Gambling

I have always thought of farming as legalized gambling!   There is so much risk in it.  Early this morning we had a terrible storm with lots of wind.  As you can see in the last photo-lots of our neighbors had damage to their crops.  Remarkably, we were pretty lucky and with the exception of a few end rows, our damage was pretty minimal.  Dustin estimates approximately 2% of his crop was damaged. We really needed the rain, but the wind did so much damage around here.  It literally made me sick to my stomach to drive by some of these fields today.  Olivia said, "Mom-why's that corn laying down"  and when I told her that the wind had pushed it down, she suggested we get out and help that farmer by pushing it back up with her strong muscles!  If only it were that easy! We will count our blessings today, and hope for no more wind!

Our field, just south of our home farm

Olivia and Rayna checking out the corn!

NOT OUR FIELD=a neighbor's who's corn is all laying down

Bailing Oats

After finishing our second cutting of hay, Dustin was hard a work baling our oats this week.  Because he couldn't find anyone to bale for him, he was fortunate to be able to rent a John Deere 568 Baler from Maloney's to get the oats baled.

One bale done!

Finishing up baling at the home farm.

Check out that nice green machine!

MILES Parade

We rode in the Thresher's Day parade on Friday.  We got to ride a very nice John Deere Gator XUV from Maloney Equipment in Fulton, IL  (This is where Dustin's dad, a.k.a. Grandpa Darwin-works).  Since Olivia is on vacation with the Penaluna's this weekend, Verayna really enjoyed having the spotlight all to herself!  She loved waiving to all the people as we drove past.

Waiting for the parade to start, Daddy's letting me drive.

Smile Daddy!