Filed under: agriculture, cold, Corn, Farm, farm life, Minnesota, planting, Trees, weather, winter
April 15 was the first day crop insurance covered newly planted corn here in Southwestern Minnesota. Has anyone here started planting corn yet? Not this year! This year we had just received 7 inches of snow on April 14. 
In years past some of my neighbors would have planted some of their corn before April 15, not this year!
April 22 is the first day that the University of Minnesota recommends planting corn here in Southwestern Minnesota. Will we be planting corn on Monday? Not this year!
This year we still have snow in the fields.
This year a field like this where the snow is mostly melted is hard to find in my neighborhood.
This year a field tree line has a lot of snow on the down wind side where snow piled up when the north winds blew the snow around.
This year groves of trees have 4 feet or more of snow piled up in them which will melt into the fields for a long time yet.
So when do I hope to start planting corn? Who knows. It will not be this month. My hope is to start planting by the normal last day of planting on May 10. If I have to wait to plant corn after May 20 we’ll have to change the varieties of corn I plant. This year may yet go down in the books as the latest I have planted corn, but I do not know the answer to when I will start planting yet, all I can say is not yet.
Filed under: cold, Farm, farm life, weather, wind, winter | Tags: poetry, snow, winter
Snows on the prairie
Over the ground lays a mantel of white, for the winds of the prairie are still,
But folk here all know that the long winds will blow, and that snow will move to where winds will.
That lovely, still snow tomorrow will lie, in drifts that are hard near and far,
So look well my friends at this still, shimmering snow, that tomorrow will bury your car.
When cold winds do moan and tree branches groan the new fallen snow will take flight,
Snow again takes to the air, to move here and there, to places revealed by morning light.
Then snow sculptures will form, in strange shapes smooth and worn, in places away from winds might.
New wonders will be revealed, and my soul will be healed, by the wonders shown forth at the death of the night.
Soon I’ll venture forth, away from fires warmth, to see what’s revealed with morning’s birth,
Small creatures will join me, from tunnel and tall tree, their tracks, they shall add to my mirth,
But I’ll not tarry too long, for the wind it is strong, and I do know what my life is worth,
I’ll come back to my chair, my book it is there, and the fire, it will warm me in the hearth.
A poem inspired by a walk in last nights fresh snow.
Filed under: cold, harvest, machines, science, solar power, winter | Tags: cold, electric production, electricity, machines, power production, science, solar power, winter
It was a bit over a month ago that I wrote about my Solar Voltaic project, well it’s now official, I’m on the grid.
Here’s a picture of the screen on one of my inverters. The numbers tell how much electricity is being produced at different intervals. The picture was taken at 5 p.m. so the sun was low and power production was declining. The graph shows the production at different hours of the day. Today’s production was much better with abundant sun than yesterday’s cloudy which still produced some power.
With only 10 hours of winter sun I do not have much opportunity to produce electricity, but the collectors work better when the days are cold. We’ll see how electric production changes with longer, warmer days. Stay tuned.
Filed under: Ag education, dust, Farm, Minnesota, snow, tillage, Trees, weather, wind, winter | Tags: Agriculture education, cold, dirty snow, farm, Minnesota, rain, science, snow, soil, weather, wind, winter
We’ve had a series of days with thawing temperatures and our snow is not white anymore, it’s very dirty.
Every snowflake has a bit of dirt in it, gathered as it forms, our snow here in Southwestern Minnesota has more than it’s share. The winds of winter have been moving dirt along with the snow. Now that it is melting, the dirt is left on the top.
We went into winter with dry topsoil. Then the normal process of freezing soil squeezed more moisture out. When our prairie winter winds come the soil starts to move. Most of that soil doesn’t move far. It falls behind some bit of plant material in the field or a low spot between dirt clumps. Other bits may blow as far as the road ditch or a grove of trees. Some little bits will stay airborne and help to start new snowflakes and rain drops. It’s all part of the process of wind rain and snow.
Farmers in our area have come a long way since the dirty thirties. Back then when you plowed ground you left it “smooth as a babies bottom.” Smooth soil moves easier. Today, farmers take pride in keeping winter soils rough with plenty of plant material sticking up. Many will not till fields so they can help hold their soil. We are well aware that soil is hard to replace, we need to keep it in place so our children can earn an income here also.
We’ll have white snow again before winter is over, it’s only January and there is lots of winter left. Still I enjoy seeing some of that snow melt before spring, I just don’t like dirty snow.
Filed under: blizzard, cold, Farm, house, Minnesota, school, snow, travel, weather, wind, winter | Tags: blizzard, cold, farm, Food, ground blizzard, Minnesota, snow, travel, weather, wind, winter
This morning when they called off school the weather didn’t look that bad. We had a bit of snow blowing around, but most of the snow was still staying put. When our mail was delivered about 9 a.m. we were surprised, usually mail doesn’t come until after noon. Now it is a different story.
Winds are holding at over 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. We have ourselves a ground blizzard.
If you are out of the wind, temperatures are not too bad. Step out into the wind and you have a different story. I have trouble seeing across my yard with all of the snow in the air, and yet, when you look up there is the sun in a mostly clear sky.
I can hear a truck out on the highway but he doesn’t seem to be moving that fast. I would not want to be in a car in these conditions. This is the time I am glad for a warm house and plenty of food. I’m hunkered down with a project or two and a book. It’s great to live in Minnesota on a day like this and have nothing that has to be done.
