2023, animals, Family, Farming Update, gardening, Nature, pets, Seasons, Uncategorized

On and On It Goes

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The weekend Farm Report comes to us from Ben.

Another week of life being relentless… I’m tired and I can’t keep two coherent thoughts together so this week’s blog will be basic highlights and a bunch of photos.

*I did finish planting corn. Except for about 2 acres that are wet. But I’ll get to them soon.

*Working on planting soybeans. Hoping to finish on Saturday.

*The college show opened on Wednesday and the paint was dry and it’s a good show. The set isn’t my best, but it works.

*We’ve had 4 sandhill cranes hanging around.

*The lilacs are looking – and smelling – so good!

*Every morning, I let Humphry out, and Bailey comes in to get a morning greeting and some attention for a minute. Then she’s happy to go back out.

*For the first time ever, I kinda got tired of music in the tractors. I listened to podcasts: Moth Radio hour, The New Yorker Radio Hour, Radiolab, and my frequent standby: Light Talk. (Imagine the Car Talk guys, doing a show about lighting).

*Kelly and I picked up some very large limestone rocks using an old thing called a ‘Slip Scraper’ or ‘Buck Scraper’. Clyde, you ever use one of these? This has been behind the shed for years. It’s missing some handles, but we made it work carrying rocks.

*The coop applied fertilizer for soybeans.

*Next week is all about lighting the next show in my schedule.

*My last day at the college for this academic year is May 31. I probably won’t have all my work done; I may have to stop in the next week just to finish what I don’t get done this week.

But then, THEN, the pace will slow down and I can start working on my new shed space.

Have a safe and peaceful Memorial Day weekend!

Here are photos:

Planting Corn
Tracks in the Dirt
Tractor Buddy
View
View
View
Minnesota Rock
Kelly with Rocks
Buck Scraper
Loaded Buck Scraper
Goofball
Coop Spreader
Loading Seed
Another Tractor Buddy
Seed Camera View

Planting corn, the tracks in the dirt, my tractor buddies one day, my view from the tractor front and back, a rock shaped like Minnesota (that was really heavy!), Kelly and her second load of rocks, the “buck scraper”, A goofball, the coop’s fertilizer spreader, loading soybean seed from the trailer, Another tractor buddy, and the camera’s showing the seed in the drill.

Where and what was the best burger you ever had?

(The first time I had a ‘blue Burger’ ((blue cheese on a burger)) was at a bowling alley and it was FANTASTIC and none have compared to that one.)

58 thoughts on “On and On It Goes”

  1. Update: I finished soybeans AND the corn yesterday! Whew! What a relief and a load off.
    Now it’s all about the GDU’s. Growing degree units.
    According to the site I use, we’re +191 over average.

    Liked by 3 people

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  2. The family had a long standing tradition of renting a cabin at Itasca State Park over Labor Day weekend. In 1983, the kids aged 8 and 6, grilled their first hamburgers and hotdogs. They were closely supervised by their grandfather. Supervising of their cutting up lettuce, onions and tomatoes was done by grandma. Those were the best hamburgers ever.

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    1. Yes, we did use a scraper like that, sometimes with me on the tractor, sometimes with me on the horse. Not sure how you used it without handles. Handles had to be held in a loose grip or they could snap your wrists.
      There was a burger chain constantly referenced in the Hillerman books, which was real. Not the best burger but they were good. Fun to eat in books all across New Mexico and Arizona. Better than In and Out Burgers. Would love to have a Rustic Inn burger, among my favorites but doubt I will make it to the North Shore again.
      Clyde

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      2. Clyde, it took a little experimentation, figuring out how to tow it without it digging in, and for a while, I rode on it like a surfboard, but it pushed a lot of dirt up. So we didn’t use it exactly as designed, in fact, it took me a while to find what it was technically called and then do a YouTube search to figure out how it worked.
        Because I take the loader off the tractor for planting, either I was going to have to make a stone boat, or use this. A Stone boat, I bet you’ve use those to Clyde.

