Corn

Corn

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

The Tobacco Diaries: It's Getting Hot In Here!

Weeks 13-17

The smell of fall is in the air. Temperatures are beginning to settle in the low 70's each day, the sky is clear blue, and leaves are beginning to turn to red, orange, and yellow. And if you live in Western Kentucky, the smell of tobacco barns smoking would be added to that list. That's right, most people, involved in agriculture or not, will almost always mention the sweet smell of tobacco barns as a part of fall. It's a Kentucky tradition! In my house, the tradition also smells up the laundry room for a few months, but I won't get into that!

So, after being cut in the field and loaded on wagons, the tobacco wilts for a few days and then is put into the barn on tiers. The term used for putting the tobacco in the barn is "running in". There is no running involved so I am not sure how that term evolved.
Each stick is handed up person to person until all the tiers are filled. 




This barn is not completely full, but you can see the tier levels. 

After the barn is full, sawdust and slabs are brought in to start the smoking process. The wood that is used for this process is scrap hardwood from local sawmills. We are fortunate to have several local sawmills that can easily provide the hardwood to ensure this type of tobacco is cured with perfect color and flavor. Starting the fires is a tricky process. Not only are you starting a fire in a wood structure, but the fires must be started slow. As the tobacco begins to change colors from green to yellow and eventually deep brown, the fires increase in intensity. They also have to be checked regularly. This means walking into the smoke filled barn to make sure fires are not to close to the walls and that no leaves have fallen into the fire.

This would be the view from inside a smoking barn! 

This is how the sawdust and slabs look in the barn.

In this picture you can see the tobacco is beginning to turn deep brown. Once the barn is fired for the last time, the tobacco will have a shiny finish to it. 


It's hard to tell from this picture, but this barn is smoking. Big boss and little boss are headed to check it! Only big boss goes in the barn, though!

Until next time, God Bless. 

Friday, August 29, 2014

The Tobacco Diaries: Things are getting interesting

Week 12: Cutting

The first setting of tobacco is ready to be cut and put in the barn for firing. It's hard to believe that in just a few short months it went from this...


to this...


Each plant is cut individually by hand using one of the cutting knives shown below.


After being cut, and waiting about an hour or two, the plants are spiked onto a stick. Basically the plants are speared about five or six to a stick so that they can be hung in the barn to be cured. To be transferred from the field to the barn, the sticks are hung on tobacco wagons and pulled either with trucks or tractors.


This wagon is loaded, covered, and ready to head to the barn. The black sheet protects the plants from being burned and also aids in wilting the leaves. The tobacco needs to wilt for a couple of days before it is ready to be hung in the barn and fired. Depending on the size and weight of the tobacco, approximately four acres can be put in a barn.

This tobacco is ready to be put in the barn. 

We are now entering, in my opinion, the most labor intensive/stressful part of growing dark fired tobacco. Not only is getting the tobacco from field to barn extremely hard work, after the barn is fired you have the added stress of checking the fires to make sure they don't get too hot and potentially burn the barn down. It's tricky business building a fire in a wood structure! More on that process in the next post.


Until then, God Bless!

Thursday, July 31, 2014

The Tobacco Diaries: Flowers?

The Tobacco Diaries Week 9: Flowers?




It does seem strange to see a flower growing out of the top of a tobacco plant, but before reaching full maturity, they do produce a flower. The flower, however, does need to be removed so that the plant's full energy is going into growing the leaves. We want the plant to grow out, not up. The process of removing the flower is called "topping and oiling". Each flower is broken out of the top of the plant, by hand, and then an oil is dripped where the flower was broken so that it will not grow back again. This is all done by hand. A machine is not capable of performing this task. Every tobacco plant will need to be "topped and oiled" two to three times before cutting to ensure the flower does not grow back and that the leaves on the tobacco plant will reach their full potential. One other problem with the flower is, if we did get a strong storm with heavy winds, the flower acts like a sail and can cause severe damage to the tobacco plant when it bends and breaks in the wind. Below is the most recent picture of the tobacco after being topped and oiled.

Week 9
The picture doesn't do it justice, but the leaves are beginning to turn a very dark green and are getting thick and heavy. The leaves will continue to get bigger and heavier, but the plant is as tall as it will get.

