday, partly cloudy with a good chance of snow. Highs in the lower 30’s and lows in the lower 20’s. Mostly cloudy becoming partly cloudy on Friday with a modest chance of a morning snow shower. Highs in the low 30’s and lows in the mid-teens. Saturday, mostly sunny and colder with highs in the upper teens and lows in the single digits. Partly cloudy on Sunday with highs in the mid 20’s and lows in the upper teens. Mostly sunny for Monday and Tuesday with highs in the lows 30’s and lows in the mid-teens. The normal high for November 21st is 38 and the normal low is 21. The scurs will be retiring their Carhartt’s with the white hanky in the back pocket for another deer season.
November 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas back in 1963. I remember that day, although I was too young to fully comprehend the significance. I was 5 and where I started school, kindergarten was only in the spring, so I was home. We typically listened to the NBC affiliate as in that area KROC in Rochester came in the clearest. I remember listening to people like Sander Vanocur, David Brinkley, Chet Huntley and Floyd Kalber covering the events of that day and the following days. The black and white Columbia TV was part of the memory, the images seeming now like something out of an old movie, a very sad one at that. Things changed that day forever and not for the better.
Field work is nearing completion although the weekend rains made conditions greasy on top following the thawing of the soil late last week. As a result, lots of mud can be found on area roads where attempts have been made to finish up. A few people are still finishing up and the ten-man dryer in Bugtussle continues to howl, a reminder that the late corn has not dried down much.
Venus is in the southwest sky, not the southeast sky as was written in the column that went to print last Tuesday. I was driving down the road looking to the south and wondering if I had written southeast or southwest. Sometimes it seems like it’s easy to be thinking one thing and writing another. Sure enough, when I checked I had written southeast so I apologize to all of those who were frantically looking in the southeast sky for Venus. It is so bright right now that you literally can’t miss it. Also making an appearance now is the planet Jupiter which will be rising a little earlier every night and will be rising in the early evening come months end. Mars will be high in the real southeast sky at dawn and will be easiest to pick put above the crescent moon on the morning of the 29th, if it isn’t cloudy of course. The Leonid meteor shower left an impression on me. Heading to the kindly neighbor’s Saturday night, a meteor could be seen through the light clouds as it tracked westward, becoming a dazzling blue before finally fizzling out.
Mrs. Cheviot left me to my own devices for the weekend marking the official start of barn cleaning at the ranch. With the sheep way out in the pasture Friday night it made a perfect opportunity to grab the spreader quick from the feedlot so I left the gate open. No sooner had I turned my back to put the pin in the skid loader and they were on their way through the gate. I yelled and Fudgie was there in an instant, nipping and growling at the sheep as they retreated back to the safety of their enclosure. The weather Saturday was not the most cooperative and neither was the tractor, deciding to die briefly after the third load. The sediment bowl held some clues as some rust from the tank had collected in the bottom. After that load I was soaked anyway as the drizzle intensified. Once it let up and I put on some dry clothes, two more loads were hauled. That part was fine: The mud tracked into the yard wasn’t. The wheels on both the tractor and spreader looked like coconut chocolate covered donuts with all the stalks and leaves stuck to them. Muddy fields sorta take the fun out of it, as if cleaning barn is a lot of fun in the first place.
Looking at the field on Sunday after the rain, seeing the sheen left by the precip and recalling all the mud already in the yard I opted instead to do a bunch of other odd jobs. The list included garbage detail, cleaning up in the house, trimming branches and putting tree wrap on all the vulnerable saplings. The branches needed to be trimmed while being slapped in the face by those low hanging branches when mowing was still fresh in my mind. Fudgie and Ruby were more than glad to assist. There was plenty of growling, tire biting and circling the Gator as we made our way across the yard from tree to tree. Watching the two dogs enjoying themselves in the fresh air as I worked made the day go faster. They stayed in the yard watching though when I went out to the tree planting, not wanting to tempt fate with an electric fence encounter. By nightfall I had found and wrapped the last of the crabapple trees. As I drove back towards the yard, both the dogs came around the house on a dead run, keeping an eye on my every move just as they had all day. Time for chores and to put the feedbag on afterwards, a welcome respite for one tired human bean and two tuckered canines.
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs were tracking well until after the weekend and then the wheels came off. Will we see more of the mid-December prelude or return to more typical November weather? Starting Wednesday mostly sunny with highs in the upper 30’s and lows in the upper 20’s. Partly sunny on Thursday with a slight chance of rain or snow. Highs in the lower 40’s and lows in the low 30’s. Friday, mostly sunny with highs in the mid 40’s and lows in the low 30’s. Partly sunny Saturday with a slight chance of rain or snow during daytime hours and a modest chance for rain showers in the evening. Highs in the upper 40’s and lows in the upper 30’s. Mostly cloudy Sunday with a fair chance of rain. Highs in the upper 40’s and lows in the lower 30’s. Mostly cloudy Monday with possible rain and snow showers. Highs in the mid 30’s and lows in the upper teens. Colder for Tuesday with highs in the low 30’s and lows falling once again into the mid-teens. The normal high for November 15th is 42 and the normal low is 25. The scurs have officially put their Speedos in mothballs for the season.
With Venus in the southeast sky at dusk, the 17th of the month marks the Full Moon, commonly known as the Full Beaver Moon. It was at this time that the early settlers and traders spent much of their time trapping for warm fur pelts. No Thinsulate in those days. The Ojibwe called this the Freezing Moon and the Sioux knew it as the Moon of Falling Leaves. It will be both at the ranch if the temps don’t change and the leaves continue to come off the trees. Grinding up leaves in the snow doesn’t exactly sound like my cup of tea.
Did it look like Christmas early this past week? It sure felt like it. The low temp of 6 at the ranch on the morning of November 12th was indeed normal for December 25th. The snowfall added some insult to injury with about an inch of snow being measured. It contained about .19” liquid equivalent. This will likely mean some greasy soil surface conditions after the snow melts for a few days. Luckily the forecast calling for a warm up later in the week should allow much of the remaining field work to be completed before the ground freezes for good. The fly in the ointment may be the predicted rainfall over the weekend, making the opportunity short lived. The clock is ticking.
Fudgie was less than impressed with the snow and cold like most of us as we age. She moves more slowly and her attitude reflects the weather. Fudgie was downright surly Tuesday morning when the ewes got close to “her” gate. She’s more amicable staying inside where it’s warm to eat, drink and nap. Ruby on the other hand is more like a kid, where the snow is something to tear around in when not tearing around in the house. I remember many times being told to go outside to play and blow off some steam. Same goes with Ruby. Watching her flip and empty oil bottle and pink plastic bear in the air I’ve come to the conclusion that Border Collies are simply reflections of their human masters in furry clothing. While they may not say much they don’t have to. Their actions truly speak louder than words.
This also means for many of us it’s time to get matters in order for winter including those of us at the ranch. A couple more loads of hay were tucked away over the weekend so we should be ready for a while anyway. Both the winter and spring type radishes were harvested, cleaned up and put away. Apples were picked with anticipation of the pies sure to follow. Space was made to afford everything with a motor in it a place to sleep. I dislike snow this time of year. It has no useful purpose other than to serve as a reminder that there’s no time to rest. Still, the emerald evergreens Monday morning stood in stark contrast to the white backdrop left behind by the fast moving storm system. Much as I hated to admit it, it was pretty. There was plenty accomplished, to the point it was time to take a deep breath and admire the beauty of it all.