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        1. Constantly used stone boat. Our best crop was stones, thanks to winter frost. First thing I I pulled learning to drive the tractor was the stone boat at age 9. My father looooved clearing land so we used to roll big stumps onto it too. Boots looooooved when he blasted stumps and the pieces flew in the air. It was like a monstrous game of fetch.

          Liked by 2 people

        2. I love stories like this Clyde. Thanks for sharing. Boots- guess he didn’t mind the blast because there was sticks to fetch. Love it!

          Liked by 1 person

  4. my burger days ended during hockey puck era
    little black hard burgers with or without chees slice
    the windmill cafe made them with fried onions that made it special
    the veggie burgers of the 60’s were not good. ground soybeans with some grain and an egg or something very so so. you’d eat it but it wasn’t anything to be savored
    veggie restaurants were few and far between and not generally more than rice done many different ways, with and without lentils peppers onions and add some ketchup or soy sauce
    there was a company that made good veggie dogs and cold cuts but never burgers they eeee always passable at best
    black beans wire better than soybeans but still not great you would think with pinto kidney adzuki black and lentils somebody could have come up with something but it took until the ultimate burger and the whole bunch of plant based burgers popped up a couple years ago and changed the world it was poor
    today the fake chicken is good brats and dogs fantastic and the burgers made with peas as a base are very good
    i got some breakfast sausage in a 1 lb tube like jimmy dean that was fantastic

    there must be a new sleep study out. i’ve been inundated with stories on how my lack of sleep is not a good idea
    it makes a huge difference to get some quality sleep in and i working on it but losing the battle
    hoping to get it figured out soon
    love the pictures
    good luck with the shed project
    nice weather for it finally
    enjoy the weekend
    got my watermelon yesterday for shindig monday

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  5. I really like black bean burgers with pickles, tomatoes, and cheese. I haven’t had a real ground beef hamburger for a very long time.

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  6. Witoka Tavern, about 15 minutes (southwest?) from Winona. OMG that was an excellent burger, and with onion rings, or great fries. Best part, though was if you sit outside, you’re right on the edge of a cornfield. Took my sister (from Calif.) when he was here one time…

    Love the Minnesota rock, and your tractor buddies…

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        1. Trust BiR; I never can get the name right…

          I was there last spring, and the year before that. I will tell you they have a tRump 2024 sticker behind the bar. So whether that’s the one you’re thinking of Barb?

          You’ll get enough fries to choke a horse and the food was good. Nothing special, but good bar food.

          Like

        2. That sticker behind the bar is enough for me, no matter how good their burger or how many French fries I get. I ain’t supporting to Trumper if I can avoid it, and in this case, I can.

          Liked by 3 people

  8. Ben, I just want to tell you how much I enjoy your weekly farm reports. This week’s photos are charming. I’d add the adjective “dirty” to the description of the goofball. Thanks.

    Liked by 5 people

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  9. I went quite a few years that having burgers of any kind after I became a vegetarian. Once I got on my own, the few fake burgers that I made myself really weren’t very good and I quit that effort. But the last few decades with the explosion of plant-based foods has been wonderful for me. I don’t really have a favorite veggie burger, because so much depends upon what else is between the buns. I had a really good Beyond burger at the Groveland Tap last week and a lot of it had to do with the fact that there was a fabulous Sriracha mayo on it. I even like the impossible burgers at Burger King although I do loaded up with extra pickles.

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    1. bk has many variations in ok ness
      wednesday is bk whopper day and the online app makes the burger $3
      i order it often
      it pissed me off when they started charging for extra tomato

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  10. Planted 22 tomatoes and 4 canteloupe plants today. Tomorrow cabbage plants beans and parsely and chard and butternut squash seeds and herbs go in. We have 9 more soaker hoses to lay down I am taking Tuesday and Wednesday off, so there is time to get our garden in and watered before we leave for Brookings. Our trip to Wisconsin is cancelled since Husband’s MAGA loving brother in law broke his ankle and will have surgery.

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  11. The Trempealeau Hotel (not too far from Winona) makes meat substitutes from walnuts. I can’t remember if they actually make a patty to serve with a bun or if they just make walnut balls but either way they are very good.
    And of course Fitgers in Duluth makes a wild rice burger that is so good that even non-vegetarians like me choose it.

