In honour of "Farmer's Day" and the farmer I thought I would show you a few pictures of seeding time. When my husband was growing up the goal was always to have the crop in the ground by the 1oth of June and it virtually is. The growing season is short but the days are long so before long the barley will be up and growing. The wheat is already up.
Seeding is a long and very labour intensive process. Each time the drill is filled the farmer uses a five gallon pail of seed. It holds 48 pounds of barley or 60 pounds of wheat and he pours 18 pails into the drill to fill it up. Then he stands in the back of the grain truck and shovels on fertilizer from the back of the grain truck at a rate of 46 pounds per acre. The drill is smart enough when set, to let out the correct amount of fertilizer. That will seed 10 acres.
The farmer has just finished seeded 210 acres this way and by my calculations he's lifted a total of
18, 788 pounds to do it. Now he'll begin packing and harrowing but it's easier riding on the tractor. There's nothing like farming the old fashioned way but that's the way it's done on our farm.
18, 788 pounds to do it. Now he'll begin packing and harrowing but it's easier riding on the tractor. There's nothing like farming the old fashioned way but that's the way it's done on our farm.
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What an unbelievable amount of work! I'll bet that lunch/dinner were something else too, in order to allow the farmer to keep on working.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing but admiration for farmers, we are surrounded by farms and crops and cows and those fellas are out there all day & sometimes at night 7 days a week.
ReplyDeleteLoved reading about farming in your area.
Maggie
We certainly depend on these folks....that are still willing to spend all they're time farming...don't know what we would do without them. Trish
ReplyDeleteI also have a lot of admiration for farmers! It is hard work and so many variables can effect the crops but thank goodness for us all dedicated farmers provide us with good food to eat!
ReplyDeleteOld-fashioned it may be but definitely hard work.
ReplyDeleteWithout seeding no reaping.
There is little arable farming round here, it's mainly sheep farming, and lots of rape. It seems to be where the money is this year.
Sheila,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting me and leaving a comment. I've already changed the new template but I do that a lot. If you change to the new one, the only problem I had is that the photos have to be a certain size to fit the little frames..I'm glad to help you along,,blind leading the blind.
My dad was a farmer in W. KY so I know what farm life is like. Hard work ang long days.
Lots of work that's for sure Shelia!
ReplyDeleteHow do you like living in Alberta? The climate is alot like Ontario which i miss.
Pamela xo
All those fields, trees, dandelions and the blue sky look so beautiful and peaceful. It all reminds me of my grandparent's little farm back in Ukraine.
ReplyDeleteHi Sheila, My grandparents had a farm in New Mexico... Boy did my Grandfather work hard! And boy did he love to drive that tractor (always grinning ear to ear)!
ReplyDeleteBella