Fencelines

[Steve Foss]

Well, almost all the snow melted this week, though we have no early migrant birds yet. It's snowing now with 1-3 predicted for tonight, but we'll be back up into the 30s this weekend and probably warmer again after that, so I don't expect the snow to last.

[The_Duckslayer]

Quote:

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Mrs. Cheviot turns the big 5-0 on Monday. Geez, I'm gonna be sleeping with a senior citizen, that cradle robber...lol!

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Tell Mrs Cheviot Happy Birthday from us here in Hooterville! Tell her also that the Oh No Five Oh doctors visit is not all that bad either! (Your going to do what with that hose? )

Have a good one my friend././Jimbo

[Dotch]

Just beneath the surface of the mud there's more mud here.

More spring-like temperatures on tap, sayeth the scurs. After last weeks seasonal temps, we head into above normal territory once again but precipitation looms in this forecast for Wednesday and Thursday and possibly for the weekend. The best part is it will not be the frozen variety. Highs Wednesday should be 50 – 55 and lows should drop to 45. Thursdays high will top out around 55 with a low of 35. Friday, slightly warmer with a high of 55 - 60 and a low of 35. Saturday’s high 55 – 60 and a low of 40 – 45. Sunday high of 55 and a low of 40 – 45. Monday highs remain near 55 with lows dropping back to 35. Tuesday slightly cooler with a low of 35. Normal high for March 23 is 45 and normal low is 24. This corresponds to temperatures common the second week in November. While the weather is warming, the scurs are being cautious so as not to be lulled into putting their snow shovel away. Even though the vernal equinox occurs on Wednesday the 21st, very little in the way of snow on the robins tail yet.

Warmer temperatures and predicted rainfall for the upcoming week should help take some of the frost out. The 50’s we experienced here early in the week took a lot of our snow cover away, leaving some in ditches, on north facing slopes and where snow piles suddenly rose like mountains around area dooryards. Wetlands did indeed experience a good recharge and even the spillway got a workout on ours, something that hadn’t happened since last spring. The geese and ducks have been making their way through and some pairs of geese are eyeing up potential nesting sites.

Pheasants were still in fairly large groups as I found during my journey across the pasture to the wetland and native prairie planting on Sunday. A group of 6 was hiding in the brushy fenceline and sailed off into the tall grass as I approached. When I wound my way back towards the garden and foodplot area, almost stepped on a hen that exploded out of some Indiangrass that had been smashed down by drifting snow. She was the only one I saw there but since I was walking the perimeter, wouldn’t have been surprising to kick up several more taking a swipe through the middle of the planting.

Robins and red-winged blackbirds appear to be setting up camp for another year. With the ground frozen with no earthworms, the robins stay close to the crabapple trees. The redwings are hanging around the slough areas, the males showing off their red epaulets. More finches, both goldfinches and house finches this week. Saw a finch that looked a little peculiar and it turned out to be an orange variant house finch. Horned larks appear to be looking for nesting spots in the pasture. Won’t be long and they’ll have some company in the form of some greedy old ewe, bent on getting that first blade of green spring grass.

Has been fortunate that the ground has been freezing up overnight. With maple syrupers out in force, it helps make the sap run. Noted Sunday that sap was seeping out of the backyard maple on some small branches that had been broken off last fall. The overnight freeze up also makes it much easier to get around the yards and fields to accomplish tasks such as hauling manure, corn, soybeans, and hay. Easier to move the ewes with lambs from one building to the other too. They sometimes balk when they have to walk through a puddle. Lucy usually goes around them but Gus on the other hand gladly goes in a straight line between two points, puddles notwithstanding. He really stinks about now but you can’t help but love him. He could’ve been the poster child border collie Gary Larsen used for all those Far Side cartoons.

Suffering from construction withdrawals. With the carpentry crew pretty much completing their tasks, it’s become quiet in the house once again. No hammering, sawing or other such goings on. Still finding candy wrappers and empty donut containers here and there though. Also discovered they had kept the gaskets on the new toilet properly exercised. Oh sure there are still a few things yet to be completed by some of the other contractors, but there won’t be a crew arriving here on a daily basis like there was for nearly 4 months. Suddenly seems strange to come in from morning chores or to come home from work at night and not see a vertically challenged Swede with an assignment that needs to be done pronto in order for the project to advance. Can’t say it wasn’t entertaining for the most part and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again someday, although it is sort of expensive entertainment.

Finally, Mrs. Cheviot turned the Big 5-0 on Monday complete with a complimentary case of stomach flu. Not a fun way to start off your second half century but hey, it could always be worse: The construction crew could still be there! By the way, she still owes Trevor a big hug. He thought she was still in her 30’s or so he said. Flattery will always get you more cookies.

See you next week…real good then.

[Bobby Bass]

Dotch I enjoy reading Fencelines. Thought I would say hi and keep em coming..

[Dotch]

Thanks Bobby. I enjoy catching up with you at Lake Iwanttobethere, too. Think we might've gone to different schools together. This week's episode:

Honey disconnect the phone...

Those wily scurs delivered on a warmer than normal forecast, even a little warmer than they anticipated. With highs of 70 on Sunday and Monday, it appears spring has sprung, for now. The upcoming week continues the trend with some precipitation Wednesday and Thursday, then possibly again late Sunday or Monday. Wednesday we start off with a high of 65 – 70 with lows between 50 and 55. Thursday the temps begin to taper off slightly with a high of 60 and a low of 40. Friday’s high of 50 – 55 and low of 30 brings us back to near normal. Saturday through Monday we should see highs of 45 and lows of 25. Tuesday starts a slight warming trend with highs of 45 – 50 but still a chilly 25 for a low. Normal high for March 30 is 48 and normal low is 27, corresponding to normal temperatures we’d see the first week in November in the fall. The scurs are heading to Edna’s to get some radish seed for that ultra early garden planting.

April 2nd welcomes in the Full Moon for the month of April. It goes by many names including the Full Pink Moon, referring to the ground phlox, some of the first wildflowers common in the woodlands this time of year. Also called the Sprouting Grass Moon and the Full Egg Moon, the Ojibwe referred to this as the Broken Snowshoe Moon and the Sioux knew it as the Moon of the Greening Grass. The grass is definitely greening up and soon the ungulates that frequent the pastures will be noticed, sporting their spring coats with youngsters in tow.

The maple syrup run is all but over with the warm weather although I was informed that the yield was very good when we were experiencing those freezing nights with 40 degree highs. Even though there still may be some sap collected, the end product becomes cloudy, something that makes it undesirable. Soon time to dig your horseradish!

At the Mall for Men, the little fat buddies have been catching up on our magazine reading. No, not those magazines silly, farm magazines from the 50’s and 60’s. These are chock full of fun facts and useful information, not to mention a lot of cigarette ads. A 1956 Farm Implement News included an article including a 4-row high clearance Gandy granular unit designed for application of DDT granules over the row for control of corn borers. While not necessarily an environmentally friendly treatment, in USDA trials treatment with DDT granules increased yields from 7 – 15 bushels per acre. Not bad when you consider that the national average corn yield in 1956 was only about 40 bushels per acre.

It’s always fun to note the subtle and not so subtle signs of spring. Ice changed color on St. Olaf Lake as of Sunday and by Monday morning, if you wanted to ice fish, you’d have to hurry or you’d have to bring your own ice. Frost is out of the ground in most places as evidenced by the pocket gophers making fresh mounds and an angleworm stuck to the bottom of an electric fencepost I reset while getting the fence back in operating condition. Motorcycles were out in force Friday of last week for what was likely their first ride of the season. They appeared to be happy but was difficult to gauge just how happy because there aren’t many bugs out yet.

On the bird watching and listening front, it gets louder and more colorful every morning. More goldfinches have appeared and the robins are singing before 6 a.m. A sandhill crane flew over on Thursday morning, noisily I might add. Killdeers abound and waterfowl seemed to fall out of last week’s thunderstorms like insects deposited in farmers fields. Lots of mallards, Canada geese & a drake pintail on Friday. Had not seen a pintail for many moons. Rooster pheasants have been crowing and drumming in the early morning making it difficult to sleep in.

Sunday afternoon was an excellent afternoon for the pop-in. After some scheduled visitors left and Mrs. Cheviot ventured forth to Owatonna, decided it would be an ideal time for a nap. Can almost make book on the phone ringing or someone stopping over. Sure enough after tuning the TV and couch in to catch up on my Bonanza and Gunsmoke reruns, the phone rang. Another annoying telemarketer. Then Matt of Matawan appeared. That was okay because in addition to monkeying with some of the new appliances, it’s always fun to run color commentary on some of those good ol’ TV shows.

When Mrs. Cheviot arrived home of course she asked what we were watching and rolled her eyes in disbelief. About that time, more visitors popped in, including our sheep shearer and his friend who has about 1200 ewes running in the woods near Rushford. Had heard a lot about him so was an honor to finally meet him. Never know when someone like that might need a new ram. When we got back into the house Mrs. Cheviot had a gift for me in the van: A new, comfy chair from which to write columns and other ramblings. A vast improvement from the folding chair I had been using and as pointed out by MM, it’s a multi-functional piece of furniture. Upon wheeling it over to the sunny, south exposure, propping one’s feet up on the folding chair and disconnecting the phone, it has “nap” written all over it.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

Listen to my bluebird laugh...

The scurs were a little over anxious with their low temps for the early week forecast but were in line on their midweek assessment. This week looks to be cooler than normal and relatively dry. Wednesday through Saturday highs will reach 40 and lows will dip to 20 – 25. Sunday’s highs of 45 – 50 will mark the high water mark for the week but lows will still remain in the mid-20’s. Monday highs will drop back to 40 with a low of 25. Tuesday should see the beginning of a warm up although it won’t be anything like last week. A high of 45 – 50 is the best we can do with a low of 40. Normal high is 52 and normal low is 30. This corresponds to the normal highs and lows we’d see around Halloween. The scurs are thinking people will look at you a little funny however if you don your costume in anticipation.

The weekend rains definitely left us with a full soil profile. The frost is out and the tile are running. The predicted cooler temperatures may actually be a godsend in that they may keep people from doing things in the field they may regret later. There are plenty of planters that need to be gone through yet and besides, it’s been too cold for much of anything save lambsquarters and giant ragweed to germinate. Too early to put your ‘maters out, too.

Planetary happenings for the month include Mars rising between one and two hours before the Sun in the southeast horizon. Venus continues to dominate the western sky, setting two to three hours after sunset. Jupiter is a prominent feature of the morning skies and can be seen over the southern horizon at sunrise. It is amazing when coming in from chores to note position of the Sun as it rises, edging farther to the north. Wasn’t too long ago and it seemed like it was rising somewhere over Austin from where we live.

The winter birds continue to hang on although they’re not as interested in the suet or seeds as they were. The downies and nuthatches really seem to love the soft maple in the backyard. There was a brown creeper there on Sunday as well. Judging by some of the rotted old branches, it looks like a haven for plenty of the insects they crave. Before the thunderstorm on Saturday, noticed the goldfinches have started to really change to their summer wardrobe. The males will soon be the vibrant yellow that makes them one of the prettiest little songbirds there is. Saw a male cardinal, the first cardinal I’ve seen here in many years. Think it probably went down to neighbor David’s though. He has a nicer windbreak than we have.