The birds are slowly coming around too, adding to the Christmas card atmosphere of that first snowfall. The goldfinches are hanging out at the feeders more and the lone chickadee appears to be a resident. Downies and hairies frequent the suet regularly. Blue jays keep the sunflower feeders busy and the resident squirrels have found the ear corn when they’re not contending with the juncos under the feeders. Not everyone is seeing the same things however. I received a phone call from “A” of A & P fortune and fame earlier in the week expressing concern over the lack of birds at his feeders. I came up with several possible explanations but nothing concrete. When we were sitting in the sanctuary before church on Sunday I mentioned to Mrs. Cheviot that “A” had called wondering why he had no birds. She knew exactly why: He didn’t have his sheep yet! When I told him that I thought he was going to fall out of the pew.
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs had plenty of Halloween candy to blow through while enjoying a generally nice week of weather. Will their good fortune and candy last? Starting Wednesday, mostly cloudy becoming mostly sunny with a chance of morning snow showers. Highs in the mid 30’s and lows in the mid 20’s. Mostly sunny for Thursday with a slight chance of an evening snow shower. Highs in the upper 30’s and lows in the mid 20’s. Friday, mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain and/or snow showers. Highs near 45 and lows in the mid 30’s. Mostly cloudy on Saturday with a slight chance of rain and snow. Highs in the low 40’s and lows in the upper 20’s. Sunday, mostly sunny with highs in the low 40’s and lows in the upper 20’s. Mostly cloudy for both Monday and Tuesday with highs in the mid to upper 40’s and lows in the lower 30’s for both days. The normal high for November 11th, Veterans Day, is 42 and the normal low is 25. Now that the World Serious and Halloween are over the scurs can get rid of their fake beards.
Daylight Saving Time came and went without my usual rant. It’s never too late however. My feelings about DST are about the same as for many federal government sponsored brain flatulence. More government meddling to make someone feel like they’ve done something while we pay for it financially and sometimes physically. After a long day and setting about a dozen clocks Saturday night I was shot and ready for bed. At least when I awoke before 7 on Sunday, the good news was I could do chores in the daylight again. The bad news later in the day was the sun set shortly after 5 p.m. so evening chores were done in the dark. In fact it starts setting before 5 on the 5th and our hours of daylight slip below 10 hours on the 7th. Oh goody.
Harvest continues to wind down although there are still plenty of fields of corn scattered around the countryside as of this writing. The June planted corn has hit the drying systems and it’s taking some time to dry it sufficiently. Much of this corn ranges anywhere from the mid-20’s to the low 30’s in moisture. With temperatures cooling down that’s not a good combination. Test weights tend to be lighter than normal and it appears the kernels are breaking up more easily running through the combine and augers if the amount of screenings and white rooftops on bins are any indication. I was amazed the other day when a client brought in 4 ears of corn from a part of a field planted on July 2nd. Never would I have guessed that it would produce something even remotely resembling corn but it did. The ears are well developed and while they are likely light test weight the fact remains it wasn’t a zero.
The weird weather year put us in a bind to locate something to bed the sheep with for the upcoming winter. Small grain fields were few and far between and waiting around to see what might come off the prevented plant acres was not an option. Luckily for us one of our friends decided to bale up some small square bales of cornstalks. We’ve used them before and absolutely love the way they keep the barn dry. Not only that but the sheep spend a lot of time fishing through the stalks for ears and kernels as well as devouring many of the leaves so primarily the stalk is left behind. Given the chocolate covered raisin design of sheep feces, they tend to rattle through the stalks keeping them away from the woolies’ bodies when they snuggle down on those cold winter nights. We stacked the last of the bales in the barn Saturday afternoon so we were grateful for a kind friend’s act. Now we need to settle up. I wonder how many bred ewes he would like in payment?
The high winds on Sunday precluded me from picking up the screenings at the kindly neighbors so Plan B was set in motion: Mowing the long grass in the yard and grinding up the leaves. With Howard back on the unable to perform list and Whitey still on injured reserve, that left Whitey Jr. and I to tackle the project. Fortunately the leaves were crispy dry and there really was no time limit. When one can only take 38” at a time and move at a snail’s pace it’s just not conducive to being in a hurry. Even getting started takes a while. The asphalt chunks knocked into the ditch from the road construction needed to be picked up, ditto with the apples and the downspouts needed to be removed before we could commence. Whitey Jr. sputters, coughs and bangs when idling but once the blades are engaged it becomes a lean, mean mowing machine. It was so windy that the grass and leaves that weren’t in my eyes were dispersed to parts unknown instantly. At least when we were done it looked nice. The leaves were gone and the grass shortened so anything that falls from now on should blow off or collect in areas where it won’t matter. It was reputedly 50 degrees but with the wind howling you could’ve fooled me. I finished up wearing a pair of insulated coveralls. A harbinger of things to come I fear.
There is more bird activity once again at the feeders. One of the tiniest downies I’ve ever seen has made regular appearances recently and his larger cousin the hairy has been frequenting the suet as well. Saturday the large blue jays were back also and at first glance nearly leghorn sized. A chickadee was hitting the sunflower feeder like a kid with a new toy as well, ruffling the feathers of the goldfinches in their olive drab winter colors. The wind on Sunday kept all the birds away but I have a hunch once the snow begins to fly, they’ll be making a beeline for their favorite chow. About like the little fat buddies on Prime Rib Day at the Willows, Walleye Friday at the Lunchbox or Rib Tuesday at the Hartland Cafe. Once the weather turns cold and harvest is done, you can almost set your watch by it.
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs had the chilly temperatures pegged perfectly, but neglected to predict Mother Nature’s dandruff, otherwise known as snowflakes. Will we see some relief from the November temperatures once November is actually here? Starting Wednesday, cloudy with a good chance of rain. Highs in the low 50s and lows in the mid 40s. Mostly cloudy Halloween Thursday with a slight chance of rain. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the upper 30s. Mostly cloudy again Friday with highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid 30s. Saturday, partly cloudy with highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid 30s. Mostly sunny on Sunday with highs in the upper 40s and lows in the low 20s. Mostly cloudy Monday with a chance of rain. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the mid 20s. Mostly cloudy and slightly warmer with a slight chance of rain. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid 20s. The normal high for October 31st is 51 and the normal low is 32. For Halloween the scurs will first be heading to Wagner’s. Why? For paper bags so they can trick or treat as Vikings fans.
The light at the end of the tunnel is finally beginning to appear for this harvest and not a moment too soon. If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a hundred times, many can’t wait for this stinker of a cropping season to be over. This seems evident by the speed at which fields are turning black. The corn harvest has taken the turn we were afraid it would with the ugly scars from this spring’s battle to get the crop in reappearing as the corn comes off. To make matters worse, LP gas has become tight, prolonging the time from the field to the bin in some cases. On the bright side, last week’s breezy conditions were just what the doctor ordered when it came to combining soybeans. The freezing morning temperatures were also beneficial, allowing the wet green stems to dry and go through the combine with ease. Anhydrous ammonia applications have been underway with soil temperatures and calendar date in agreement that it is time.
The fall has made for some wonderful garden produce at the ranch. The snap peas are done, but the lettuce and radish plantings continue to amaze. The lettuce is sweeter than any I can remember harvesting in the spring. The spring type radishes are by far the crispest we have ever raised. The winter radishes have been extra special. I harvested one of the red meat, or watermelon type, winter radishes and it was about the size of a softball. Scanning the row there are many more that size. Cutting it open revealed a deep red center, a sweet radish flavor and texture even crunchier than a kohlrabi. The beauty of these vegetables is that they will withstand the cold temps a while yet until they can be processed.
