Fencelines

[Dotch]

Watch this train roll down the track...

Thos wily scurs managed to be close with their last forecast and that’s not necessarily a good thing. With chances of showers every day and warmer temps, let’s hope their close again. Starting Wednesday, look for partly cloudy skies with a slight chance of showers. High of 75 and low of 55 – 60. Partly sunny Thursday, high of 80 and low around 60 with a slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy Friday with an increasing chance of showers. High of 80 and low near 65. Time to blow the cobwebs out of the AC on Saturday. Partly cloudy skies with a moderate chance of showers. High of 85 – 90 and low of 70.Cooling down slightly on Sunday. Partly sunny with a high near 85 and a low of 65. Mostly cloudy Monday. High around 85 and low near 65. Partly cloudy Tuesday with a good chance of afternoon thunderstorms. High near 90 and low around 65. The normal high for August 7th is 83 and the normal low is 60. The scurs will be sniffing the southerly breezes for the smell of kabobs and Cajun food. Always good when washed down with a fresh squeezed lemonade at the Freeborn Co. Fair.

The Full Moon for the month will occur on August 5th. This is known as the Full Sturgeon Moon as the fishing tribes were able to catch sturgeon most easily in this month. It is also known as the Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon. The Sioux called this the Moon When Geese Shed their Feathers. Indeed, one can see Canada geese on the move once again, having completed their molt and flying to some of those harvested small grain fields. The Ojibwe called this the Full Berry Moon. Can you imagine Homer Simpson as an Ojibwe? “Mmmmm…blueberries.”

Area gardens are yielding a bountiful harvest of vegetables such as beets, string beans, cucumbers and sweet corn. At the ranch it appears the last of the sugar snap peas are about done. Looking back, we’ve been picking them for a month already. The first ripe tomato was also claimed by a bird although I managed to get the damaged portion trimmed off fairly easily. Speaking of birds helping themselves, was at Mom’s over the weekend and she had been trying to get enough gooseberries to make my favorite pie. The birds got there before she was able to complete the task so I had to settle for gooseberry-cherry pie. It’s tart but absolutely delicious and with some ice cream, it doesn’t get any better than that.

There are plenty of fruit pickers here too. The serviceberries are long gone as are most of the wild plumbs. Something is pecking at the apples although there are so many they may be doing the poor trees a favor given the dry conditions. One of the all-time fruit pickers, a catbird was finally seen on Sunday morning. The orioles are still eating jelly and drinking sugar water like it’s going out of style. Hummingbirds are more numerous again this week as they may be starting to move out of some areas to the north. The last of the tree swallows has fledged here. One late nesting pair set up shop in the bluebird house near the garden. They put up quite a fuss sometimes when we’d be out there picking peas or weeding. The bluebirds at the kindly neighbors at last check were still in the nesting box but all feathered out as they were, it can’t be long and they’ll be on the wing.

In some of the CRP acres and area road ditches this past week, ran across a plant known as wild bergamot. This mint family plant has a lavender flower and the plant itself has a spicy aroma, smelling like something you could make a men’s cologne from or be used in an air freshener for a pickup, which I did by the way. It was used by the Indians for many remedies as well as by the early settlers. Cup plants are blooming in places also. The yellow flowered plant ranges from 4’ – 10’ in height and is so named because the leaves attach directly to the stem and collect water. This can be an important source of water to small birds and animals. On MN Hwy 13 north of Bugtussle, compass plants can be seen flowering near the Commercial Club sign. These tall, yellow flowered native prairie plants got their name because the lower leaves on the plant more often than not point north and south. They were used by early settlers for directions before there were gas stations or convenience stores. Wives did nag their husbands however to get off the wagon and look at the compass plants.

Border Collie Gus celebrates his birthday on Thursday the 6th along with his brother Jet and sister Fudgie. In honor of the special occasion have been brushing Gus profusely so he’ll look pretty. With all the hair scattered about, it looks like a dog exploded in the yard after we’re done. He’s been getting special treatment, going along to town and to visit his cousin Sophie at the kindly neighbors. Gus has his routine every day too and that’s all he really cares about. Getting outside in the morning, doing his business, then going down to the barn and trotting around in a well-worn circle by the sheep pens, making sure they don’t get too close to the edge of the pen. It’s a little like watching a little black and white train chugging around a track. Being fed afterwards, hearing some praise, and getting a little treat. That’s all any guy can ask for, no matter how hairy he is.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry...

The scurs managed to be “on” again last week, forecasting a little rain and a return of summer. Will it stay? At least through this upcoming forecast period, say the scurs. Starting Wednesday, mostly clear. High of 85 – 90 and low of 65. Staying clear Thursday and Friday, highs of 85 and lows of 60 – 65. Partly cloudy Saturday, with an increasing chance of showers and thunderstorms. High of 85 and low of 65. Chance of showers Sunday with skies mostly cloudy. Highs of 80 – 85 and lows of 60 – 65. Partly cloudy Monday and Tuesday, cooler, with highs of 80 and lows of 60. Normal August 14th high is 82 and the normal low is 59. On the 15th, we will be back down below 14 hours of daylight, roughly the same as we were on April 26th. The scurs will be dozing off to the sounds of field crickets chirping outside their open window.

Lack of heat and rainfall continue to be the main concerns on the minds of area farmers as we keep plodding towards harvest. Last week we were cumulatively behind on GDU’s at the SROC in Waseca 14% since May 1st. Rainfall reports through the month of July show a similar pattern. Rainfall for the May through July period there totaled 6.19”, the 4th lowest on record. At the ranch, we fared better with 9.06” for that time period. April through July rainfall at the SROC was the 3rd lowest on record with 8.58” reported. At the ranch, we showed 11.56”, nearly 3” more than they did. However, there is no great abundance of moisture in greater Bugtussle as shallow area wetlands are dry and lakes and streams are down dramatically. While the heat and rainfall of this past week were welcome, we will still need more of the same if this crop is to realize the potential there as of this writing.

