Thursday, December 15, 2016

Harvest 2016

A harvest post in December you ask? 
Yes.  A harvest post in December. 
This fall was BEAUTIFUL.  The weather was awesome.  Once harvest began, we didn’t stop.  As great as that sounds now, it was rather challenging to keep up with. 
Here are some highlights:
  • Chopped earlage on 9/8 (which is now being used for our cattle feed)
  • Soybean harvest started on 9/27 and ended on 10/11 (we did a few days of corn in there, too)
  • Corn harvest went from 10/12 to 10/24
  • Drilled cover crops from 9/21 – 10/29
  • Baled cornstalk bales (to be used as bedding and feed for cattle)
  • Spread cattle and pig manure (fertilizer!!)
  • Moved cattle from the pasture to cornstalks
We finished up early compared to the past 3 years of harvest:
  • 2016: 9/27-10/24
  • 2015: 9/26-11/04
  • 2014: 9/29-11/08
  • 2013: 9/27-11/03
My role was a lot different this year.  In the past, I’ve mostly helped in the office.  This year I did cattle chores every morning, drilled cover crops, baled cornstalk bales, and tried to keep up in the office.  I’m way more involved, and I’m happy to say I’m still (somewhat) sane! 

2016-09-27
A selfie with the family!
2016-10-24
Some of the almost 500 cornstalk bales


2016-09-21
Drilling cover crops.  This was my view a lot this fall
              






2016-09-27 (2)
The combine :)
IMG_0116
2016-10-18
The cattle came from the pasture onto cornstalks and cover crop