Spring!

The first day of spring was warm and balmy. We had a hard rain come in at 4 pm. We really need to get that topdressing done to the wheat, it is getting late and it looks like a wet spring forecasted.

Who would have thought after no rain after July 12? Barely had enough to get the wheat and cover crops out of the ground last fall but they all still look good. They just need some attention.

We took the Adam's County tour guide down to Ralph and Donna and walked through the wheat field that connects our farms. We noticed quite a few purple dead nettles and some dandelion. I didn't see much chickweed for once, I think the radishes took them out.

It is warm enough we will be getting aphids too if they don't drown in all these showers. I always put some insecticide down with the herbicide and now that needs to be done also but we don't even have any topdress down yet. Good thing I put as much nitrogen on last year as I did, it has kept it holding on but we will start losing yield potential if we haven't already.

The neat thing was Sable was very well behaved and stayed away from the neighbor's dog and stayed with us. Then she did something she hasn't done yet and she starting licking all over Ralph! We had to see it to believe it but she has really changed since her second birthday October 1.

It was so special Donna had to take pictures of this new event! For some reason Sable got in her head she wanted nothing to do with Ralph and after he gave her a doggie treat she gave him a big kiss! If you saw how shy she has been around Ralph you would take pictures, too!

We visited their neighbors Bob and Peggy and Katie the other day on another walk and she gave Katie a big kiss too. She is a very loving dog if she likes you and she barks like you know what if she thinks you are coming to the house to be a threat to us. I wouldn't want that dog angry at me for sure.

Such was the first full day of spring. Now they are calling for snow flurries again this weekend!

Ohio weather!

I just love this picture of radishes intersown with wheat in the fall. I think there is more going on there than we understand. They make great companion crops and then the radishes die off over winter giving nutrients and weed killing power to the wheat.

Ed Winkle