Success in Montana

This Iowa Tractor Boy did achieve success in Montana.  It
appears that he will not go too hungery this Winter!!!

A large bin has been added to allow this Iowa Tractor Boy
to store Corn for future sale in the market place with the
potential for higher prices rather than sell the corn as it
is harvested and dryed each Harvest Season

The view from the road, Kale Avenue!!

Ready for the Corn Harvest

Kale Avenue

Clayton County Iowa



 Work Followed By Fun

 During the early part of the Summer my Nephew in Clayton County had his Sons perform various task around the Farm

Young Farm Boys often do not function well as part of a team
and cause problems with their Siblings.  Here is one painting the
metal roof on a shed.

Another Sibling painting on a different building while the
youngest Sibling observes.

Of course the Young Iowa Farmer (a.k.a. Dad) supervises the
two painting task.

Then the end of Summer arrives just prior to the Start of School for
all Younger Iowa Tractor Boys.  Here they are shown at the Finish
Line at Daytona.

Certainly a nice reward for a Summer of Work.  A few days at a
Florida Beach.  A Side Trip to Daytona and of course a visit to
Disney World.

It simply does not get any better than that.  This is certainly a lesson on the development of Young Iowa Tractor Boys.

 Iowa Gold

Here is a series of pictures I acquired during my recent Holiday to Clayton County Iowa, the place of my birth.  My nephew was selling Iowa Gold (a.k.a. Corn).

Inside the corn bin with the auger to take the corn to the pit
for elevation to the outside truck

Shooting from the auger to the truck

Under the careful eyes of the truck driver

A view of the transport truck and the driver

The entire drying operation as well as the system to ship the corn

A close up view of the grain dryer

Almost ready to go.  The truck is almost full

Preparing for the Colorado 

Elk Hunt

This Iowa Tractor Boy is working with his Pack Mule as he and three others make final preparations to travel to Colorado to hunt Elk.

In addition to honest work this Iowa Tractor Boy knows how to enjoy life.

Flooding in Northeast

Iowa

June 22, 2013

My nephew actually had corn growing in
this field !!

You can see the road between Guttenberg and
Garber at the far right of this picture!

A Hay Wagon floating in the flooding waters.

As indicated, the Yellow River which
flows into the Mississippi River

The four pictures of the Yellow River flooding were taken by the Son of my Niece who lives on the hill overlooking the Yellow River.

Maple Syrup

There are not a lot of maple trees in Northeast Iowa, however it was fun for my Nephew to harvest the sap and make some syrup.  These pictures were recently sent to me with a request that I publish a post on how Iowa Tractor Boys are able to produce much of what they enjoy in life.  The pictures tell the story.

Fertilizer

a.k.a. Manure

 Shown here is a young Iowa Tractor Boy traveling to the field to spread manure from the cattle barn.  If you look closely you can also see two young farmers in the cab of this John Deere Tractor.  The youngest one is the nephew of the tractor operator and his important task is to open the gates from the cattle yard to the field.

Highlights of a 4-H

Career as a

Young Iowa Farm Boy

in the 1950s



I was twelve years old in 1952 when I had a
Baby Beef Steer named "Ike" for a 4-H
Project.  You can see my brother in the
background.  He had a female Baby Beef Project.
Her name was Miami.  You can guess who
was President in 1952!





I believe that I was thirteen or fourteen when I began
showing sheep at the Clayton County Fair.





All of my siblings had Jersey Milk Cows and Heifers
for 4-H Projects.  Here we are showing a group of four.
I do not remember the awards we received, but I do
recall the fun, as well as the work we performed to show our
Jersey Projects.





We were all members of the Jefferson Go-Hawks 4-H Club.
The club had members from Jefferson Township therefore
our name.  Every year the Fair Association awarded prize money
to the clubs with the best barn decorations.  I was the decoration
chairman in my club for several years.  If I recall correctly, we usually won
first prize.

I have wonderful memories of when I was a young Iowa Farm Boy and my involvement in 4-H Club Work.

It certainly developed a sense of responsibility in a young person.  We were responsible for the feeding, grooming and showing of our projects.  Sure, we had parents to assist us, but their role was usually limited to guidance and recommendations as to what needed to be done.  I always took great pride in being able to show any animal project I had.  We bathed them clipped them, shined their hooves and trimmed the hair around their heads.  





Winter

March 6, 2013

Northeast Iowa

U.S. Highway 52 looking North at Sutton's Corner.

Checking the water system to insure that the cattle have
water.  A challenging, yet essential task.

Even the cattle realize that their is safety in
numbers as they huddle together.

Of course this young calf quickly learned that it is much
warmer in the barn.

The above photos were taken on 6 March 2013.  I understand that today, March 11, 2013 again has severe weather - rains and more snow for Northeast Iowa in the forecast. 

An Iowa Tractor Boy

Performs

Chores

Is Spring In The Air?

It is always nice to have a campanion when you are engaged in the chores such as checking on the livestock and also making sure that they have adequate feed and water.  Here you see a young Iowa Tractor Boy, who also happens to work at the John Deere Harvestor plant in Moline home for the weekend.  Of course he has two campanions.