We went from having entirely too much rain to being completely dry, so the irrigation rigs are running full force right now. I jokingly call them my competition,
because I am pretty sure the rigs see more of my husband than I do these days! Oh well, such is the life of a farmer.

God Bless!

Monday, July 28, 2014

Leaders

I have a quote that sits, framed on my desk at home. It says this:
A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles... they don't flock, you find them one at a time.
I am certain that you could replace the word leader with farmer and the message would hold. I can say this with conviction because not only do I live with a farmer, I also just spent the better part of a week with a group of farmers in Washington D.C. It was the final step of the NCGA DuPont New Leader Program. It was an experience that I will not soon forget. After having met only one time six months ago, our group met in D.C. and greeted one another like long lost friends. We immediately began to bond. Talking and laughing about everything that had happened in the last six months. Family, farming, you name it someone was talking and someone was listening.


We set off on a fast paced mission that took us to farmland in Virginia. There we learned about the issues that they face year to year and also saw beautiful fields of sunflowers that were the perfect back drop for some great pictures. We then travelled to a vineyard, where we learned more about the value of family and determination. The next day, we toured two impressive DuPont structures. One, a museum, that offered a glimpse into the past and the rich history that surrounds the company. I was fascinated by the family stories, and again, the determination that was evident in every detail. The second, a research facility, that housed up and coming innovations for farmers. You could feel the energy from each scientist we met with. Truly excited about the work that was going on. At the end of the day, we met with DuPont leaders and discussed issues relevant to farmers. We were able to mingle with the Executive Vice President of DuPont, the President of DuPont crop protection, the Director of Global Communications, the External Relations Manager, and an expert in the field of Biologicals Nutrition and Health. For these men and women to take the time to talk to our group, showed their dedication to Agriculture and farmers.

The rest of the week was spent in the heart of Washington D.C. at Corn Congress, and at the Capital visiting with our Congressmen. Having the opportunity to sit through several sessions at Corn Congress was an eye opening experience. We were able to see what happens behind the scenes to benefit both farmers and consumers. Our particular visits to Kentucky Congressmen went very well, and I felt encouraged by most of them positively endorsing Agriculture.

The entire week was busy, but productive. A very positive experience. I missed my boys terribly and was overjoyed to see them when we got home, but it is important for them to see us being good leaders and trying to make a difference. They need to learn from us that sometimes you have to leave your home and comfort zone in order to make a change.

In closing, this did not signal the end, but the beginning of a great adventure. Adventures in leadership and the future of Agriculture. I am excited about what is to come. And I am truly grateful to everyone who had a hand in making this first NCGA DuPont New Leader Program a success. I look forward to seeing all of you in the future.

God Bless!
The Cathedral of Saint Matthew. I was blessed to have been able to attend mass here. Saint John Paul II said mass here in 1979 when he visited Washington D.C. 





Tuesday, July 15, 2014

The Tobacco Diaries Week 7

Week 7: 

This is possibly week 8, to be honest I have lost track of time a little bit. To say that time flies when you have children is an understatement, it takes on it's own speed that is immeasurable to humans! When I was little, my dad warned me of this extraordinary speed but you can't fully appreciate it until you are actually living it. 

Now back to the tobacco. The very last of the tobacco to be set is being plowed as I type. Below is a picture of the plow that is used. 
It is important for weed control as well as to incorporate dry fertilizer. This is long and tedious work. Many hours are spent in the tractor seat!

I tend to not want to focus on anything negative, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention that some of our tobacco has suffered severe damage from too much rain. This tobacco has scalded and basically has suffocated from the excess moisture. 
This speaks of the volatility of a tobacco plant. It does need water to grow and thrive, but too much can devastate a crop. If the growing conditions are hot and dry, adding a little bit of irrigation is the best way for tobacco to get water. 
This is not a complete loss, however, and we are thankful for what we still have.
Week 7

As the pace of life continues to speed up, I try to remember to take time each day for prayer and reflection. So as not to forget the true purpose of this life! 

God Bless!


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

The Tobacco Diaries Week 6: Never A Dull Moment!



Week 6:  

The last of the tobacco has been set. It was a tricky couple of days juggling wheat harvest and getting the ground ready for tobacco, but as always everything got done.  

