Life on the Farm

[Pappy]

Just catching up BJ, looking like things are coming along. Nice tractor Eric, looks like it would pull a load. BJ really like you man cave, especially the Miller signs, I worked for them for almost 40 years and have many old ones like that, I collected metal signs/mirror's and all sorts of other advertisements for years, they are hard to come by and people try and beg me out of them all the time for their house bars and man caves.  Glad the wife and pup are doing better.
 Pappy

[bjrogg]

Thanks Pappy. Got the Miller’s sign from my son in law. I’m so glad my wife and Zoey are doing better. My brother had his MRI and meet with his doctors yesterday. They are going to start Chemotherapy and then Radiation. Then see what happens. I didn’t get to talk to him yet, but doctors said lots of people keep working through the treatments. Everyone is different and won’t know how it affects him until he gets it.

My oldest son ( actually step son) helped one of our bachelor Neighbor's since he was 14 years old. Cass our old timer buddy had a heart attack then and required triple bypass surgery. That was probably 20+ years ago. Cass was in the hospital for over a month. My son rode his bicycle 9 miles every day to take care of Cass’s cattle. When Cass got back from hospital he was still very weak and my son kept talking care of his cattle. My son became the son Cass never had. They made a really good team. I’ve known Cass all my life. We got along really well and it wasn’t like losing my son. It was more like gaining a Uncle, or something like that.

Cass was a interesting character. He had a shop we all call the hanger. We started meeting at it on Saturday mornings many years ago for a cup of coffee and breakfast. Cass drew a crowd of interesting old timers there and it was in front of that crowd I broke my first Selfbow. They all had a big laugh over that. Later they were very impressed when I got up the nerve to bring my second selfbow there and shot several arrows I had made. They turned out to be some of my biggest supporters.

The crowd of old timers has passed away. I’m almost the oldest one now. We lost some really good people and I am so glad that they were part of my life and my families.

Cass passed away last winter. His old pickup was affectionately named Ray after his brother in law he got it from. Cass had a lot of health problems the past few years but he always loved keeping up with what was happening on the farm. He loved to take “Ray” out to the field. Park somewhere out of the way and watch the operation.

Yesterday planting my son’s corn. He brought the seed corn out to me in Ray and left it parked in one of the spots Cass always watched from. Man it sure felt like he was still watching everything. I’m sure he is.

Here’s Ray

Bjrogg

[chamookman]

Nice story ! Touching for sure - Bob.

[bjrogg]

Thanks Bob. I have been very fortunate to grow up where I did and to have had some very good friends and neighbors.

Yesterday Me and my shadow finished up planting my sons corn. Just the two of us. My son went to a feeder cattle sale. Nice to see my shadow again it seems like it’s been such a cloudy spring until last week.

Our rye cover crops are really starting to grow and it’s time to terminate them. They will grow really fast in this weather and use up a lot of moisture. If they get more than about 1 1/2’ tall the residue gets difficult to deal with. My nephew is learning and liking the new sprayer. That’s really good news for me, as that takes a lot of pressure off of me. It will be very nice having someone to share the job.

Less than a full week and looks like the first beets I planted are coming up really nice and taking in the sunshine. This ground is more loam and doesn’t dry as fast after tillage.

The fields I planted after this one are heavy ground and it really dried out the top few inches after it had tillage with the wind and sun. I looked at second field I planted last night. Some sprouted and nice tap root. Right next to it laying in dust.

We have some sprinkle showers predicted for next few days. Hopefully they will make it yet.

Really hard planting beets in those conditions. You can plant them to shallow to sprout, yet at the same time to deep for when the rains and following crust comes.

Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

Me & my shadow

[bjrogg]

Rye cover crop seeded last fall after sugar beet harvest.

[bjrogg]

Two newly emerged sugar beets enjoying the sun. Solar power

[bjrogg]

My daughter in law is a ag. Teacher and FFA Adviser. They are having their banquet and a silent action tomorrow.

I promised her a week ago I’d make a arrow and display stand for it. Didn’t have a lot of time, but tried to do a little every day and by golly I think it turned out okay.

Clear coat still drying but it’ll be ready.

I think it’s a jasper point I knapped a couple weeks ago. Nice stuff.

River cane shaft with my Bjrogg markings

Pitch glue and sinew haft

Wild turkey tail feathers and a Cherokee two fletch.

Driftwood stand from the shores of Lake Huron.

Arrow is easily removed if wanted to yet securely and gently held on with removable “staples” made from insulated copper wire.

I like it .

Might have to bid on it myself

Bjrogg

[BrianS]

Beautiful arrow!

[Pappy]

Nice arrow BJ, That should do well at the auction.
 Pappy

[Deerhunter21]

Wow! That’s a beauty bj! I’m sure that will fetch a good price at the auction!

[bjrogg]

Thank You Brian, Pappy and Russell.

The arrow and display did ok. It brought $100 and I think that’s pretty good for that crowd. Not like there were a bunch of primitive fans there. I’m happy it brought that much. Most people don’t realize how much goes into making one of these. It’s going to a good home and the money will help their FFA chapter to. I say it’s a win win. I have meet the lady who got it and I know her husband has a nice hunting cabin I’m sure it’ll look great in.

We got a really spotty shower Saturday night on the way to church. That got one of our beet fields back in the moisture. Had a good shower overnight that I’m hoping got the rest of them in moisture. Glad we had the window to plant our beets and corn.

Today I will probably catch up in the office and shop. Maybe take a little crop tour. Chance of rain every other day this week so when it dries out again we will have lots to do.

Bjrogg

[chamookman]

Did You get any of those Storms, that roared thru Yesterday Afternoon ? Bob

[bjrogg]

Did You get any of those Storms, that roared thru Yesterday Afternoon ? Bob

Got the thunder and lightning, but very little rain so that was good. We didn’t need a big splash so that was good. I was working on computer when the thunder and lightning started. It definitely got my attention.

In the morning I took a little crop tour. Then I had to go to town to get my new phone to receive my emails. I was glad I didn’t try to do it myself. It took several tries for the lady that did it. I thanked her. Told her that would probably have taken me three days and a bunch of bad words. She got a laugh out of that, but I’m thinking that was probably a pretty accurate assessment.

The sugar beets all had a really nice shower.  The ones that stayed in moisture were coming up and the ones that weren’t in moisture were now. Forecast is for .3” tomorrow and another .3” on Friday. That should give them a pretty good chance if it’s correct.

Took a couple pictures.

Last field planted just coming up. Haven’t seen the sun yet. Still white or yellow. Look healthy though.

The first field planted. Beets that stayed in moisture up nice with a good stand. Still lots of places where they didn’t stay in moisture, but are now. Hopefully those make it yet.

Bjrogg

[WhistlingBadger]

Always enjoy catching up on this thread, BJ.  Love that arrow, especially the jasper head.  Glad the wife is doing better, and glad you're getting the crops in.  They grow a lot of sugar beets up in the Bighorn Basin where I grew up, and they really have to nurse them along some to get them going in the Wyoming clay.

Those great big, tall, white plants scattered in your field, now...those must be what grows when you plant one of those helicopter seeds?