Sugar Cookie Kisses & Remembering Tractor 101 Lessons

Well, being true to what I last wrote last about blogging more ( I can't believe I publicly admitted what my family and friends already know, that I am weird with a crazy sense of humor and then posting pictures to prove it……Lord help me)  but I wanted to share some of the fun stuff going on at my farm-house today.

  

I always like it when the weatherman is right, and the forecast was for sunny skies and mid- 50 temps.  I mentally had my day off planned out, but plans changed when I was needed to watch  my 3 yoa grand-angel, Miss M.  Our day consisted of a sticky kiss or two as we made her favorite  thing to bake – sugar cookies. Add the big messy cook (me) who is helped by the young assistant  - who is very exuberant with the sprinkles (although she can't say her "s" so it comes out "prinkles")  well the end result is about 3 dozen cookies and a kitchen that looks like a scene out of the movie "Animal House" where they have a food fight. When I have the 3 grand-angels over, they always know there are cookies to be made and that being tidy isn't a big deal with their "goofy grandma" (their words, not mine)J 

Miss M adding in the ingredients

Her favorite perch is on the counter. She was weary of my taking pictures.

After she went home, it was late afternoon and warm, so I headed over to my mom’s house where I have my tractor stored for the winter and drove it home.  Being seriously mechanically challenged, I was hoping I remembered all what I had learned the year before. And I am pleased to say that  it was satisfying that I did remember everything.  I do admit as I was loading up some river rock that I had to do a couple practice runs on running the bucket, but that all came back too. Whew! Here are some of my projects...

Re-landscaping, less grass, more rock. It's a good thing.

This is my "inspiration pile" of stuff.  Another dump truck load of river rock on the left,
with a dump truck load of boulders in the middle and to the far right is a huge pile of dirt.

Last summer I had ordered more river rock, boulders and already had a big pile of dirt behind my chick-pit shop.  When my family asked me what I was going to do with it, I replied, I don't know, followed by my  favorite phrase (that drives them nuts) "it's a detail"  meaning that I don't quite know yet or that I have an exact plan, but I am sure I will come up with something and, well... I just don't worry about it, as it's just a detail and I'll just make up the rules as I go.

I know Spring really is on its way, not because of the first sight of a Robin….but.... see what Luna, the farm-dog found out.

As always, thanks for taking time out of your busy day and stopping by to check in on the what the crazy farm-chick is doing.  By the way I did check my email (I was a bit nervous) and did appreciate the emails & comments. So thank you!  As always, feel free to email me or leave a comment.  Hope your week is a good one.  All my best, Gayle

Weird+Real=The FarmChick

It’s 2:13 a.m. on March 23rd and my brain has been “on” now for a bit with words pouring out of me for my blog.  I am unsure why it picks this particular time to let me write, but it is rather annoying especially when it is a work night and I have to force myself back to sleep as I would be getting up in oh…... three and a half hours.  But it is a Sunday morning so here I am, sitting at my desk wrapped in a bathrobe and a fleece blanket….writing.  My farm dog, Luna grudgingly gets up to accompany me to my office and waits until I finish so we can go back to bed. If the blog had sound, you would be able to hear her sigh and groan (really).

I like the phrase that I had coined in my very first food blog (March, 2014) for the America’s Farmers website, “Blogs are like a reality show, only in print”.   And it is true, the words paint of picture of a person's life and there is vulnerability when you open up your personal world to others.