Speaking of neighbor David, while checking bluebird houses I see he or his grandsons are in hot pursuit of the pocket gophers on the other side of the fenceline. Several traps set so looks like they mean business. One fresh mound on my side of the fence but it looks like part of the same chain of mounds that they’re trapping. Wouldn’t want to cut in on any of their bounty money.

On the pond the chorus of frogs became almost deafening those warm nights during the early part of last week. As the temperatures have cooled, their singing became less audible. Bet they won’t be too impressed if it decides to freeze hard as predicted. There have been lots of new arrivals including ring necked ducks and some hooded mergansers. There was even some sign that something had made a little bowl in the fresh shavings in the bottom of the wood duck house. It could have been one of the mergansers I suppose as they have been known to occupy the nesting boxes. Doesn’t matter. As long as the varmints stay out of it and some kind of duck fledges some ducklings, I’ll be happy.

More signs of spring: Gus dug his first hole in the yard on the north side of the house. Frost must be out there. Next thing you know he’ll be hanging out with the nocturnal dirt people. Lots of visitors to see the bottle lambs including Ethan who helped us feed them. Some of the bottle babies got a new home on Sunday which is good because like every other input, a bag of lamb milk replacer is over $40. We also moved ewes and lambs out of the nursery building and into the large loafing shed where I spend much of my time loafing. Lambs will be out playing in the small pasture by the road so they can cause the annual gawker slowdown.

Mrs. Cheviot arrived home after the rains on Saturday and did her usual TV inspection to see what I’d been watching. Of course she discerned that TV Land had been on and mumbled something about my watching “old TV” again. Hard to find decent shows to watch I told her. Seems like there’s less on now than there was back when all we got was the network programming. Of course we don’t get HBO or Showtime. Those cost more money and I tend to agree with Betsy and Ben’s dad about living in the country: TV and water really should be free. If you wait long enough, seems like they put the programs back on in syndication anyway. Still waiting for the reruns of Bart’s Clubhouse and Bandwagon though. Maybe they’ll come with a boxed CD set.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

I'll tell you 'bout the Texas radio...

The scurs were overly optimistic in their temperature forecast but it was relatively dry last week. This week should be cool but not as bitter as last week. However as seems to happen, a warm up frequently means more precipitation. Wednesday’s highs should be around 40 with lows bottoming out near 25. Thursday warms up to 45 and lows should be near 30. Friday highs should be 45 and lows of 30 – 35 are expected. Rain and snow expected Friday and Saturday. Saturday will cool slightly with highs of 40 and a low of 30. Sunday through Tuesday we finally see temperatures rise towards normal with a high of 50 and lows of 35. Monday night and Tuesday bring with it chances of precip, most likely liquid form. Normal high is 56 and normal low is 33, much the same as we’d expect to see the 3rd week in October. After retiring their snow shovel earlier in the week, the scurs have taken it out of mothballs once again.

This past week brought several concerns both to the horticultural and agricultural enthusiasts alike. Tulips appeared down but most probably not out at this point. If top growth was too far along, it could mean fewer tulip blossoms this spring. For the most part on ours, the flower buds are below or near the ground surface. While the leaves will likely be compromised, they should still flower normally if past experience is any indicator.

Alfalfa on the other hand may be a different story. Much of it did break dormancy prior to the cold snap. We have 1993 as the most recent example to follow and it was not a pretty picture. That April we also experienced a sudden overnight temperature drop and wind chills driven by the NW wind. Winterkill was severe, prompting a disaster declaration. However, that cold snap was much shorter than the most recent one. What does this portend for the alfalfa crop? Chances are good especially on older stands where late cuttings were taken last fall, there will be some substantial injury. On younger stands where stubble was left, allowing for some protection from the wind and keeping some of the heat from escaping from the ground, the chances for survival will be much improved. However, it will take some warm weather to allow us to see what the impact of the cold snap really is. There are no guarantees and each field has a different set of variables.

The birds shifted gears with the cold weather. The robins that had been feasting on night crawlers and earthworms suddenly reverted back to eating crabapple fruit. There were some sheltered areas on south facing slopes however that stayed thawed and seemed to offer their favorite fare. Chickadees are still singing their spring song knowing that this too shall pass. Doves are cooing in the morning air and trying to convince us that spring is just on hold. Only the male doves coo. The geese seem to think it’s a matter of time too although the frogs are keeping their opinions to themselves. Little Jerry the rooster pheasant is still crowing. That would explain his poor egg production. His spring plumage though is simply striking as he slinks through the grass that conceals him from predators.

Was sad to hear of Herb Carneal’s passing a few weeks back. Being a longtime Twin’s fan, some of my earliest memories of Herb go back to the 1960’s while listening to a Twins game in a pup tent where my brother had run a cord to the clock radio. After getting a little brown RCA transistor radio for Christmas, listened to many a game when I was supposed to be in bed asleep. Something very reassuring and special about that voice and one could easily visualize what was transpiring as the game unfolded with players like Tony Oliva, Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew playing starring roles. What was most special though was to hear him pronounce “The World Champion Minnesota Twins!” after they won their first World Series in ’87. Thanks for the memories, Herb.

We had lots of company over the weekend, another border collie named Zip and sheep people. With their visit came some cultural exchange. Carrie from Texas stayed over and along with Mrs. Cheviot and another guest, much painting was accomplished. Due to an unusually high estrogen level in the house Saturday morning, yours truly was looking for a place to hide. Found it at the neighbors as there was a load of straw that just had to be picked up. Zip came down to the barn to keep an eye on the sheep and by the time the straw was loaded, unloaded and stacked it was lunch was made. Perfect timing!

Since Carrie was from Texas, we were fixin’ to see if we could get Tanya from the Post Office to translate. After awhile we adjusted and were regaled with stories from her home land. One of the funniest was about having to do chores up here in the northland. She had been instructed to water their horses while they were away and she tried her best to comply. Looking around for a water faucet like they use in Texas where it doesn’t freeze hard, all she could find was a hydrant. Unfamiliar with water hydrants she figured it worked like a pump jack and couldn’t understand why northerners were so backwards as she tried to pump it and no water came out. When she finally gave up in disgust and walked away leaving the handle up, water of course gushed out all over the place. After the chilly weekend and watching some guys ice fishing on TV the other night, am sure she’s convinced we really are nuts to live up here.

See y’all next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

Plowmen dig my earth...

The scurs had a good week, predicting conditions would finally straighten out. The weekend’s spring weather was nothing short of spectacular. The upcoming week offers more of the same but with more precip on the horizon for the weekend. Highs Wednesday of 55 – 60 and lows of 35 – 40 make for a pleasant start, followed by Thursday’s high of 60 and a low of 45. Unfortunately this begins an increased chance of precipitation. Temperatures continue to warm however with a high Friday of 60 – 65 and a low of 45. Saturday should be the warmest day with a high near 70 and a low of 50. Sunday through Tuesday cools slightly with highs of 60 – 65 and lows of 40 – 45. Normal high for April 20th is 60 and normal low is 36. The scurs are working on an invention combining a snow shovel and an umbrella.

This week will in all likelihood mean the beginning of some corn planting. Last week there were scattered reports of anhydrous ammonia applications and some small grains were put in. Conditions are however extremely variable. The snow melted out to about .2” from last week and some fencelines as of this writing still contain snow banks. Relatively light breezes haven’t exactly sped the drying process but the sunshine is gradually pulling average soil temperatures up into the magic 50 degree range where corn will germinate.

From my childhood days, can remember riding along to get the oats cleaned for seed at Stewartville. Dad would take the ’58 International pickup with the stake bed box to the elevator. They’d lift the front of the truck on the hydraulic hoist and the oats would roll out the back and down into the pit. We’d wait around or go run some errands where Dad would generally wind up visiting for what seemed an eternity while we were in the truck. Of course we never monkeyed with any of the knobs, levers or buttons and we’d try to avoid honking the horn. It would stick as my older brother found out bringing Dad boiling out of the elevator office to see what was going on. Once the oats were cleaned and bagged into the 2 bushel brown bags, they’d load them into the back of the pickup. If we had been good, we got a bottle of orange soda. If not, well, let’s just say it was unlikely we’d get to go along again anytime soon.

Discovered with the snow I had worn out yet another pair of chore boots. They just don’t make cheap chore boots the way they used to. Checked the fence and pulled the electric wires up out of the snow. Wondered how many people had shoveled the snow off the potatoes they’d planted with the pick axe on Good Friday.

Lots of new bird activity this past week. While checking the aforementioned fence, decided to take a walk down to the pond area and see what was going on there. After watching over a hundred ducks take flight, primarily blue winged teal and mallards, then irritating the resident Canada geese, took a peek in the wood duck house. Apparently my eyes weren’t deceiving me earlier when I saw the wood chips hollowed out into a bowl. As of Friday there were 5 eggs in the nest and by Sunday, the number had increased to 7.

Drake wood ducks are arguably the most beautiful of our native waterfowl. In the early part of the last century these small ducks were endangered and numbers plummeted because of loss of habitat. A major effort by conservationists to rebuild habitat has brought the wood duck back to the point where they are once again fairly common. Some interesting points about wood ducks include the fact that they return to the same nesting box many years in a row. The eggs are generally cream color to light brown. In the case of the hen laying eggs in our nesting box, the eggs are light brown, making me suspect it very well could be the same hen as last year. Wood ducks can live as long as 12 – 15 years but if they live 7 or 8, that is considered a very good life according to Steve Straka of the Wood Duck Society. For more info about wood ducks, log on to: http://www.woodducksociety.com

On Sunday, the first of the tree swallows appeared, likely males scouting out the location of the bluebird houses. No bluebirds yet but plenty of flickers. Two Hungarian partridge were paired up already in the CRP and rooster pheasant Little Jerry has found a hen to his liking as I watched him whisper sweet nothings in her ear. She wasn’t having any of it when I could see them but then they slunk off into the tall grass. Found some teensy weensy cigarette butts following this sighting.

Gus and Lucy got their annual round of shots and they were well behaved. They actually like going to the vet because it means riding in the pickup. After hacking and coughing over the weekend, thought perhaps I should’ve gotten some dog medicine to cure what was ailing me. If I get some I promise not to drink out of the toilet or bite Shelly the mail delivery person. Spring colds are making the rounds it seems as are some allergies. With the warmer weather, mold spores are not uncommon and trees like maples and ash will soon be filling the air with pollen. Won’t miss the male ash in the front yard for that reason although the females are equally as annoying for their heavy seed production, producing small saplings seemingly overnight. Will be the acid test for the recently installed gutter screens on the house. If they can keep ash seeds at bay, it’ll be a lot easier than me bribing Mrs. Cheviot to clean the gutters out.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

I'd like to check you for ticks...

As the scurs suspected, the weather turned towards the end of the week, bringing with it precipitation in liquid form. Amounts over the weekend were generally light but enough to bring most fieldwork to a halt across the greater Bugtussle area. Precipitation will remain on a 1,2,3-rain schedule for the upcoming week but temps will remain seasonal. Highs Wednesday will be their chilliest for the newspaper week, topping out at 55 – 60. Lows should be near 40. Thursday and Friday high of 60 and lows of 40 along with increased chances of precipitation. Dry during the day on Saturday with a high of 65 and a low of 40. Chances of rain Saturday night into Sunday. Warmer Sunday and Monday, highs around 70 lows of 45. Tuesday high of 70, low of 45 with once again, increasing chances of precipitation. Normal high for April 26th is 63 and normal low is 38. This is similar to the highs and lows we’d expect during the second week of October. The scurs have taken their big yellow galoshes out of storage for playing in the puddles.

