Friday, April 24, 2020

The Farmer's Code

Having lived in the country pretty much all of our adult lives we have come to love the country life. On the surface it seems like a slower paced life and in some ways it is, but when you really open your eyes you see it is as hectic as or even more hectic than the lives of people living in the city. 

Imagine the success of your entire year being dependent on just a few short weeks in the spring and fall. And worse yet it being dependent on something you have absolutely no control over. So when the weather is right and it is planting time there is no time for idle chit chat, it is all hands on deck working the fields and getting the crop in the ground as fast as you can as one rain storm could grind the whole operation to a halt for a week or more and when you are talking growing seasons a week is a long time. So the days on the farm start at sunrise and end at sunset, sometimes well after. 

Another thing I learned even before we started coming up here is that there is a secret society among farmers. I am not sure of the whole scope and structure but I think they have meetings, a secret handshake and even a newsletter that I will never get to see. You ever walk into a country restaurant and there is a group of old men around a table and as one they all turn and look at you when you walk in? Well, that is probably one of those meetings! Or do you ever see a farm truck going down the road very early in the morning when everyone else has not even gotten out of their pajamas yet? Yup, they are returning from one of their secret meetings. 

So what goes on at these meetings? I really don’t know for sure but I am pretty sure the first thing they teach the new farmers is how to wave at other vehicles on the road. From what I can deduce there are two different waves the farmers and ranchers use across the country. I don’t know if it is regional or if they belong to different farmer gangs but there are definitely two waves. The first is the one finger wave. For you city slickers it is not the finger you are thinking of, it is the index finger on your right hand. To do it properly you have to have your right hand at the top of the steering wheel and when a vehicle passes you lift your index finger and arc it from left to right like the 10:00 position to the 2:00 position as the vehicle passes. The other method is similar but has a slight variation and requires two fingers, the index finger and the finger many of you were thinking about in the first place. With your right hand in the same position, you lift both fingers at the same time holding them together like they are fused together. Then you move them ever so slightly from left to right as you pass the oncoming vehicle not 10-2, not like 10-11 or maybe just 10:45. For you lefties out there the same can be done with the left hand but you have to make sure your move your finger from right to left like 2:00 to 10:00. By the way, if a farmer or rancher does not give you one of the above waves, it is the equivalent of getting the middle finger.

The other thing I learned is that things are always breaking at the farm. It is not a matter of “if” it is a matter of “when”. This was hard to get used to. Field work is hard on equipment and sometimes trees, fence lines and other things jump right out in front of you. Which brings me to the second thing they for sure teach them in farmer school. Always blame the new guy for anything that goes wrong. Unfortunately for me, I am the new guy so if anything breaks down, yup, it is my fault. It does not even matter if I am using the piece of equipment when it breaks, heck it does not even matter if I was within 5 miles of it or as I found out in previous years if I am even in the same state. It is still my fault! I wish they had a new, new guy so I had someone to blame!

With roughly 5,000 acres to plant in the next few weeks. Farmer Bob, Chris and Dylan have been ready getting equipment ready prior to our arrival so for the most part the equipment was all set and ready to hit the field!

With the smaller camper we were actually able to park right next to the shop on concrete! No more walking 100 yards to use the bathroom and shower.
Our camping spot for the next 4 weeks
The day after our arrival we started treating some peas. Pretty much everything they do around is done by weight. A bushel of peas is 60#’s and at roughly 3-3½ bushels/acre they can calculate how many bushels of seed they need per field. They had gotten a new treater since I had been here last. This one is a lot bigger and more sophisticated and will treat about 1,000# of peas per minute.
The seed comes out of the grain bin through the blue conveyor and dumps into the black hopper on the right side, it then travels up the conveyor to the left, mixes with the treatment and goes into the conveyor over the truck where it comes out blue and treated! The have to do test weights on the peas and calibrate the treater to put just the right amount of treatment on each batch. 

In some fields we need to "Salford" the field which uses a series of corrugated discs and rollers to open up the soil and break up the residue remaining from the previous crop. Opening the soil does a couple of things; it will help dry out some wet areas and it will also allow the sun to penetrate the soil better warming it up. 

I spent a couple of afternoons Salfording a couple of fields. 

