Visiting Northeast Iowa

Recently I was able to visit Northeast Iowa, especially Clayton County to visit my Siblings and other relatives.  One Day My youngest Sibling took me on a Field Trip of the Back Roads of Clayton County and other local Counties.  Of course we got into trouble in Elkport, Iowa and were forced to visit the local Jail.

 My Sibling

 This Blog's Author

After our Jail Time we determined that we should visit the local church!

We then traveled through Amish Country Southwest of Elkport.  My Sibling took me on a gravel road because were in quest of rural scenes that would remind me of my Youth as an Iowa Farm Boy.  This Grain Binder was in on an Amish Farm.  The morning dew was damp enough that the Farmers had not commenced the cutting of the Oats Crop.  Therefore I was able to get several pictures.

These scenes are especially meaningful to me because when I was a mere twelve year old tender young Farm Boy I was shocking oats in a field much like this one.  This Binder is of the type that my Dad used to cut the Oats Crop.  The bundles were then arranged in Shocks to dry out prior to being threshed.

After the Amish Farm we then traveled to Edgewood and the Greely area.  My Sibling Brother wanted to show me the Turbine Farm where electric power is generated.  There were a total of 17 turbines on this farm.

Our next stop was a demonstration plot where various types of Soybeans and Corn are grown so that Farmers can observe the traits of the various types to determine which will perform best in their respective farm operations.

In recent years Farmers have painted "Quilts" on the ends of their Barns.  This has become quite a Tourist Draw.  In fact there are "Barn Quilt" Tours where people can acquire a map and visit many "Barn Quilts" in a day.

We concluded our Tour of Northeast Iowa by traveling to Elkader so that we could consume a late lunch.  Prior to arriving in downtown Elkader we traveled alongside Turkey River.  As I looked across the River I noted these two young Fisherboys enjoying the Summer.  I had my Brother stop so that I could take some pictures.  Once these Fisherboys observed me with a camera from across the river they posed with their catch. 

What a wonderful Trip down Memory Lane for me as my Sibling escorted me around some roads that I never knew about in my Youth.  A Delightful day and certainly a dynamic opportunity to connect with my Youth as an Iowa Farm Boy.

An Iowa Tractor Boy

A Visit to the Farm

I recently had the opportunity to visit the farm operation of my nephew who operates a Corn and Beef enterprise in Clayton County, Iowa.  He is also an employee of John Deere Dubuque Tractor Works and he informed me that he works at John Deere to have the funds to continue his farm operation.  He is also the Dad to three sons who are shown in this first picture.  

 Posing for an appropriate Iowa Tractor Boy Family portrait.  Notice that even the family dog got into this image.

 This is the oldest of my Nephew's three sons.  After I took this image I stated that this would be a great shot for his future business card promoting a lawn service.

 My nephew modeling his new corn dryer.  He will soon have this hooked up to dry corn during the harvest so that it can operate non-stop while he operates the combine.

 This calf was a twin who was abandoned by the birth mother.  The Younger Iowa Tractor Boys bottle fed this calf and are quite proud of their accomplishments.  After all they saved this young animals life.  Certainly an excellent way to teach younger citizens responsibility.  My Brother often stated that farming may not be all that profitable, but that the best place to raise kids was on a farm. 

 The corn dryer shown above will soon be hooked up to these bins to insure a non-stop feed to the dryer and transfer to one of the three storage bins.  Most farmers store as much corn as possible so that they can sell it on the futures market which is more profitable than selling directly from the field during the harvest.

 A view of the corn growing near the drying operation on my Nephew's Farm.  Like most areas of the United States, Northeast Iowa needed rain last week to insure an adequate supply of grain for the food needs of our society in 2013.

I end this Blog post with a view of my Nephew's home.  He had asked me to take a few pictures during my recent visit to Iowa and he had washed the tractor in the background as well as the four wheeler and the lawn mower that is featured in this post. 

This young man, as well as his siblings are proud of their Iowa Farm operations. 