May 2nd marks the date of the first Full Moon in May. This month is one of those oddities where we have two, the second one or the Blue Moon coming on May 31st. More on that as it approaches. The Full Moon on May 2nd is known by several apt names, the Full Flower Moon and the Full Corn Planting Moon. The Ojibwe knew this as the Full Blossom Moon and the Sioux called it the Moon When the Ponies Shed. At our house we know it as the Moon When Border Collies Shed.

Spring has definitely sprung and the grass has greened in the lawns and road ditches. Crocuses seemed unaffected by the cold earlier in the month and flowered profusely. The tulips are as we suspected a mixed bag. Some have buds and some don’t but they are showing signs of being singed by those freezing temperatures. This coming week should bring the wild plums into bloom, their perfume on a still spring evening is better than anything mankind could put in a bottle. Trees and shrubs in general are beginning to leaf out. Took the tree wrap off the nannyberries and serviceberries this past weekend. Pesky cottontails still managed to nip parts that were sticking out of the wrap on some. Good planting progress across most of the area. As of 4/23, approximately 25% of the corn has been planted. Most alfalfa appears to have dodged a bullet.

Around the area ponds, the migrating waterfowl are moving on to their permanent summer homes although there are always a few locals that stay. In ES from Brooklyn’s pond, the only person who writes to me with any frequency whatsoever, there were several pair of blue-winged teal. On our pond, there is a pair of Canada geese that have apparently staked their claim. Another pair landed on the edge of the water and in a matter of minutes the local gander chased them off. The geese have become used to my intrusions and seldom do anything other than honk mildly. The gander even took a nap as I was surveying the other waterfowl present, including a northern shoveler, a redhead, mallards and many blue-winged teal. The mallards and others get up and take flight while the teal tend to quietly crawl farther back in the reeds. When I leave and turn around to walk back up the hill, interesting to look back and see the teal emerge from the vegetation. Reminds me of the Munchkins in the Wizard of Oz after the Wicked Witch of the East got schmucked by Dorothy’s house.

As one might expect the wood ticks are out already. Picked a couple off after the foray into the wetland and following some Sunday yard work. Worst part is once you find one with any tickle or itch, one imagines it to be a tick and unfortunately, sometimes you’re right. What makes ticks tick? Ticks are arachnids, same family as spiders. The tick we commonly pick up is the American dog tick. They go through a life cycle that includes egg, larvae, nymph and adult stages. To advance to the next stage in their life cycle, they require a blood meal. The dog tick has a wide host range but the immature stages tend to infest smaller animals such as field mice, squirrels and chipmunks. Adults tend to pick on larger species such as dogs, deer, cattle, and of course humans. Nymphs have six legs but otherwise are similar in appearance to the adults.

After doing the aforementioned yard work in the breezy conditions, came in the house hungry as a bear. Couldn’t find anything to eat until I spied the Cool Whip container my Mom had sent back with me following a visit earlier in the week. It contained the leftovers of the comfort food she had waiting on the table for me that day; browned pork cutlets, carrots, onions and baby red potatoes all ready for me to warm up. That was pretty lucky I thought to myself as I transferred the meal to a microwave safe container for reheating. The smell of the meal awaiting my taste buds had me salivating in anticipation.

About that time Mrs. Cheviot arrived home from a shopping foray and I got a couple of Reese’s peanut butter cups for dessert. After consuming all the goodies, it was time to sit a spell. Adjusting the recliner to its prone position, the pitter patter of rainfall became evident on the roof and with the low rumble of distant thunder, one couldn’t have taken a sleeping pill that effective. Should expand the room under my desk to give it a little more headroom.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

There's a songbird who sings...

Once again the scurs were sort of right, if you happened to live in the right spot. This week they’ll try to keep it local, predicting a generally nice week, with little precip until the weekend. Rain on a weekend is such an easy call! Highs Wednesday through Saturday should maintain at about 70 with lows varying slightly, starting at 45 for Wednesday climbing to 55 by Saturday. A slight warm up for Sunday and Monday with highs of 75 and lows of 55. A front should pass through Monday night bringing temperatures down to near normal with a high of 65 and lows near 40 for Tuesday. Normal high for May 4th is 67 and the normal low is 41, the same as we’d see on Oct. 4th. The scurs are devouring the contents of their May basket.

This past week was an interesting one weather wise. Seems like about 2 miles north of Hwy. 30 was about as far as the rainfall made it. All around us, it seemed like there were some substantial planting delays because of wet field conditions. Not that it was perfect here all week; the cloudy weather made it difficult to get the surface grayed off enough to keep the planters running clean. However, as the weekend approached, the sun shone and with low humidity not unlike what we’d see in late September to early October, planters rolled, big time. Soybeans have been planted, right or wrong. Two schools of thought here: One is they don’t grow in the bag and the second one is the sooner they’re planted the sooner they can be replanted.

Was a good weekend to get the lawnmowers out and mow what needed it. Dandelions are out in full force. Some of the high traffic areas in our lawn really didn’t need it so just mowed the areas the dogs keep fertilizing and the ditch where tile water makes the grass grow faster than the rest of the lawn. My old pal Prickly Pete, the half cactus-half pine tree was especially sharp with the dry weather. If you see me riding side saddle on the mower around a pine tree, you’ll know why.

What a smorgasbord of bird arrivals this week; don’t know where to begin. Barn swallows are back, the goldfinches are yellow again, chipping sparrows are all over, and an egret has been busy in the pond. The first brown thrasher arrived with fanfare of his own making and the tree swallows are claiming more nesting boxes, without nearly as much harassment from the house sparrows as in years past. House wrens are back too, surprisingly early for what I remember here. Can the orioles be far behind? Cardinals were singing up a storm as I mended fence at our kindly neighbors pasture and there was a red headed woodpecker calling from the woods near their pond. My Mom has had one at her feeders this spring too. Not sure what has happened to them but they have become scarcer than they were 10 years ago. Put up a couple bluebird houses at the pasture before I left. Have seen bluebirds there many times over the years and it looks like ideal habitat.

Upon arriving home and finishing chores, took a walk down to the pond but on the way saw in the shadows what I had been hoping for: A pair of bluebirds checking out one of the houses in the fenceline! So quiet yet so elegant, I couldn’t believe my good fortune to have seen them. At the pond had been hoping for better news in the wood duck house than the week before. The eggs that had been deposited in the house early in the season ceased to increase in number and something had attempted to build on top of them, with long grass. The eggs were cracked, not unlike what we used to find in the hen house when the eggs froze. It’s possible that’s what happened here when we were under that cold snap that threatened the alfalfa. After removing the eggs last week, most were rotten inside. When I peeked in the nesting box Sunday night, once again something had hollowed out a bowl in the cedar shavings. Am hopeful it’s another wood duck but we’ll see. And the dapper rooster pheasant we call Little Jerry crows every a.m., courting young damsels.

The insect world has also sprung to life. Red admiral butterflies are numerous this spring and honeybees have been buzzing around some of the plum and cherry trees in bloom. In this next week they should have apple blossoms to work on. And alas, a big female mosquito was banging against the door window trying to get out at the Mall for Men. Luckily the little fat buddies are on hiatus out planting corn so it escaped unscathed.

A guy was in the office last week looking for corn planter plates. Not too many plate type planters out there anymore but can still recall those days of yore trying to match up the proper plates with the seed. After fitting the seed into the notches, put the plates in the boxes, changed some chains and sprockets we then went through the process of dropping the planter on the driveway to see just what kind of drop we actually had. If deemed sufficient and the seeds per acre added up, that’s what we went with. If not we kept digging through the pile of cast or steel plates until we found a set with a closer fit. Dealers had lots of pretty colored plastic plates too but more often than not, the plates one wanted were already loaned out somewhere else so you’d either wait until they were done with them or improvise. Tried to explain how all this went down to one of the younger generation of corn planter operators and he shook his head in disbelief, dubious that a system as crude as I described actually worked given today’s modern technology. I told him that was nothing compared to the attachment on the planter that placed a fish by each hill automatically.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

See the sky about to rain...

The scurs were dead on last week, with precipitation falling on the weekend and passage of a front on Monday. This week is a little tougher call other than the possibility of rain in the Wednesday night through Saturday timeframe. Highs will remain consistent however, running from 70 – 75 for Wednesday through next Tuesday. Lows should run in the 50 – 55 degree range. Normal high for May 11th is 70 and the normal low is 44, the same we would expect on September 25th.

Our chances of frost are decreasing with every day as we head towards the summer solstice. Corn is all but planted and soybeans aren’t far behind. This spring has been on a fast rack in many respects, from planting dates to the arrival of migratory birds. Corn began emerging last week and after the weekend showers, can be rowed easily. Some of the earliest planted soybeans should be emerging this week provided they were planted into moisture. Small grains look fantastic and weed growth in most crops has been not so surprisingly light. Small seeded annual broadleaves and grasses need moisture to germinate and won’t come up from more than a few inches deep. The recent rains promise to change all that however. Plant in the dust, bins will bust.

Hopefully that’s true in the garden too. Planted the early garden Saturday night before Sunday’s rain. It worked up so nice, just beautiful; just like a garden! Radishes and onions are always a good bet and planted in an old cattle lot, they can be powerful. Since most of the field corn is in decided it was a good idea to plant the 110 day Indian corn. The sheep always appreciate the leftovers.

Planetary happenings include Venus continuing to dominate the western sky, setting 2 – 3 hours after sunset. Mars rises about 4:30 a.m. and will be passed by the waning crescent moon on the 12th and 13th. Saturn is high over the southwestern sky and sets around midnight.

New bird arrivals this past week included yellow-rumped warblers, palm warblers, a rose-breasted grosbeak and some white-throated sparrows. Still no Harris sparrows yet but am thinking we’ll see one this week. The wrens have wasted no time as have the bluebirds. Both have been gathering nesting materials and taking them to their nesting boxes. In the wood duck nesting box, we’re contending with a pair of starlings. Not a starling fan and they are likely to suffer the same fate the house sparrows that try to nest in the bluebird houses.

A rough legged hawk was busy hunting in the pasture Sunday afternoon, hovering against the strong winds. Too bad this hawk feeds primarily on rodents. Not many gophers out though as the wind was keeping them below ground. Should send him over to Betty’s to see if he can catch some of her rabbits! The Canada geese are still nesting on the pond and hopefully we’ll see some goslings soon. The gander is very territorial and shoos any intruding geese off the pond. He often has his neck outstretched when the ducks get too close. Rooster pheasant Little Jerry continues his pursuit of the young lovelies in our lawn. Apparently some of them must think he’s not sponge-worthy.

