Before and After

Clayton County Iowa's First Snow

2011

This picture was taken on November 4th, 2011 on a farm on Kale Avenue. The pumpkins as well as the leaves are a reminder that Fall is in Season.

This picture was taken just four days later, November 8th. A total of 2 1/2 inches of snow fell. A sure sign that Winter has started.

Tilling Soil for 2012

Once the harvest is complete everyone is focused on the 2012 planting season. Here you see several pictures of chisel plowing. You will note that a fair amount of corn stalks remain on the surface. This helps control water and also wind erosion.

When I was an Iowa Tractor Boy the preparation of the soil for planting involved turning the soil completely over so that there was no stalks visible. This was the thinking of that era. The seed been needed to be free of rough material so that the crops could germinate and grow with no material preventing growth.

The new concept of minimum tillage reduces erosion and the crops also flourish with out the soil being eroded away.

This close up view allows you to see the amount of material left on the soil surface. Of course you are viewing John Deere equipment. The operator of this Tractor is a full time employee of John Deere Dubuque Tractor works.







For readers of this Blog who are not Farmers, please be aware that the focus of farming in this time is to be excellent stewards of the land. For those who may not already know, the State of Iowa has 25 percent of the Grade "A" farm land in the United States of America. Thus the name for Iowa is also "The Bread Basket of the United States." While several states may grow more of a specific crop, Iowa leads the nation in total production of food stuffs to feed the people, not only in the U. S. A. but in Countries around the World.



The tugs pushing barges loaded with grain are a common site on the Mississippi River. For those not involved in agriculture, I wish to inform you that Iowa Tractor Boys, as well as other Farmers in the Midwest are keenly aware of what is happening in the global market place regarding crop production and the impact that the weather on a worldwide basis has on their respective operations.



Yes, agriculture and farmers have to think on a global basis.

Fourth Generation Iowa Tractor Boys

This picture was taken on October 30 as the Sons of My Nephew were displaying their Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween 2011.

Corn Harvest 2011

The following pictures were taken on October 20, 2011 as my Nephews were completing the Corn Harvest on the Farm where I was an Iowa Tractor Boy from 1944 until 1961 when I joined the U. S. Navy.

The farm is now owned by my youngest Sibling; however he rents out the farm land to our Nephews.

You can also observe the almost smooth soil on the right end of this picture. This is where the 2011 crop of Soybeans grew.

Iowa Tractor Boy

Page Views

During the past week this Blog has experienced these Page Views:

United States - 82

United Kingdom - 12

India -11

Russia - 9

Canada - 7

Austria - 4

Latvia - 4

Romania - 4

Belgium - 3

Germany - 3

It is always interesting to ascertain where the viewers/vistors to this Blog live. We are certainly globally connected and it would appear that many peoples are interested in agriculture in the U. S. A.

Lock and Dam Number Ten

Mississippi River

Guttenberg, Iowa

Way back in the 1930s the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed many Locks and Dams on the Mississippi River to allow tows pushing barges to distribute grain, fuel and coal up and down the Mississippi River. This is the most cost effective means of moving large sums of material through the country.

As you would suspect vast amounts of corn is transported down the Mississippi River to the major grain exporters in the South. Then the corn is shipped overseas. Without this market there would not be such a large demand for the corn that the Farmers in the Upper Mid-West produce.

Admittedly I was not in the Upper Mid-West to acquire the photographs that I have published today in the Iowa Tractor Boys Blog Post; however I am grateful to a number of family members who keep me supplied with interesting and also educational photos.

First Buck

You may remember that in an earlier post today I showed three young Iowa Tractor Boys at play in the leaves.

Here is a picture of the oldest of these three young Iowa Tractor Boys with a nice looking Buck that he just harvested.

This young hunter is the third generation of Deer Hunters and it appears that he is maintaining the legacy very well.

Soybean Harvest Complete

Kale Avenue

Clayton County Iowa

Here you have the opportunity to view the Soybean Field after the harvest is complete. The Harvester has the grain header removed as the Tractor Boys prepare to resume the Corn Harvest.

Youngest Iowa Tractor Boys

Having Fall Fun

As you can ascertain Young Iowa Tractor Boys take time to have fun and frolic. Even the family pet gets involved.

The Church Museum and local Park at Ceres. This site is on the Iowa Historical Register. It is about one mile from the Iowa Tractor Boys home.

The Genesis Of An Iowa Tractor Boy

As I view this image I recall my own youth on an Iowa Farm. It was always exciting and interesting to watch My Dad and My Uncle perform Farm Task. This is an image of one of my Nephews Sons, as he is also engaged in the same activity. His Dad is operating the Harvestor as his Uncles perform the necessary transport of the corn to the dryer and elevators.

2011 Corn Harvest

Kale Avenue

Clayton County, Iowa

I believe that this series of images tells the complete story. As you can see the gentle slopes of the land certainly support farming on the contour to prevent erosion. The Iowa Tractor Boys are busy with the harvest as they complete another year of tilling the land that supports the lives of so many people. In fact the figures from the U. S. Department of Agriculture establish the that one U. S. Farmer supports the food needs of 140 U. S. Citizens. This statement is based on data determined in 1997. I suspect that the figure is even more today.

