Saturday, August 31, 2013

Field Report

The small farmers were hit hard in the heat and drought.  The corn that is not irrigated is burning up.

This is a field by Donnie’s place.  I doubt if it will even make silage.

Sad looking corn

The beans are turning brown and yellow.  They are irrigated.

The bean field across from our driveway

Heavily irrigated as water has been standing in this spot all summer, a mosquito breading hole…and a waste of water.  For a long time I was taking photos of the irrigators watering the roadways…I finally gave up.  This bean field is across from our driveway.

The helicopter was out spraying the potato fields.

helicopter spraying the potato fields

Chance and I watched from the corner.  The pilot just misses those high line wires.

Helicopter landing on the truck

The helicopter pilot lands on top of the truck to be loaded with more “stuff.”  I always wonder what they are spraying..probably a fungicide this time of year. 

Years ago I can remember my parents going for drives to see how the crops were coming along, and who had weeds, and where the Hoary Alysum and Wild Mustard was spreading to.  The weeds didn’t last long in our fields, we were all sent out to pull the weeds if they invaded a corner of the field.

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My parents used to take pride in their crops and how they were growing, how the fields were planted perfectly using all the space available.  I am not seeing that in corporate fields.

Potato harvest usually begins right after Labor Day.  Many of the fields were planted late.  I saw some fields of potatoes that were still blooming just last week.

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This field of potatoes was planted twice, the first time the seed potatoes rotted in the ground.

Chance and I made the rounds of our area fields on Friday afternoon:)

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17 comments:

Anonymous said...

It has been a terrible summer for many. Drought in many places and wet here in the south.
Hope you enjoy a long weekend.

DJan said...

I can't imagine corporate farmers caring about their fields, only their profit. Sorry to hear how awful the weather has been for you this summer. I hope you enjoy your Labor Day holiday and can look forwards to fall. :-)

linda m said...

I think we all have had a terrible summer. First it rained all Spring then we had a drought and heat wave, followed by a cold spell, then a heat wave again - with no rain. I can just see food prices going up.

Gail said...

Prices are rising!

thecrazysheeplady said...

I agree. It's sad how so much of the land is farmed these days.

lisa said...

Have to be some great pilot drivers! I love fresh potatoes, back in Illinois, we used to go to the local potatoe farm and buy a 50 lb. bag every year!

Nancy said...

My heart breaks when I see photos like these. It is becoming harder and harder for the small farms to compete against the corporations. Thankfully, the "Big Guys" aren't in this area, but weather and the economy still make it difficult to make a living.

No helicopter crop dusters here - only single wing planes. A crop duster definitely needs to be an accomplished pilot and is amazing to watch.

Rae said...

I enjoy a drive in the country for a look at the fields and crops. Ours are looking fairly good this year. Last year's harvest was a bust from the drought. I have never seen it so dry as it was then. We worried constantly about fires. Quite a few fields went up in flames due to carelessly tossed cigarette from passing motorists. I've never seen a potato field before. Not something we see around here.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

I like your field reports because they help instruct me in what I am seeing. I guess there is a combination of farm operators who don't care and weather that hasn't cooperated. Both are pretty sad, and frightening.

RURAL said...

I like that you go and take photos of water wasters...why should they get away with it just because they are corporate. Water is too precious a commodity to waste.

Keep the windows closed when they spray, who knows what is out there.

Jen

Linda Reeder said...

love it that you are out checking on the local crops. I brings back memories of my farm girl childhood.

Red said...

It sounds pretty dismal on all sides. I think the family farm was better in many ways. They took good care of their land. It was a way of life. They didn't use chemicals. One wonders how long this type of farming will last.

LindaG said...

Hope you all have a wonderful, safe weekend, Connie. ♥

Anonymous said...

Farming is a hard way of life.

Enjoy the weekend.

L. D. said...

The weather kept farmers from getting corn in this year so we have a lot of beans in the area. Thus we have airplanes dive bombing everywhere spraying weeds. They use to have high wheeled sparyers but I guess it is faster and easier to send out the planes. We had more a few weeks ago but just Saturday there was one more out there spraying. We had a half of inch of rain last night. A little rain is better than none.

Terry and Linda said...

Gosh that is sad. I hate to see farmers having trouble, I sure do.!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Rita said...

Sounds like it's been a really rough year for farming. So erratic. Flooding, then drought. Chilly, then sweltering. Been a peculiar year so far.