Still pickin’ off my pet ticks at the rate of about one a day. Haven’t allowed any to become attached to me however. Being slightly ticklish has its perks I guess. The wind has made the apple blossoms a short term event in many farm yards. Have noticed fewer seeds on the soft maple and boxelder trees this spring so far. The cold weather the first part of April probably had something to do with that. Did notice a few weeks ago when doing some landscaping around the house that there was an abundance of June bugs or May beetles where I was scraping back the sod with the skid loader. They hadn’t emerged yet but with warmer weather on the way, looks like they’ll be abundant. June bugs are the adult stage of white grubs. Surprisingly enough, have had very few moles digging in the yard over the years. White grubs are their favorite food. Ick!

Planting season must be winding down. Can tell because a meeting of the little fat buddies convened Monday morning at the Mall for Men complete with smart talk and hurling of insults. Generally smiling faces too as it’s not hard to smile when you’re done planting and the rest of the country is struggling to get their crop in. Alas, we know the position all too well. It’s been our turn in the barrel before and will be again someday. One man’s feast is another man’s famine although judging by some of the waistlines sitting around the table, it’s been awhile since the last famine. Thanks for the May baskets!

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

And the wind began to howl...

Good call by the scurs last week as showers were hit and miss over much of the greater Bugtussle area. It has been struggling to rain thus far in SC MN and this week doesn’t look to change that trend. Look for a generally dry week with temperatures continuing to average above normal. Wednesday is the cool day with a high of 65 and a low of 40 – 45. Warmer Thursday with highs of 70 – 75 and lows of 45 – 50. Friday warms to 75 with lows of 50 – 55. Saturday through Monday highs should be near 80 with lows of 55 – 60. Slight chance of rain Saturday night. Tuesday brings a chance of showers and highs of 75 and lows of 55. Normal high for May 18th is 73 and normal low is 47, the same as we’d expect to see September 17th. The scurs are getting the lawn sprinkler out to make it rain.

Saturday afternoon thundershowers were welcome but precipitation accumulations were generally a tenth or less. Seems to be making a lot of work out of raining in the area this spring where in recent years, it rained at the drop of a hat. While we have largely missed the rains, we’re still looking at a fairly full soil profile. While there is some evaporation, the crop really isn’t large enough yet to pull very hard on that supply. If past history is any indication, we’ll likely see beneficial rainfall about 5 minutes before it’s too late. Sunday morning’s rainbow gave one hope.

With above normal GDU accumulation, crop progress this past week was nothing short of spectacular for the calendar date. With most fields of corn emerged and weeds coming as well, it’s likely we’ll see the first spraying on many fields by the weekend. Corn as of last Friday ranged from 1” – 4” in height. Soybeans emerged as predicted and many can be rowed. Weed control has been applied to most small grain at this point and the pea fields are looking tremendous. One doesn’t have to go very far out of the area to find fields that haven’t been planted due to waterlogged soils. We are very fortunate thus far indeed.

This week saw lots more bird activity as some migrated through and others made it here to what is normally their summer home. Northern (Baltimore) orioles are commonplace, the brilliant orange and their beautiful song gracing many area yards and feeders. Not far behind were the hummingbirds, taking their turn at our feeders within a day of the orioles finding them. Spied a yellow headed blackbird last Monday. It apparently came out of ES from Brooklyn’s restored wetland. Sightings of these blackbirds has become more infrequent in the area but hopefully they’ll make a comeback. Warblers were evident both in our yard and in the CREP acres.

A common yellowthroat was singing wichity-wichity-wichity on trips to visit the pond last week. A male yellow warbler could be seen through the sliding glass door as it peeked out from under the leaves on the ash tree. A male Harris’ sparrow finally appeared in our yard, as they have for several years running. Sunday while visiting my sister and her fiancée, noticed several turkey vultures riding the thermal currents high above the river valley of Trout Run.

In area fencelines, chokecherries are ready to burst into bloom. Apple trees lost their flower petals in a hurry with the windy conditions we seem to be experiencing with great frequency. The onions, radishes and Indian corn planted in the garden last weekend have emerged on Thursday. Cup plant rosettes are increasing in number in our CREP acres, something I like to see. The leaves on this asteraceae family (think sunflower) plant have no petioles and are attached directly to the stalk. They collect rain water and give small birds a source of drinking water. In addition, goldfinches flock to these plants in the fall to eat the highly sought after seeds. Well, they are if you’re a goldfinch anyway.

After finishing seeding some alfalfa at the kindly neighbors last weekend, had to take the seeder back into town. Gus and Lucy hadn’t been for a ride for awhile so decided it would be a good time for them to come along. After hooking the pickup to the seeder, I didn’t have to tell them twice to hop in. The ride was largely uneventful until we were nearly to the office. They suddenly began to whine as they do when they’re excited and hop up and down their seats, not unlike the little fat buddies do when approaching a Dairy Queen. Once inside, they were treated to plenty of attention by the resident night watchman and some tidbits of jerky obtained courtesy of the Otisco Valley Growers president and head vintner. He was planting blackberries last week. Wonder what he’ll do with those? Open a pie stand or perhaps sell them out of that little green truck? One never knows…

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

If the sun refused to shine...

The scurs slight chance of rain for the weekend last week turned out to be exactly what we’ve been looking for: substantial precipitation. Rainfall around the area varied anywhere from .7” – 6”. This week looks to be cooler and wetter than what we’ve been used to recently with chances of rain from Wednesday through Saturday. Highs start out on Wednesday near 70 and cool to the mid-60’s through Saturday. Lows will vary from 45 – 50 in that same timeframe. Sunday promises the start of a warming trend, with highs near 70, warming to the mid-70’s by Tuesday. Lows on Sunday should be near 50, rising to the mid-50’s for Memorial Day and Tuesday. Normal high for May 24th is 74 and the normal low is 49. The cooler weather forecast for the weekend have the scurs looking for their rat hat and puffy coat.

This past week reminded us that we live in the theater of seasons; we’re never just quite sure what flick is going to be showing on any given day. Lots of wind once again and midweek we witnessed some frost in area fields. While it did very little real damage, it also tells us that it’s still May and anything can happen. 15 years ago, it snowed here on Memorial Day and was followed up by a devastating frost on Father’s Day. Corn that had just been cultivated took the brunt of the damage. This is why I always carry a variety of clothing in my vehicle. Coming off some warm days, I found myself wearing my ice fishing outfit while monitoring fields. Some laughed but at least I was warm as I fiddled with the fishing line in the pocket.

Crop progress showed some signs of slowing up a bit with the cooler weather and the corn in some fields has shown some yellowing and purpling as a result. It grows out of it of course but always makes for some anxious moments in the meantime. Corn is starting to be sprayed for annual grasses and broadleaves. With the drier conditions we’ve experienced thus far in general, very little in the way of leaf disease in small grains yet. Some alfalfa hay has already been harvested and yields generally have been somewhat disappointing. With the recent rains, pea fields are looking tremendous.

Was still a good week to watch the birds. Found my pals the cliff swallows back again with their build it yourself birdhouses. Their beehive like nests can be found glued to the concrete under area bridges. Eastern kingbirds and bobolinks were active in the pastures, meadows and CRP acreages this past week. Warbling vireos added their improvised tune to the mix. Had to laugh as the hummingbirds were checking out some of the brightly colored flags marking the underground cable for the telephone. Wasn’t long and they were feeding out of the oriole feeder. Speaking of orioles, saw what looked at first glance to be a couple of miniature orioles flitting between the leaves and branches of the ash and maple in the back yard. When they finally sat still long enough to identify them, they turned out to be American redstarts. These fly catching warblers are almost constantly on the move and trying to photograph one could be a challenge.

Attended a meatball dinner recently at the Lutheran church in Geneva. They cut it pretty close: there was only one meatball left! There was lots of pie to choose from though and the homemade salads, rolls and banana bread on the table were just what one would expect for local table fare. A nap was in order after arriving home, something one would expect after consuming local table fare. Speaking of naps, a recent study of 23,000 adults published in the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded that three 30 minute per week naps reduced people’s risk of dying from a heart attack by 37%. One or two catnaps a week reduced the risk by 12%. Who knew? On the subject of health, the little fat buddies’ panel concluded that men with big feet have big shoes.

Another sheep farmer, Rodger Wambeam recently passed away and sheep people came from far and wide to attend his funeral. He showed sheep for decades and this would’ve been his 50th year showing sheep at the Minnesota State Fair. Always quick with a story or a joke, had met him at the Freeborn Co. Fair way back when we started. There was always good food at their pens as his wife Judy and daughter Denise are awesome cooks. Rodger was always philosophical too. Probably the most profound words I ever heard him utter were in regard to the closing of the ag school in Waseca, later to be reopened as a prison. He said that maybe if we put more effort into keeping places like that school open, perhaps we wouldn’t need so many prisons. No truer words were ever spoken. Thanks Rodger. You will be sorely missed.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

Catch the wind, see us spin...

The scurs have been clicking lately, with rain falling generally in those dates forecast. Last week saw Thursday’s rainfall totals in the greater Bugtussle area range between 1.5” to 2.5”. This week promises a little more of the same with best chances of rain on Wednesday and Thursday and then a slight chance again for the weekend. Highs will be fluctuating between 70 and 75 for the week and lows will oscillate between 50 and 55. Normal high for June 1 is 77 and normal low is 52. As a result of their recent forecasting prowess, the legislature is considering passing a law banning use of scurs in gambling casinos and Canterbury Downs. Makes sense in the state where absolutely nothing is allowed.

There has been great as to whether the Full Moon is on May 31st or whether it falls on June 1st. Seems to depend on the source. If one believes the Farmers Almanac, the date of the Full Moon is May 31st, making it the 2nd Full Moon in the month and a Blue Moon. Most calendars disagree however, citing the Full Moon date as June 1. What gives? When making calendars, most are based on Greenwich Time and consideration is not given to time zones. Since we live west of Greenwich, the actual time of the Full Moon here in MN is actually May 31st so both sources are correct, depending on where you live. The moon is on a 29 ½ day cycle, 29.5306 days to be more precise. There are several definitions of Blue Moon, the most popular being the 2nd Full Moon in a calendar month. This occurs roughly every 2.7 years or 7 times every 19 years. The other most common definition would be the third of four Full Moons in a given season or quarter year. Why the third moon? This way it keeps the Full Moon names on track for the rest of the year. At any rate, a Blue Moon is an uncommon event and gives newspaper columnists something to write about. Giddy up!

Crop progress since the rain has been as expected tremendous. Weed growth has also been tremendous as has wind speed on the days that field conditions have allowed chemical application for their control. Many fields have remained on the wet side further delaying progress. Early planted soybeans are showing a full trifoliate and weed control will be warranted in many of these fields soon after applications are completed in the corn. Alfalfa harvest is in full swing with recent rains expected to improve tonnage.

The birds have been affecting the weather at the ranch, sort of. Was watching it rain the other day and noticed a male robin was using the rain gauge as a perch and his personal commode. Hard to say just how accurate the gauge is or exactly what it’s measuring. Put up another gauge so that should double the rainfall amount. A snowy egret has been visiting the pond as have the great blue herons. The female bluebird has become scarce but the male is frequently seen in and around the yard. She is likely setting on the nest.