The dry conditions seem to bring with them their own unique set of problems, particularly insects. Aphids are plentiful on many types of plants. Soybean aphids are relative newcomers and are fairly specific to soybeans, whereas aphids such as the bird cherry – oat aphids seem to like small grains and corn. There are aphids as well as two-spotted spider mites on the petunias at the Mall for Men. While it’s tempting to spray them, have opted more for cultural control methods, namely keeping the plants well watered and wetting the foliage to keep the humidity under the canopy. With the help of beneficial insects such as lady beetles, minute pirate bugs, lacewings and syrphid flies, hopefully conditions will allow the development of beneficial fungi to keep the aphids and mites in check. Sure, the petunias could be treated chemically, but that would also control insects such as the white-lined sphinx moth I found taking a nap in one of the planters. Between them and the hummingbirds, that’s the reason the petunias were planted in the first place.

Seems there are always dead plants of some kind floating around my office or in my truck lately. No wonder both places smell like silage some days. Most recently, someone brought in some oak leaves with some pretty, maroon and cream colored fuzzy “balls” on the underside of the leaf. These are “hedgehog galls” and are the result of tiny female cynipid wasps poking their ovipositor into the leaf and laying their eggs. Inside those fuzzy galls are the developing wasps. Also in the “unique” category seen this past week in the office are the “balls” or berries being found on potatoes. These are most likely the result of bees having pollinated the potato flowers although some varieties can be self fertile. The berry formation is also favored by long days and cool temperatures. The berries are toxic, containing the chemical solanin, the same toxin found in many other nightshade family plants. Inside the berries are seeds and properly propagated, they will grow. Through selection, this is one way new potato varieties are developed. Potato yields using seeds are generally much lower however so your best bet unless you have a lot of free time on your hands is to plant the potato sets like you’ve always done.

Despite the lack of early summer heat, the ranch has taken on the look of late summer anyway. Sunflowers are blooming and the eveningprimrose have taken the place of some of the plum sumac the county tractor cowboys tried to destroy in the spring. The barn swallows are weaving their way between the ewes grazing and kicking up insects on the sidehill in the morning as I watch from my throne, master of my domain. The tiger lilies have been spectacular, their bright orange in stark contrast to the dull greenish-brown tinge of the lawn. Oriole activity is slowing while robins and wrens have discontinued their morning song. The bluebirds at the kindly neighbors have fledged as have many of the chipping sparrows at the ranch. Goldfinches are nesting now and it’s not uncommon to find nests in the dogwood behind the dooryard.

As a result of a series of reconnaissance missions, was invited by a group of Swedes on one of their top secret excursions Saturday morning. They enlisted the assistance of a Dane to drive the getaway car and under the cover of darkness, we were off to parts unknown. Arriving at our destination and confirming our reservation, we dined on Swedish pancakes, a delicacy reserved until recently only for Swedes. With good coffee and company to go along with it, was well worth the wee hour morning journey. After arriving back at the office, watered the petunias and made my way home where of course, a nap ensued. As I was drifting off, was wondering if eating Swedish pancakes somehow conferred honorary Swede status upon me. Just so long as it wasn’t ornery Swede status.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

Sing loud for the sunshine, pray hard for the rain...

The scurs forecasting has been as hot as Joe Mauer’s bat as of late. What’s on tap for the current forecast period? The scurs will tell all. Starting with Wednesday through Friday, partly cloudy becoming cloudy late Wednesday into Thursday and partly cloudy again by Friday. Increasing chance of showers Wednesday into Thursday with lingering showers possible Friday a.m. Highs of 75 and lows in the lower 60’s. Saturday and Sunday, warmer, highs around 80 and lows near 60. Monday and Tuesday, partly cloudy, highs near 85 and lows around 65. The normal high for August 21st is 81 and the normal low is 57. The scurs will be sampling the fare at the Steele Co. Fair to expand their stomachs for the Great Minnesota Get Together.

Crop progress moved forward last week as the corn and soybeans responded to the recent rains and warmer temperatures. Both crops have hung on surprisingly well as a result of the moderate temperatures and spoon feeding of rain. While it remains to be seen exactly what kind of yields we’ll see, one has to like what we have seen to this point. We still need a good soaking rain over much of the Greater Bugtussle viewing area and we definitely need the warm temperatures to continue well into September for a decent finish. The most recent release from the SROC in Waseca showed us about 12% behind on GDU’s. While we have probably made up for some lost time recently due to those warm temps and generally good solar radiation, we are still a good week to 10 days behind where we’d like to be for August. Most fields of soybeans have been treated for soybean aphids although some who were trying to get ahead of the curve by treating early long before thresholds were reached may have to spray them again.

The shorter days are starting to make some subtle changes already in the area. The walnut and some poplar trees are starting to show some telltale yellowing of leaves, an early warning that in a month, we may see the real deal. Vine crops in the garden have rolled their thick emerald blanket over their turf in the garden and are climbing into the areas beyond it. Sweet corn has been plentiful and extremely good eating, as evidenced by the road kill raccoons. A trip through the CREP acres with SWCD specialist EG found many of the prairie wildflowers in bloom including several types of coneflower, some mints, asters, cup plants as well as a compass plant. The aromatic nature of some of the mints was evident when we’d brush them with the 4-wheeler and was a preview of what’s in store for fall. There are some chickadees who have staked out the yard and the blue jays raucous call can be heard in place of the singing robins breaking up that last hour of blissful sleep.