Stocking the Locker

Iowa Tractor Boys know that if they plan on enjoying meat during the year they harvest the Deer every Fall.

The Hills and Valleys near the Mississippi River in Clayton County, Iowa provide an abundance of Deer each Season. Of course the corn crop helps feed these deer out so that they provide plenty of red meat.

This is probably one of many deer that will be harvested by these young men and their siblings this Fall and Winter in Clayton County.

Soybean Harvest Time

is

Fast Approaching

These scenes were captured on Kale Avenue in Clayton County, Iowa. It is almost time to harvest the Soybeans.

Flowers

The Tractor Boys Farm Home

On September 9, 2011 the Mom of several Iowa Tractor Boys took several images of flowers that surround the Farm Home.

Of course every Farm Home needs a Dog as the Farm/Family Pet.

Iowa Tractor Boys

The "Hunt"

The Hunt in Colorado for this Young Iowa Tractor Boy was very productive. This Tractor Boy is employed by the John Deere Corporation in Moline, IL.

He is also involved in a Farm Operation in Clayton, County. As everyone can appreciate, even Iowa Tractor Boys need a break from the routine. In an earlier post to this Blog you saw younger Iowa Tractor Boys with the results from their Pumpkin Hunt. Here you have the opportunity to view the results of "Bigger Boys" and their Hunt in Colorado.

Young Iowa Tractor Boys

These Young Iowa Tractor Boys are enjoying the Pumpkin Harvest in Clayton County, Iowa. There Dad has just acquired the new John Deere Gator and everyone is putting it to good use. If you look close you will also note that the Tractor Boy standing is an avid "Packers Fan."

Now reflecting back, I, as a Former Iowa Tractor Boy have fond memories of the Annual Pumpkin Harvest. We did not have Gators, but we did use farm wagons and in some cases wheelbarrows.

Hay Making Time

for

Iowa Tractor Boys

I know that I loaded these pictures in the incorrect order. However, if you scroll to the bottom of this post and then upward you will be able to see the process of handling the large round bales of Hay.

The Green Tractor and the Hemi Ram complete this series of images. Making Hay has certainly progressed since I was an Iowa Farm Boy back in the late 1950s.

Iowa Tractor Boy

Farm Family

This Farm Family lives on a Corn Farm. The best background would be a corn bin.

A front lawn game of baseball!!!

Fourth of July 2011

Garnavillo, Iowa

The town of Garnavillo, Iowa with a population of 700 has been celebrating the Fourth of July with a grand parade and fireworks display for over twenty years. As a former Iowa Tractor Boy I always look forward to this event.

The Parade always starts with our National Anthem and the salute to our Nation's Flag. Here you can view this Flag as well as the Flag of the State of Iowa. I am especially proud of the Iowa Motto, "Our Liberties We Prize, Our Rights We Will Maintain."

No parade would be complete without floats from various organizations, but it is the tractors that garner a lot of interest. For those who are not familiar with brands I will say that this is a John Deere.

Many farmers also restore tractor's from their childhood or their parents or even grandparents era. This is an early model of a Farmall Tractor.


This is an Allis Chalmers Tractor. I have fond memories of an Allis Chalmers Model "C" which my Dad purchased in 1944 when I was four years old. I even remember the day he drove it home. It included a two row cultivator and a two bottom plow. The price for all of this was around $700.00.

This is a Massey Harris Tractor. In addition to the many tractors in the parade there were floats from various church organizations and each fire department in Clayton County was also well represented. Every young person had a plastic bag to pick up the candies that were thrown to them by the many entries in the parade.

I wonderful day for a parade in a small Iowa Town. The population of Garnavillo during the parade must have been about 5000. The parade lasted over one and one half hours.

Kale Avenue

Clayton County Iowa

A Tractor Boy's Summer

This is a view of Soybeans and Corn on a farm rented by the Iowa Tractor Boy who will be featured in the last picture of this entry.

This is another view of the same rented farm. The photographer, a former Iowa Tractor Boy, spend his childhood on this farm which is now owned by a sibling. This shot was taken from the site of the one room country school that stood on the corner of this farm and was attended by the photographer.


This is a view of the farmstead of the Iowa Tractor Boy who also works at John Deere Dubuque Tractor Works. He was also featured in the entry of earlier today.

Yes, this is the Iowa Tractor Boy checking a field of Soybeans that his brother has planted on another farm.

A Tractor Boy

Iowa Farm Family

This is a Clayton County Iowa Farm Family. This family, like many others took a break on the Fourth of July to celebrate with family and friends, but it was also a great day to pose for some farm related pictures.

This Iowa Farm Family has three boys. This pose was inspired from the movie entitled "Field of Dreams" which was filmed in nearby Dubuque County.

Yes, It Is A Hemi!!!