Tree swallows have occupied 4 of the 9 bluebird houses and are incubating clutches of eggs. A wren moved into one the other day. Moved one of the houses that a deer mouse had nested in, placing it closer to the wetland and hopefully in a more favorable spot. Experiments with predator guards and sparrow control here have proven interesting. The homemade predator guards made from hardware cloth have been preferred hands down (or wings down) over those fancy plastic purchased ones. And the use of monofilament fishing line attached with thumbtacks does seem to dissuade the sparrows, especially with the wind has been blowing like it has. Using fishing weights to keep it taut, it appears when the males are flying into the box with wads of nesting material, they have a hard time maneuvering around the swaying strands of fishing line. The tree swallows seem to be unaffected.

Weaned more lambs off the ewes last week thanks to an assist from Matt of Matawan. Much bellering ensued and the neighbors even commented on the racket, by the ewes that is. It’s tit for tat though because they’ve still got calves to wean yet. In the meantime, it has become much quieter. The last time I gazed out the window and saw the flock of ewes they were stuffing their mouths with a bountiful harvest of forage grasses. Reminded me of Homer Simpson: Can’t talk; eating. (mmmmuph, mummmph, mummph) Would venture to guess that the ewes still didn’t consume as much as the little fat buddies did at area graduations over the weekend.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

I blew out my flip-flop...

The scurs forecast was about as hit and miss as the scattered thunderstorms that graced the area this past week. Rainfall totals varied anywhere from .5” to several inches, generally in about as many minutes as it was inches. This week promises to turn the heat up again and with the heat comes chances of thunderstorms. Highs Wednesday and Thursday should reach 80 and lows should be 55 – 60. Wednesday night into Thursday offer the best chances of precipitation for the week. Friday through Monday roll along with some carbon copy weather, highs of 75 and lows of 55 – 60 so enjoy the weekend. Tuesday heats up to 85 and with it once again, thunder boomers. Lows on Tuesday near 60. Normal high for June 8th is 79 and normal low is 54, the same as what we experience the last week of August. If highs reach the mid-80’s, the scurs will be making that frozen concoction that helps them hang on.

Corn and soybeans continue to roll along. This south central MN area is one of the garden spots as reported by those who have trekked across IA. The IL crop is reputedly as nice looking as what we have in areas as well it should be. They’re a few hundred miles to the south and spring generally arrives there a couple weeks before it starts to think seriously about it here. Spring wheat this past week was in the boot stage and we should begin to see it head out this week. There is corn in many fields that attained the magical knee high height by the 4th of June.

Lots of bird activity each and every week but this week was highlighted by the return of the dickcissels to the CRP and pasture ground. Their call is synonymous with the month of June in the native prairie plantings. Mr. Bluebird continues to keep an eye on the nesting box at home here. The blue is in such stark contrast to the green that surrounds him, it’s almost startling at first. Got a pleasant surprise last week after letting a group of ewes off at the kindly neighbors pasture. While checking the electric fence, a female bluebird flew out of one of the bluebird houses put up earlier this spring. Always a gratifying feeling to see one of the houses being used, especially a brand new one. The house placed on the north end of the acreage was full of little twigs, the hallmark of a house wren nest. Hearing the songster singing in the nearby apple tree, then getting a good scolding when getting close to the nesting box made me pretty sure who it belonged to.

Attended an appreciation open house on Saturday and wasn’t left wanting for anything. Lots of great people to visit with, excellent and bountiful food and kids having a good time as well. It was really comical when the sky opened up to watch the kids jump into the gigantic puddle that had formed outside the door. They were drawn to it like a magnet, throwing water at each other in glasses and filling squirt guns as fast as they could go. At least it wasn’t a gigantic ball of oil. While some might have disapproved, it was kids being kids and gave me hope for the next generation. Much better than having them sitting around playing video games inside methinks.

We entertained Auntie Mar-Mar, Freeborn Co. Fair’s most prolific baker, this past week. Seems she had taken pity on me once again as she had heard that our cupboards were bare. A few weeks back, Mrs. Cheviot had promised to bring supper home for her starving husband. It got later and later and upon receiving a phone call about 10 PM, he determined the food would be cold by the time she arrived. Mr. Cheviot took matters into his own hands and scrounged up whatever he could find. Turned out to be a traditional, nutritious, All-American meal; frozen waffles and egg rolls.

With the recent spate of scattered thunderstorms, decided it was time to get weather installed on my cell phone. In addition to giving an up to date forecast and radar, it should serve as a handy tool when people call and ask how long before it rains when making their herbicide applications or when making plans for their next fishing trip. And besides, it should be a great source of entertainment when it comes to annoying Mrs. Cheviot.

Spent Sunday at Mom’s, trying to help her catch up a bit after recently having her pacemaker installed. There were all kinds of things to set out n her flower beds and brother Stu and I did our best to plant them as well as she would have. The hummingbirds were especially anxious for us to get out of their way as the petunias were particularly inviting. Somehow I doubt that we could ever put the love and care into planting the beds and pots that she does but at least we managed to plant them root side down.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

I know it was her pink Cadillac...

The scurs are convinced with the recent warm spell we will be seeing more scantily clad individuals. Gus and Lucy should be in full shed soon. This week promises more of the same with only slight chances of scattered precipitation for Wednesday and Thursday. Time to get familiar with your air conditioner again as highs range in the mid to upper 80’s for Wednesday through Sunday and lows run between 60 and 65 for that timeframe. Monday and Tuesday next week should see more moderate temps, with highs Monday of 80 and a low of 55. Tuesday a little cooler still with a high of 75 and a low of 55. Normal high for June 15 is 80 and normal low is 56, about the same as we’d typically see August 24th. The scurs are getting dizzy watching their electric meter go round and round.

This past week was a windy one and with soil blowing off some area fields, reminded one of the Dust Bowl. Was a good idea to turn your lights on when driving through those dust clouds. Fortunately the fields that were really blowing were limited in number and planted to canning crops. Most corn and soybean fields had adequate residue so soil losses there were minimal. Aside from the wind, corn and soybeans grew at a more moderate pace. Wheat has headed out and pea harvest should begin this week in earnest. With the heat forecast for the upcoming week, watch the corn and soybeans to take off like a rocket.

Was wonderful to be able to inhale the alfalfa haylage the neighbors were chopping and putting in their silo. The smell of those chopper boxes going by was heavenly. There is still plenty of hay to be harvested across the area yet as rain forecasts delayed cutting and finishing corn spraying took precedence over hay baling. Somehow killing weeds in corn and soybeans sounds a lot more fun than baling hay.

Felt a little down on my luck the other day when walking around the pond area. Looked like the teal had left the pond, the starlings had messed up the early wood duck nesting and found the goose nest abandoned. About the time I was thinking this, out of the reeds shot a frantic hen mallard and 9 or 10 partially grown ducklings swam across the pod to the opposite shore in a matter of seconds. She quacked and flopped her wings in the water creating so much splashing, it was tough to get an accurate count. After tucking her babies into the cattails, they were hidden them well enough that they didn’t budge when I walked through the area where they were last seen. Saw the ducklings again through the binoculars on Saturday and marveled at their camouflage against the senescing lower canopy of the bulrushes. The only way to pick them up was to look for movement. Mrs. Mallard gave me the hairy eyeball the whole time, this from about 800- 900 feet away. Suddenly the habitat establishment and predator control efforts seemed to pay off.

There are lots of babies around the yard right now. There are so many baby robins, it’s hard to tell which of the half dozen or so nests they came from. The wrens have been constantly shuttling small insects and caterpillars into the birdhouse gourd that hangs from the maple tree outside the bathroom window. Both bluebirds have recently appeared and must be feeding the young in their chosen nesting box. Will be interesting to see how many might be in there and if the parents will nest again. Some claim that the young bluebirds from the first brood will help raise the second brood. Have doubts about that but anything is possible. Little Jerry the rooster pheasant is still hanging around the building site, crowing and struttin’ his stuff. Hen pheasants in MN typically raise only one brood but will re-nest if their first nest is destroyed.

In Bugtussle, large gophers continue to wreak havoc with the downtown streets. It’s still possible to do business however and don’t forget your downtown merchants. That parking area pictured in the New Richland Drug ad looked like a tough place though. If you look closely at the photo there appears to be a pink Cadillac, probably a former Mary Kay car.

At the taste testing laboratory in the Mall for Men last week, Auntie Mar Mar’s raisin bars passed muster. However, several from the little fat buddy panel of experts have requested a routine second sample. Then again, a third and fourth sample request is also routine.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

Another double shot.

6/18: I don't like spiders and snakes...

The scurs missed the scattered showers and thunderstorms that occurred on Saturday but then, a lot of folks missed them, literally. There was enough thunder and lightning however for a couple inches worth. This week offers more of the same with scant chances of precipitation. Best chances will be Thursday and Friday with the rest of the time between publications remaining dry. Wednesday through Friday offer much the same in terms of temperature with highs near 80 and lows around 65. A warming trend starts going into the weekend with Saturday’s high of 80 – 85 and lows of 60 – 65. Sunday warms to 85 with a low of 65 – 70. Monday and Tuesday we’re right back in the soup again with highs near 90 and lows of 65 – 70. Normal high for the Summer Solstice is 82 and the normal low is 57. The scurs will begin stockpiling goodies as the days begin to get shorter.

Just how far ahead of normal are things? If we look around, there is a good chance we’ll see oats and wheat combined in mid-July. Sunflowers in our yard have begun flowering, something we don’t generally see until well into July. Soybeans began flowering in places last week and this normally occurs in late June to early July. There has even been some second cutting hay baled already, something unheard of in this latitude anyway.

In the CRP, spiderwort is in full bloom, adding a bluish cast to the restored prairie. The flower color is very close to that of flax. Yellow Indiangrass, big bluestem, little bluestem and switchgrass are growing rapidly and will likely start heading out in a couple weeks. Cup plants have reached 5’ and true to their name, the leaves are holding small amounts of water for small birds to consume. Shallow wetlands are looking pretty disgusting about now, very scummy and green. Shouldn’t be unexpected given their fertile nature and shrinking size with all the hot, dry weather. Something I did find interesting was the almost sizzling sound coming from the millions of tiny snails crawling on the water’s edge. A very plentiful food source for any number of waterfowl and shorebirds.

Lots of insects in the pastures and CRP for small pheasants and others such as tree swallows to eat. Not uncommon to rub up against a tree and find a LGW (little green worm of some kind crawling on you. Chopping thistles over the weekend was amazed by the number of swallows that suddenly showed up, sweeping the field for leafhoppers and other flying insects.

In the garden, 4-legged pestilence continues, namely that of the striped gophers. They have ruined almost any attempt at my growing corn this spring. The last episode, where the pesky rodents destroyed a small wildlife food plot intended for the pheasants and partridge was the last straw and resulted in a declaration of war. One of the little fat buddies figured it’ll probably wind up like Caddyshack. They’re probably more right than they know. If you hear of a small nuclear device being tested NW of Ellendale, you’ll know why.

What with fighting losing battles against most pests lately, including the gophers, thistles, starlings, ants, flies, etc., thought maybe I could win one. The backup lawnmower hasn’t run well in over a year, despite several trips to the lawnmower repairman. Starts well and idles perfectly but engage the blades and the poor thing sounds like it’s on its last legs no matter how much tinkering is done with the carburetor. Decided to look in the gas tank with a flashlight to see what might be the problem. Sure enough, on the bottom of the tank were two large dead spiders and a wasp. Made sense that if these drifted over the hole in the bottom that this could be the answer. Went to FF to get a new fuel filter and straps for the tank. Emptied the bugs out, put the new filter on and reconnected the tank after cleaning it. Fired it up, engaged the blades and guess what? It still ran like carp! Arrrgggghhh!