It also made me think about why I read other blogs and why I always, always, always go  straight to the Editor’s letter in magazines first.  I like that up close and personal connection.  The more insightful they are, the better I like it. That is why I have shared good times, but also not so good times with my readers.  I like to think when being vulnerable and open that is makes a bond unlike no other, that people get to see the “real you”.  So here it goes.... yup in case you didn't know it... I'm weird, I have an impish sense of humor that often gets me in trouble, my daughters are some of my very best friends (but I do know they inwardly groan, roll their eyes when they see what I wear when I work outside) and I love the fact that we have lots of fun adventures together.  I try to see the best in most situations, I don't like to be around negative people, when I bake or paint... well as I've said before - it looks like a bomb went off - so I'm messy.  I like to mix old and new things together when decorating.  I love dark chocolate, pizza and beer. Sometimes in that order too.  I am happiest when I am writing, baking, taking photos or playing in the dirt - guess that is my creative side coming out and drowning out the "type A" personality that I am trying to tame....  I feel like the real me is trying to emerge where being weird is okay and I don't always have to be perfect (I am not a Martha Stewart).   I find it refreshing to see others being real too and if they are weird, well all the better.  I am blessed with having a really loving and supportive family - although we can drive each other nuts. Okay, maybe I drive them nuts.  I have some of the most amazing close women friendships that makes me in awe of just being included in their circle.  Sometimes I get lonely as I haven't found a man that I really want to get close to. Could be I am scared, but mostly picky.  I do have a couple of great guy buddies though that I can really talk too. But I do look forward to being swept off my feet and may give in to letting my friend, Kristi, set me up.

So in case you don't believe I'm weird... well pictures don't lie...., So this was me at 3

Me sitting on the handle of my dad's masonry wheelbarrow.  According to my mom I always
had to "add my own fashion accessory" hence another shirt layered over my dress


And here is me now, sporting my own "rural grungy look" complete with the pink & orange striped shirt, blue&white bib overalls, black&white polka dot boots and my red ball-cap with the words "no one listens to me until I fart".... (told ya I was weird)

The real me, in my normal outdoor wear(of course the best part was when daughter, Jen was taking the picture and said... you really aren't going to wear your hat are you???? and rolls her eyes.  Mission accomplished.

To be honest sometimes I struggle with what to write and at times I have soooo much to say and sometimes I'm quiet inside.  I had my friend Mark (one of the most insightful guys I know) who is a band member, song writer and painter over to dinner the other night so I could pick his brain on what inspires him to write his songs.  What I found was there was no magic bullet… sometimes words come out of your emotions, just let it flow and see where it goes.  And I thought yes, some of the most honest blogs were from the most painful moments of my life. Sometimes my brain wakes me up… and says you have to tell them about the real you. Go ahead, post that picture of what you really wear when you work outside... So there you have it my friends, the real me, who  likes to write about Ag, life, kids, grand-angels and being weird.

Can't imagine this pose or outfit will end up on Vogue...

They think it's cool their grandma has her own "personal tractor"

And so... the dog is groaning more loudly and it's getting harder to write.... so back to bed for this farm-chick. And I'm going to blog more, as it is good for the soul (I know it is for me and I hope it helps you too).  Also my next blog for America's Farmers comes out in May and I'll be linking that up with this one. And I  invite you to check it out... it is mainly about cooking, but I did warn those new readers that it won't probably be like a normal cooking blog because.... well I'm not normal - (normal in this household is just a setting on my my dryer).  IF they want perfect, read Martha Stewart, if they want real, then read my blog.  The editors asked for real folks to write about real stuff. I just hope they know what they got themselves into... and with that, I'll call it a night.  Feel free to email me at swheatfarmlife@ gmail.com or leave a comment.  I always love hearing from ya!  =)  All my best Gayle.

The Season of Harvest

I saw a sign at a local  implement dealer that said, "Farmers have 3 seasons, Before-Harvest, Harvest and After-Harvest."  It's true, it is what we live for.  This is our "paycheck", it's what we use to buy seed and fertilizer, pay labor, make equipment payments and live on until the next harvest.  Sometimes farmers have to use their line of credit if they have not had a good year, but this year with all the rain, I think it will be a great harvest! =)

On the Anderson Farm, we started our wheat harvest on Monday, August 2 down at the Tammany Farm.   This year's cold rainy spring has delayed the crops and we, along with everyone else, are about 10-14 days later than usual.  Once we finish the wheat at Tammany  then  we will move up to the Genesee farm which will be probably 8 or 9 days from now.