For whatever reason, got to thinking about the year 1969 and what a year that was. As Americans, we successfully landed men on the moon and returned them safely home. It was also the year of Woodstock at Max Yaasgur’s farm in upstate NewYork, where a rock and roll get together that was expected to draw some 250,000 fans suddenly grew to double that. It came to be a defining moment for a generation. While I was 11 at the time, too young and far away, the event and some of those who performed there went on to influence my musical tastes for years to come. Conspicuously absent from Woodstock were groups like the Beatles who had stopped touring long before that and Led Zeppelin who was performing in the US at the same time on the east coast. 1969 was also the year that saw the release of Zeppelin’s first two albums, setting some standards from that point on by which rock and roll bands would be measured by. Times had changed and being used to Lawrence Welk, one could understand why some of the older population couldn’t understand what the racket was.

Sadly, last week we lost a legend in the person of Les Paul. For those not aware of this musical giant, Les Paul was one of the pioneers of the electric guitar as well as recording techniques that made it possible for bands such as the Beatles and Led Zeppelin to make more complex recordings than before possible. Some of the musicians who have played Les Paul guitars include Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Billy Gibbons, Pete Townshend and Jimmy Page.

Am touring the country at least the Corn Belt even as I write this on the Midwest Pro Farmer Crop Tour. Am serving as Tour Consultant for the 6th season on the eastern leg of the Tour. Odd, it seems like it’s been longer than that. It’s always interesting and fun to go snooping into other areas to see what their crops look like as well as seeing how their crop production practices differ from out own. There are also international folk on the tour so not only is the exchange of information rewarding, the communication can be challenging. How to do you say “don’t pee on the electric fence” in Japanese? Being back in MN on Thursday is always a good feeling as Dorothy said to Auntie Em, “There’s no place like home.”

See you next weeek...real good then

[fishinchicks]

I was wondering if you were a part of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour again. We've been listening to the reports on the Linder Farm Network.

Thanks for another good read!

[Dotch]

Yup I was. They only let Roger and Chip talk to the big nuts like Lynn Ketelsen. I was stuck with people like Rueters, Buckeye Ag Radio Network, Dow Jones, Farm Journal, DTN and Bloomberg. Even had one of those "evil speculators" from Bain Capital as a passenger. He was a scream but think I can understand why the South Carolina governor flew the coop and went to Argentina. Alejandra from Molinos in Buenos Aires (who's young enough to be my daughter btw) was an absolute sweetheart, an extremely competent agronomist and not too hard on the eyes. And before anyone gets any ideas, we spent most of our time talking about soybeans, durum wheat, ladybug larva and bird cherry oat aphids. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

[Dotch]

Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend,

Yes ’n’ hey, it’s good to be back home again

The scurs made good on their rain forecast and now if they can deliver on some more sunshine, they’d be golden. What’s in store you ask? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny, high of 75 and low of 50 – 55. Thursday through Saturday, partly cloudy, highs 70 – 75 and lows 50 – 55. Sunday, partly cloudy with a chance of showers. High of 70 – 75 and low of 50 – 55. Monday, rain likely. High of 70 and low of 50. Cloudy Tuesday, high of 70 and low of 50. Normal high for August 28th is 79 and the normal low is 55. On the 27th, the sun will begin to set before 8 p.m. meaning September can’t be far off. The scurs have bought new PF Flyers in preparation.

Rain makes grain if it doesn’t freeze before it’s ripe anyway. Last week’s report from the SROC in Waseca had us 11% behind on GDU’s as of the 19th, roughly 10 days based on a starting date of May 1. Small grain harvest is nearing completion although there are scattered fields that farmers have been attempting to take straight still standing. Wheat and oat yields have been good as has quality. The only major problem has been grain moisture, with samples running well over 14%. A quick run through the dryer may be in order in those cases if the acreage is large enough. Corn and soybean progress was good last week but it needs to be. A September 15th frost could raise havoc as most of the corn is still denting and many of the beans are a long way from being out of danger.

Ah, those back to school days aren’t far off. Still remember the days when we’d go school shopping and get a few pairs of jeans, a couple shirts, a new pair of tennis shoes and some socks. Clothing wasn’t real exciting but it was always a treat to see what kind of supplies were needed. Remember getting those big boxes of Crayola’s with the sharpeners? Was a great mess maker that had to make the janitors just shudder when they saw them. Compasses were fun too. Could poke holes in things and draw circles all over the place. Probably my favorite though was the fountain pen which came into play about 4th grade. Talk about the ultimate mess maker. The ink came in those little plastic dealies that were punctured by the little tube that allowed the ink to flow into the quill. It was great fun to shake the pen hard enough so the ink would fly out, making big drops and staining floors, clothing, desks, or whatever surface they happened to contact. For some reason, ball point pens were frowned upon for much of my early grade school career. Given the weapons of mass destruction fountain pens were, can’t imagine why.

It’s great to be back home from the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour. Dread this time of year because no sooner do I return, I usually wind up turning around and heading to the State Fair. That and I’m out of clean underwear. This year there’s a little time due to the late start to the Fair so Saturday morning was a good one to relax and gawk out the window at all the weeds and long grass as well as the birds helping themselves to the bounty in the yard. The hummingbirds are on their way through apparently. Most appear to be either female or young. At any rate they were making a circle around the house, tapping the nectar feeders, hitting the 4 o’clocks, then the impatiens, then back to the large planters containing a mix of flowers the names of which probably rhyme with female body parts. The chickadee stayed on too. Was afraid with the feeders going empty he’d leave but instead it appears he’s brought along some of his little friends. There are still signs of the orioles as well. Only partially filled the jelly feeder Friday night thinking they’d probably headed south but Saturday morning there was one of the faithful gobbling it down.

