The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
7/10/2012 column
Are we having fun yet this summer? I think the jury is still debating the verdict, but I can image their pro/con list so far based on the activities around our farm.
Con: It is hot, dry and dying. The rains have split our area once again. We watch storm clouds travel north to Duluth and south to the Twin Cities. It seems to rain everywhere but here. The pivots and guns are running non-stop to help the corn through the tasseling and pollination stages. We’re thankful for any kind of moisture coming from above or below. Spots where the irrigation system can’t reached look like an onion patch with tall curled stalks pointing upward as if to pierce a passing cloud for a drop of water.
Pro: The dry weather means the second cutting of hay went up without a hitch. The hay dried quickly and sometimes almost too dry. Baling times were adjusted to find the optimum moisture levels. There was no need to push to get the hay up before it rained. There was no rain in the forecast for the whole week. The cows are going to love munching on this taste of summer sunshine come the dead of winter when we are buried beneath snow drifts. Another advantage of the dry weather is that I only have patches in the yard to mow as the grass has gone dormant.
Con: The cattle, calves and farmers all struggled with the 100+ degree days and mugginess. The high temps seem to zap everyone’s energy and appetites. Foster decided to drop a pair of heifer calves during the heat wave. Only one calf survived and the cow didn’t clean. Foster is still alive and milking but her future in the herd is swinging with temperatures. I understand why we don’t freshen heifers in January or February, but I think we should consider skipping July and August too. The hot weather would be tolerable if the temps would drop in the evening. With lows in the 70’s to 80’s at night, nothing can recuperate from the day’s struggles to survive. We’ve been backing off on the feed in the barn and in the house too. No one wants to eat when it is this hot.
Pro: Overheated cows and helpers get hosed down in an attempt to cool off. The milk house hose is stretched outside the barn to spray cool water on hot cows. Of course where there is a water hose, there is always an instant water fight. No one seems to be complaining about taking a couple showers a day to cool off and clean up. Cold showers have never felt so good. Even though we are taking more showers, we are saving money on our hot water bill.
Of course one of the best things about hot weather is cooling off with a tall lemon shake-up, a good book and an oscillating fan. A neighbor girl lent me “Tuesdays with Morrie”. A great read to keep your mind thinking and wondering about how to live a full life and leave a legacy. His conclusion: Take time to listen and love another.
Another positive point about the consecutive 100 degree days is history. The last time we had this many hot days was in 1988, our first year of marriage and farming. We could only irrigate a portion of the farm with traveling guns on twenty-plus runs. We were constantly carrying pipes through corn fields to water as much of the farm that we could reach. There were only two big fans that sat in the alleyway of the cow barn. The place of honor for the special cows was on the corners of the cross walk. The corn was knee high twice…on the way up and on the way down. We only had a small fan to cool us off at night. The crops were shot that year, the cattle were hot, and we were young and exhausted. This time around we are older, but we have been able to prepare over the years for another hot spell with pivots, tunnel ventilation and central air-conditioning. Despite the temperatures, we know we can survive this hot spell, only a little bit cooler than 25 years ago.
My Verdict: Yeah, we’re having fun!
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* As their 4 children pursue dairy careers off the farm, Natalie and Mark are starting a new adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their Minnesota farm. Natalie grew up in Stronghurst, the daughter of Becky and the late Larry Dowell.
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