Last  Saturday I helped Joe take our 2nd  semi truck over to  the field that would be harvested first, and as I was following him into the field, I was again amazed at the amount of equipment that is needed to get the wheat harvest done at the Tammany farm.   So here is what I saw but couldn't get it all in the picture,   3 combines, 2 tractors with the bank-out wagons and 4 semi-trucks plus one tractor with a disk behind it.

All the equipment seen here is from our farm, with the exception of the  green John Deere combine and one semi truck as they are owned  by the Hermann farm whom we have hired to help us harvest the wheat.

Joe and I  bought a used (but new to us) 2009 combine and  this model is very complex as it has a TV like monitor in place of gauges.  So after getting the semi parked,  Joe wanted to practice cutting a couple of bulk tanks of wheat before Monday in order to get more familar with this new machine.   When the combine starts up, it  feels a little like an airplane reviving up, just before take off, then the motor calms down and all is quiet except for when the monitors that beep and sound like a video game.   Actually a cockpit of an airplane does remind me of the inside of a combine.

Our day started out with Joe checking out the combine to make sure all was in order.

 Once Joe  checked out the combine, he wanted to get a feel for the machine due to the fact that we bought this late last year after our harvest was over and he had never driven it.  This is the newest combine we have ever  owned and like I said,  it is very high tech.  Joe has been reading the owners manual for weeks now, but you need "seat time" to really understand all the bells and whistles.   

 Joe's combine has a flashing beacon just outside the cab and it will automatically start flashing when the combine sensors note that the bulk tank needs to be unloaded.  The bulk tank is located  on top of the combine.

This is what we call the bank-out wagon, it is a grain cart pulled by a tractor and the driver will move up to the combine and drive along side it while the combine unloads the grain into the grain cart.  Then the bank-out wagon will then go to the semi truck and unload the grain from the cart into the semi trailer.

 

To give you an idea of just how big the equipment is, this is me standing next to the tire of the bank-out wagon.  I am 5'4" and the tire is still a tad taller than I am.   In the picture below is the auger folded up at the front of the green gain cart.

This is what a full bulk tank looks like just before it gets unloaded into the bank-out wagon.

Joe checking the wheat heads.

Here is a video of the combine unloading into the bank-out wagon, as well  as a picture below unloading into the other bank-out wagon.

Here is a picture of one of our semi trucks.

The purpose of this tractor and drill (below)  is for fire prevention, so once the combine cuts the first opening round in the field, one of the crew will take the tractor with the disk and plow up the ground for a fire break.

Well that's it for today's Harvest 101 lesson. Stay tuned for more to come! 

P.S.  Joe is really having lots of fun and his first day of harvest 2010 went well. No break downs for him and we cut 300 acres of wheat.   

Hope you come back for more updates on our harvest.  =)

Life on the Farm, February 6, 2010

As my husband, Joe and I were driving to Pullman today around 3pm, the sun was out and it was truly feeling like an early Spring day. You could see a glimmer of green in the fields, which are the little blades of winter wheat peeking out of the ground. I think it is going to be an early spring for us as we have not gotten any snow, the temps are in the 40s and it is expected to stay that way throughout February.

This picture (above) is from spring work last year. The silver tanks on the tractor and the small silver container at the very end are ammonia, which is nitrogen fertilizer. The implement right behind the tractor contains a dry blend of phosphate, nitrogen & sulfur in one of the yellow tanks and seed in the other yellow tank.

The next implement is the tool that puts the dry fertilizer and seed into the ground. In this picture (below) it shows the part of the machine called "openers" that go into the ground (to plant the seeds along with the fertilizer). I'll make short video clips that will explain this process more, so keep watching.

The reason Joe and I were heading to Pullman is that we were invited for dinner with one other farmer couple to enjoy a casual dinner with our friends who also are part owners of chemical company whom we do business with. Dinner and conversation was great and it was fun to get to know the other couple.

As I had mentioned before in other blogs, the winter season is a time for farmers to attend meetings and the day before, Joe had attended a continuing education meeting hosted by a few chemical companies that were promoting their newest products. In these meetings, they often will serve as way to help educate the farmers in the proper application of chemicals. Many farmers hold certifications to apply certain herbicides on the crops and must maintain current educational credits to keep their license.