It is always satisfying to see a wagon full of empty trays! We will now keep an ever watchful eye to the weather radars, hoping the storm clouds approaching do not carry hail with them. Hail can be devastating to a tobacco crop especially when the leaves are big, and in the most fragile state. As they are becoming in the picture below. 
Week 6

The biggest of the tobacco also needed to be fertilized this week. This was done very slowly in a small sprayer with hoses distributing the Nitrogen (fertilizer) directly to the ground. A sprayer was used because the leaves on the tobacco are big enough that a tractor pulling an applicator through them would damage the leaves. 
                                                

We will celebrate the 4th of July with what the forecasters are calling a cooler than normal beginning of July, and will be thankful for what we have, what we have been given, and what the future will bring. 

God Bless! 

Friday, June 20, 2014

The Tobacco Diaries


Week 5: Busy!

The rain has left us, and in its wake, 90+ degree heat. No complaints though, farming is back in session full force. Wheat harvest has begun, which will immediately be followed by planting wheat beans. They are named wheat beans simply because they are planted on the ground that has just been harvested for wheat. This is a great way to utilize the land. Wheat is a cover crop that helps with soil erosion. Just another way that farmers are giving back to the land! 



The tobacco continues to need constant attention and below is a picture of the applicator that was used to fertilize it. Contrary to popular belief, not all tractor's have radios and air conditioners. As you can see this one utilizes nature's air conditioning, which at the moment is not much. Tobacco really likes hot, humid air and, in fact, thrives in this type of environment. 



Week 5

Life is as busy as ever, with my husband gone from dawn 'til dark I continue my household duties with three young children and also become the lunch delivery service and chauffeur from field to field. If nothing else does, the constant running is enough to wear anyone out. Luckily, my brother is able to help drive semis and the grain cart and my mother-in-law always swoops in at just the right time to take the boys to play at her house. My sanity is saved! Thank goodness for family. So, as I bumpity, bump through fields and drive down old dirt roads like the Dukes of Hazzard, because farmers are always in a hurry and you just can't get there fast enough, sometimes I catch myself thinking, "The city sure is nice." But really, I would eventually miss the wide open spaces and the breathtaking views that can only be attributed to God the creator. 

God Bless! 

Saturday, June 14, 2014

The Tobacco Diaries


Weeks 3 and 4: Rain, Rain, and more Rain!  

I got a little behind and so have to combine weeks 3 and 4. That is not an altogether bad thing considering about all I have to report on is that it has rained... A lot! 8-10 inches in two weeks according to the rain gauge.  And, you guessed it, tobacco does not need a lot of rain. Or as my husband puts it, tobacco does not like to have wet feet. It is nearly impossible to have an excellent row crop year and tobacco year at the same time. One will either have too much water or not enough. That is where irrigation comes in handy. At this moment, it does not appear that the irrigation reels will be making an appearance any time soon. 
So, now we wait for things to dry up and continue to have faith that all things happen as they are supposed to.

Week 3
            
Week 4

Always the optimist, the rain did allow a few slow days. I was able to travel to Owensboro for a day to celebrate the ordination of two priests. One that will be joining my home parish. It was a beautiful celebration and, as I sat watching, these words kept running through my mind, "Not my will be done, but yours God." 
As I write this, the sun is shining and the skies are blue. A reminder of God's mercy and grace. 

God Bless! 


Thursday, June 5, 2014

The Tobacco Diaries

Week 2: Grow, Grow, Grow

The first several acres of tobacco are in the ground and growing strong.
We thought irrigation was going to be necessary during the first few days but God took care of that for us! I kind of dread irrigating because it means even later nights and earlier mornings. I was so happy when I awoke in the middle of the night to rain falling on the roof, I sat up in bed and announced that "It's raining!". To which my husband replied with a snore and a flop. It's the little things that make a farmers wife happy!

Because of the intensive labor that is required when harvesting tobacco and the volatile weather, several acres are set at different times. This allows time between harvests to take a little breather. Of course when you also are a row crop farmer, it's not a break just a change of scenery!
So, the second setting is complete and we await wheat harvest before the third and final setting is complete. The fun task of walking through the rows of tobacco with a hoe to pull dirt to the plants and get any weeds has now begun and will continue until the plant is big enough to shade out the weeds.

Until next time, God bless!


Week 2

Friday, May 23, 2014

The Tobacco Diaries

Well, it has been a while since my last post and it is pretty safe to say that has everything to do with the arrival of spring and planting season!

