Thursday, October 27, 2011

Harvesting Soybeans...and A Sigh of Relief...

Well...if that wasn't a stressful 18 hours...

Yesterday afternoon I discovered that my blog had been "removed"...and put where?  I still don't have clear answers as to what happened, but Google/Blogger redeemed themselves.  They apparently read my emails and corrected the problem, and once again we're in business!


So...because I was just a bit distracted last evening, and because it was quickly getting dark outside, I missed any action shots of the soybean fields being combined.  I had to settle for the day after pictures instead.

 It's been tough knowing just when to harvest this fall...the wet weather has prevented the beans (and corn) from drying down like it should be by this time.  However...if you wait too long, you run the risk of the dry, brittle bean/corn stalks going down in the rain or the wind...and you risk losing some of your yield.

We had beans in three different locations this year...here at home, the "other farm" and our neighbor's farm.  The combine came to our place last.  The driver said that they were yielding very good...average in this area is around 70 bushels per acre, and when he started here at home, we were slightly above that number.  One field was very dry, but the other two were in areas that lay a little wet, and those beans weren't quite as dry.  We'll be docked a little for the drying, but all in all, we are very pleased!

It was dark when they finished the beans.  They loaded up the grain truck and sent it on it's way to the place where the beans will be dried, toasted and "grain banked".  The combine then dropped his bean header in the field and headed back to the "other farm" where they put on the corn header and began harvesting the corn...



 I think the newly harvested bean field looks like a carpet.  But don't try walking on it in your bare feet...


This field of beans was planted a month later than the first ones.  It's still got a ways to go until it's ready to be harvested...


And I just couldn't resist this shot.  I was looking toward the house and saw this black "thing" in the middle of the field.  I thought maybe it was Murphy, but I whistled and "it" didn't move.  At all.  It's not like her to be still.  Ever. 

But lo and behold, look what I found when I got closer...


It's nice to be the object of such a sweet  spoiled dog's attention!


Jim rode in the combine last night...they went long after dark, and finished the corn at the "other farm" and began at the neighbors'.  He said there was a good bit of down corn in several of the fields (from Hurricane Irene) but all in all it's not too bad.

It's raining today, so everything's been put on hold until it clears off.  As soon as it's fit, they'll finish up.  Then it will be time for baling corn fodder and cleaning out pens before winter.

Didn't we just do that?

8 comments:

  1. You know my friend Julia lost her blog yesterday too. She hasn't been able to get hers back and she started a new one. Oh gee they must be doing upgrades. I have never seen how soybeans are harvested. Have you had rain non stop this year?
    I hope it dries out so you can get the rest.
    I loved looking at your pictures.
    Did you loose your followers too? If you did let me know and I will come back and follow again.

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  2. Whew! I am so glad to see you didn't close your blog down! I absolutely love reading it. I live in San Diego, California but spent 12 years of my adult life in Iowa and just love the farm country.

    Both my parents grew up in Pennsylvania not far from your area (Mom - Marshallton and West Chester, and Dad Phoenixville), so when I came across your blog I was so happy.

    I envy you and your life! I came back to San Diego to be near my parents, who are not getting any younger. I am enjoying my time with them, but sure miss the country life.

    I don't comment often on the blogs I read, and I even started one myself a few years ago but haven't kept up with it, keep telling myself I need to start writing on it again. Maybe I will before this year is over.

    I had to comment today just to let you know how sad I was yesterday when I went to your blog and it was gone!!!! So glad to see you are still there today.

    Keep up the wonderful blogging.

    A sister-in Christ in San Diego -

    Donna

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  3. Love your photos . Cute pooch in the field lol. Glad that all went well for you with your harvest , it never ends does it I remember from my days of that on the farm but we do it cause we love it all. Have a wonderful day !

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  4. Looking good! You know, you are the first farmer that I have come across that is actually satisfied with the yield! Congratulations!

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  5. Whew just reading this makes me tired. It scares me about your blog disappearing I love your blog. Maybe it just needed a vacation. Sorry about the late nights and yields. Love the dog in the field shot. Take care hope your blog does not get lost again. B

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  6. Glad your yield was good! Farming is such a gamble sometimes, I admire you real farmers out there! Glad they fixed your blog too!

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  7. I was wondering what happened to your blog also. Glad everything was restored!

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  8. Nice yield. We've had such dry weather this year, it's a miracle we had anything. Hope you dry up and can get the rest of the harvest done. You could ship some of that rain to me. :-)

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