Frost and Salfording will bring up some rocks so we will go around the fields and pick up some of the larger rocks that surface. The rock picker they have has teeth on the bottom and a wheel to move the rocks into the basket. So as you are driving through the field and you see a rock you lower the basket so the teeth are just below the rock and then the wheel scoops it into the basket. Not really hard work but your neck gets sore after a few hours as you are always looking back and down to the basket to make sure you get the rock and not scoop up a bucket full of dirt along with it.
Then the planter arrives to do its job. Funny, they never let me run the planter.....probably because if you screw planting up the entire field is shot for the year! The seeds are dumped from the truck up the conveyer and into the seed cart...
Then Chris went around the field with the air seeder planting 72 rows at a time planting roughly 465 acres in two days.  
Air Seeder with Seed Cart behind it
I then came in behind him and rolled the field. Speaking of rolling, they got a new roller this year! 
I took a picture of if before it ever hit the field so we can remember how it looked with all its lights on it with no dents or dings! 

That reminds me of another Farmer’s Code Rule. This one I actually taught Farmer a few years ago during my first year here. The rule is “Never tell the new guy not to hit a tree”. I will spare you the details, let’s just say it took two days and a lot of welds but we got everything back together again. Since that day he has never told me to not hit a tree!
The roller packs the rocks down and compresses the ground which covers the seeds. There were no trees on this field so the rolling went without incident. 


I made a run to the local elevator and picked up 20 tons of Urea. It has been over a year since I drove the semi and I am happy to report everything went smoothly. I might have ground a gear or two but had no witnesses so it didn’t happen!
Filling the front of the trailer
That's what 11 tons of Urea looks like
Barb and the dogs are getting in a lot of walks and reading. 
Dakota, reading Daisy a story

Daisy reading her own story
After all her activity working on the house I think she (Barb) is going a little stir-crazy. She is enjoying the down time but feels like she should be doing something else as well....

The rest of the fields are too wet to get into right now but will hopefully dry up in the next few days. In the meantime I will continue to see what I can find out about this secret farmers society and pass on any details in my next post!


44 comments:

  1. That is why I want you around for the Zombie apocalypse. You can hunt and farm. Maybe we should drive up there and get Barb. She can help us babysit. When I say us I mean Lisa.

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    1. I think I heard someone say recently that all you have to do is put the seed in the ground and water it. There is a little more to it than that! I think what you are doing right now is better preparation for the Zombies as you are actually working with a couple little ones right now!

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  2. I know where the secret meeting here in Shelbyville IL is. It was interesting as we drove north so quick, from crops growing in the fields of TX to them just getting seeds in here in IL. Glad to be back here for awhile.

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    1. Let me guess, they are at the Shelbyville Café on Main Street from 6:30-8:30 daily?

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  3. What a great blog about what you are doing! Such a beautiful farm! I love North Dakota for sure. Nice to be able to be so close to the bathroom and showers, your rig looks comfy there. The dogs are adorable reading. We both said that with all the work Barb has been doing on your home, she probably is a little stir crazy.

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    1. Some people look at this terrain and wonder how people can live there, we find it absolutely beautiful with the wide open fields.

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  4. Sounds like you are in your element on the farm. Hopefully Barb finds something to occupy herself and still relax at the same time. Maybe teach her how to drive a machine. I hope the weather stays good for you to get the fields planted.

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    1. She did buy a skein the other day, not sure what she is going to do with it however...

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  5. It’s incredible the amount of investment in machinery that’s required in farming. Dakota and Daisy sure are good sports! Stay safe and healthy!

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    1. Daisy is a good sport. Dakota has not come anywhere near me since I did that to her!

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  6. Oh, my! You nailed that wave perfectly! As the daughter of a couple of cotton/wheat/milo farmers (Mom was as good or better than Dad,) I have seen that one finger/two finger wave treatment all my life. I can still see my Dad's weathered hand at the top of the wheel, and the gruff expression and furrowed brow as he evaluated who got which wave. LOL! What a flashback!

    There IS a secret code, and I now find myself trying to crack it. While I am a captive audience here on the farm, I am trying to figure out how to get the pecan trees to start producing again. Dad died in 2015, and the trees stopped producing about 2 years after. I am learning that there are all these formulas about when and what to spray, and it's a moving target each year. But he kept all of that in his head. I think it must be written up in the meeting notes from the SSF (Secret Society of Farmers) someplace.

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    1. Hope you get the pecan trees figured out, you may have to stop by the local diner, pull up and chair and just ask them. Let me know how that works out for you!

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  7. I so enjoy your blog--educational yet ALWAYS entertaining! Love those doggie pics!