The fall colors have been fizzle for the most part. Blink and you missed them. Just about when it looked like they were coming on, the wind would come up and blow them off the trees before we had a chance to enjoy them. There are still a lot of green leaves and the freezing temps have knocked many of them out of the trees so while there are scattered pockets of color, the peak is well past. At least the warm Sunday temperatures brought the boxelder bugs and ladybugs out, reminding us that even if the trees aren’t cooperating, the bugs are still there to entertain us.
There are dog days of summer and sometimes there are dog days in the fall. One day last week I ran across all kinds of dogs at customers’ places. There was a big lab mix dog at my little fat buddy’s shop. It was dark when I opened the door and petted the dog. As I was about to leave I heard someone and it turned out my little fat buddy was taking a nap. After I made sure he was up for all day, I went on my way north and ran across a boxer. I also stumbled into a couple of Honeygold apples the owners gave me after soil sampling their strawberry bed. After that, I went soil sampling in earnest and a trio of dogs greeted me, a yellow and a black lab as well as the cutest little Aussie shepherd. I told her if I didn’t already have two dogs, she could come home with me. After sampling was done, I stopped at the kindly neighbor’s to check on the sheep and was greeted by Annie the collie. And of course when I got home there were red and white Border Collies to welcome me.
Both dogs got in one of their last “herd the lawnmower” days Sunday as they supervised the pesky leaves being ground into confetti. Their grass stained white socks served as a reminder of the dozens of trips they made back and forth keeping a watchful eye. When there’s no lawnmower to herd or gates to watch, Fudgie has claimed the porch as her domain now that autumn has come. In the summer she enjoyed the cool breeze from the south as she watched the sheep grazing below. Now that the leaves have fallen, the sunshine is warmest there, making it a favorite place to watch the sheep, sniff the breeze or better yet, nap. Ruby continues to voice her opinion about my television viewing habits. Watching Clint Eastwood westerns, as is my wont, I was convinced it was only the horses sending Ruby into a growling fit. Much to my dismay, when I tuned in Dirty Harry one night, Clint Eastwood showed up on the screen and Ruby commenced her growling. Even worse, she continued to growl until I chastised her. I mean, how can anyone not like Clint Eastwood? I suspect Mrs. Cheviot has been coaching Ruby. Her reaction is eerily similar when I insist on watching those “dumb movies.”
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs were a little generous with their low temperatures, much to the chagrin of those hoping for one more week of frost-free weather. Will we warm up or continue our downward spiral? Starting Wednesday, partly sunny with a chance of an afternoon shower. Highs in the lower 40s and lows in the upper 20s. Partly sunny for Thursday with highs again in the low 40s and lows in the upper 20s. Friday, mostly sunny with highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid 30s. Partly sunny on Saturday with highs in the mid 40s and lows in the low 30s. Mostly sunny Sunday with highs in the mid 40s and lows in the low 30s. Mostly cloudy on Monday with a slight chance of a daytime shower. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the low 20s. Mostly cloudy on Tuesday with highs on the mid 40s and lows in the low 20s. On October 26th, we slip to 10 hours and 30 minutes of daylight. The normal high for October 26th is 54 and the normal low is 34, the same as we see for April 10th. The scurs are wishing we had the temperatures following April 10th to look forward to.
Field progress, particularly the soybean harvest, was slowed by the persistent nagging showers this past week. Many a combine was seen parked on the end of the field over the weekend as a result of the mixed precipitation that included sleet, hail and a few snowflakes. Corn yields are becoming more variable as farmers get into some of the Black Thursday and later planting. Moisture has probably reached a point where we can expect little improvement, so with soybeans on hold corn harvest has been the order of the day, until the beans dry out that is. Memories of the 1991 Halloween Blizzard are still etched on the minds of those who can remember it, so it’s time to make something happen. The hum of corn dryers can be heard throughout the land and the one at neighbor David’s lulls me to sleep each night with its constant drone. Of course it’s nothing compared to the 10-man dryer in Bugtussle.
It has been a cold October after a warmer than normal September. Almost makes one tempted to add a little tincture to the morning coffee. Around the ranch, the growing season ended officially on Sunday morning. The thermometer read 29 degrees and there was ice in the puddles as well as in the water tank. Some of the plants do take it better than others including petunias, radishes, lettuce and peas to a certain degree. The predicted low was enough to make me pick all the peas, tomatoes and cucumbers before they got nipped. Oh yeah, and the four squash that actually made it. While this was a far cry from the dozens we’re used to, we still have to be thankful the garden was as productive as it was. We still have a lot of winter radishes to harvest yet as well as the spring-type radishes planted in early September. And it’s been nice that folks like Betsy’s dad have shared their bounty with us. Oh, to have a system tiled garden.
Fall has also been a time to plant a new batch of perennials we brought back from the farm at Spring Valley. The lilies of the valley were put in last weekend followed by peonies that were divided into crowns after digging. Probably the most interesting plant however was the Jack in the Pulpit. The plant I dug was one of the offspring resulting from some my dad had moved from a woods before it was bulldozed to the south of our farm over 45 years ago. Not knowing much about the biology of the Jack in the Pulpit, it was interesting to read up on propagating them. The plants come from a corm rather than a tuber as some of the Internet info may suggest. The flowers are pollinated by flies and plants can also be started from seed. The seeds must be separated from the red flesh before planting though. The flesh contains a chemical called calcium oxalate that can cause a nasty skin irritation so rubber gloves must be worn. I bet those ladies at the grocery store thought I just had dishpan hands.
Saturday brought with it a waiting game as we had sold a ram to a gentleman from Wisconsin. When he finally arrived, he was happy with the ram we had available. It was good old Tube Steak, one of those rams able to leap tall panels at a single bound. He had been the odd man, er, ram out as we’ve cut down on numbers and didn’t need his services and neither did the ewes. The buyer also noticed a young ram lamb we had kept back, wowed by his flashy appearance and breed type. Always nice to hear comments from someone who is seeing the same animal we are.
Our wide-ranging conversation went from sheep, to the hay shortage and his four-hour trip across Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was wondering what some of the strange looking crops were he’d seen especially as he’d crossed the Mississippi into Southeast Minnesota. He was thinking that they were perhaps turnips. He had the family right. When I explained that many of them were probably tillage radishes, that drew a quizzical look from him. When I said they were actually a daikon type radish, the light bulb came on as he’d been a farmer’s market participant over many years.
We caught the ram, flipped him on his behind, gave him a pedicure, and then loaded him into the truck. Payment was made and Chris was on his way back to Wisconsin. We’d had a great visit and that’s probably one of the main reasons the sheep remain at the ranch. Sometimes it isn’t so much having the sheep around as it is all the characters one stumbles across as a result.
See you next week…real good then.
No killing frost this past week, but an unexpected light frost Sunday morning caught the scurs off guard and had them scrambling for extra blankets. Will we warm up or are our days of 90 degrees officially over? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with a slight chance of a lingering shower in the morning. Highs in the low 50s and lows in the upper 30s. Mostly sunny becoming mostly cloudy for Thursday with a slight chance of an evening shower. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the upper 30s. Friday, partly sunny with a slight chance of shower. Highs in the low 50s and lows in the low 30s. Partly sunny on Saturday with a slight chance of a shower. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the low 30s. Mostly cloudy for Sunday with a chance of an evening shower. Highs near 50 and lows in the mid 30s. Mostly cloudy for Monday and slightly warmer with a slight chance for a shower. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the mid 30s. Tuesday, partly cloudy with highs in the low 50s and lows in the mid 30s. On the 16th, sunrise will occur at 7:30 a.m. and will set before 6:30 p.m. There will be less than 11 hours of daylight for the first time since February 24th. The normal high for October 18th is 59 and the normal low is 36. At this rate, the scurs may need to locate their long johns soon.