I publish this Blog today to help everyone realize that without our Nation's Farmers we would all be very hungery.  Thank You!!!!!

An Iowa Timber

Reforestation Project

Report

 About six years ago the Young Iowa Tractor Boys determined to conduct a reforestration project on a tract of timber that has been in the family since 1946 or 1947.  During my recent visit to Iowa to see family and friends my Nephews conducted a field trip to the project.  I have fond memories of walking this timber with my Dad when he purchased it.  I was six years old at the time.  Above you see the nephew who coordinated the project.  He is standing beside a walnut tree.

 On of my nephews has three sons.  Here you see two of them posing by a twelve foot tall Walnut tree.  Not the plastic sleeve that the tree is growing in.  This protects the tree from being destroyed by deer and other animals. 

 Here you see the Dad of the two young boys shown above.  He is the oldest of my Nephews.

This Nephew had to have his picture taken besides a more mature tree.  I think his purpose was to display that "his" tree had grown faster than the others.

 In addition to Walnut trees, the reforesting involved the planting of Red Oak and White Oak Trees.  Please note the ground cover which protects the soil from erosion. 

Here you view three of the four nephews who are Iowa Tractor Boys.  The fourth one could not make the field trip because of work obligations at John Deere  Moline "Harvestor" works.  Additionally you can once again see the "Iowa Tractor Boys In Training" in the foreground.  I appreciated the opportunity to participate in this field trip because it allowed me to view the work on this project.  This tract of timber has been in the family for over sixty years and it was rewarding to see the results of this planting project.  These Iowa Tractor Boys are certainly preparing for the future.  Who knows what the price of Walnut logs will be in forty years?

Iowa Tractor Boys

prepare for

2012 Elk Hunting Trip

to Colorado

 Here you see one Elk Hunter with the beast of burden that several hunters will use during the 2012 Elk Hunting Trip of Colorado.  In previous years the hunters carried their own gear.  This year they will be using this beast of burden.

Several young Iowa Tractor Boys will be making this trip and here you see two younger boys modeling the trailer that will be used to transport two mules and all the camping gear.  These younger boys are most likely looking forward to the future when they can make this exciting trip for themselves.

Weed Prevention

Once the corn crop is planted the next step is to spray for weeds.  This process is much faster than cultivation once the corn grows and is visible.  Here you see a young Iowa Tractor Boy applying the appropriate pre-emergence weed spray.  You can also determine that this corn crop is planted on the contour.  This is done to eliminate erosion on the gentle slopes of Northeast Iowa.  This farm is within six miles of the Mississippi River so there are plenty of creeks flowing to the river.  This spraying was accomplished on 4 May 2012

Current Technology

for

Younger Iowa Tractor Boys

In order to be current these young Iowa Tractor Boys check out the latest games on an IPod. In an earlier post today we observed these Boys surveying the Garden as well as checking out the new Lawn Care Equipment.

Good Friday Activities

in the

Holy Land

Clayton County Iowa

Most Corn Belt Farmers with storage capacity usually sell their corn on the futures market to avoid the reduced prices that the Grain Dealers offer to Corn Producers at harvest time.

A Blooming Cherry Tree. This tree produces cherries for delicious Cherry Pie with Ice Cream on top. A staple in the late Spring in Iowa.

We have all heard that planting the garden is an appropriate "Good Friday" activity. Here you see three Iowa Tractor Boys who happen to be the sons of my Nephew surveying the accomplishments in their Grand Mothers 2012 Garden.

The Good Friday Holiday was also an appropriate opportunity to acquire new lawn care products.

Iowa Tractor Boys and their Mom with the new equipment. A tiller, a Zero Turning Radius (ZTR) lawn mower and a compressor.

Most readers here know that I, Alan edit this Blog from my home in Georgia, U.S.A. but my relatives still reside in the Holy Land a.ka. Iowa. I am proud of my Iowa Heritage; however as I always tell others who ask me why I live in Georgia I simply say, there are not enough farms in Iowa for all the Farmer's Children. I was the oldest of six and someone had to leave.