Speaking of gobbling things down, this has to be a Cheviot sheep’s favorite time of the year at the ranch. Not because some of them get to go to the State Fair but because of all the goodies for them to eat in late summer. The native prairie pasture helps sustain them through August but they live for the stuff that get tossed over the fence. Garden produce abounds and they’re the beneficiaries of our eating and all the overgrown misfits that result when no one is around to harvest for awhile. Big cucumbers, melon rinds, overripe string beans, ground fall apples, sweet corn cobs and husks and of course, some of the larger weeds that never seem to go away in spite of all the mowing, pulling and tilling. Can usually tell when the sheep are nearby just by listening for the munching sound. Best of all, there’ll be a lot more to come.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

Now I've reached that age, I've tried to do all those things the best I can.

The scurs missed on the rain and Sunday’s cold overnight low. Other than that, the forecast was another horseshoe/hand grenade combo. For this forecast period, Wednesday starts off with partly cloudy skies and a slight chance of showers. High of 75 and low of 55. Increasing clouds and shower chances on Thursday with a high of 75 and a low of 55. Clear Friday, high near 75 and low around 55. Partly cloudy Saturday, high around 75 and low of 55 with a chance of showers overnight. Mostly cloudy Sunday with a chance of showers, high of 75 and low of 55. Monday, partly cloudy, high of 65 – 70 and low of 50. Warmer Tuesday under partly cloudy skies. High of 75 and low of 55. Normal high for September 4th is 77 and the normal low is 52. After the State Fair, the scurs will be offering discounts on forecasts on a stick.

Vista’s noted Swedish astronomer recently pointed out that Jupiter has been very visible in the early evening eastern sky. It is in fact other than perhaps the moon, the first heavenly body visible even before the sun has completely set. The Full Moon will occur this month on the 4th and is known as the Full Corn Moon as corn harvest generally begins in parts of the country about this time. Normally September’s Full Moon is the Full Harvest Moon but that Full Moon name is reserved for the Full Moon closest to the Autumnal equinox. The Ojibwe knew this as the Full Rice Moon and the Sioux called it the Moon of the Drying Grass. Surely the native prairie grasses covering the landscape they roamed would’ve been just that.

Crop progress has been slow with the cool temperatures experienced over the weekend. A 44 degree Monday morning low at the ranch makes for a long climb before we begin to accumulate much for GDU’s on a daily basis. Last week’s GDU report from the SROC in Waseca had us about 14% behind normal. Some soybean aphids have been noticed here and there although in general the numbers are not enough to cause much concern in R6 stage soybeans, especially with the moisture we received in August, nearly about 4.68” at the ranch. Disease pressure is showing up more commonly from the road. The main problems are SDS (sudden death syndrome) white mold, and BSR (brown stem rot). Corn is starting to dent finally but has about a month to go before we’re completely safe from frost.

Some have asked what all these little “sweat bees” are hovering and annoying the bejeepers out of them. Most likely they are syrphid flies, something we wrote about a few years back but it’s OK to refresh people’s memories once in awhile. They may look like bees but these insects are actually flies as opposed to bees, they have only two wings, compound eyes and stubby antennae. Bees have 4 wings, simple eyes, and long antennae. The alternating yellow and black bands on their abdomens are no doubt Mother Nature’s method of tricking predators into thinking they’re bees.

Syrphids also are commonly called “hover flies” or “flower flies” as they commonly hover in one spot, dart two and fro, and can be found feeding on nectar and pollen from flowering plants. They also serve as pollinators by doing so. More importantly, their larvae which are generally small, green maggots, are voracious aphid consumers. It’s estimated that they are capable of devouring up to an aphid a minute, which is even faster than a little fat buddy can scarf down a dozen warm cookies. Their annoying habit of landing on you is actually to collect moisture or sweat. While they can be a nuisance, syrphid flies are one of the “good guys” when it comes to pollinating flowers and keeping us from being elbow deep in aphids.

Garden produce continues to abound. Managed to get rid of several 5-gallon buckets of cucumbers the past week and am almost afraid to go out into the garden to see how many more there are. Hopefully the cool weather has slowed down the cucurbit prolificacy somewhat. Sweet corn has been good but the tomatoes have been beset with blossom end rot much of the summer. While some tend to believe this is a calcium issue, the alternating wet-dry in our case is a more likely culprit. We have ample calcium, just haven’t had very consistent rainfall until recently.

After another short stint away from home was glad to see the hummingbirds still pulling on their nectar feeders. The orioles appear to have flown the coop as their jelly dishes remain largely unchanged from early last week when I spied what was likely one of the last customers for the season. The goldfinches have wasted no time in bringing their young to the sunflower and thistle feeders. The young goldfinches are all over the yard right now and the rapid increase in the rate of seed consumption reflects that.

Another State Fair is in the books for us at the ranch. Well, for Mr. Cheviot anyway. Mrs. Cheviot will still be there until Thursday riding herd on the exhibitors as interim superintendent in the open class sheep department. We managed to get through another Cheviot show and were successful even though our yearling ram spent more time airborne in the ring than he did on the ground. As usual, was more excited that Emily Meyer won a grand championship in her final State Fair 4-H appearance than I was about our own performance. Always great to see someone who has worked hard go out on a high note. Also great to have professional show help the day of our show, have chores done and Gus looked after while we were gone and nice to have help unloading the trailer upon arriving home. Task completed, mission accomplished and a job well done by all.

