Lickety Split Harvest

 Harvesting the alfalfa
north of the house - June 7, I think it was

When the huge farm machinery comes to take the alfalfa off the field north of the house, it is amazing how fast they get the job done - but no wonder, because the machinery is huge. Incredibly huge.

 
 Two days later they planted a crop of soybeans.

I think next year they'll plant corn on that field (not enough time this season to get a corn crop) and the following year it will be put back into alfalfa. I look forward to when it is planted to alfalfa once again. It's so much prettier than soybeans or corn. But I'm not in charge of that decision, nor am I going to be feeding cows. Oddly enough, crops aren't raised for their aesthetic appeal. The man who rents our cropland knows how to farm it and the crop rotation that will best build up the soil.

Do you ever use the term 'lickety split" ?? I think it was used a lot when I was a kid, but I realized that I hardly ever hear it any more.  I just Googled it and discovered that that term is now also the name of an 'adult entertainment' establishment in Minneapolis. Good grief. Maybe that's why I don't hear it anymore. :-)

 Smokey, watching flies, bees, songbirds, and hummingbirds

from the [restrictive] comfort of the screen room

One of my favorite 'alfalfa field' photos

summertime, 2013

The grandsons in a brotherly embrace

(known as wrestling).

Linking to Eileen's Saturday's Critters

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Cutting the Alfalfa Field

The alfalfa, waiting and more-than ready

Looking Beautiful

Trrrrrrract-tah!

When we got home yesterday, this monster tractor was sitting at the edge of the alfalfa field. I couldn't resist getting a few photos. This thing is crazy big (and expensive). And boy, can it cut alfalfa fast! I think the attached piece of equipment is a disc mower. I looked up Fendt on Google images and this is what I came up with. If you happen to know that's wrong, please correct me.

The Work Beast

...and that is not a reference to the woman who was driving the tractor. I'm sure she would be happy to know that the sunshine blocked her from the photograph, but you can see the little girl riding in the jump seat (or training seat, I guess). Those in my generation who grew up on a farm are always amazed at how different it is now. I mean, cutting an alfalfa field may have meant an entire afternoon. This field is done licketysplit. (oh c'mon spellcheck!!) Anyway, it's very fast, and I wouldn't want to be a rabbit or mouse out in the field when that thing comes along.

Just past the end of the vegetable garden

All done. The alfalfa after it's been cut.

Bridger and Misty...looking for Tasty Treats,

a.k.a. Collateral Damage

...on the lookout...

Misty, wondering where I am

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