This month’s Full Moon does indeed fall on the 18th and is generally recognized as the Full Hunter’s Moon. This was the time when the Native American tribes as well as the settlers were busy hunting to stock their larders with meat for the long, cold winter ahead. The Ojibwe called this the Falling Leaves Moon and the Sioux also referred to it as the Moon of the Falling Leaves. Luckily they were more concerned about surviving as opposed to raking and bagging leaves. At the ranch we know this as the Moon of Grinding Up Leaves. No raking or bagging here either.
Harvest progress was slow early in the week but picked up speed steadily as the breezes dried the ground and the crop so combines could travel at will across the fields. Yields still have a familiar pattern to them with continuous corn yields being depressed while the soybeans continue to amaze. This brings into play the potential for next year given the number of prevented plant acres that will likely be planted into corn. While it wasn’t what we would’ve chosen to do, it will likely pay big dividends just from the rotational benefit alone.
The days are definitely getting that fall feel to them as Sunday morning marked the official arrival of juncos at the ranch. They are cute little guys and gals that rarely use the bird feeders while cleaning up around and underneath them. The juncos were in the flower bed area, likely feasting on some the of the weed seeds to be found there. The goldfinches are becoming more numerous to the point that one of the thistle feeders needed to be filled. Blue jays are noisy but haven’t maintained a constant presence. Probably saving that for when the snow flies.
In the vegetable garden the tomatoes have finally hit full stride just about as the season is coming to a close. They have been tough to figure out given the goofy season we’ve had. We’ve seen it and others have reported the same thing, that they need to be eaten fairly soon after picking. One can look at them ripening on the counter, thinking you safely have a day or two, check them again and they’re oozing goo all over. The sheep seem to be able to overlook that. They come on a dead run for the garden leftovers like the tomatoes as well as things like radish tops, cucumber peelings, out of code lettuce and ground fall apples with mushy spots on them. No one ever said they were smart.
Speaking of the sheep, Saturday afternoon found me peering out the window at a ewe that appeared to be off by herself in an area sheltered from the wind. Sometimes that means they may be thinking about giving birth and from the distance from the house she was I really couldn’t tell. Although there were none bred we knew of, I decided to be safe rather than sorry. I ventured forth only to discover as I got closer the ewe was just gobbling down leaves from the trees as fast as they were falling. Once she saw me she bolted and ran back with the rest of the flock. It gave me time to look at the pond which has a little water in it since the fall rains started. I made the circuit so was able to see how the trees I’d planted this spring had fared. Quite well actually given the general lack of attention they’d received. The arborvitae had all made it as had the Siberian crabapples. The crabapples are marked pretty well so it’ll be time to get the tree wrap on them soon. The cottontails already have plenty to eat. Don’t recall ever seeing a skinny bunny in these parts.
Sunday morning TV sometimes makes for an interesting spectacle. One program featured an interview with the famous New York City street performer known as the Naked Cowboy, who was appearing for some benefit in the Twin Cities. This of course leads the heterosexual male mind to ask the burning question, are there any Naked Cowgirls? Indeed there are. Apparently the guy who started the Naked Cowboy gig owns the trademark to the concept and gives out franchises to men or women who qualify. They in turn pay a royalty of $500 per month or $5000 per year to use the name. One would think by now he’d be able to afford to perform in something other than just his underwear. And here I bet you thought you wouldn’t learn anything this week.
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs forecast the rain about right with the exception of the dabs that fell in Saturday and Sunday. Will we get back on track for harvest once again? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny and breezy with highs in the mid 70s and lows in the low 50s. Thursday, mostly sunny and breezy once again. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the upper 50s. Mostly sunny on Friday with a slight chance of daytime showers with a slightly increased chance overnight. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s. Saturday, mostly sunny with a slight chance of a daytime shower. Highs near 65 and lows in the lower 30s. Mostly sunny Sunday with a high in the low 60s and lows in the mid 40s. Mostly cloudy Monday with highs in the upper 50s and lows in the low 30s. Tuesday brings the chance of a killing frost. Mostly cloudy with highs in the mid 50s and lows near 30. For October 14th, the normal high is 61 and the normal low is 38. In honor of Columbus Day, the scurs will take their tiny Alumacraft canoes to St. Olaf Lake, in search of new lands.
A start to the harvest season was made last week only to be put on hold with the Wednesday night rains. Yields have been somewhat variable, although soybean yields have been far better than what we would’ve thought even a month ago. Late season rains and a warm September made a world of difference. Corn moisture has been a pleasant surprise as well and the previously mentioned warm September is primarily why. Some breezy days mixed in here and there pushed maturity along quickly. Corn yields have been more erratic with some reporting yields near 200 bu./acre with excellent test weight while others were disappointed with yields of 140-150 with lighter test weight. Corn on corn was a part of the equation in many of those cases. All told about 2.62” of rain fell at the ranch with 2.4” in town at the Mall for Men. Our soils have been accumulating moisture with little evapotranspiration occurring. It will be a departure from the past two falls where we were extremely dry going into winter and wondering if there would be enough moisture to keep a crop growing in the spring.
Now that the hummingbirds appear to officially be gone from the ranch, one is hopeful the fall birds begin to take up the slack. The activity at our feeders has been slow, just the same as many other readers have indicated though. We have the odd blue jay, a scattered goldfinch and the occasional nuthatch who would rather be heard than seen. Saturday while the sun was shining was a good time to clean some of the feeders after the rainy spell we’d been through. A long handled scrub brush along with the laundry sink in the garage filled with hot water and a 10-percent bleach solution usually does the trick.
After thoroughly rinsing and allowing the feeders to air dry, they were refilled and open for business once again. Not many takers other than four squirrels feasting on the spilled seed, so it was time to watch the migrating birds instead. One of those perpetual strings of blackbirds showed up in the afternoon along with several groups of robins. Last year they had to rely largely on the berry crop as they moved through the area. This year they were lucky. There are plenty of berries and plenty of earthworms. Yellow-rumped warblers have been common recently, spending much of their time in the flower garden. About sundown on Monday the sphinx moths were still present, making one wonder how much longer they’ll continue.
There is some color starting to show locally and our yard is no exception. The sumac is becoming a little brighter every day and the nannyberries are blushing, heavy laden with black fruit in contrast. The ash trees by the road cut are bright yellow, making a statement that fall has arrived. Evergreen trees have been casting their needles. Everything from arborvitae to Austrian pine has been shedding, making a mat of needles under the trees.
Our apples were a mixed bag this year. Both the Haralson and the Fireside started out like a house afire, loaded with fruit. In July the Fireside suddenly dumped most of its crop, leaving a scattered apple here and there in the dense canopy. The Haralson was less affected, although those apples had a lot of scab to the point that the skins broke open, resulting in ugly, damaged apples. Not surprising, given the wet May and June we had. The Honeycrisp tree was a no-show, but the SnowSweet was a pleasant surprise. The tree has only been in the ground 4 or 5 years at most and it rewarded us with 4 nice eating apples. Not sure what to expect, I brought them inside when it looked like they were ripe so the birds wouldn’t get them. They were excellent, a nice balance of sweetness and apple flavor. It was almost a shame to melt caramel to dip the slices in. I wasn’t taking any chances though. As years of watching Seinfeld have taught me, fruit is a gamble.