Retreated to the house to get out of the heat and thought perhaps I could salvage something out of the weekend’s conflicts. After going for months without one in the new bathroom, decided to install the toilet paper dispenser in that had been sitting on the vanity for a couple weeks since we’d purchased it. This without even being asked mind you. Went fairly smoothly, I mean, with the right tools, how hard can it be? Looked nice when finished as I polished the chrome fixture and admired my work. After putting my tools away was sipping on a tall glass of ice water and Mrs. Cheviot arrived home. She ran right by me to use the bathroom. She came out after a bit and was babbling on about something so when I caught a break, I asked if she’d noticed anything different about the bathroom. “No. Did you sweep the floor?” she answered. Some days you just can’t win for losing.

See you next week…real good then.

6/25: Look at all the happy creatures dancing on the lawn...

After hitting the road for a few days last week the scurs returned to see the rain chances fulfilled. Another week with possible precip? We shall see. After Monday and Tuesday’s heat, the temperatures will moderate Wednesday through Sunday with highs generally in the upper 70’s to low 80’s and lows dipping down into the mid-50’s to near 60. There is an ever so slight chance of rain for Sunday. Monday, slightly warmer with a high of 85 and low of 60. Tuesday brings the sticky weather back with highs around 90 and lows in the mid-60’s. Normal high for June 30th is 83 and normal low is 59, the same high we see the first week in August and the same low we’d expect to encounter the 2nd week in August. The scurs will be relaxing by the pool making sun tea in the meantime.

The Full Moon for the month of June occurs on June 30th. It goes by several names but the most common one given by the Ojibwe and the Sioux is the Full Strawberry Moon. The Sioux also knew this as the Moon When the Green Grass is Up as the warm season prairie grasses were picking up a full head of steam in June. They also knew this as the Moon of Making Fat as the buffalo their lives depended on were grazing on that new green grass.

Some rather general rains this past week were welcomed by many who were starting to feel the pinch somewhat already. At the ranch we emptied 1.4” out of the gauge but as usual there were always some who got more, even though we have two gauges out. Corn progress this last week was spectacular once again with much of the corn being 4’ – 5’ in height. Soybeans continue to flower and are reaching 8” – 10”. Soybean aphids can be found routinely but counts generally are very light yet. As always, they will bear watching. Small grains have not yet begun to turn but that will likely come in another week. Can tell pea harvest is underway as one can detect the aroma of smelly sneakers wafting on the evening breezes.

Got back home late Saturday night and was greeted by a new set of twin buck lambs in the barn. Fortunately they were all penned up as our chore help had matters well under control. Even though they’re way late, they’re still cute little buggers. Shouldn’t need any heat lamps or to take them into the house to warm them up either.

The birds were there to greet us Sunday morning. Wasn’t sure what had happened to the bluebirds but knew the babies were no longer in the nesting box after cleaning it out last week. Watching from the bathroom window, spied at least 3 juveniles. Papa bluebird was feeding them when they squawked loudly enough but he was preoccupied with building the second nest. Likely the case at the kindly neighbors pasture too. The young bluebirds were scattered around the rolling acreage and the adults were eying the freshly cleaned nesting box again.

There are lots of new baby birds to look at. The new hatch of chipping sparrows is all over the yard as are the house wrens. Checking one wren house earlier, counted 9 tiny beaks in it. After they left the nest, it’s hard to walk around anywhere on the building site without getting scolded by the parents of all these little urchins. And finally, the cedar waxwings that I generally figured were seasonal guest turned out to be residents. They like to feed on the red osier dogwood berries and enjoy staying concealed so getting a good look at them is a challenge. This week: an explosion of young tree swallows should take wing from the 5 nesting boxes they hatched in.

Insects are in abundance across the area. White lined sphinx moths are testing Mrs. Cheviot’s impatiens while Mr. Cheviot tests her patience. Lots of lightning bugs in area yards and road ditches. Almost looked like tracer bullets as we cruised up I-35 Saturday night. Heard an upside down click beetle trying to right itself. Having the deprived childhood we had, we were often forced to play with insects. Was always fun to place them on their back and watch as they would magically “click” and flip over. Little did we know that these were wireworm adults, often having lived in the soil for 7 years prior to becoming our entertainment.

Out trip last week to Springfield IL and the national sheep show there was largely uneventful. Have decided that IL drivers aren’t any ruder than anywhere else it’s just there are more of them on the road. Got to see a lot of the folks we’ve come to know over the past 20 years or so from all over the US. Same story most places, could’ve used some rain. Those in IL and IN got some. It just poured as were loading up Mrs. Cheviot’s papers, tables and confuser equipment. Livestock trailers sitting in water and many were blocked in as the brain trust in charge of events at the State Fair grounds had scheduled a monster truck rally at the same time. With many of the trailers blocked in, livestock exhibitors couldn’t get at them to load up. One of my little fat IL buddies and I noted the downpour had caused an impromptu wet T shirt contest to break out in the parking lot. No garden hose needed, just making the best of a bad situation.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

7/2

I can't find my bluebird!

Last week found the scurs on track once again with little rain except to the east farther. All we could do was watch the thunder clouds develop. This week promises little chance of rain once again even though everyone is washing their cars and mowing their lawns. After Independence Day highs of 85 and lows of 65, Thursday is slightly cooler with a high of 80 and low of 60. Friday turns up the burner however with a high of 85 – 90 and lows near 60. This pattern should continue through next Tuesday so stay hydrated. There is a slight chance of precipitation on Sunday but wouldn’t hold your breath. Normal high for July 6th is 83 and normal low is 60. Think this week is the hottest one of the year? Wait a couple weeks. After the 4th, expect to see the scurs join the Farm and City Days carnival to evade the Fireworks Police.

One sky watching note worthy of mention, after sundown look in the western sky to see Venus and Saturn nearly aligned. As the month wears on, they will continue to separate. In the meantime, the two planets are so bright they almost look like a small moon.

Another awesome week of crop development but we could use some moisture. The rain from a couple weeks ago bought us some time but it’s not going to last forever. There are tassels poking out here and there across area corn fields and what appeared to be a field of sweet corn near Austin was completely tasseled July 1st. Soybeans have begun setting pods and soybean aphids continue to be present. Small grain fields have started to turn and pea harvest continues full bore. Pea yields have bounced around with the heat and dry weather beginning to take its toll.

In the garden, the vine crops are beginning to “run” and flower. Given some timely rain or watering, there could be some dandy melons, squash and pumpkins given the heat we’re receiving. Tomatoes are loving the dry warmth too and are setting fruit like crazy. String beans are starting to flower and the lone hill of zucchini should supply most of south central MN and northern IA.

Have been keeping current on Gus and Lucy’s heartworm meds. Being the anal type of border collie Lucy is, she swallows pills and wants to know what she’s supposed to do next. Gus on the other hand likes to be a pill rather than taking them so it’s always a battle. Decided since Gus had been such a pain in the rear about it, would get the tasty, chewable, treat-like medicine this time. Novel concept until I gave him the first one and Gus looked at me then promptly spit it out. Have resorted to jacking the chewable treats down his throat just like I did the pills he didn’t like. Must need to be smarter than the dog sometimes methinks.

Both dogs are in full shed right now and after a good brushing, they are doing their part to recycle. The other day I spied an eastern kingbird on the picnic table. Must’ve been in nest building mode as it jumped down and flew back up on the table with a wad of something in its mouth. Turned out to be a big hunk of leftover Gus fur.

Goldfinches are beginning to show up in numbers again. They’ve already started taste testing the sunflowers as the heads begin to fill. A western meadowlark was singing Sunday morning after we finished chores. This was the first one I’d heard since early spring. After a seemingly long absence, the male oriole came back to the nectar feeder Sunday night. The young bluebirds continue to entertain as well. Never know where one will bump into them but it’s not unusual to see them in the dogwood eating berries. They are completely independent now as one of the youngsters was seen helping himself to some small angleworms in the garden the other morning. The nesting box contains new nesting material so am hoping to see another brood this season.

Area ponds including ours are shrinking with the recent dry spell. Guess this is supposed to be a good thing but it’s disappointing to see the waterfowl going elsewhere. Around the pond however the prairie continues to bloom with wild bergamot and milkweed among the newcomers. Canada wildrye has begun to head out. Spiderwort is starting to fade and one can see a transition in color from the blue to magenta and eventually to the yellows of the cup plants and black eyed Susans. Lately have seen lots of young pheasants, some the size of banty chickens. Conditions have been very favorable for them as well. The high-protein small grasshoppers they like to eat are in great abundance.

Being the fashion plate I am, can never tell whether to tuck my shirt in or not so had to ask Mrs. Cheviot the other night when we were going out what to do. She informed me the shirt I had on looked better un-tucked. That’s one tuck and one no-tuck. No biggy to me. After all it’s less work for me and as one of the little fat buddies, can always pack away a little more food being un-tucked.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

7/9

The heat is on...(or at least it was)

The scurs slight chance of rain for this past Sunday grew into an impressive rainfall event across much of Greater Bugtussle, a rain such as we have not experienced for quite some time. Fortunately the cool down arrived a few days early so this should be a much more enjoyable week to be outdoors. Starting Wednesday and Thursday, expect highs of 75 – 80 and lows of 55 – 60. For Friday and Saturday, highs will be close to 80 and lows will remain between 55 and 60. Sunday’s high will be back in the mid-80’s but the low should stay near 60. Monday brings in another cool down after a slight chance of showers on Sunday once again. Look for highs Monday and Tuesday of 75 – 80 and lows of 55 – 60. Normal high is 83 and normal low is 61. The scurs were curious as to what the loud blowing sound was outside of the house. Turned out to be the air conditioner breathing a sigh of relief.

This was a welcome rain and as usual, about 5 minutes before it was too late. A week to 10 days of 95 degree temperatures during the critical pollination stage could’ve dealt the corn crop a serious blow. And, if you weren’t lucky enough to receive rain this time around, the cool down should help minimize yield losses and put you in shape to take advantage of the next potential rainfall. It was well over 2 weeks since the last appreciable rainfall at our place and we watched several times as the clouds built up just to our east, and the rains missed us. Spotty rains have been the nature of the beast this summer.

Before the last storm, had to hustle to get chores done and the hatches battened down before it hit. No putzing as the radar and storm warnings made it pretty clear what might happen. Got things put away and doors closed then made it to the kindly neighbors pasture to check on the ewes there before it got serious about raining. When I got back was looking out the sliding glass door into the pasture and thought to myself, “Geez, how in blazes did Bob’s llama get over here?” Turned out to be a long-legged six-point buck in the velvet with his radar on, sniffing the breeze and taking everything in. Once the rain started in earnest, he bolted for the CRP and I was hoping he chose to jump the electric fence, rather than plow through it. At least the baby chipping sparrows survived the downpour. Checked their tiny nest in the small spruce by the garden the next morning. They were crowded but none the worse for wear.

