This week’s farming update from Ben

It was a work at the college, work at home, Some travel, and some storms kinda week. 

Last weekend Kelly and I prepped the spot for concrete. Just working ahead to have it ready. 
I rented the plate compactor, picked it up on Friday, and, like so many things, it goes better the second time around. Last year, when I rented it the first time, it kicked my butt. But now that I know how to run it and how it really only goes one direction, it was like walking a dog. Just pull it around by the leash / handle. I did a better job scraping out dirt, and adding gravel. Using the laser level and a stick with marks on it, Kelly and I raked and shoveled, and compacted, and checked and added more or scraped a little bit out. So it’s “level”, meaning within a 1/2” one way or the other, which is good enough for the base.

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Just need to get the rebar laid in there, and wired together, and a form on the open South side. The other three sides are against existing concrete so they’ll get a barrier glued them, to allow for frost movement if needed. All of that will happen next week. Got concrete planned for the 11th. 

On Sunday I moved all the round bales of straw. Something wasn’t adjusted right and twice I lost a bale off the back lift when going up a hill. I tried to adjust the bracket, but I didn’t have a big enough wrench in the tractor and I just tried not to go up the hill at such an angle. We managed. 
So here is a bunch of pictures of that process.

A comment was made last week about the long rows of white plastic bales. That’s a bit different system. This is called ‘Net wrap’ and it does shed some water from rain. Sometimes the hay will be baled when it’s still green and wet and then, to prevent mold, it has to be sealed, oxygen free, in those white tubes, or individually wrapped in white plastic. Takes special machines to wrap the bales individually or in the tube. And if wrapped separately, the farmer would use a sort of ‘squeezer’ on the front of the loader to pick up the bales with out poking holes in the plastic. Silage, or haylage, or even shelled corn can be stored in those white tubes. Animals or hail can cause holes and that’s a problem of course, because then you’re gonna get mold. 

Early Wednesday morning about 1:30AM a heck of a storm blew through. We knew there was a chance of rain, but holy cow, this was coming sideways through the open windows. Got them closed and there was a crackling noise. I thought Kelly was doing something and I asked her what that was and then there was a CRACK and  large tree branch was down on the deck. Missed the house by “this much”. We were all awake anyway, because, well, we’re idiots. I think there are a couple chairs on the deck under that branch. And maybe a metal deck table. 

Considering we’re flying out at 5:30 AM, I figure I better go check the road for other trees. The rain was letting up so I get in the car and head up the road and i don’t make it about 100 yards before there’s a large branch blocking the road. OK, back for the tractor. Oh. Power had gone off too. Figures. 
I’m out in the shed with a flashlight, unlocking the doors and sliding the doors open and I can hear the tornado sirens going off. And I’m about to get in the tractor and head up the road. Good thinking Ben. 

I clear the first branch, then up to the woods, and there’s a couple small branches down, and only one large tree blocking the road. I move it enough that we can get out. Then back home, and sit in the dark for another hour and we finally all get up and head to the airport. 
Flying out of RST is always easy. It’s a small airport and at 4AM security is easy. Up to MSP and I made a few phone calls and sent some emails to other township supervisors about the situation. We have a really good tree service the township uses, Olson’s, and they were out first thing clearing the roads. When I talked to the owner on Thursday he said there wasn’t a lot of devastation, it was just such a widespread area. And for the people complaining he hadn’t picked up the pile of brush on the shoulders yet, he’s trying to get tree’s off people houses first!
Add in the holiday weekend, and he’s got crews leaving for the holiday, and they’re doing what they can. 
Our power came back on about 8 AM according to the electric coop website. Our friends who are house sitting had to reboot the router for the internet a few times but I guess we’re back in action. 
I’ve heard there are some corn fields that are flat. Like steam roller flat. Beans looked a little rough, from what I could see in the dark, but they should be OK. And there was some hail, but that missed us too I guess. I take out a hail policy on the crops and that has paid out a few times. Guess I don’t need it this time. 

HOW MANY TIMES HAS YOUR CAR BEEN HAILED ON?

ANY EMERCENCIES JUST BEFORE FLIGHTS?