We ended up with 7-8 inches of snow. Three of us in Bobcats pushing it out of the way, trying to get livestock fed. My car was downwind and is now covered with a lovely coating of brown shredded hay which we bedded the outside lot for cows. It will keep them dryer if they choose to lay outside.

Another snowstorm arriving today. 3-6 inches expected, then deep cold in the upcoming week. A lot of bedding used and time in the Bobcats moving snow.

Tundra swans that winter here on our farm arrived today.

Woke up to -5. It’s going to be a cold week with more snow ahead. Using lots of bedding and fuel and time moving snow. Holidays are coming!

Hauling manure, a never ending job. Grandson is target shooting to go out coyote hunting tonight. Another grandson ice going ice fishing in nearby pond, if the ice is thick enough. In the shop they are wiring the new pickup before laying out the aluminum diamond plate to weld a new bed.

-10 degrees, nearly full moon and calm. Going to warm up, but these deep cold nights are hard on livestock. Extra feed and dry bedding keeps them healthy.

Bedding livestock before tonight’s below zero temps. Another week below freezing ahead. Mailed the Holiday cards.

Five hours and counting for the two of us in separate Bobcats pushing and moving 6 inches of snow. Shoveled out bunks and doors. All livestock fed, a couple of waterers cleaned. Will be glad to see son tonight after holiday trip.

Cold week ahead, repairing machinery begins. Ordering parts, lists of things to check, grease, changing filters, chains to replace. Shopping online for machinery upgrades. Monitoring livestock, calving records to compile.

Chores. Dinner. Relaxing afternoon. Chores. More pie. 🥧🥧🥧🥧

Livestock are fed, waterers checked, bedding checked, wind protection fortified. At noon our farm family will sit down to Thanksgiving dinner together and gratefully relax this afternoon. Around 5pm the chores will be done again.

First ice/snow storm of the season arrived overnight. I have the three grandkids coming to “help” me get ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I agree, it will be fun. The livestock are all dry, cleaned, and bedded extra deep for the next week in below freezing temps. We are grateful. Hot cocoa day.

Want to know how bad Donald Trump is losing his trade war with China? Last month, he said China will buy 12 million tons of US soybeans by January. China hasn’t even bought 1/10th of that amount yet. Trump is getting played by China while American farmers pay the price.

Walking the North Shore. Several inches of snow there today.

More plowing, lime was spread and worked in, manure, and now we have snow tomorrow. Barns all cleaned. Everyone is dry, out of the weather, in clean bedding.

Apple is anti-union. Tesla is anti-union. Amazon is anti-union. McDonald's is anti-union. Starbucks is anti-union. Google is anti-union. Walmart is anti-union. These mega-corporations aren’t on workers’ side and their actions make it painfully clear.

I plowed most of the day, as did my brother, husband cleaned beef steer pens. Nearly all the machinery is cleaned and packed away. Snow arriving after Thanksgiving. We are grateful.

Cleaning and storing machinery for the winter. Plowing and barn cleaning. Lots to be thankful for.

Plowing, stalks were chopped, baling stalks for bedding then wrapping them. The stalk bales ferment over time and smell like wine when unwrapped. Made about 150 big round bales today.

Finished corn harvest tonight. Hugs and payments for all the family and a few friends that all worked so hard. More cornstalk bales to make tomorrow. Fourth crop hay is ready to bale. Grateful.

Picked another 65 acres of corn today, bearing went out in the corn head that needs to be entirely rebuilt. Only about 40 acres left to pick, so I hope we make it to the finish line tomorrow!

Brightest pink and red northern lights I’ve ever seen on the front steps at the farm.

Farming in the suburbs can be challenging, with traffic, pets, people driving your corn down with their toys. Argh.

Happy Monday

190 acres of corn left to pick. Get another 40 out today hauling through a suburb.

Deer opener yesterday. We do not hunt, but allow others. 5:45 Hunter arrived. 8:45 Hunter took hunting blind down, threw the skinned 8 point buck in the trunk of his sedan and left. Easy peasy.

Picked a little corn. Must haul custom combined corn first. Made, hauled and put away 525 corn stalk bales. Will make a few more today and evaluate weekend rain/snow possibilities. Cleaning cattle pens is also on the to do list. 250 acres yet to pick.

Bought three replacement parts for one of my tractors and combine today. An alternator (traded the core) made in China, solenoid made in Mexico, and combine air filter made in Germany. All for my red, CaseIH machinery.

260 acres of corn left to pick. 200 corn stalk bales made today, 800 more needed for the winter. Working long hours and all hands are on deck.

It’s that time of year that my dryer lint is made up of less lint and more red corn fuzz.

Bean harvest is over

Last day of soybean harvest, price jumped 21 cents overnight. $200 per semi load. Rain forecast and then I’m in the combine or picking up cornstalk bales until Thanksgiving.

Finishing the soybean harvest, 150 acres of corn are picked, rain overnight will slow progress tomorrow. Feeder pigs left the farm this week. Boar was put in with sows and gilts. Windows and pig pens washed. Week was busy, but it’s busy every week.

Initial estimate for No Kings Twin Cities at 100,000! So many Minnesotans SHOWED UP to protect our communities, our country and our democracy that the 1+ mile march route looped back and found thousands hadn’t even left the starting point! 👏❌👑

Picked the first 27 acres of corn before the rain chased us in. Also broke a drive shaft, but fixed and went back out.

“No Kings” protest of 400 approximately covering 4 blocks in and out of Hastings, MN

Dawn in autumn.

A notice from @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social. Will run in newspapers across the nation.

Working from field to field harvesting soybeans.

Hubs got his Covid and flu shots two days ago, neither of us had a side effect. Moving on through harvest.

Frost this morning. Not on the house and sheds, but twenty feet away or so. Flies will survive unfortunately.

Where are the airplanes? They fly over every few minutes normally, this morning there are none.

Rain delayed final day of silage chopping, may finish today. Then on to finishing the soybean harvest.

At the last silage chopping farm to make two bags and fill the silo. Son is in on a road trip with another family “cow shopping” next year’s 4-H show calves. 90 degrees and windy. Last day of summer is today. Combining will start Monday.

Son baled hay, husband and neighbors filled another bag of silage. Three bags left to fill for the last neighbor and on to soybeans.

Vaccines received today, spur of the moment, flu/covid-done!

Sold 12 open cull cows for $32,000+ today. Insane.

Filling three corn silage bags that are 9x200’ long on our farm today. Will haul 10 cull cows to market tomorrow. Still over 80 degrees. Neighbors combining soybeans.

One feeder pig died yesterday, pneumonia. 89 degrees today, yesterday woke up to 45. Picked one hopper of soybeans, at little wet yet. Finishing chopping corn silage. Crop appraiser was here today fur to hail last Monday. Preg checked the cows today too. Lots to do.