Busy Day

Fall is a busy time of year on the farm.  As I write, our 18-year-old son is lying on the floor below the table where I write playing scorpion with his younger sisters.  They are running in circles and I am trying to share our lives amidst screams, squeals, and Native American whooping.

This is some of the week's bounty:  eggs the Big Guy gathered from the barn, produce from Grace's garden, and acorns she intends to grind into flour.





The Big Guy started harvesting corn this week. The yield has been affected by the drought, but it's warm enough that he'd rather harvest and spin it  in the dryer than have it collapse in the field and be lost it altogether.

Matthew came home from college for a couple of days to help.  He and David have harvested together for a couple of years.  This summer, Matthew drove a semi truck for a  harvest crew from Colorado.  Between the two of them, the harvest moves along seamlessly!

One of them cuts the corn with the combine (usually the Big Guy).  When the combine's hopper is full, Matthew pulls alongside with the wagon and tBG empties on the go.  They use walkie-talkies as needed to adjust speed and distance. (I know because when Matthews not around, sometimes I get to do this job.  The walkie-talkies are more for people like me than Matthew who just seems to know what to do....)





When the wagon is full, Matthew pulls into the building tBG designed and built for grain storage.  Corn and soybeans are dried and kept here until they can be transported to market. In the middle of the floor, running side to side, is a large grate.  Matthew centers the wagon over the grate, jumps out of the tractor and turns on the motor which powers a huge auger under the building.  He opens the gate under the wagon.  With every crank on the wheel, grain pours through the grate and onto the auger.  From there is it carried to various bins to be dried and stored.



The other exciting thing that happened yesterday was the purchase of two new calves.  Laura and Grace each got two-day-old Holsteins to raise as feeders. 

Ryan feeding her new calf!

No one was more curious than our three larger cows.  That, or they were interested in the apple slices I've been giving them from the orchard....

Yesterday I picked five gallons of ruined apples from the ground (one of our Dutch bunnies was very near, nibbling not far from my feet).  I used the fruit picker to glean another half bucket from the trees.  Grace has asked if we can make pear butter (from Mrs. Hawley's pears--more in another post) and can apples.  Since Monday is Labor Day, we've made big plans! Check back for a report and, perhaps, a recipe or two.

Thanks for stopping by!  We love to have guests at Pine Ridge Farm.