What ever became of the “A” in the A & P Corporation? You gotta admit, he has been awfully quiet for a long time. That all may be about to change. Rumor on the street has it that there will be a new, secret livestock enterprise taking shape on his property soon. The great thing about it is it’s so hush-hush even he doesn’t know about it. (yet)
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs pegged the rainfall about right as well as the nice days following. Will our good fortune continue or are we destined for a wet October? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny becoming mostly cloudy with a moderate chance of an evening shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the upper 50s. Thursday, mostly cloudy with a good chance of showers or a passing thunderstorm. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the low 50s. Mostly cloudy for Friday with a good chance of continued showers. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the lower 40s. Saturday, partly cloudy with a slight chance of a lingering morning shower. Cooler with highs in the upper 50s with a low around 40. Mostly sunny on Sunday with highs in the low 60s and a low near 35. Mostly sunny on Monday with highs in the mid 60s and lows in the low 40s. Partly cloudy for Tuesday with highs in the upper 60s and lows in the low 40s. The normal high for October 5th is 65 and the normal low is 41, about the same as we see in late April or early May. We continue losing daylight at nearly 3 minutes per day, however. The scurs will be readying their Hobo Stew recipe for the chilly evenings ahead.
Crops made some major changes as warm temperatures and sunshine prevailed for much of this past week. Much of the corn planted in mid-May has black layered and even some of that planted the third week in June will make corn of one sort or another. Soybeans also made tremendous strides towards getting away from frost danger, although in some cases the maturity was brought on prematurely by lack of treatment for soybean aphids. This week should see some harvest activity in both crops, barring an off the wall weather event. Rainfall for the month of September totaled 1.69” at the ranch and about 1.45” in town at the Mall for Men. While it hasn’t recharged the soils as of this writing, several forecasts point to more rain and generally cooler temps. Along with the shortening days it should help replace some of what we used up in the upper several feet. The pastures and lawns are definitely showing the effects.
Alas it appears we may have seen the last of the hummingbirds at the ranch over the weekend. That’s O.K.; we saw our first one on the 13th of May. In 2012 our last sighting was September 21st. A former pygmy goat farmer claimed he still had hummingbirds as of Tuesday morning. During the cold rain on Saturday the 28th, I spied one still working over the nectar feeder that hadn’t been emptied by the wind so I refilled the other one just in case. Sunday they were not in evidence so that may or may not have been a waste of time. There still may be a straggler or two and, contrary to some folklore, leaving the feeders out won’t keep them here until they starve or freeze to death. Just looking at the flowers around the yard one can tell they’re starting to wane a little and the hummers can tell that too. One look at the little hand grenade shaped seeds littering the ground under the 4 o’clocks is a clue. There are still some white-lined sphinx moths working the remaining blooms over though. Unfortunately for them, they can’t hitch a ride on the hummingbirds riding on the Canada geese’s backs. Would I lie to you?
Millipedes have been common in the garage at the ranch thus far this fall. While they really don’t hurt anything they crawl all over the place and have an unpleasant odor to them when they’re crushed. Household fly spray is largely ineffective and some of the insecticides tend to be more toxic than what I want to spray in an attached garage. Eliminating leaves around the building as well as sealing up areas where they can get in is probably the best option. Also noted while working in the garden over the weekend was the appearance of numerous ladybugs. With much of their food source largely gone in both the corn and soybeans, they’re looking for alternatives to survive on before looking for a place to hole up for the winter. There may be more than what we saw last year due to the number of soybean fields not sprayed mentioned above. Like rats and carp, they are survivors.
The garden has continued to bless us with an abundance of produce not only to eat but to share. The tomatoes perhaps could’ve done better as they have had a tendency to develop blossom end rot. We are not alone in that department. Probably the most gratifying surprise has been the fall snap pea crop. The vines are as healthy as any we’ve ever had and while not yielding perhaps as well as a spring crop, have produced more than we could eat hence the sharing. The emergence of the last seeding of lettuce was spotty but with the warm temps and a little more rain, it’ll be ready for consumption soon. The spring-type radishes are starting to produce just as we’re about to finish the last of the late summer planting. And the winter radishes have been a good. A little like playing Russian roulette perhaps as some are displaying firepower but tasty nonetheless.
Ruby and Fudgie displayed some of their athletic prowess the other night. Seems a stray kitty had decided it was a good time to perch on the gas grill outside the garage. Before bedtime, it’s routine to let the doggies out for their last potty of the night. No sooner was the door open and the chase was on. The panic from the cat upon seeing two red and white rockets in hot pursuit made for a good laugh. Canines and felines behaving normally as they disappeared around the corner into the night. Had to be impressed with Fudgie’s wheels for a 10-year-old Border Collie. Like me, for an old-timer she’s still got it.
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs had a near miss locally with predicted rain that didn’t happen. Fortunately the weather remaining cool helped us make the most of the previous rainfall. Will we see more rains or are we about to become the Gobi Desert? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs in the mid 70s and lows in the mid 50s. Thursday, mostly sunny with highs in the upper 70s and lows in the lower 60s. Partly sunny becoming cloudy by evening with a modest chance of showers and thunderstorms as the day wears on. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the mid 50s. Mostly cloudy on Saturday with a good chance of showers or a thunderstorm. Highs near 65 and lows in the upper 40s. Sunday through Tuesday, mostly sunny with highs in the upper 60s and lows in the low to mid 40s. On September 26th we slip back to less than 12 hours of daylight and sun sets before 7 o’clock on the 29th. The normal high for September 30th is 67 and the normal low is 43. The scurs will need to ready the kerosene lanterns and the wireless for the longer nights ahead.
A trip north revealed rapidly changing crop conditions all the way to the Canadian border. Very little evidence of any corn harvest aside from the odd field here and there that had been chopped for silage. North of Blackduck, corn had been frosted so there was likely some silage harvest in their future if the cattle in the area were any indication. Soybean fields were turning and dropping leaves, but none of what I saw were harvestable yet. Still a lot of road ditch hay being baled, but for the most part alfalfa fields had probably been harvested for the last time this season. The large herds of cattle between Bemidji and International Falls contrasted nicely against the large expanses of pasture. It won’t be long though and some of those round bales will be pressed into service.
The trip north started out a little shaky as the weather turned ugly north of the Twin Cities somewhere south of Buffalo. Hail and heavy downpour made me wonder if we were going to make it to our rendezvous point in Bemidji. Luckily the pickup and I escaped unscathed and we continued our march north. A large truck loaded with red potatoes near Cushing crossed the road in front of me, reminding of those days long ago working for the U on test plots near Becker on spuds. We got to the initial meeting spot in good shape, had a burger at Slim’s in Bemidji, then worked our way to International Falls where we had some of the world renowned pizza at the Border Bar. Luckily there was plenty left for later snacking.
Thanks to my little fat buddy, part of this was written at his cabin on scenic Warner Lake near Atikokan in Ontario, Canada. It was a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of Bugtussle. Long overdue and left the impression that it needs to occur with greater frequency. The passport was broken in properly and my little fat buddy was the consummate host. I was able to catch some smallmouth, something I hadn’t done since my college days fishing in the Mississippi in downtown Minneapolis. There’s a story in that, but we’ll let that slide in this edition. It was also an opportunity to use a wood burning sauna. I was still a single lad just out of college at my bachelor pad on the Finish Reservation east of Rolla when that last occurred.
Smallmouth fishing was slow and there were only 8 – 10 caught. Luckily I’ve long since become a catch-and-release guy, if for no other reason other that it’s fun to catch them and return them so someone else can enjoy them. It was also great fun to see the flora and fauna that northwest Ontario affords. The blueberries were long gone, but the bushes served as a reminder of what had been. Some of the maples were turning, allowing for pockets of beautiful color to accent the otherwise still green largely coniferous landscape. Loons were still present and there were numerous birds moving through, including robins and warblers. The hummingbirds were probably done for the season, although we thought we caught a fleeting glimpse but couldn’t be sure.
