Laundry time in the Farm...!!!

It's such a "mundane" chore in modern times. Some people send their laundry to a "professional service" in the farm we have had a uniform service besides being expensive, unlike many people I enjoy the challenge of a grease stain under lots of mud on pants that can stand by themselves... and don't even get me started about those pants that come from the hard work of organically fertilizing our fields, or having a disagreement with a pivot wheel. 


When I farm I don't seem to get as dirty but then again, I kind of chicken out when it comes to grease or the acid of a battery, I have some real works of art by my husbands' immeasurable artistic talent with battery acid on denim as art media.


Having the right tools is basic when it comes to laundry. I have seen pictures of Pioneers with their Montgomery Ward catalog manual washing machine. High efficiency appliances have made things so much easier! I had my dryer break down (it was already used and a "hand me down" 17 years ago) and boy did I miss it! Not having a dryer takes so much more work to dry clothes, iron, let them dry a little more and with the very humid days we've had I even had complaints on the "smell" of the laundry.


Every time I go to my laundry room I marvel at how the Pioneers had "laundry day" as a family they boiled clothes, hit them on rocks or used boards to rub them on (I grew up learning how to do this as well in my country) and it really took a whole day for a pioneer family to do what I probably can finish by myself in a couple of loads these days. We definitely live in fantastic times for laundry chores... what we will see in the future in the Laundry industry...probably hand-in-hand with other modern tools in other industries.   

Storm damages.

They say time is money, in farming time is yield. In our area, planting too early can give as result in rotten seed, planting too late may not get you as much yield as you could otherwise have. Different seeds require different maturing times. In northern areas we choose shorter season seeds (seeds that require less time to mature). However, it is always a "gamble" how much sun or rain we will have, at what time intervals the rain will fall. What the temperatures will be and so on. Math precious records and statistics can help us as to the possibilities in the future; however, there are always exceptional conditions that will present a new challenge to farmers. 

A hail damaged field hope the corn can still grow

We have had an exceptional wet year, as I write this we have had in a couple of weeks a couple of days of sunshine, the rest has been as I call it "London type weather" Rain is something farmers look forward to because it saves us many "rounds" of watering with our pivots. I should add rain saves many thousands of dollars on the energy to pump the water, and on the motors for the pivot wheels, whether they are moved with electricity, natural gas, ethanol fuel or biodiesel. 

One little corn seedling I could find

Close up of the hail holes

 Tree damage from hail

The soil showed where hail hit.

Commenting with neighbor about the storm.

When rain however is accompanied with severe weather as it is frequently in tornado alley where we live it can be very scary. This was the case when last week we had a severe thunderstorm with at least one spotted tornado that included baseball size and smaller hail stones. The next morning, we could still see damage in trees, alfalfa and in some of our corn. The water came so fast it rushed through some of the fields helped by the high winds. I had the chance to take some lower clouds that began a circulating motion... a bad sign. Thank God we did not have any human losses to speak of... 

Easter Break at the Farm

The beautiful exhibit we visited last Wednesday just in time for Easter Triduum "The Glory of Ukraine" amazing treasures that are a testament to what human kind can accomplish and how difficult a road Christianity had to travel.

The art and significance of the artifacts included in the exhibit are amazing, the workmanship and detail of the works from clay and iron to gold and semi precious stones. Humans can endure so much! Humans can produce amazing works! Some of the works from a few years after the time of the coming of Christ and when Christians were considered as "revolutionaries", troublemakers. Until Emperor Constantine Declared Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire with the edict of Milan. The very fact that by 390 Christianity had become Rome's official religion is an Amazing accomplishment!

Agriculture has had an amazing development from the times of Christ to our modern times. We are so blessed with modern methods, practices and technology they all make our lives so much better. Each farmer feeds so many more people than in the times of Christ! The tools we have now were almost absolutely inconceivable in the times of Christ! We are so very blessed with everything we do, the tools we have to do it and the fantastic freedom to celebrate our Religious Holidays! Happy Easter!

Family time & sharing talents in Rural Areas

What a blessing we have to live in the farm. Nevertheless it has its challenges. We dedicate our Sunday to prepare for Mass, help out in church reading or with music services that our kiddos prepare. Our instrument of choice has been violin and Viola, our house is very small so they're easy to store. Yesterday we were fortunate to have the opportunity to take them (and that they were accepted) to a program of violin/viola seminar at one of the Universities a couple of hours away.
Helping our children develop their talents into the service of God and others is one of our most important family priorities. Moms were able to be present at the class and learn techniques to help the players as well. Playing an instrument is a skill that is not easy as we get older. It is also a skill that keeps our minds fresh.

My head was sure spinning with so much information yesterday! It was so worth it to have a change of pace. At the same time I could not help but reflect in the tough economic times and how many art and music programs in the different Universities are being cut. We love how the 4H program through the Extension division of the University promotes a talent show where rural kids can also have an event where they can share their work with others. 4H programs are very beneficial for Rural Communities.

Waiting for Planting2011

The Midwest is a unique area of the world to live in. Needless to say, I admire the patience of farmers in this area waiting for the correct soil temperature, the correct moisture in the soil, the ideal weather conditions. I grew up in an area where the temperature oscillates between 55F and 85F so Mother Nature's surprises in this area always amaze me. I am a city import and admire the generations of farmers' patience with the challenges all these conditions present for planting2011.
Tonight, I could not help but reflect on these aspects since the weather conditions it hardly seem possible to be so close to planting. Tornado warnings, wind advisory, blizzard conditions...

Agriculture is definitely a challenging profession, all the science and investment that goes into the production is many times unimaginable for many. I know I learn about agriculture every day.