So, as promised I am going to chronicle the dark fired tobacco season and anything else that gets thrown in between.


(*As a side note: dark fired tobacco is grown to be used in making snuff, not cigarettes. It is primarily grown in Western Kentucky and West Tennessee due to the hard wood that is used to fire it. I will elaborate on that later in the season. )


Week 1:


The ground has been strip tilled and is ready for the tobacco to be set. About mid-winter, tobacco plants are started in trays in greenhouses (much like vegetables) and will grow in that environment until they are big enough to be hand set in the ground. It is ideal to set tobacco towards the end of May and throughout June. 








A tobacco setter is an implement hooked to a tractor. We use a two row setter. Four people will sit on the back of the setter and feed the plants one by one into the setting forks which then "set" the plants in the ground. While this is happening, water is being administered to the newly set plants so they get a good start on growing. The setter does not move especially fast, but believe me (I've ridden the setter a time or two!) it keeps you on your toes. If you happen to miss a plant, then either a person walks behind the setter and resets or you get to go back and reset any missed plants. 




And this is how it looks after being set. I will try to take a picture each week in the same spot so that you can see how it changes .




Sounds pretty simple, right? "Tobacco is no big deal", you may be thinking. Let me encourage you to come back and take this journey. Oh, and you may want to buckle up, the ride may get a little bumpy...!

Until next time, God Bless and happy planting! 


Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Getting To Know You (or Me!)

This post probably would have been more appropriate as a first one, but better late than never. I think it is fair to know a little bit about the person that is blogging. So here we are in a nutshell:

My husband is a second generation farmer in Graves County Kentucky. This is just about as far western Kentucky as you can get. He grows corn, soybeans, wheat, and dark fired tobacco. The dark fired tobacco is an interesting crop that I plan to blog about more in the future. I will say that it is primarily grown in this area due to the type of wood that is needed to fire it properly. He is a farmer through and through and works as hard or harder than any person I have ever met. He does, however, love to travel and has visited working farms in Great Britain, Scotland, and Argentina. (Occasionally we do take a non working trip to the beach!) He was born and raised in Western Kentucky and received his Master's degree from Murray State University. And that is where I enter the picture...

I am originally from Colorado. My dad is from Kansas and my mom from Wales, Great Britain. So, I guess that makes me a half first generation American! My background in Ag/Farming comes from a deep love for horses. I showed horses and rodeoed all through childhood. I attended Murray State University and received my degree in Agriculture, which is where, with a simple twist of fate, I met my husband, and entered a world of tractors, combines, planters, sprayers.....Oh My! The other side of agriculture. 

Fast forward 12 years.....

We have three beautiful boys who love tractors and everything farming. We hope at least one of them will be the next generation farmer. No pressure. They can make their own decisions. For now we are enjoying their innocent insight on the world. 

I am learning every day how to be a better wife, mother, and farmer. It is a continuous learning adventure that I am proud to be a part of, and know that I could not get through one day of without God and my deeply rooted faith. 

So, I hope this blog will continue to be a writing adventure, and I thank you for reading and going along for the ride! 

God Bless! 


Monday, February 17, 2014

A Mother's Prospective

Lately, I have been reading a lot about GMO's. Most of it has been negative, but a few articles/blogs have been positive. To be honest, I am not an expert on GMO's. I did have the pleasure to tour the DuPont Pioneer research facility where I did learn GMO's are not something to be scared of. If every person who has a bad opinion about GMO's would take that tour, I think we would be able to move on from this particular debate once and for all. It is unfortunate that the people doing all of the negative talking and getting the most attention, seem to know little about agriculture and farming. I have never taken a poll, nor do I know of one out there, but it is my guess that the majority of people fighting against the use of GMO's and for more strict labeling of them, have never set foot on a farm. I can also bet that this statement taken directly from the website gmoanswers.com is not widely known among consumers:
There are currently eight crops commercially available from GMO seeds in the US: Corn (field and sweet), Soybeans, Cotton, Canola, Alfalfa, Sugar Beets, Papaya, Squash.
No commercially available crops in the US were created by nature alone. Humans, over our history, have altered all of our crops, often for taste or yield or disease resistance.
I hope that the agriculture community, myself included, can continue to be educated on this topic, and others, and be the positive voice that seems to be missing from mainstream media.