Canada is still one of my favorite places. I learned how to drive tractor on a Co-Op E3, basically a Canadian Cockshutt 30 painted pumpkin orange. I first travelled to Canada when my Uncle Basil took my sister and my cousins on a trek across Canada to Alaska in the early 1970s. When I was a North Dakota resident just out of college, we’d often cross the border at the St. John and go to Winkie’s, then a popular Chinese restaurant in Killarney, Manitoba. It’s been too long getting back to Canada and the fact the area we were in was so peaceful and quiet makes me anxious to go back soon. Without worrying about customer phone calls or answering e-mails, I found I slept like a rock when I crawled inside that sleeping bag.
Back home again and Mrs. Cheviot had kept the home fires burning while I was away. The dogs were both glad to see me, with Ruby in particular coming unwound. The lawn had greened up since the rain, meaning there may be one more mowing in my future. The pasture had greened up appreciably too, so the ewes looked fat and sassy against a green backdrop as opposed to the drab brown one before I left. The hummingbirds weren’t present on Monday night, but when the feeders were cleaned and refilled Tuesday a.m., it didn’t take long for them to reappear. Sooner or later though they’ll be gone and we’ll have only colder temperatures to look forward to. Oh goody.
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs topped off their forecast last week with some much needed rainfall. Will we be treated to another rain before next week or will the blast furnace return? Starting Wednesday, partly sunny with a modest chance for showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the mid 60s. Partly sunny with a better chance of showers and thunderstorms on Thursday. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the lower 50s. Mostly sunny for Friday and Saturday with highs in the mid to upper 60s and lows in the upper 40s. Sunday, mostly sunny becoming mostly cloudy with a chance of an evening shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s. Mostly cloudy Monday with a chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the upper 40s. Mostly cloudy with a continued chance for rain on Tuesday. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the upper 30s. The normal high for September 22nd, the first official day of autumn is 70 and the normal low is 47. The scurs will be getting sticky fingers from making s’mores around the roaring fire on these cool nights.
The Full Moon for the month is on the 19th and it is the Full Harvest Moon. The Ojibwe knew this as the Rice Moon as the wild rice was ready for harvesting. The Sioux were also keeping an eye on potential foodstuffs as they called this the Moon When Plums are Scarlet. At the ranch it is known as the Moon Where Garden Produce Abounds, at least most years. While the season was not perhaps as kind to us this time, we still have much to eat and are grateful for it.
Vista’s noted Swedish astronomer made another visit and left some information about what’s going on in the sky for the start of the fall season. Look for the Big Dipper in the northwestern sky after sunset. As legend has it, this time of year the Big Dipper is right side up and holding its water, signifying the drier fall weather we generally expect. This as opposed to the spring when it appears to be dumping its water and giving us the rains we need. Notable among the planets in the sky this September is extremely bright Venus in the western sky. From the 15th – 19th Saturn will be slightly above Venus at dusk. When the noted Swedish astronomer leaves, one can only pause and ask himself, who was that masked man?
The welcome rains on September 14th and 15th weren’t of a lot of help to the crop in the field, but they will help make fall tillage easier as well as put some moisture back in the profile we have used up. It should also help hayfields, prevented plant acres and pastures. Corn that was planted in the mid-May planting should be closing in on blacklayer or physiological maturity. Soybeans are turning on a more widespread basis with some of those 2.3–2.5 varieties even starting to show some color. Speaking of color, some have asked what the reddish tinge is on some of the prevented plant acres seeded to oats. It is primarily crown rust, common especially as oats are seeded later in the season. The spores that infect the oats are produced from pustules on buckthorn, the alternate host. The spores are transported from the southern states on wind currents. Infection can also come from spores produced locally on infected populations of buckthorn. Oat varieties vary in their susceptibility/resistance to the disease.
Autumn is a wonderful time to observe the flora and fauna out of doors. Salamanders were crossing the roads following the recent rains looking for a place to burrow in before freeze up. The zucchini appears to have borne its last for the season, although it appears it had some help. Examining the undersides of the leaves, there were loads of aphids on the newer leaves, although the small parasitic wasps had been doing their part to control them, judging by the mummified aphid carcasses. A 5-spotted hawkmoth was seen working the 4 o’clocks the other night at the ranch, about 2 or 3 times the size of the white-lined sphinx moths it was sharing the flowers with. Betsy’s Dad recently spotted night hawks on their migration through the area. More were noted Monday night in our own neighborhood as I checked the electric fence at the kindly neighbors. Bur oak acorns have been especially plentiful this fall, so much so that the squirrels haven’t touched the corn from their feeder. The sheep also have been enjoying them and by November when we bring them home from pasture, there will be few acorns left on the ground under the trees.
Fudgie survived what is likely her last brushing of the season. She’s shed off nicely and looks about 5 years younger. Am starting to think there may actually be a dog under all that fur after all. Both dogs have been busy keeping tabs on the road construction project as it nears completion. It has involved a lot of barking and growling, especially after our phone and Internet service were interrupted. And then the dogs got into the act!
Seriously though, those of us in the neighborhood are just glad to have the road paved again. One was starting to wonder who hadn’t paid their taxes. The pavement had deteriorated to the point where hunks were missing. The only positive was those who love to drive well over the speed limit took a different route. The workers on the construction project have been extremely courteous, especially when we’ve been stopped by the flag persons. One night Mrs. Cheviot was attempting to get to our driveway when she was stopped until one of the operations could be completed. The young lady running the stop sign asked where she was going and Mrs. Cheviot explained that we were the second place down, the place with the sheep. The young lady exclaimed, “Oh, we love the sheep!” Apparently the flag crew had set up in our driveway earlier and watching the critters had provided a brief diversion from what is likely a dull, thankless job at times. Glad the sheep could brighten someone’s day. Wonder how many they’d like to take home?
See you next week.
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The heat was definitely back as well as no rain. Will the scurs be able to scrape together some rain and cooler temps or are we doomed to continue Mother Nature’s high desert impression? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs in the low 80s and lows in the upper 50s. Mostly sunny and cooler for Thursday with highs in the low 70s and lows in the upper 40s. Mostly sunny on Friday with highs in the upper 60s and lows in the upper 40s. Saturday, mostly sunny becoming mostly cloudy in the evening with a chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the upper 50s. Partly cloudy Sunday with a chance of rain in the forenoon. Highs near 70 and lows in the lower 50s. Mostly cloudy on Monday with a chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs on the mid 60s and lows in the low 50s Partly cloudy and warmer on Tuesday with a chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs near 80 and lows in the upper 50s. The normal high for September 15th is 73 and the normal low is 50. The scurs will be looking for their blankies if some of those low temperatures are for real.
Crops continued to progress rapidly towards maturity and the heat accelerated the process. A lot of corn has noticeable top dieback. Generally this is from late season heat and dry conditions pushing the plants resulting in cannibalization of the stalks and leaves in order to provide the ear with moisture and nutrients. Some of the early planted 100 day hybrids are showing a milk line 3/4 of the way down the kernel already, meaning that a frost at this point would do little to impact yield in that situation. Soybeans are also showing some of the same effects of the warm temperatures with many areas prone to drought stress — namely gravel pockets prematurely ripening. This will likely mean smaller soybeans and in some cases fewer of them.