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  12. I am home from Iowa where I visited my mother. It was hard. She did say hello, but slept most of the 3 hours I was there. There were no burgers along the way.

    I like my own burgers the best when I take the time to do them, “just so”. I heat up my flat griddle pan and salt the pan. Then I fry the burgers with onions frying on the side. I add some Worcestershire sauce to the pan (not too much—just several teaspoons) and cook the burgers. Meanwhile, I toast the buttered buns until they are a golden brown. Then we eat.

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  13. I used to love the burgers at Porky’s. They would put a freshly fried onion ring on the top of the bun. Best burgers ever.

    Of those restaurants that are still serving….Saint Dinette has an excellent cheeseburger.

    For vegetarian options, the Impossible burger at My Burger gets my vote.

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    1. Smashburger – the burgers are good, but the first time I had the Smash Fries! Wow. They’re never as good the next time. Good, but not as good as the first time.

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  14. How about Miesville and Kings Place Bar and Grill? Anyone been there? We went there several years ago. Lots of burger choices… eh, it was just a burger.
    Or Weiderholts Supper Club just up the street from Kings? Had a meeting there, haven’t eaten there.

    Years ago, I took some cattle to Zumbrota, and had lunch in the restaurant there, “Stockmans Cafe”. No idea if it’s still open. They had a burger that was really good. (Talk about fresh; cows are selling next door!)

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    1. I had heard that King’s Place had really good burgers but every time we are driving through Miesville we are on our way to Red Wing or to Lake Pepin and not looking to stop.

      Back when I worked on the west side of town—30 years ago or so— Lions Tap in Eden Prairie was one of the places we would go when we wanted a good burger. Also there was a place—long gone now—called the WilHop Inn on Williston Road. I don’t know if it’s still in business but the Convention Grill in Edina was another reliable burger destination.

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      1. My son used to a regular at Lion’s Tap, regularly using their coupon—two for price of one. I thought their burgers were pretty average, but they had many fans. However, several years ago they changed their fries from the crinkle cut to the “steak fry” style. Their customers are still not over it.

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      2. We stopped at King’s Place once, but I don’t remember anything in particular.

        Yes, love the Lion’s Tap – that’s all they served, and they had it down to an art…
        And Convention Grill was good, esp. their chicken soup. I just looked, and it says Permanently Closed.

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  15. There was a wonderful restaurant about half mile from me. I used to get take out from there, a burger meal mostly. Discussion yesterday reminded. Drove by there to get the burger. Closed. Going to be some smoothie chain as near as I can tell. The bar and restaurant had car shows all summer and live bands on weekends. Such a shame it is gone.

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  16. Lacrosse has a drive in, ‘Rudy’s Drive In’, with the window trays, and I think the servers are on roller skates. Food is pretty good. But it’s more the whole ambiance too.

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  17. Update on the Witoka Tavern – we did try the Tavern yesterday eve – no longer a Trump sign visible at the bar, but I did see one that said: “We don’t call 911…” with an outline of a revolver. Not my kinda place.

    The burger was good, and huge (and $8) – must have been a 1/3-pounder, and we brought most of the fries home, couldn’t eat ’em all. At least they had a dark beer..

    Unfortunately we got there just as a huge group of ATV-ers had arrived for food and drink, so we played cribbage at an outside table till we could get our order in. There WERE five (5) All Terrain Vehicles in the parking lot, which should have been a clue.

    The guy doing everything (he had told their extra waitperson not to come in, he could handle Saturday) was nice enough, but we probably won’t do it again.

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  18. We rarely eat burgers, although the ground wagyu beef our neighbors gave us might make wonderful burgers. I just don’t like the buns. Too much bread. We are having the loveliest drizzly rain all day, which is so nice for the newly planted bedding plants.

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  19. We made burgers for supper tonight. I put mayo on the buns and put them on the warm grill for a few minutes. Add raw onions, ketchup, cheese, and mayo, plus tator tots and deviled egg potato Salad (Hy-Vee) and it was all really good.

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