A View of Winter Scene from Northwest Iowa
Everyone knows that the originator of this "Iowa Tractor Boys" Blog resides in Georgia. However it must also be known that several public spirited citizens of Iowa frequently send photographs of the Iowa Scenes. Here you have the popular Green and Yellow Farm Equipment Line known as "John Deere" blowing snow to a more appropriate place so that the citizens can operate their automobiles and pickups. 
This is the Veterans Memorial Display on River Park Drive in Guttenberg, Iowa. You can see the Mississippi River in the Background. This is an impressive display and a fitting memorial and certainly is a reflection of the patriotism of the residents of this small Iowa town of 2000 citizens. 
Several days ago I shared some harvest images from the 2008 Corn Crop in Clayton County, Iowa. Here you can see some dried corn being loaded for shippment to either a grain elevator for additional storage or direct shipment. Most Corn growers place some of their anticipated harvest under contract in the futures market in anticipation of selling for a higher price rather than direct shipment to the processors or for export during the harvest season. 
As you can ascertain in this view, the favorite color in the Midwest this time of the year is Yellow Gold. Additionally you can quickly see that not all of Iowa is flat Corn Fields. Along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers the land is gently rolling. Note the on the contour corn rows. Farmers plant the crops around the hills to assist in preventing soil erosion. Most of the harvesting equipment is manufactured in the Middle West by the John Deere Company, which is why you see so much "Green."
One more load of corn for the grain bin. Before the corn is stored for the futures market or even shipped direct to the grain processors it must be a specific moisture content. That is why most Iowa Tractor Boys have their own corn drying equipment. This load is headed to the drying infrastructure.
This former Iowa Tractor Boy has fond of memories of helping his Dad pick corn by hand. We used a husking peg and threw the ear corn to a wagon pulled by a team of horses. My, how things have changed.
You are observing a Soybean Harvest in Clayton County, Iowa. An Iowa Tractor Boy is operating this John Deere Combine which features an Air Conditioned Operator's Control Station.
Another View. You can see the dust that this machine produces as it threshes the beans from the vines.
While some may think Iowa is all flat land, you can observe the gently rolling countryside in the background of this picture. Those Counties which border on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers are known for their hills and small streams.
You may be wondering why there is a fisherman and a flathead catfish pictured here in an Iowa Tractor Boy Blog!!! Not all Iowa Farm Boys can be farmers. Some gain useful employment with other organizations. You can also view a Lock and Dam behind the fisherman. This flathead catfish weighed over forty pounds.
If you look close you can see two Iowa Farm Boys in a Trailer along with their Dog as their Dad, an Iowa Tractor Boy takes them on a "Joy Ride." The Tractor is an Antique John Deere Model A. 
The other day several Iowa Tractor Boys visited the John Deere Harvester Plant in Moline, Illinois. You can acquire this Magnificant Machine with just one header for a mere $400,000. If you want a grain header you must expend more funds. The John Deere Company does not carry an inventory of these Machines. You must order one and you have the option of being at the plant the day that it is build and you are given a golden key and then you are the the first person to start up the totally assembled machine. 
When one thinks of Iowa they usually envision flat land with acres of corn as far as the eye can see. This image was taken on July 2, 2008 in North Dubuque County in the town of Balltown, Iowa. There is an overlook on the North side of town. The elevation is 1200 feet and the view is toward Wisconsin. The Mississippi River is just over the horizon. The Brother of the Former Iowa Tractor Boy treated all his Siblings to a Great Supper at Bietbach's County Dining, Iowa's Oldest Bar & Restaurant in Balltown, Iowa.
This is an image of an Iowa Tractor Boy Replanting after the June 12th, 2008 Flooding in Iowa. A crop of Corn was planted in early May and this field was wiped out by the flooding. The area finally dried out enough to once again till the soil and plant. Because of the timeframe for growing a good crop of corn the field was replanted with Soybeans on July 1st, 2008.
I am confident, even though I live in the City, so to speak, that our Nation's Farmers have also seen an increase in the fuel cost that they need to grow the crops that make our lifestyle possible. Consider with me a few moments what this increased fuel cost will mean to us the consumers who do not grow our own food items. The cost of production, processing and distribution will most certainly be passed on to us, the consumer. If the Farmer does not realize a small profit he or she will certainly not last very long as a farmer, a provider for the rest of us. Then we will really have a problem. Enough Said!!!!
Checking Out All the Systems
Filling all the Hoppers
Planting the Corn
This former Iowa Tractor Boy can recall when the Corn was planted with a two row planter pulled by a team of two horses. Of course times have changed in 63 years. One farmer can operate hundreds of acres.
Dateline: April 8, 2008. Although the snowfall was light, it did Snow in Clayton County in Northeast Iowa on April 8, 2008. If this type of weather continues it will have a drastic impact on the 2008 Corn Crop. This of course will also impact on the plans to produce more Ethonal. From my point of view as a former Iowa Tractor Boy residing in the City I sincerely hope that it does "Warm Up" soon!!!!!
Several weeks ago my Niece's Daughter asked me to host a visit of Flat Stanley to Georgia. Her daughter was involved in a school project which required "Flat Stanley" to visit a State and have his picture taken as he traveled the state. In my case, I was required to show Flat Stanley the State of Georgia. What you are viewing here is Flat Stanley at the controls of a small John Deere Tractor. This tractor performs farm work on the land where my Son lives. 
Here is a picture of my Jersey Heifer, which was one of my 1957 4-H projects. I also had a Registered Herford Beef Heifer for a project. 
I was the oldest of six children. This picture is from 1958 when I was a Senior in High School. This photo was taken on the front lawn of our Parents Home. The home was constructed in 1951 and 1952. The Youngest, standing on the chair arm now owns the Family Farm and resides in this House.
This is a picture of my Jersey in 1958. She had just delivered a calf at the Clayton County fair. On the previous day, her udder was more balanced and she was the Grand Champion Jersey at the fair. Difficult that believe that I had graduated from the Garnavillo Community School a mere three months prior to this picture which was taken during the first weekend of August of 1958.
This is picture from the 4-H Club Record book of the originator of this Blog. It was my first year in 4-H. My sibling Brother and I joined when I was eleven, but I turned 12 that first year. This Duroc Sow delivered nine pigs, of which seven lived.
This is a picture of my Second Year Project. A steer named "Ike." You can quickly determine who was President of the United States of America. This picture was taken in January of 1953. I recall winning a "Red" Ribbon when I showed "Ike" at the Clayton County Fair in August of 1953. My Brother had a Beef Heifer for his project. She was named Mamie
My Third Year in 4-H was devoted to production of Market Sheet. I had four Suffolk ewes which produced lambs which I entered as a Market Pen of Sheet at the Clayton County Fair. This picture was taken on January 1, 1954
This picture was taken in January 1955. You see the same four ewes, but somewhere in the picture is the Ram. Also note the 1949 Packard Clipper in the background. As you can quickly ascertain the "Iowa Tractor Boy," often took his project pictures in January.
In 1956 the 4-H Club project was a Registered Jersey Heifer. This picture was taken on Tour Day, June 6, 1956. We all had to keep record books of our Projects and place pictures in them, along with recording the feed that the project consummed and also the cost of this feed. Every year the Jefferson Go-Hawks 4-H Club held a Tour in June to visit fellow club members and to see their projects. We always had a picnic afterward at the Ceres Picnic Pavilion in U. S. Highway 52 very near our Home in Jefferson Township. 
