Thursday, August 13, 2015

August Around Here...

Can I ask again, if it's really August?

You'd never guess it, with the gorgeous weather we've been having!  Mid to upper 70's, low humidity.  Wow.  Just wow.  And "thank you"!

August is a transition month here...especially this year, because Eric will leave for college two weeks from today, and Jenna will soon start her junior year of high school...and get her driver's license!

The weather will slowly begin to have a fall-like feel to it.  Cooler nights, good for sleeping...

The garden plants are beginning to turn a little brown, and the canning shelves are beginning to fill again...

Jim just began  mowing 4th cutting hay...

The corn is slowly beginning to dry and turn a little brown, suggesting that silo filling is just around the corner...

(actually this field isn't really all that dry yet, but I just love seeing the corn and beans stretching out beside each other! :) )



And the silos are getting empty...

Don't mind all the silage dust in the feed room...but here's where the silage comes down the chute from the silo into the feed cart...


See that hole behind the chute?  The open door means that the level of the silage is almost to the bottom of the 50' silo, and it had better be soon time to fill again, or the cows will be really hungry!


Yesterday Eric picked up these new silo doors at a nearby Amish shop. Eventually the wood rots and the doors need to be replaced, so they re-use the hardware from old doors and make new ones.  When we're ready to fill the silos, Jim will put the new doors in place, and close and fasten all the doors shut, the whole way to the top of the silo.

There are two different styles of doors here...two are for the old tile silo at the other farm, and the one in the foreground is for here...


We almost always begin filling silo (chopping corn) the last week of August, which coincides with the first week of school.  We'll see how the timing works out this year!

Of course with August in full swing, that means that fair season is almost here too!  That's one of my favorite times of the year, although it's usually crazy busy.

What does August feel like to you?

6 comments:

  1. your kids are growing up! you're looking at fall soon! amazing how fast this year has flown!

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  2. This year it's dry, so far, after all the rain we got. Some people here got only one cutting of hay because of the rains early on... but the corn and beans look great! I can see the light changing, though, and the days growing so short.
    My uncle's silos had the higher of the three doors, with the bar across.

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  3. Can't believe you get 4 cuts of hay!

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  4. It is hard to believe that it's already August!
    Yes, it is county fair time here, and the harvesting of crops is in full swing.
    Our kids are all grown up, so we don't have the hustle and bustle of getting them ready for a new school year; although I remember those busy days :)

    ~K.

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  5. I am so glad you have had a nice August. We have too. We might have some heat this weekend but for the most part, it has just been lovely. Gosh, I can't believe how fast your kids have grown. I know you are dreading Eric going to college. Good, and hard. :)
    I love reading about all of the things winding down and then you will be filling things up again. Your doors look awesome.
    I am glad you are having a nice summer. :) Last year was a rough one wasn't it?
    Have a lovely weekend

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  6. August is bittersweet. I love the harvest and the weather in August, but it means I have to go back to teaching and leave the farm. I, too, love when bean and corn fields are side by side. Looks so nice.

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