Mustard on the prairie

The pea field across from us this summer was an experiment…they planted the peas directly into the soil…no till.   After the peas were harvested they planted mustard.

We live back in those woods.

There are a few peas mixed in with the mustard and the mustard is almost in full bloom.

Planting mustard is beneficial to the soil.  When the mustard is incorporated into the soil either this Fall or next Spring…Potato Cyst Nematodes will be diminished. 

Finally the corporate farmer is doing something that makes sense.  But is it any wonder that they have a Nematode problem with vehicles, tractors and workers travelling from one field to the next…transporting the little buggers from place to place.

Perhaps they will plant Marigolds next year.

Native Grass Prairies

I am getting old.  I remember what fields were what and how long they have been native prairies. 

This field hasn’t  been worked up in 65 years….for sure maybe more.  I passed this field everyday on the bus ride to school.

There used to be a school house on this piece of land…the lilac bushes are all that remain.  (I think it was a country schoolhouse that was abandoned when the Linnell School was built(1890)…as the crow flies it is about a mile to the Linnell School…by road a mile and a half.)

The old Maude Brewer place or Harry Klarer place…my friend Carol lived here.  She died tragically a few years ago when she fell off a mule in California, she graduated from High School with me.

When we go out on our nightly adventure we go this way often.  Today someone started cutting the field.  Last night is was normal…no activity.

You can barely see the Smoky Hills Tower in this photo.  The Smoky Hills are real smoky today from the fires out West and in Canada.

I grew up on the farmstead in the distance.

I have travelled these roads often.  I notice the changes. 

I hope this piece of land has not been sold to the Corporate Farmer.  I read in the paper that they are going to limit the number of irrigation wells in the Straight Lake Watershed.

The small farmer took care of the land…the large corporate farmer not so much.  Soon the overloaded potato trucks will be going up and down the road…is it any wonder that our highways are always in need of repair.

Off the soapbox now.

Our Drive on Saturday Night

The wheat in this area is ready to be combined.  There were three combines out in the field.  (Corporate Farming)

In this photo two are working close together.  The third one was off in the distance.  We were glad that the breeze was from the east today…blowing the grain dust away from us.

We finished our drive…didn’t see any deer…I suppose the combine noise kept them in the woods.

Stopped by to visit with Chance’s friends  Odda and Putz.

Putz and Chance played ball and then Putz talked Chance into a game of tag…herding dog games!

Odda just likes to be close to us and enjoys being petted.  Here she is cuddled up as close to Far Guy as she can get!

Steve was out in the field combining peas.  ( Non Corporate Farmer)

The peas will be hog feed.

The weather is about to turn from hot and dry to hot and wet with storms.  So farmers are hustling to bring crops in. 

I didn’t take a photo of the corn field..the non irrigated corn fields are shriveling up and dying…the rain will be too little too late to save the corn.

Ditch Roses

Sadly we say goodbye to July, it has to be one of the coolest July's on record in Minnesota. What happened to global warming? At this rate we will have a non summer here in Minnesota, truthfully the early mornings feel more like September than July..it was 45 degrees the other morning. I am feeling the wildflower clock ticking..so little time..so many wildflowers to photograph.

I continue on my wildflower quest, ditch walking..I zigzag from one side of the road to the other. Chance runs back and forth from one side of the road to the other, and between Far Guy and I, he has no idea what I am looking for..but often ends up in the photos. He is becoming quite a ham, I think he has decided that modeling and posing for me is his new job. Far Guy brings up the center with the car. When we get near the end of the stretch, or the bugs get too bad, I stand in the middle of the road..I wave my arms and Chance sits obediently by my side until our ride arrives. These peaceful evenings on the prairie after supper are my favorite time of the day. We pick back roads where there is no traffic..gravel ones. If there is traffic..we can hear them coming or see the dust cloud approaching.

Recently we encountered what I will call Ditch Roses..there are many different kinds growing..I have not sorted them all out, there seems to be some seedling variation, and the cooler than normal weather has made every little seed they dispersed in years past, grow and bloom this summer.
Some have thorns, some do not, their colors range from hot pink to pale pink.
They are a mystery to me.. a very pretty little mystery:)

Blogger is being a pain in the neck..the last photo is turned sideways.. so just tip your head to the side to view it correctly.. most people probably wouldn't have even noticed..I have no idea what bloggers problem is..if anyone has a clue..please leave me a message:)