Another week of harvest

One of the responsibilities preparing for harvest fest was gathering potatoes. We went early one morning to pick potatoes with friends. Farm fields are so abundant. 

Bruce had a great time with the boys his age that came to work. 

The picking crew Addies cross country teammates also showed up to help. We gathered about 1500 lbs the kids killed some mice and we headed home in time for general conference. 

While harvesting that day I took a look at one spot of our covercrop experiment. This was grown and baled before we planted. The leftover straw was a nice mulch to help with water retention. This corn was taller than it has ever been and had a decent ear. We are very happy with how this section produced. I was surprised to see so much residue. That's great. 

Where we planted straight into the standing barley mix the corn had a hard time emerging past that growing plant and did not produce well if at all. Where we strip tilled the plants did very well and there was some weed pressure as we didn't spray there but not bad. All in all we are leaning toward more strip tilling very soon to drill in cover crop and let it over winter then strip tilling especially our hillsides that struggle so much to hold water. 

At the feedlot where the grain is dumped, there is a lot of corn brought each day. It is staggering how much these thousands of cows eat in a year. 

These kiddos had the long-awaited chip day. Chips can buy time in the truck. They will sit contentedly for quite a while with some chips. 

Millie has been our cook feeding us each night. She made lasagna one night. We were all happy with the result. I think time to learn independently is so important. She had a recipe and just had to be self-disciplined enough to put down her book and make the meal. Other nights we ate burned stuff as she got too engrossed in her book. But there was food and after all the hours working, we ate what was offered. 

The dirt is thick. Everywhere the ground is so dry. We are starting to pray for rain as we really need a cold wet with snow winter. The cold to kill bugs and the increasing rodent population and the snow for the reservoirs that are filling with silt almost as fast as they fill with water. With all the burn damaged to the hills and mountains this will be a real issue come spring run off. 

My resting spot while the combine opens up another swatch. The combine eats through the corn making trails that I am to follow and know how to maneuver. Again some instructions were really helpful in knowing how to navigate this. Monday was a rough day of anger at little information and having to be a mind reader to my husband. 

And this cute lady who turned 6 before we were done. She was so happy that she is now old enough to play Ticket to ride as the game box says for 6 and up. She is smart and helpful. She is loving and interesting. We are so thankful for our Li-Li. She is the oldest at grandma's when they play so she helps set the tone and Andrea to be ok. Older siblings are a real blessing.

This year the harvest lasted three weeks and we started another field for a neighbor today.  I don't want to be gone everyday it is so nice to be able to do what I need to at home. But I'm thankful for the harvest and that it was safe. We had a decent crop and everyone is still healthy. We all learned and grew. Life is good.