Was a week of solving some of life’s nagging little problems. The old lawnmower that had been so persnickety suddenly showed its hand. One of the wires that had long ago been disconnected so the lawnmower didn’t shut off when you put it in reverse had dangled its way onto a pulley, got cut in two and was completing the circuit in a random fashion. While discovering all this, accidentally bumped the alarm button on my watch so was treated to that annoying beeping on the hour for the better part of a day despite all my efforts to make it stop. Somehow while I was sleeping, I must’ve figured out which button to push. No idea which one. Don’t get me started on the buttons on the side of the cell phone. No clue as to what they do either other than secretly turn the ringer off especially when I need it on. Next week’s project.

Mrs. Cheviot was gone for much of last week so that meant I had to fend for myself once again. Fortunately had laid in a good supply of frozen waffles and egg rolls before she left. She still needs to get the living room ceiling painted so the carpet and trim boards can be put in place. As our vertically challenged Swedish carpenter pointed out she has some time but he’s retiring in 5 years. Suspect she’s counting on me getting impatient and doing it for her. She forgets who she’s dealing with.

My past living quarters included a 2 bedroom college apartment on Brewster St. in St. Paul where I overheard my roommates while looking for me amongst the piles of dirty clothes say, “He’s sleeping in here someplace. He just kinda blends in!” Then there was my last college residence down on Raymond where spilled beverages ran to one side of the house making for easier cleanup behind the junk furniture. Merv Griffin’s old stage would’ve looked nice in there but it was not to be. And of course, who could forget the trailer house the now Dr. Joe Yenish and I occupied in Cando ND. In addition to being a boar’s nest, it was hot and became Margaritaville after 5. All had old carpets and ceilings needing painting.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

7/16

Almost cut my hair...

The scurs played it close to the vest on last week’s forecast and it was a dandy. This week offers up very seasonal conditions with some additional slight chances for precip. Wednesday and Thursday highs should be near 85 with lows of 65 along with some slight chances for rain. Friday through Monday highs of 85 with lows of 60 – 65. Tuesday, slightly cooler with a high of 80 – 85 and low of 60. Normal high for what is typically our warmest week of the year is 84 and low is 61. The scurs will be having a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade at the Waseca Co. Fair this week.

Crop progress across the region continues to separate the areas that have been fortunate enough to receive rain from those that haven’t. The cooler week bought everyone some relief however and hopefully some soaking rains will arrive soon. Most corn is fully tasseled and is pollinating, soybeans are setting pods on the lower nodes and many small grain fields will be swathed this week. Most straight combining will take place next week. Fresh market sweet corn is available locally and it’s outstanding. Commercial sweet corn harvest is due to start next week. As expected, soybean aphid numbers continued to increase with the cooler weather. The threshold for treatment is 250 per plant on 80% of the plants.

Bumper crops of apples are appearing on the trees in our yard and the choke cherries, nanny berries and wild plums are coming along nicely. Lots of acorns on the oak trees including the young red oak planted a decade or so ago. They’re the fancy flat-capped type, the kind squirrels in the woods seem to go crazy over. The serviceberries are gone although I did have the opportunity to sample one before the birds got all of them. Since they’re in the same family as apples and roses, they had a flavor somewhere between apples and rose hips. The palatability leaves something to be desired; there are a lot more seeds than there is fruit so the birds can have them.

As the birds go, there is a lot of activity starting bright and early. At somewhere between 4:30 and 5 a.m., the robins and wrens have a singing contest to see who can sing loudest. The goldfinches and house finches show up for breakfast around 6 and then it’s a free-for-all. This past week a male rose-breasted grosbeak has been at the feeder and the oriole is back at his feeder, sometimes with youngsters, sometimes not. Chimney swifts are back in the neighborhood. Not sure whose chimney they came from as ours is non-existent. The chipping sparrow babies took wing last Tuesday and are hanging around the garden judging by the reprimand received from their parents.

A bobwhite has been heard at a nearby neighbor’s and when whistling back, one can get him to move closer but he’s pretty shy, staying out of sight. The bluebirds at the kindly neighbors are working on batch #2 while we’re not sure what the crew here is doing. Now you see them, now you don’t. Hopefully the recent starling invasion hasn’t harassed them. The starlings had better hope not or they’ll get a taste of the same medicine the striped gophers received. Mrs. Cheviot is not amused by the spent shell casings or the little stick gopher pictures drawn on the wall with the red “X”’s through them by the sliding glass window.

Found one of Emmy’s little buddies, an American toad in the garage the other night so carried him back out the door so he could catch bugs rather than become a pancake under a tire. On of Tony’s little buddies, a little brown bat was flying around the house the other night after finishing chores. Mrs. Cheviot handed me the broom, pointed to the door then evacuated the premises. This is the first one we’ve seen since the remodel project but they can live in the barn or the granary. Have to draw the line at our living quarters.

The 4-H kids got their sheep washed and helping them trim, I feel a little like Uncle Enzo or Floyd the barber. The parents and kids do most of the hard work though, primarily carding but some have learned how to trim as well. It’s a lot to expect kids to be born knowing how run an electric clipper or the even more difficult to master hand shears. Maybe should have them watch Edward Scissorhands.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

7/23

Far across the moonbeam, I know that's who you are...

As of this writing, the scurs were right on the money once again. Very normal temperatures and little precip fell in general during the Wednesday through Tuesday period. A scant tenth did fall on Thursday but any and all rain is welcome at this point. And while the temperatures were warm, they’re supposed to be: It’s July. This week we see more of the same pattern only with 90 degree highs recorded on Wednesday and Thursday with lows of 70 and 65 respectively. Moderate chance of rain Thursday night. Friday: slightly cooler with a slight chance or morning showers. High near 85 and low of 65. Saturday and Sunday highs should reach 85 and lows will stay near 65. Monday and Tuesday the burner gets turned back up to 90 for highs and lows rise to 70. Normal high for July 27 is 83 and normal low is 61, nearly the same as we see the first 2 weeks in July.

This month’s Full Moon falls on Sunday July 29. It is commonly known as the Full Buck Moon as it is during this moon that bucks are developing antlers in the velvet such as we’ve written about previously. It is also known as the Full Thunder Moon as thunderstorms are frequent during this timeframe. Many farmers knew this as the Full Hay Moon as much of their hay would be harvested during the month of July. The Ojibwe knew this as the Full Raspberry Moon with good reason. Wild raspberries were plentiful if one could get there before the birds did. The Sioux knew this as the Moon When Wild Cherries are Ripe and indeed some of the choke cherries are beginning to darken. Once again, this is before the birds get to them.

Speaking of birds, finally got to see the bobwhite quail up close and personal last week. While scouting a neighbor’s soybean field, heard the little guy calling across the road near where my truck was parked. As I finished, I whistled in response to his call and he was getting closer. When I got to the field approach, something ran across the headland behind me. As I whistled again, he popped out of the soybeans on the edge of the field, stretched up to get a look, craned his neck and whistled back. He kept this up for about 5 minutes, showing up in different spots apparently to see who the big dummy was trying to imitate a bobwhite. Finally had to get back to work but it was sure great to finally see the plump little fellow.

Not sure if this is a recently released bird or if there is a small population that has managed to survive the warmer than normal winters we’ve become accustomed to. We are considered at the northern edge of the bobwhite quail range but in the early parts of the last century, they were not all that uncommon. In 1927, the DNR estimated MN hunters harvested 13,000 bobwhite quail. There was a hunting season from 1858 to 1932. After 1932, there was only a bobwhite season in SE MN. Loss of habitat as forests matured, fewer hedgerows and fencelines, as well as consecutive winters with deep snows have all taken their toll not only here in MN but across the country. There is a program in SE MN to help re-establish quail habitat however and the NRCS designation is CP-33. The MN Quail Forever organization which is spearheading this effort is headquartered in Caledonia MN.

Crop progress this past week was once again fantastic. Corn has pollinated well but it will need some timely rains in order to maintain the kernel length on the ears. Soybeans are R-4 in many cases, meaning there is one pod at the uppermost 4 nodes at least ¾” in length. Soybean aphid numbers continue to climb but are not at the same levels in all fields. Routine scouting is the only way to determine if and when to treat. Small grains that were swathed last week should be harvested later this week. Preliminary results from area winter wheat growers has shown the crop to be phenomenal, with very high protein and test weight. Potato leafhopper numbers in alfalfa have been variable and as with soybean aphid, prophylactic treatment with insecticide is not recommended.

Received an interesting call from FJ last week regarding columns or plumes of insects rising above the soybean rows in his field. Had noticed something along the same lines near I-35 in the road ditches a week or so prior. After e-mailing some good photos, was able to pass them along to Ken Ostlie who identified them as some sort of midge. As part of their mating behavior, male midges have an interesting habit of swarming into these columns or plumes. The size and shape of the columns is directly related to temperature according to Bruce Potter. The females then fly through the plumes, picking up a male or two on their way by. Wonder what kind of pick up lines those males use amongst all that competition? “My name is George. I’m unemployed and I live with my parents.”

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

7/30

The heat was hot and the ground was dry but the air was full of sound...

The moderate chances of precipitation Thursday night turned into a winner across most of greater Bugtussle for the scurs. Rainfall amounts running in the inches rather than tenths finally brought some relief to those who have been on the short end of the stick. This week looks warm again with many days flirting with 90 degree highs. It also appears we get some slight chances of precipitation almost every day or evening. Highs for Wednesday through Sunday will range between 85 and 90 with lows Wednesday through Saturday of 65 – 70. Lows Sunday through Tuesday of around 60. Normal high for August 3 is 83 and normal low is 61. Best chances of rain are Wednesday night into Thursday then again Sunday into Monday. The scurs will be heading to the Freeborn Co. Fair in hopes of winning large stuffed animals.

On the nights when the moon is waning in August and especially during the new moon, be on the lookout for the Perseid meteor shower. Late July to mid-August is prime time for viewing meteors caused by the leftovers from the 109P/Swift-Tuttle comet. Each time Earth’s orbit intersects with the orbit of a comet on its orbit around the sun, we see meteor showers. The best time to look for the Perseid meteor shower is in the wee hours of the morning although they may be seen at any time after dusk. This year offers a great opportunity to view this astronomical event as the moon should not be visible in the night sky during much of its duration, keeping the sky dark for better viewing.

Crops continue to be ahead of schedule. Most small grain has been combined and the results have been nothing short of phenomenal. Spring wheat had heavy test weight, excellent protein along with extremely high yields. More plentiful rain this past week allowed corn to continue its torrid pace and soybeans to set more pods. Soybean aphids have been treated in many fields although not all fields are showing high levels of activity. Sweet corn yields have been variable but then so has the rainfall that fell across much of the area that has been harvested so far.

At the Mall for Men, we’ve had to come up with inventive ways to tell if the sweet corn season has hit full swing just yet. We used to use the 9 o’clock sweat line on the old water tower as a gauge but we can’t see the new water tower from our coffee table. Hence, we’ve resorted to dental floss sales records at New Richland Drug and toothpick sales at Wagner’s.