See you next week...real good then.

[fishinchicks]

Stopped by in the sheep barn last Friday between goat classes to see if I could find your beauties. Found a couple pens of Chevoit's, but no people around them at the time. Maybe next time...

[Dotch]

Our sheep were up near the showring and they were all blanketed. After unloading them on Wednesday, I didn't come back up until Saturday a.m. I allowed one of my employees to take off on a fishing trip so I had to mind the store in the meantime. Bummer I didn't get a chance to meet you.

[fishinchicks]

I had the right sheep, then.

This is the first year that we had a daughter showing an animal at the State Fair, so we took the opportunity to take a look see at what was happening in all the barns. Typically we go up when the FFA'ers are showing, so it was fun to see the open shows that were going on early in the Fair.

[Dotch]

Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine…

Warmer and drier than the scurs expected but that’s OK. The crops needed every GDU they could grab. They’ll be lucky they had it too if this forecast period holds true. Starting Wednesday, mostly cloudy, good chance of showers with a high of 75 and a low of 55. Thursday, chance of lingering showers in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy with a high of 75 and a low of 55 – 60. Partly cloudy Friday with a chance of showers. High of 70 – 75 and a low around 50. Chance of showers Saturday and Sunday with a cool down. Partly cloudy, high of 65 and low of 45 – 50. Partly cloudy Monday and Tuesday, highs of 65 – 70 and lows of 45 – 50. Septemberrrrrrr! After this summer, you’d think it was mid-July again or something! Normal low for September 11th is 74 and the normal low is 49, about the same as we normally experience May 24th. The scurs will be on the lookout for those large yellow livestock carriers, otherwise known as school buses.

Great stretch of weather this past week and it moved the crops closer to being safe from a frost. On some of the earlier maturing corn hybrids planted early we should be starting to see the milk line move down the kernel. Once the corn reaches about ½ milkline, it will still realize about 92% of its potential yield even if it does freeze. Soybeans are maturing although some of the 2.3 and above maturity level soybeans are still pretty green from the road. Diseases have in some cases hastened maturity but all in all, it looks like there will probably be some soybean combining in late September. Plenty of time for farmers to find something to fret about.

There are subtle signs that fall is on the way. The big and little bluestem as well as the yellow Indiangrass have assumed their fall colors in the pasture. The sumac around the yard is beginning to turn and the nannyberries are blushing, in some cases with ripe fruit already showing up in a few clusters. The apple trees are loaded and while the birds seem to be helping themselves to some here and there, both the Fireside and the Haralson should make for some great eating this September. After devouring a bucket of ground falls, the sheep don’t seem to mind. And there is plenty of road kill sweet corn on Hwy. 13. As rough as parts of it are, amazing there isn’t more.

Was premature on my pronouncement that the orioles had left the ranch. They were just being sneaky is all. After last week’s deadline almost like clockwork, two males showed up, one a first year male and the other in full color. They were scolding poor Gus as I made my way across the yard from shores one morning. As of Sunday, they were still there but as everyone knows, one of these days they’ll be gone. The migrating hummingbirds have been active again with a lot of activity around the feeders. They usually settle down and stake their claim on one of the 3 nectar feeders. As Stan Tekiela wrote in last week’s Outdoor News, hummingbirds migrate at night using the stars and landforms to navigate by. They feed during the day and while the sugar in nectar is a good source of quick energy, it’s not very nutrient dense. Hummingbirds pick up most of their nutritional needs from small insects they pick up on the wing or when they’re in and around flowers. As of a couple weeks ago, we still had some barn swallows that hadn’t left the nest. The last check had them flying the yard while Mr. Cheviot was lawn mowing. Migrating swallows of several types continue to line the wires across the road from the ranch. After putting all the wires underground at the ranch was wondering where they’d gather. Now I know.

Saw an interesting butterfly on Saturday, unlike any I’d ever seen before. It was a large swallowtail that was feasting on the flowers in the various planters surrounding the house. The upper wing surfaces were dark brown with and almost horizontal appearing yellow stripe on the forewings due to the angle the wings were being held while the butterfly was feeding. The wing surface underneath was yellow as was the body of the butterfly. Looked it up online and corroborated the I.D. with some books and discovered it was a giant swallowtail. At roughly 5” across it was large but no larger than some of the tiger swallowtails we’ve had in the yard but they are the largest swallowtail species in the US. Definitely larger than some of the smaller black swallowtails we use to raise in fruit jars on dill and carrot tops when we were kids. What do the caterpillars of the giant swallowtail eat? In this area probably prickly ash while in the south, they commonly feed on citrus and can occasionally be an economic problem. It was certainly fun to watch it leisurely flutter around the yard, light and sample a bloom then float lazily off to another one.

On Tuesday, Mrs. Cheviot and I celebrated 25 years of wedded bliss. Odd, it seems like it’s been longer than that. Oh sure, there’s been some rough sledding from time to time like when we first married and her car got left out, winding up under a snow bank the next morning. Or the time when I came home from work to see a huge pile of oats under the feed bin because someone hadn’t figured out how to close the slide. My secret to staying married? Three things: Guys, whether they are or they aren’t your fault, you’re going to get blamed anyway so you may as well keep your mouth shut, clean up the mess and laugh about it with your little fat buddies over a libation. Real or imagined hearing loss from activities such as driving tractor, shooting shotguns or listening to loud rock and roll also doesn’t hurt. Number one though as one of my little fat buddies aptly claims: Just keep reminding yourself (and her), she’s just darn lucky to have you! Know that going in and your life will be simple.