Rainfall thus far in September has been too slight for most gauges to measure. At the ranch we’ve garnered a paltry .04” with a few trace amounts thrown in for laughs. Waterfowl is not laughing however. Small wetlands are beginning to dry up, something that seemed impossible even 6 weeks ago. Cattails are browning up as the low moisture level takes its toll. Trees are also showing signs of the stress with leaves drying up and beginning to drop prematurely in places.
Birds continue to move on through. What appears to be the last oriole of our season at the ranch was at the jelly feeder on the 7th. Hummingbird numbers continue to swell and their activity around the yard can keep one entertained for hours. Their squeaky little voices can be heard anytime one gets close to a nectar feeder followed of course by the humming of their tiny wings as they maneuver around the yard. More goldfinches are evident each day and their habit of dumping seed on the ground is a telltale sign they’ve been there even when we haven’t been there to see them.
Wild cucumbers have really made their presence known this year, making them the most commonly asked about weed problem in several years. They have become a real nuisance, in some cases covering evergreens with their leaves so completely that it blocks out the sunlight. This can result in the death of the tree particularly if it’s one that’s already under stress from needle cast, drought or other malady. Wild cucumber is an annual and must come from seed each year. The seeds are contained in a fleshy oval- shaped seed pod covered with spines. There are four seeds per pod and the seeds are shed when the pods ripen in the fall. Control generally is best achieved by pulling the plants early on before they begin to climb. Early in the season herbicides such as dicamba and glyphosate can be used but precautions need to be taken so desirable species are not affected.
A visit to Mom’s on her birthday continued a tradition established over the years. The next day is our anniversary so I’ve had no excuses for not remembering either one. Mom wasn’t there of course but her presence is still seems remarkably close after being gone now for a little over two months. As I motored towards her place it occurred to me that it might be appropriate to take the staff at the Care Center some DQ ice cream treats as we did many times while Mom was a resident there. Upon arrival I spied my sister just finishing up watering the plants. It was hot and she mentioned that when she’d arrived, there had been a bald eagle feeding on the large raccoon carcass north of the house. The bald eagle sighting was so Mom!
Sis also mentioned taking a break and heading to Ostrander with some ice cream treats for the staff. I wasn’t arguing and was amazed how our thoughts were so alike. I’d brought along a DQ gift card but of course in true Bernard family fashion she wouldn’t hear of it. The visit went well and we were welcomed with open arms as we recalled Mom’s days there and how we all missed her. We went back to the house and with a hungry construction crew awaiting food at her place my sister had to bolt. I filled the bird feeders, put some corn out for the squirrels and cleaned the birdbath since the heat was to continue a few more days. I could almost hear Mom asking though, “Say, I hate to bother you, but would you have time to remove that dead raccoon from the road in front of the house before you go? I know the eagle likes it but it looks like heck.” Of course was always my response and this time was no different. I’d put it where the eagle would still be able to locate it and then we’d all be happy. Except for the raccoon perhaps.
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs had their blinders on once again thinking that we were stuck in a warm temperature rut. How quickly that changed on Saturday night and Sunday! Will we see an encore performance of the heat or are we getting ready for fall? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs on the mid 80s and lows in the upper 50s. Sunny for Thursday with high in the low 80s and lows in the low 60s. Slightly warmer and sunny again for Friday with highs in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 60s. Warmer still for Saturday under sunny skies with highs in the upper 80’s and lows in the mid 60s. A change starts on Sunday with a slight chance of daytime showers and thunderstorms increasing as we approach the evening hours. Mostly sunny in the morning becoming mostly cloudy by evening with highs in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 60s. Mostly cloudy for Monday with a moderate chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the upper 50s. Mostly sunny on Tuesday with highs in the upper 70s and lows in the upper 50s. The normal high for September 7th is 76 and the normal low is 54. The scurs will be resting after a long week of turning the thermostat down to cool off.
More progress towards crop maturity was made last week. However, the high temperatures have taken a toll on things causing the predicted tip back on corn and abortion of many of the small pods in the soybeans. Scouting soybeans for aphids last week in a pair of shorts, I discovered my socks were full of little pods when it came time to take my shoes off. Corn that was planted in our four-day window of opportunity in May has generally dented and some of the early maturing soybeans planted in that same timeframe had reached R6 as of last week. Our lack of rainfall has taken its toll on pastures. A seemingly endless supply of nutritious grass back in early July has dwindled to lesser quality and amount. Some are dangerously close to tapping into an already short hay supply, again. Rainfall at the ranch totaled 1.15” for the month of August and at the office an even 1 inch.
The hot dry weather has also meant watering the garden for the third year in a row in August. The extra effort has paid off. Green beans have produced somewhere over 10 gallon bags worth and counting. The radishes have been tremendous yielders as well with numerous bags leaving for consumption by others. Leaf lettuce has been a hit too as we’ve shared the greens with friends. The cukes have started to produce although they’re not coming as fast as I’d like. The snap peas started flowering over the weekend so am keeping my fingers crossed. All in all not bad production considering there was still standing water on parts of the garden as late as June 15th. The success of the late summer radish and lettuce planting encouraged me to take advantage of the clearance sale Edna was having on vegetable seeds. I picked up more radish seed and several varieties of lettuce type greens. The price was right. Aside from a little elbow grease and watering to get them started, I ain’t got much in it.
The sheep may be getting shorter on pasture but they have been supplemented with lots of radish tops and other assorted vegetable peelings. They have also been gardening themselves. In their pasture there was a lone muskmelon plant that grew on top of the compost pile. There were five melons and apparently my nose was better than theirs as I managed to pick four of them before they devoured the last one. They also have been raising pumpkins from seed where we threw them over the fence behind the granary. The ewes haven’t been as generous with those however. Sunday they waded into the vines and by Monday they had flattened much of those that were on their side of the fence. Fortunately some of the pumpkins managed to escape into the lawn where they couldn't get at them. Oh they’ll get those too eventually but will probably have to wait until Thanksgiving.
The birds show signs that fall is on the way. The variety of birds appearing has dwindled and suspect this may be the orioles’ last hurrah. There were two on Labor Day at the jelly feeder, a young male Baltimore and what appeared to be a female orchard oriole. I could hear the latter chattering at me to finish watering so they could get at the feeder. The amount of jelly though has slowed to a crawl. The hummingbirds on the other hand have ramped it up. The 4 O’clocks are ready for them, having burst into full bloom last weekend. It’s not unusual for the hummers to sneak up behind me when watering, wondering when I’ll get out of the way so they can get at the planters and other vegetation planted for their dining pleasure.
Mrs. Cheviot returned home Sunday from another stint as superintendent of the Open Class Sheep Department at the MN State Fair. Luckily she missed out on all the road construction this past week. It has set the Border Collie alarm system off frequently with every machine, vehicle, or person seen and heard. The good news is being gone much of the day, I don’t have to deal with it. However, one just never knows what might trigger the alarm. I know that watching Clint Eastwood westerns sends Ruby into a fit of growling and barking, ready to launch herself at the television when she sees horses. That happens frequently in those flicks. She has no problem though when Clint slaughters 30 guys with two six guns sans reloading, something that also seems to happen frequently. The other night we were watching TV and the Geico ad with the camel celebrating “Hump Day” came on. From Ruby’s reaction, one would’ve thought the devil himself had appeared in the living room. She either isn’t a fan of Wednesdays or camels have also made her “list.”
See you next week…real good then.
