Thanksgiving Update...

There has been a flurry of activity around the farm since my last post. Precision Drainage has wrapped up our tile project and has moved on to their next assignment. We have also started and finished all our anhydrous ammonia applications and our fields that are slated to be planted to corn in 2012 are ready for their winter slumber. We have also removed the final fence rows on our Greenfield farms with the help of our neighbor, JL Ford. Thanks to him for the use of his skid steer and all his attachments which made quick work of the rotten and buried fence rows. Harvest equipment continues to be cleaned up and put away along with more attention being focused on year end book work and planning for the 2012 season. This morning we were able to go up in a plane and take some aerial pictures of our recent tile project. The aerial shot really gives you the scope and size of the project versus my pictures on the ground. A few hours after we landed the chisel plow pulled in and began leveling the laterals and working under the corn stalks. Our plan is to chisel the laterals, but leave the mains to settle over the winter and then work them down in the spring.

As we prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday we give thanks to all our employees, suppliers, and family for the support they have given us this year - we are truly blessed. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

David chiseling over the new tile laterals

Aerial shot of our 150 acre tile project

Chris Urish from Elkhart Fertilizer putting anhydrous ammonia on our Elkhart farm

Operating our strip-till bar on the Railroad field southwest of Ashland

JL Ford loading the trailer as we removed the final fence rows at our Greenfield farms

Tile project...

As I mentioned last week Precision Drainage arrived and began installing tile on a 300 acre project that we have been planning for many years. Due to the distance to the outlet and a few neighbors participating in the project we are using a 21 inch dual wall plastic main that runs a half mile then transitions to an 18 inch tile. As you can see from the pictures, the main tile is so big it almost appears they are laying sewer pipe in the middle of a corn field. The tile crew made good progress last week, but recent rains have slowed things. Today, they were able to get back to work laying the laterals and finishing up some of the sub-mains.

We have a few more acres remaining to chisel and hopefully we get a window to wrap that up this weekend. None of our anhydrous ammonia has been applied yet, but the forecast looks promising to get most of that accomplished. If not, we can always apply it in the spring, but we prefer fall applications. Rainy days continue to allow us to work on 2012 crop plans and clean up fall equipment. Last week I was invited to talk with Owen's preschool class about farming and agriculture. Owen helped me walk his classmates through the growing season and explain to them repeatedly that we did not have any pigs or cows on our farm. Owen let me bring in some of his farm toys which they all enjoyed and we even let them play with some actual corn kernels and soybean seeds. It never hurts to spread the message about what we do in agriculture...

The tile machine making a seven foot deep cut to lay the 18" main tile

Our outlet crossing underneath the county road

This is how big the main tile is compared to a five gallon bucket - HUGE!

Talking to Owen's preschool class about farming with Owen's help

Week ending October 29th...

The hustle and bustle of fall activities continue to make the days fly by. While harvest is behind us, a few acres of tillage and all of the anhydrous ammonia remain. We plan to get started applying our anhydrous ammonia in our usual strip-till applications tomorrow. Equipment from harvest is being cleaned up and put away. Precision Drainage has recently arrived and is working on a 150 acre pattern tile project that we have been planning for many years. I will include pictures of that project in next week's update.

David chiseling on the Williamsville farm

Darin running the Turbo disk chopping stalks

The last day of harvest was a dreary and misty day

Bob harvesting on the Alderson farm north of Chapin