See you next week…real good then.

[Jim Almquist]

Congratulation on 25 years Dotch. I did not think one could bite there tongue that long

P.S. I am jealous of your Fireside. We had 2 of those as a kid and that was one of the finest apples you could ever eat.

[fishinchicks]

Congratulations on your 25th!

[Dotch]

Thank you for the kind wishes on our anniversary! We celebrated in style by going to a nice restaurant and of course Mrs. Cheviot got the obligatory bling-bling. About midweek, some Gophers tickets landed in our laps so Saturday we went to the game. Oh and Jim, if ever you should happen to be in the area would gladly share some Fireside apples with you. They're getting closer to their prime every day!

[Dotch]

Mornin' glory is on the vine,

The scurs were like Denard Span last week; out in left field! It never cooled off but they were right about the typical July-like conditions. This time around they’re taking no chances. On the bright side if they keep predicting cool weather eventually they’re bound to be right. Starting with Wednesday and Thursday, mostly sunny skies, highs of 80 and lows of 55 both days. Friday through Sunday, mostly sunny, highs around 75 and lows near 50. Sunny on Monday with a high of 75 with cooler temperatures being ushered in overnight. Low around 45. Tuesday on the autumnal equinox, cooler with partly cloudy skies. High of 60 and low of ready for this? 35 – 40. Normal high for September 22nd is 71 and the normal low is 45. The sun will rise at 7 a.m. on the 22nd and we are losing daylight at the rate of about 3 minutes per day. With another equinox upon us, the scurs expect more fan mail and cranky chickens with eggs standing on end in their nests once again.

A warm dry finish to the growing season was just what the doctor ordered and it appears that’s indeed what we’re getting. No rain, zero, zip, nada, has been recorded at the ranch thus far in the month of September. We’ve watched it go around us just like we did most of the summer so why should fall be any different? It seems to rain every other month whether we need it or not. Reports from those plowing sweet corn ground are that they’re burning lays off rapidly with the dry soil conditions. Soybeans continue to ripen at a breakneck pace although some fields are getting some help from the plethora of soybean diseases present in them. The milkline on the corn is moving down rapidly also and there are some fields that should be harvested for silage this next week. Speaking of silage, my office and pickup continue to smell like a silage wagon, given all the dead or dying vegetation in them. There are always the aforementioned soybean diseases and there have been a half dozen or so oak leaves with those pretty hedgehog galls on them left on my desk.

Are the orioles finally gone? Not sure just yet. The jelly is still disappearing but I did notice earlier in the summer that the house finches had been consuming some of it from time to time. Mom still had an oriole at her oriole feeder as of 9/12. The humming birds are certainly keeping things lively here. They continue to be all over the planters, the flower beds and into the nectar feeders. Their favorite seems to be the 4 o’clocks but they’ve also been after the morning-glories as the vines continue to wind their way up the trellis’s and light pole in the yard.

There are days when the consumption of seed by the goldfinches makes a major slowdown. Sunday when watering the pots and planters I discovered one reason why. A sharp-shinned hawk made an appearance and the goldfinches were hanging pretty tight in the brushy cover around the yard. Saw the juvenile hawk make an unsuccessful attempt at catching one of the goldfinches but their roller-coaster flight made the hawk miss several times before he probably decided the house sparrows at the neighbors might be easier pickin’s. The hawks would be more than welcome to stick around and hammer the large flocks of starlings that have been ruining many of our apples and consuming most of the crabapples, leaving few for the migrating birds who could really use them.

The garden is continuing to be plentiful. Some of the vine crops are beginning to lose their canopy and reveal the squash, pumpkins and gourds below. The melons have been somewhat disappointing although there are some of the earlier varieties that should be ready soon. The blossom end rot on the tomatoes appears to be subsiding with regular watering through the soaker hose. Even the zucchini in the vicinity has taken advantage of the water and has been setting more zukes. The Pontiac potatoes have been a pleasant surprise. Seems like they were just planted not all that long ago but now the vines are dying down, it’s time to dig them. Dug a hill last week just to see what was under them and it was a nice assortment of sizes. 4 or 5 softball sized tubers, 4 or 5 fist sized spuds and several baby red size, perfect for putting in with a roast. Took them to Mom over Labor Day and she fried up one of the large ones. Still tough to beat the flavor of freshly dug new red potatoes fried in a cast iron skillet. As Mom called them, “comfort food”.

Mrs. Cheviot and I got the opportunity thanks to one of my little fat buddies to attend the grand opening game at the new TCF Stadium at my alma mater. My days at the U included several fall afternoon football games at old Memorial Stadium. This game was unique as it was a 6 o’clock start and finished under the lights. I must say, they did it up right including a flyover from Air Force F-16’s, the marching band in prime form, fireworks and the whole shooting match. The atmosphere was almost electric when the game started and continued throughout the duration. The new stadium is beautiful and with the archways, has some of the same architectural charm that Memorial Stadium once had. Lots of selection for food and beverages, some of it almost healthy and the bathrooms were relatively adequate.

About 11 rows up from the field and behind the Gophers bench on the 35 yard line, the seats were fantastic. The student section was full and loud too, something that some liked to complain about when football was being played in the sterile, off-campus environment of the Dome. Will it continue to be a popular destination for Gopher fans on a Saturday afternoon or evening? My guess is for real fans it will as long as they put a competitive product on the field and promote it properly. Oh sure, one can already hear the naysayers complaining about the open-air stadium and the cold temperatures sure to come in November. Hey, this is MN and while it isn’t always warm, figure it’d be a lot more fun sitting in the stadium on a Saturday afternoon watching football than sitting on an open-air tractor while spreading manure, as is my wont come November.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

You are only coming through in waves...

