A WET SPRING ( June 2014 )

Click on photo to enlarge

Click on photo to enlarge

          We turned into the driveway the other day and saw what looked like a "foot stool" in the middle of the drive. As we got closer we confirmed our guess that it was a SNAPPING TURTLE. This was not just a snapper but a HUGE one.  We have seen a few in our years here on the farm as there is a marsh just across the road but this fellow or lady was the biggest we had seen. I got out to take a picture and should have got Kim to stand beside him/her to show just how large it was but he reminded me that they can move faster than you think and their bite can be pretty bad. So with that in mind I carefully got as close as I could. As I did that the turtle lowered its self down on the gravel and pulled legs and head inwards in self defence. I know they live to be a good age and we figured this one might have some age on it. He or she looked positively pre-historic with its massive tail and claws. After the photo shoot we moved on and when next I looked back down the drive the turtle had moved on into the long grass.

And with that said that leads us to the WET spring I eluded to above. We have way too much water at the end of our drive this June hence the turtle, geese & goslings, ducks & ducklings, muskrats, and blue herons.

Crops in this region have been slower going in and corn that should have been planted has been swapped out for soybeans that have a shorter growing season. Some hay has been cut for haylage or baleage (put in silo damp or wrapped damp) makes good feed in winter, but ground is to wet to knock hay down and expect it to dry for traditional square bales. ( big or small )  So hopefully as June progresses it will dry out some but give us at least an inch of rain per week, that would be ideal. Mother Nature however will do her own thing and we will work with her.

covered with ice

spring has sprung

I don't think to many of us will complain about the weather being wet or hot after the Winter of 2013/2014.
I was out the other day with my camera and snapped a picture of one of my blossoming apple trees and thought the comparison of weather that it had been through in the last 6 months was amazing.

Beautiful blossoms, future apples!

Along with crop planting on the farm in Spring is the planting of the vegetable garden. It is now all in and up and was doing fine although evenings have been a bit cool, until the torrential downpour
put a rut through the tomato plants. Its nothing that can't be fixed with a rake.

We continue to add to our raised beds which makes planting and picking so much easier on a persons knees. Four generations where hard at work the other day building me two new ones to add to the garden.                                          

THANKS BOYS !   I will post pictures when they are placed, seeded and growing.

Lastly I was on a hike with the grandkids the other day and they both presented me with a bouquet of lovely wild flowers so thought they deserved a picture.

            Hope your June is dandy and a HAPPY FATHERS DAY wish for all the Dads!

Until next time,   Jeanne & Kim