Filed under: cold, Farm, food, frost, history, house, Minnesota, snow, weather, wind, winter | Tags: cold, farm, Food, history, hunker down, Minnesota, nature, snow, weather, wind
They say it is time to ‘hunker down,” it’s going to get windy.
To look at the weather today you wouldn’t know the concern I have for the next days. Today the sun is shining and the wind is light. It may be below freezing out, we may have several inches of fresh snow on the ground, but it is not that bad being outside. Folks out here on the prairie of southwestern Minnesota and points north and west understand, this is not bad weather. Ah, but throw in some wind and things change. Tomorrow the wind is predicted to start up and then we will be challenged.
A commentator on the radio at noon reminded me of a three day blow from my childhood. I think back to that old house I lived in then with the inadequate insulation in the walls and wonder how we survived it all. I remember warming my body by the oil stove before bed to have a head start on the cold. It was not unusual to have frost on the inside of windows every day back then.
To keep warm doing chores then needed fuel! Salads need not apply, we had meat, bread and potatoes, and if we were lucky, some kind of canned or dried fruit with lots of sugar on it. It takes energy to stay warm for hours working or playing on the farm when the temperatures are low and the wind blows. That was real hunker down fuel. Starches and fats kept the body fueled, and hard work kept us lean.
So today, as I think back on those days of cold, I remember with fondness the high in fat, sugar and starch meals of yesteryear. They kept us fueled for labor. Today we sit in warm houses and cars and we can afford to eat salad. Go outside and you will freeze in an instant because the wind drives away all of your warm. Give me a hearty old fashioned meal any day before I head outside. I know the wind will not blow me away.
Filed under: cold, friends, Minnesota, safety, school, School bus, snow, travel, weather, winter | Tags: children, cold, friends, Minnesota, road conditions, safety, school bus, school bus driver, snow, travel, weather, winter
It happened to me again today. I had someone tell me that if they really wanted to know what the local road conditions were they would ask a school bus driver.
Wow, what trust to put in those of us on the road early in the morning or late at night. Yeah, we are out in the early hours on roads all over the country. In fact, I’m usually the first one on many of the county and township roads of my route, all to often I’m there before the snow plow. I have to know those roads because I’m asked to drive them in fog, rain and snow. I’ve had many a trip where I have known where the stop signs and corners are by counting the hills. Those are not the days I prefer to drive.
Winter here in Southwestern Minnesota can be a challenge at times. Knowing where the road is in hazardous conditions is sometimes a challenge. The fact is though that I will never take a child out on a road in my bus if I do not feel confident that I can get back to town. That’s not to say that I have always stayed on the road, but usually if I get into trouble it is not because of a blizzard, it’s ice or fog.
So, thank you for your trust. We want your kids home safe as much as you do. Besides, do you really want to spend a cold night in a bus with your child and all of their friends? Neither do we!
Filed under: Farm, snow, weather, winter | Tags: December, farm, snow, snow blower, snow fence, weather, winter
Even though we have already had two snow storms I just did not feel ready for winter. Today I got to do some things that made me feel more ready for winter.
After the last two storms I decided that we needed one more snow fence. Hopefully it will plug a gap that has allowed snow to pile up just west of the house on the pond electrical box. I also tightened the end of one snow fence that was flapping in the wind. That should get my snow defenses all in order.
I also finally got to put the snow blower on my tractor. Up until now that tractor has been hooked onto a manure pump. The early snow and cold had made cleaning the hog barn pits a problem. Now after a few warm days that job is done.
The weather forecast is most un December like for the next few days. No snow in the near future and some days that get above freezing. This is my kind of winter weather. I may just have to go out and do some more tree trimming. Need to take advantage of the nice weather while I can.
Filed under: cold, family, Farm, Minnesota, snow, weather, winter | Tags: children, cold weather, family, farm, Minnesota, school bus, snow, weather, wind, winter
The calendar says that winter starts on December 21. Meteorologists claim winter starts on December 1. For me winter’s start is more flexible, it depends on snow and cold.
This year, winter started in November when a major snow storm-swept through central Minnesota depositing large amounts of snow north of us and a dusting of snow here in southwestern Minnesota. That kicked off the cold as arctic air pushed south and held on with temperatures well below normal. We had a storm deposit 6 inches of snow, and then warm weather melted most of it. Then came 3 inches of snow and cold, cold weather for Thanksgiving day. Out came the sleds and skis as the kids and grandkids enjoyed our blanket of white.
Today, after a few really warm days it is hard to find any snow. It looks as if the warm is going to continue. Our forecast is filled with days near or above freezing, and there is not even a lot of wind to cool us off. I love this weather.
Oh yeah, I know you cold-blooded folks are thinking I am raving mad, but when you compare this to what we have had, this is great! Without cold winds and snow I expect to see lots of kids forgetting their hats and gloves on the bus, maybe even a coat or two. It’s all in the perspective you put on it, and this is better than we have had, and I am loving it.
Filed under: snow, weather, winter | Tags: blogs, going viral, snow, snow fence, weather, winter
When you blog, you always hope there will be that one day you write the viral blog, the one that is so over the top that your readership doubles. Little did I realize that I wrote that one almost a year ago, and it had humble origins. It was all about a snow fence. 
The art of the snow fence seems to be getting a lot of attention lately. My readership has more than doubled in the last two months all over a blog I wrote a year ago. So thanks to all of you out there building a snow fence for the first time who are reading about my humble efforts. I’m glad I could be of help.
Minnesota Farmer 