The scurs tale of foreboding weather woe turned out to be premature once again but as usual, no one is going to complain about the temperatures we’ve been experiencing. Is the other shoe about to drop? Unlikely say the scurs. Starting with Wednesday and Thursday, look for partly cloudy skies with highs both days in the 75 – 80 range with lows of 50 – 55. Partly cloudy Friday and Saturday with slight chances of rain. Highs of 70 – 75 and lows near 50. Cooer Sunday under mostly sunny skies, high of 65 and low of 50. Mostly sunny and warmer Monday, high of 70 – 75 and low of 50 – 55. Mostly cloudy Tuesday with a good chance of a shower or thunderstorm. High of 75 and low of 45. The normal high for September 25th is 70 and the normal low is 44, the same as it is around May 10th. One huge difference however, we experience over 2 ½ fewer hours of daylight on September 25th. On September 25th, our hours of daylight and darkness here in greater Bugtussle will be of equal length. On the 28th, the sun sets at 7 p.m. Knowing that by November 10th, the normal high will be 44, the scurs have split their wood and laid in a supply of kerosene as yet another stretch of long winter nights approaches.

What doncha like about the weather we’ve had in September so far? It has moved us along in crop maturity to the point where most likely we will be out of the woods for the most part on both corn and soybeans before a killing frost. Given a favorable weather scenario this week we should see some soybeans harvested as well. The rain gauge at the ranch still as of this writing has yet to record any measurable precipitation yet this month. These things do tend to even out however so wouldn’t be surprised if its stint as the Maytag repairman come October. The pattern seems to be that we get rain every other month and temperatures that belong to either the month prior or following. Given a continuation of that trend, a cold, wet October followed by a dry November with October-like temperatures would surprise no one.

Ah, but aside from the pastures being dry, it has been a fun September to watch and listen to some of the insects and birds. The white-lined sphinx moths have been after many of the flowers at the ranch in the early evening hours and the mosquitoes have been after many of the warm-blooded inhabitants at the ranch. During daylight hours there have been an amazing number of bumblebees working feverishly to lay in a supply of nectar and pollen to overwinter. The cicadas are still providing their buzzing electricity imitation to the countryside, making up for the lack of noise they provided for much of July. The orioles appear to officially be done and unfortunately, the hummingbirds probably won’t be here too much longer. It’s hard to say if those seen now are the same ones we saw a week ago or if they’re only coming through in waves.

Completed the potato harvest before chores on Sunday and then dug the onions afterwards. Did manage to poke a few potatoes with the fork so we can taste test the stabbing victims right away. Always a good feeling to have them out of the ground though ahead of a potential rain event. It’s not that much fun digging them when it’s dry and even less fun when it’s muddy. While one can go to the store or a farmer’s market and buy them, hard to beat the taste of something you’ve raised by the sweat of your own brow with the dirt under your fingernails to prove it. The W’s were Johnny on the spot and got enough hay laid in here too so the Cheviots should have plenty to gnaw on for awhile. The smell of that freshly baled forage in the barn is enough to make one want to stay there and inhale that intoxicating aroma.

Last week was a rough one for us at the ranch given some of the events that unfolded back in the area we grew up in. Mrs. Cheviot lost both of her parents within two days and it has left me in disbelief. While she was busy tending to matters there, I likened myself to Al Haig after Reagan was shot, in control here at the White House but in word only. Sure, I got the chores done, kept some of the necessary issues handled at work, and passed along word of what was transpiring to our east but really, my mind was somewhere else and it was all beyond my control. I was just reacting and trying to maintain my sanity. I want to write about my father in law and mother in law but I can’t; just not ready yet. Will save that for next week after we get some closure following Monday and Tuesday’s services. In the meantime, thanks to all who have kept us in their thoughts and prayers.

See you next week…real good then.

[fishinchicks]

So sorry to hear about the loss of your in-laws. Please pass on our sympathies to your wife as well.

I lost my mother-in-law in March, and that was hard enough...I cannot imagine losing both in such a short time.

[MN Shutterbug]

My sincere condolences to you and your wife. That would be incredibly tough to absorb. You'll both definitely be in my thoughts and prayers.

[Jim Almquist]

Sorry to hear about your loss Dotch. I hope you and the Mrs. are doing OK on such a beautiful autumn day. With every passing day things will get better but it is very tough to lose loved one's. I guess one needs to just remember the good times and at some point we will all be together in a better place.

[Steve Foss]

Really sorry, Dotch. Give Mrs. Cheviot our best. The HSO/FM crew is thinking of you and yours.

[Dotch]

Thank you guys. We really appreciate all the prayers and overwhelming support we've received over the past several weeks. We are indeed very fortunate. May God bless you all.

Dotch

[Dotch]

The winter's comin' on, Summer's almost gone.

The scurs get the nearby right but can’t seem to get untracked as the systems are marching to the beat of their own drummer. This time around, starting with Wednesday, look for mostly sunny skies with a high of 65 – 70, a low of 50 and a good chance of evening rain. Thursday, cloudy with showers likely. High of 65 – 70 and a low near 50. A chance of lingering showers Friday and Saturday. Cloudy Friday becoming partly cloudy on Saturday with highs both days around 60 and lows near 40. Sunday through Tuesday, partly cloudy, highs near 60 and lows around 40. Normal high for October 2nd is 67 and the normal low is 42. The scurs will be watching out for the first signs of Jack Frost on the Harvest Moon.

