It Has Been Very Dry

Due to some travel followed by my father’s passing, it has been several weeks since I visited the farm. Upon arrival, the rain gauge was empty, the pond was low, the clover was brown and the pumpkins were wilting. 

The good news is that the weeds were thirsty too. I immediately strung a hose and started running water down the pumpkin rows. 

The clover fields were in various states of heat distress. 

Joan and I took a tour to assess the situation. 

The next morning I started on weed control. 

The vines are just getting ready to run so I was able to till beside the rows. I employed “chemical weeding” in the area between the rows (roundup). We’ll see next visit how good my aim was. 

The rows desperately need hoed but my progress was stopped by a welcome rain storm. It seemed like a slow steady rain but it didn’t amount to much.  More rain predicted for this week. 

On the camera tour, I had trouble finding one of the cameras. I eventually discovered that the tree holding my camera was down. 

Van did some culvert work while I was gone. He fixed this creek crossing on an atv trail. 

The soybean fields were heavily grazed and starting to show a new weed bloom. 

The deer really don’t let the beans get established before hammering them. 

After the rain, I took the opportunity to sort of spot spray a number of different food plots for whatever the predominant invader was. Risky to do this in mid-summer but I thought I could get away with it between two rains.

Eric and crew had been by for a quick visit a week ago. 

Elliot always needs a Ranger ride. 

The fawns are getting frisky.

Notice that the tractor has just passed in this one.

My usual study of ticks on ears.

The predators are always on the hunt.

Lots of random deer activity.

Twins.

Spreading some minerals a couple weeks ago.

I trimmed some tree branches and now this licking branch is too high.

Check out the hawk on the hunt in this shot.

The deer don't wait for the apples to fall off the tree.

Fourth of July in the neighborhood.

Turkey vulture.

And lots of turkeys.