With this summer’s heat, there have been several times a shower won’t take. Could be the kung pao, too. However, looking back at July’s rainfall totals here at the ranch, we’ve been spoon fed 5 inches of rain for the month. Good thing too as the heat would’ve taken a toll on the crops and garden produce. The vine crops have unrolled like an emerald carpet and morning hum of bees on their flowers sounds like a factory in motion. The sunflowers are competing with the Indian corn for tallest plant in the garden honors at nearly 12 feet. Tiger lilies and corn lilies lent their orange accent to area yards and gardens last week. The lawns have suddenly roared back to life as well. One realizes we have been very blessed indeed.

The birds have also taken advantage of the abundance so far. Sunday morning it sounded like there were a hundred robins singing starting at about 5:15 a.m. Looking out at the choke cherry tree, it appeared to be alive with robins gobbling down the ripe fruit as fast as they could. Grackles and blackbirds have grouped up and have been seen landing in some of the yet to combined small grain fields. The second batch of bluebirds left the nesting box at the kindly neighbors. A pocket gopher started digging in our yard, an activity usually reserved for September. Not the end of summer but one can see it from here.

And as promised, I won’t write about the wonderful gooseberry pie Mom made Sunday when we were there visiting. Won’t even write about the fact that she spent a lot of time out there picking them to stay ahead of the birds. Or that I really enjoyed another piece of that delicacy with Schwan’s ice cream after I got home. I know that the crack management staff at the Star Eagle will have edited this portion out so that she won’t read it. Wouldn’t let that happen. No sirrreee!

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

8/6

There has to be an invisible sun...

The scurs were on the money once again as some of those slight chances of precipitation materialized. They are relatively certain we are in for more of the same this week along with more warm weather. Wednesday starts us out with a high of 85 and a low of 65 and includes a fair chance of evening showers. Thursday’s highs and lows are the same but with slight chance of rain. Friday through Sunday warms up slightly with highs of 85 – 90 and lows of 65. Some chances of rain for Saturday and Sunday. Monday cools slightly with the passing of a front, with highs of 80 and lows of 65. Tuesday, back to 85 – 90 degree highs and 65 – 70 degree lows. Normal high for August 10 is 82 and normal low is 60. The scurs are sharpening their lawnmower blades and laying in a supply of mosquito repellent for the final assault on the lawn.

We won’t see Venus setting in the west as we have for the last several months. It moves into inferior conjunction on the 18th between the Earth and the Sun and will reappear as a morning planet by the end of the month. It will become more visible as we move into the month of September. When planets are said to be in conjunction, they appear very close together in the sky. When someone says a planet is in conjunction without mentioning another planet, they mean with the Sun. It is therefore not visible at any time of the night. Contrary to the popular e-mails, Mars does not appear as large as the Full Moon this month. It will however rise about midnight local time for those out and about.

The cooler weather over the end of last week and the all day rain on Saturday brought with it distinctly September overtones. Oh sure, there will be some hot days ahead but the days are becoming noticeably shorter and there are other telltale signs that autumn will soon be on the way. Garden pumpkins are beginning to show a yellow cast and sweet corn harvest is in high gear with evidence of road kill sweet corn here and there. Small grains are combined and the straw has been baled. Ripe tomatoes are appearing and string beans are cranking out bagfuls of produce. Most corn in the area has had enough rainfall to make it to the finish line as have the soybeans. If SDS (sudden death syndrome) is going to make an appearance in the soybean fields this year it should start to show up fairly soon.

Our feathered friends are beginning to show signs to of locating their fall and winter foodstuffs. A large group of Canada geese was seen grazing in an unnamed organic oat farmer’s field east of New Richland. Some have also been noticed feeding on the greened up grass in our pasture. Chickadees who have been infrequent visitors have been checking out the sunflower plantings. Nuthatches and house finches have been bringing their young to the sunflower feeders to learn the ropes. The male oriole has been emptying the nectar feeder on the sly but on days when we’re around, he’s a regular customer. He’s the beneficiary of some of the leftover oranges cleaned out of the fridge to make room for garden produce. Swallows have been lining up on the wires and the house wrens’ song is dwindling as they tend to their last hatch before departing. Robins are hanging tough. Still start singing at 5 a.m. and quit at 9 p.m.

As part of an annual ritual, the sheep too enjoy the garden’s bounty. Overgrown zucchini, string beans and cucumbers are among the favorites as are the sweet corn husks and cobs. Peelings and melon rinds are consumed like candy. Weeds get tossed over the fence leaving little trace they ever existed. Recycling and bio-energy at it’s finest.

Saturday’s rain kept me out of the garden but did allow me to finish putting up some of the towel bars that were setting around in the boxes. Had power-napped in the morning upon hearing the pitter-patter on the roof and felt a little guilty for not harvesting as planned. Checked in with one of the little fat buddies though and he had garnered 3 naps before noon! Better than waking up in the East River in a sack I guess.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

8/13

There's a butterfly trapped in a spider's web...

The scurs continue on their torrid pace with another major rainfall event occurring over the weekend as predicted. This week finds some relief for the warmer than normal temperatures with highs Wednesday through Sunday of 80 and lows near 60. Monday slightly cooler with a high of 75 and a low of 55 – 60. Tuesday back to near 80 and lows of 55 – 60. Best chances of rain Wednesday and Friday night through Sunday. Normal high for August 17 is 81 and normal low is 59. The scurs will be on the lookout this week for the creampuff stand at the Steele Co. Fair.

Saturday night’s rainfall was a classic MN thunderstorm, complete with high winds, hail and lots of lightning. One had to wonder if it was going to get nasty as the dew point at 7:30 p.m. was 78 degrees. With the juicy atmosphere and the night time cooling, it was bound to condense. Rainfall amounts varied from .3” – around an inch. While the dew point was high, am almost positive it had more to do with other factors. It hasn’t failed: When I’ve mowed the lawn or watered the plants at work this summer it has rained. One astronomy item of note: the Big Dipper is visible high in the northwestern sky about 11:00 p.m. As the clouds cleared after the storm, it was there as big as life itself.

The slight thundershower we had Saturday morning brought the neighborhood bobwhite near our yard. Whistled at him but he must’ve been in the fenceline between us and neighbor David. Wasn’t about to go looking as it was appearing and sounding serious about storming. Should’ve worn my urban sombrero. While some are no longer seeing their orioles, ours chastised us Sunday as the feeder had been emptied by the fierce winds. Thought maybe the barn swallows were done nesting too but I see one last nest of babies in the lambing barn sticking their heads above the edge of the nest in search a handout.

For those allergy sufferers, the giant and common ragweed pollen is starting to be shed in copious amounts. The good news is that every time we some rain it tends to cleanse the atmosphere at least temporarily and should shorten the duration of the problem. In the meantime, for those of us who have symptoms and can get by with it, there are several over-the-counter remedies that seem to work fairly well.

Insects continue to catch our eye and in some cases have caused some concern. There is an abundance of both black and tiger swallowtail butterflies this season. The black swallowtails have benefited from all the wild parsnip that continues to invade our road ditches. They feed on several members of the carrot family including wild carrot, parsnip, and dill. The tiger swallowtail tends to feed on cherry in these parts.

Have had several questions regarding the lime green to tan beetles about 3/16” – ¼” long that having been swarming to lights after dark. These are northern corn rootworm beetles and they are having a banner season. This native insect survived on the prairies prior to the planting of corn and fed on pollen and soft plant tissue much as they do now. The difference being now that we have acres and acres of corn, a preferred food source. The beetles you are seeing now are laying or have laid their eggs primarily in corn fields. Some of those eggs hatch next spring in May through July and as their name suggests, they feed on corn roots, causing both cosmetic as well as economic injury. After a month or so of feeding they pupate, only to emerge as the beetles you are seeing.

A new twist developed with northern corn rootworm however. A segment of the northern corn rootworm population became capable of hatching two years after the eggs are laid. This is what’s known as extended diapause. This was first noticed in the 1980’s and with the 50:50 corn soybean rotation we experienced in the 1990’s the problem resurfaced. The number of rootworm adults in this area in 2005 was extremely high so all one needs to do is do the math to know why we are seeing all these beetles.

Had one of my little fat buddies from NY Mills visit on the weekend. He couldn’t get over how green everything was here. While it has made for frequent lawn mowing, we still have to feel extremely fortunate. As he pointed out when looking at a field of alfalfa near Geneva, there was more hay in one windrow than there was in the whole field at their place.

See you next week…real good then.

[Dotch]

8/20

And in Ohio, there's one place I would go...

Soggy but undaunted, the scurs were uncanny in predicting another wet weekend. Too bad the first part from Wednesday through Friday will bring more moisture to an already waterlogged landscape. Temperatures will be moderate however. Wednesday look for highs around 80 with lows near 65. Thursday temperatures cool with highs of 75 – 80 and lows of 65. Friday through Tuesday highs of 75 low temps of 55. Normal high for August 25th is 80 and normal low is 56. The scurs will be sniffing out the first pronto pup of the season at the Great Minnesota Get Together.

The Full Moon is coming up on August 28th. This is commonly known as the Full Sturgeon Moon, Full Red Moon or the Full Green Corn Moon. The Ojibwe knew this as the Full Berry Moon while the Sioux called it the Moon When Geese Shed Feathers or the Moon When Cherries Turn Black. Locally this year it will probably be known as the Full Mosquito Moon.

The recent wet weather has put the damper on hay cutting as of late. There’s no reason to lay it down in the mud and let it get rained on at this point. Rainfall totals of up to 10” in areas for the week are also likely to delay silage harvest. Some of the corn has reached half milk line, a good point at which to start chopping. Corn for grain may not benefit from this wet stretch either. Test weights are generally not maximized under wet conditions. Both corn and soybeans will be more susceptible to late season disease as well so farmers will need to be vigilant and harvest accordingly.

Through the wonders of technology, am writing this article from the road. 10 years ago, one wouldn’t have dreamed of hooking up to free internet at the motel and cranking out a newspaper article but here we are. Am on the eastern leg of the John Deere – Pro Farmer Crop Tour writing from Columbus Ohio presently. By the time you read this, will be in Iowa City or back to Owatonna for the wrap up. Have already covered a lot of territory although we really haven’t spent much time in the fields. Funny how one begins to recognize problems at 70 mph and upon getting up close and personal to them in the field, there is little surprise. It’s gratifying when some of the locals from those areas agree that what thought you were seeing for insects and disease was indeed for real. Must be getting old.

The group of people along on the Crop Tour is top shelf. They include people from all over the USA and several countries including Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. There are farmers, USDA personnel, brokerage firm employees and reporters from many of the large news services. There is also an intern this year. Don’t think Bill Clinton, think more along the lines of Kramerica Industries. His name is Lee not Darren and while we’re not sure, we don’t think he lives in a messy apartment which may or may contain a chicken.

The trip down to Columbus included a two nap day (I sleep well in a car or pickup) as well as a morning go back to bed and fall asleep event. One of my little fat buddies holds the record for 3 naps in 24 hours. Am considering petitioning the NNF (National Nap Federation) to see if my falling asleep after waking up qualifies. This may have some bearing on my potential Olympic nap team qualification. Speaking of naps, it’s getting late so will need to cut this short. Besides, Jim can probably sell some of this space for high dollar advertising to pay my bloated salary. Tomorrow starts one of many early morning starts to days that last until midnight. And Mrs. Cheviot knows how crabby I can get when I don’t get my beauty sleep.

See you next week…real good then.