I have mentioned that I have my education in agriculture, am married to a farmer, and work on our farm, but first and foremost I am a mother. This is important to state because I have only the best interests of my family in mind. I do not want to place harmful foods on our dinner table any more than the next person. In my opinion, we (the consumers) need to start paying closer attention to the amount of junk food that our children are consuming. Recently, my kindergartner had a party at school, and I attended. I was shocked at what was being served. Cookies, cupcakes, cookie cake, chips, and Kool Aid. Not only that, but the children (ages 5-6) were told to pick out all that they wanted. Thankfully my child knows his limits and only chose one of the aforementioned goodies. I am not advocating that special treats be taken from children and that schools should not have parties, but lets at least put a cap on the amount that is offered to them. I would have gladly provided a fruit tray had I been aware of the offerings. This is why diabetes has jumped up, this is the reason for the unhealthy weight gain epidemic. Not because of GMO's. Nobody wants to take responsibility for causing our own problems. It is easier to attack a relatively unknown, scare the wits out of consumers, and at the same time protect the junk food industry. I laugh just thinking about the absurdity of organic this and natural that, yet the same advocates for organic and natural do not bat an eyelash at a box of cookies/cakes/sugary drinks/sugary cereal/... the list could go on and on. Now, not to give the wrong impression, my home is not free of junk food. Trust me, it's here. We do, however, limit the amount consumed and provide ample substitutions in the form of fruits and vegetables. That seems obvious to me, not attacking a system that provides food for the world and is helping to produce more food for the ever growing population.

Again, I am not an expert, but I am a mother. I care about what nourishes my children. And I can say with certainty, GMO's are not going to be what harms them. The sugary goodies that are so freely passed around to them will.

These are my opinions, and not necessarily the views of anyone else. Please feel free to comment or ask questions. Learning from each other is an important and necessary tool.

God Bless!

Monday, February 10, 2014

Our Beautiful America

It is called the land of the free, the home of the brave, a melting pot. I call it home.


We live in a beautiful country. Really, not to get too nostalgic, but watching a wheat field dance in the wind, seeing corn begin to emerge from the ground as winter finally gives way to spring, and watching ocean waves crash against a sandy beach, always takes my breath away. As do the mountains, especially when the Aspens paint brilliant yellows and oranges against the purple majesty in the fall. I have been lucky enough to travel throughout this great land of ours and see this beauty. What makes it so uniquely beautiful, is that we, as Americans, can call it our home. I have also had the privilege to travel outside of our country, and while there are countless sights to behold, nothing compares to home. 

At a time when it is sometimes hard to see our country for what it is, take a step back, take it all in, and rejoice in your freedom. We are incredibly lucky to have access to clean water, to have abundant food supplies, provided by our American farmers, and still have the freedom to speak out for what we believe in. 


So, in the spirit of the Olympics and the athletes wearing the red, white, and blue of the United States of America, I would challenge you to be patriotic, and appreciate our beautiful land. Exercise your right to free speech, to religious liberty. Stand up when our national anthem plays, and feel truly blessed to be living in the land of the free. 



And, God Bless America! 






Tuesday, February 4, 2014

On Friends, and a Long Drive North


I am not originally from this area (midwest/southwest), nor am I from a farming background. So, you can only imagine my hesitation about taking a mid winter trip up north to meet with a group of farmers. My husband assured me that other wives would be there in the same boat and we would get to see a lot of great farmland on the way! Fair enough. I was also more than a little nervous about leaving our three young boys. (One I had never spent a night away from.) They will be in great hands, again was my assurance. So, on a cold day in January, after the millionth goodbye kiss to the boys, we headed north. We were both excited and nervous about what NCGA and DuPont Pioneer had in store for us.

Well, other than the frigid temperatures, from start to finish it was an outstanding program. From the speakers and presenters,  to the tour of DuPont Pioneer, I could not have asked for more.  It amazed me how quickly a group of strangers could co-mingle and interact like we had been friends for years. I believe our common ties to the land were all it took to link us as forever friends. I learned that no matter where you come from, or what land you till, the struggles and the triumphs are the same. I learned to be proud of my education in Agriculture and to be proud of my husband, the farmer.

So, maybe now I will walk a little taller knowing that I have an entire army of friends ready to help me defend our land, and our way of life.

Oh, and the boys were fine. Just very happy to see us when we got home. And we them.

Until next time, God Bless.