So much for the scurs predicting high temperatures. Those 90-degree highs were unexpected and made everyone get acquainted with their air conditioner once again. Will we get back to reality soon or will September be the new July? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs near 90 and lows in the upper 60’s. Mostly sunny on Thursday with a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the upper 80s and lows in the upper 60s. Mostly sunny for Friday with highs in the upper 80s and lows in the lower 70s. Saturday, mostly sunny with a slight chance of an evening shower or thunderstorm. Highs again in the upper 80s and lows in the upper 60s. Mostly sunny for Sunday with highs in the upper 80s and lows in the upper 60s. For Labor Day, mostly sunny and slightly cooler with highs in the mid 80s and lows in the lower 60s. Mostly sunny becoming partly cloudy with a chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs near 80 and lows in the low 60s. The normal high for September 1st is 77 and the normal low is 56. On August 27th the sun will set before 8 p.m. for the first time since mid-April. The scurs will be enjoying Labor Day in their hammock far from the madding crowd. Sheep farm, goofy dogs, yeah, it kinda fits.
Someone certainly decided we needed to come out of the refrigerator and onto the stove. While some are rejoicing that we are finally getting some warm weather for this crop, once again we need to be careful what we wish for. The pattern of sparse and randomly distributed rainfall in August has entrenched itself for the third year in a row. Without some rainfall in most areas, prolonged hot dry weather can only spell lower yields. Early planted corn has just begun to dent and without rainfall, tipping back on the ears given the generally shallow root systems is inevitable. Likewise on the soybeans. Where rainfall was received recently, the soybeans are setting additional pods on the plants. No such luck where it did not rain last week.
Soybean aphids exploded with a vengeance last week keeping sprayer operators hopping. There is some puzzlement over the dynamic increase in populations despite the hot conditions. Were the aphids conditioned for the weather extremes by the cold temperatures preceding this recent heat wave or have they been fooling us into thinking they prefer a cooler weather regime previously? Difficult to say at this point. About the only thing certain about soybean aphids this season anyway is they don’t follow the rules and would rather make them up as they go along. After the season is over there will be lots of time to mull over what happened and perhaps something in the data will point us in the right direction. In the meantime, the mosquitoes should have taken it on the chin, at least around soybean fields anyway.
Another Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour is in the books as is our showing at the MN State Fair. While I usually dread going in either case, I’m usually glad I went and this year was no exception. On the Crop Tour we saw a good corn and soybean crop in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois with Iowa and Minnesota being more problematic. The thing I’ve always liked about the Crop Tour over the years though is the people. I’ve made friends all over the country and I’d like to think all over the world as a result. The State Fair is no different in that respect. I ran into my little fat buddy from Bemidji and we spent time seeing what might work for a Canadian fishing adventure. The last time I took an entire week off other than for an illness, showing sheep, or to work at home was 1987. I think everyone deserves a small vacation once in a while, including me.
One of the things I look forward to the most when I get back from Crop Tour is checking out the garden to see how much it changed in a week’s time. Man did it ever. With the heat there were string beans and radishes coming out our ears. There were some tomatoes that finally ripened as well. Not only that but the leaf lettuce was already in its prime, enough so that I purchased some salad dressing at Pete’s to start my diet. It’s never a good idea to step on the scale for at least two weeks following Crop Tour. The evening meals are superb and eating at places like the Angry Pickle in Decorah during the day probably doesn’t help. Did I mention they had raspberry pie?
I was surprised to see there were still orioles hanging around the feeders when I got home. Their days are numbered however and usually sometime in September they bid us adieu. The goldfinches are numerous once again though after being almost nonexistent last spring and winter. The hummingbirds have been more sporadic this summer than some years with a few loyal customers at the feeders and planters, yet not consistently. There have however been plenty of white-lined sphinx moths taking advantage of the flowers such as the blue salvia. With the 4 O’Clocks just beginning to flower, they will be sure to enjoy them as well.
The dogs have been glad to have me back home while Mrs. Cheviot is riding herd on the exhibitors in the Open Class Sheep Dept. Even during the hot days the dogs would rather be outside watching what I’m up to as opposed to laying around the house. They do however seek shelter from the sun with Fudgie perching on the south porch while Ruby is content to watch the sheep in the barn. What for I’m not sure, but Border Collies will be Border Collies.
See you next week…real good then.
The scurs predictions for scant rainfall chances and amounts as well as warmer temps were on the money. Will we see more of the same? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with a slight chance of evening thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s and lows in the upper 60s. Partly cloudy on Thursday with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 60s. Friday, partly cloudy with highs in the low 80s and lows in the mid 60s. Mostly sunny for Saturday and Sunday with highs in the upper 60s and lows in the lower 60s. Mostly cloudy for Monday and Tuesday with chances for showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the upper 50s. The normal high for August 25th is 79 and the normal low is 58. The scurs know it can’t be long before the large yellow livestock hauling vehicles resume their regular schedule.
This column is coming to you from the road this week, as we travel with the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour. The first day of travel towards our destination in Champaign, IL found a generally much better looking crop from the road than what we’ve been accustomed to seeing in South Central MN. The crop, in particular the corn, is predicted to be huge nationwide, although there are some recent indications that the bloom may be coming off the rose so to speak. I’m not going to speculate on that right now; that’s why we take the yield checks and take into account crop condition. Then we have some data to go on. Without data, it’s just a windshield survey. Follow us on agweb.com and on Twitter at #pftour13. My handle is @MNWeedWizard if you want to follow my tweets.
The trip had an interesting beginning to it. Packing the large bag, I discovered there was still something in one of the zippered compartments. When I opened it up, I discovered a bunch of dirty socks and underwear left over from last year’s Crop Tour! I wondered why it seemed like I ran out so quickly so I purchased some new ones, figuring that Mrs. Cheviot had probably disposed of some of the more tattered models. No problem. Now I should be able to go for a month before having to worry about it. Then go buy more.
There have been some techno issues though. It seems like the more technical these electronic gadgets become, the more trouble they cause me. One would think for someone who lusted after one of those Philips turntables that used heat sensitive controls to operate it you’d be able to figure these things out. I also had a Toshiba microwave that had a touch pad for controls back in about 1982. Must not have done me much good. I was in a quandary when trying to start the leased vehicle and accidentally stepped on the brake, allowing me to start it. When I tried to remember what I’d done the next time, just poking the start button did nothing to satisfy my need to get moving. About that same time someone called and I had a dickens of a time trying to run the touch screen on that. Seems I’m unable to handle more than one techno disaster at time.
Then of course there are all those little icons on the buttons in cars you’re apparently supposed to be born knowing the meaning of. Driving a rental car from Cedar Falls to Columbus, OH I had plenty of time to play with most of the buttons and actually figured out how to turn the radio on by the time I arrived at my destination. I still remember trying to get the rear window defroster to work on my own pickup. There was a button for the heated mirrors that had a little picture of the mirrors on it so that couldn’t have been it. Then there was one that had a snowflake on it so one would think that might be the correct button. For whatever reason, the rear window did not defrost. Come to find out, that one was for the air conditioning! A lot of good that did me in January.
The dogs always seem to know something’s up when one of us is leaving. Fudgie and Ruby act almost as though they’ve done something wrong. There’s more clingy behavior, more moping and less of the typical behavior. If they only knew how much we miss them when we’re off galloping around the country. That’s one of the beauties of a dog however. No matter how long you’ve been away, when you return they’re always glad to see you and expend some additional energy towards letting you know that. Perhaps they think if they do that, you won’t be as apt to take off on another extended journey again anytime soon. Of course it could also be that they would like to go along the next time. When asked if they’d like to “go with” they suddenly become very excited. More than once we’ve had to coax them back out of the car when the door gets left open afterwards. That’s a clue.
See you next week…real good then.