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    1. Trying to get Dakota used to being propped and positioned, she does not like it too much. Daisy just goes with anything we do to her.

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  8. Maybe the dogs are reading the book on the Farmers Secret Society.
    Once you get used to being busy it is hard to relax. Once you relax it's hard to get busy again. I can understand how Barb feels.
    Be Safe around that equipment and Enjoy helping your friends.

    It's about time.

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    1. It looks like they were ready some kind of murder mystery and were quick enthralled with them!

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  9. Very nice description of this life. I am also enjoying a similar time since retiring. now back on the farm scene. I am looking forward to many years of this life.

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    1. So much fun to do something you enjoy rather than something you HAVE to do. Makes the work so much more enjoyable.

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  10. I love the farm posts. So interesting getting the inside show. If you want to fit in, you should wear some overalls with one strap hanging down and smile and say Howdy to everyone. I heard they really like that! I’ll bet Barb would be a Kick A** tractor driver!!

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    1. If I wore overalls and talked like that they would kick me off the farm!

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  11. Love the pics of the dogs! Sounds like you are loving farm life! I’m sure if Barb gets bored she will find something to do!

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    1. Farmer provided her with a list of things she could do already! Mostly bake treats for him....

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  12. Nice post! Glad we got to visit you there last year to see what you really are doing. Barb would be a very good planter. Won't be long before you'll be looking to buy up more land.

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    1. Do you know of any land for sale (cheap) adjacent to ours?

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  13. It is obvious that you love farming. I love all the pictures. I was born and raised on a farm and learned the farm wave way back when. I noticed that as we drove north this year through the rural country, everyone knew the wave. I love it.

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    1. Same thing back in South Dakota, everyone waves at everyone...well, unless you have an out of state plate!

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  14. One tree in 50 square miles and you hit it? I do believe that Barb should be the tractor driver. 😉🚜

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    1. Who said I hit just one tree or maybe the same tree a couple times!

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  15. You have smart dogs … impressive 🤣 Too cute!

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    1. You would love it up here, there are so many unique photo ops, I just need the time to get out there and play with the camera.

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  16. I love the farm posts. This is a life I have never lived and find it very interesting.

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    1. Having experienced both city life and country life, there is no comparison for us that the country is where we need to be.

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  17. Hey Jim, I want your whole world to know that I did NOT ask Barb to bake me treats (but if she did, I would not object since she is a wonderful baker). I think you are both in cahoots against my waistline so that I have to repay the bet. BTW - we love having you both here!

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    1. You are on to us! We sit around and try to think of the most fattening sweets and then add a little more sugar and butter!

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  18. Knowing how to wave is VERY important!! John learned the Harley wave quickly and does it properly. He doesn't embarrass us! Not like the Honda people!! Now he's doing the Jeep wave. Sounds like you have that farmer wave down for when you are out in that monster of a truck. Love, love the dogs!!! They were so sweet to participate in your antics. I can imagine the down time must be rough for Barb after all she does at the house.

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    1. Having had both Harleys and a Jeep we are familiar with those waves as well. Question though...Do you wave at all Jeeps like someone who has a Liberty or is it confined to Wranglers and the such?

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  19. I always enjoy your posts. The farmers code is a code unlike any other and it's difficult to be included in their circles but best of luck as you slowly creep forward in the process. The finger wave is the same here in Ontario, Canada as well. Although for a long time I considered that to the Ontario Rural Wave. Haha. Enjoy your time on the farm!!!!

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    1. Thanks! We consider ourselves very lucky to be able to visit the farm and live somewhere where people wave at each other whether they know them or not.

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  20. Love love the pups photos, so very intelligent they are. Now I know more about farming than I needed to know. Good to get my brain in gear. Enjoyed this post and the fact the Google actually let me finally make a comment.

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    1. Google can be fickle sometimes. I cannot post comments at all on our iPhone or iPad but Barb can on hers but we have the best luck on our laptops. Thanks for commenting!

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  21. Cool post! I know nothing about farming, so this is very interesting. Speaking of which, since I am somewhat new to your blog, can you explain the farm to me - is this a friend's farm? Family? Somewhere you used to work? I'm trying to understand the connection. Love the dog photos!! So cute!

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    1. Great question. We were introduced …. I forget how many years ago. I am going to say 8-9 years ago and we have been coming up once or twice a year ever since. I will go into more detail about it in my next post.

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  22. What kind of peas are you planting.

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    1. Yellow peas. I guess a lot of them are used in split pea soup.

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