The Full Moon for this month will occur on the 4th and is know as the Full Harvest Moon as it is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. 2 out of 3 years the Harvest Moon occurs in September. It is aptly named as the harvest is beginning and many vegetable crops we grow that were developed by the Indians, namely things like squash, pumpkins, and beans are now ready to harvest. Both the Ojibwe and the Sioux knew this as the Moon of falling leaves. Fortunately the Indians did not worry about raking leaves and spent the time they saved on surviving.

Despite last week’s rain, soybean harvest is underway and so far it is about what was expected, yields running generally in the upper 40’s and low to mid 50’s. Some strips and plots are yielding more than that but when loads are tallied up, that’s about where they’re averaging. Corn appears to be past the frost danger by and large with areas of stalk rot having expressed itself when one gazes from the road. Upon further investigation, doing the “lean test” and seeing the stalks kink over easily, it’ll be a good idea to see how the areas reacted to all the windy weather early in the week.

Black walnut harvest is also underway with the 4-legged harvesters jockeying for position with the 2-legged harvesters for the best spots. The only difference noticed between the two is the two-legged type normally don’t bury the transported nuts and the 4-legged type generally don’t dance on Bandwagon or go fishing with Elmer. Will have to keep an eye out to make sure neither type gets in the habit of storing walnuts in my pickup as has been their habit.

This week may be the last hurrah from the hummingbirds. Saturday, there were lots of them yet having a blast zipping around the yard. Mixed up a partial batch of nectar but am questioning whether or not it will get used up. Still, there was one lone hummer on Monday morning. After the frenetic pace they were moving and pulling down on the feeders on Saturday am afraid this could be the last one until spring. Several flickers moving through right now along with large groups of robins. Both have worked the nannyberries over so it’s a good thing I taste tested them when I did. The white-breasted nuthatches have become regular customers and the goldfinches sans their bright summer plumage, have been spending more time consuming composite seeds down in the CRP acreage. That’s alright as their numbers and seed consumption were starting to remind me of the irruption of siskins and redpolls last winter.

Now the two weeks from hell over with, perhaps I can look back and share a little about two wonderful people that were taken from us recently. My mother-in-law Judy was a full-blooded Norwegian, which I’m convinced helped prepare me some for the Scandinavians in the area where we live now. She had all kinds of little “Norwegian-isms” including the time my nose itched and she said someone was talking about me. She was also an expert lefse maker as well as some of the other Norwegian pastry items she’d have during the holidays at their house. She also made lutefisk that was actually edible even without the butter and of course with the butter, it was pretty good. The oyster stew we had for every Christmas was a treat too, with the oysters having been nicknamed “bugs” by the family somewhere along the line. The first time she asked how many bugs I wanted in my soup I wondered what kind of outfit I’d married into?

And as all good little Norwegian ladies would do, within an hour of cleaning everything up, it was always time for “a little lunch”. More stuff to eat to make after your nap to make you even more miserable than you already were. She was always one to please. One of my favorite memories occurred when my niece was very young and she had come over to Barney and Judy’s at Christmas time to see the cows. My brother and his wife brought Becky in the house to warm up afterwards and she announced to Judy that she would like some bologna and snacks! My sister-in-law wanted to crawl under the carpet I think but Judy just laughed. I can’t remember what she rustled up for Becky to eat but she always chuckled about that unusual request.

I was very fortunate to have achieved favored son-in-law status with Barney early on. We had a lot in common as we were both weather nuts, enjoyed feeding the birds, worked with crops and/or animals and were professional nappers. I can still envision him in the barn, ear lappers on his cap folded up, barn lime on his overshoes and Red Man trickling out of the corner of his mouth. That was where he appeared to be the most at home, especially when that time of day rolled around. He made it over to our place just a few times over the years and every time he did, by about 2 in the afternoon, he’d start to get antsy because chore time was looming on the horizon. Can’t say as I blamed him. He was taught that since they’re your animals, they’re your responsibility. You’re supposed to be there to take care of them, not stick someone else with their care or as one sees all too frequently on the news, neglect them. That was never an issue. Barney’s cows were always well cared for, perhaps a little too well cared for but they were never lacking for care.

Christmas was always one of his favorite times. He’d grin from ear to ear as all the sons and daughters, their spouses and children would gather at their house for the festivities. When their driveway became icy as was often the case, he’d remind Jo not to fall and crack his ice. Barney loved to crank up the thermostat for that occasion using the excuse that the little kids would get cold. More likely it was because Barney was cold after chores and who could blame him? We’d always check to see how close to “broil” he’d set it though. Learning the hard way after the sweat was pouring off of us, by dressing in layers, it was much more bearable.

When the winter weather arrived, he loved to call and ask how cold it was. Was so glad he and Judy had been able to make it over to our place for a Christmas gathering after we’d remodeled. It was a bitterly cold day and the weather was deteriorating as they arrived. They were able to be driven right inside the heated garage and unloaded with ease. And even though the weather caused them to leave prematurely, the vehicle was warm. Sad that their shortened stay was to be the last time Barney and Judy would visit but as in life, we were all fortunate to have them for the time we did.

See you next week…real good then.

[fishinchicks]

What a nice tribute to your in-laws.

I am working on finishing up a digital scrapbook that was supposed to have been a gift for my mother in law. It is now a memory book of her last year with us. It is good to get the memories down on paper.

You and your wife continue to be in our prayers.

[fishface]

Dotch,

Just getting caught up on my fenceline reading.

I don't write much, but still a loyal fan.

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss.

Thank you for your writing.

[Dotch]

Thanks to both of you. Always nice when one's efforts are appreciated.