2010 Iowa Corn Harvest

The 2010 Harvest is underway in Iowa. It is quite early this year and I conducted research to learn why. I learned that the early growing season had plenty of rain while recent weeks were quite dry which caused the corn and soybeans to mature and be dry enough to start an early harvest.

In this series of pictures you will see an Iowa Tractor Boy from Clayton County Iowa conducting his first day of the corn harvest. You will also see that he has appropriate assistance. A Young Iowa Farm Boy in Training who may become the fourth generation of Iowa Tractor Boys in this family.

Real Iowa Tractor Boy

Here you see an Iowa Tractor Boy with his family in a field of Soybeans. The Second Son is not quite tall enough to be totally visable.

Again, still in the Soybean Field. Here you see an Iowa Tractor Boy who is also employed by John Deere, Dubuque with his three Sons.

Of course every Iowa Tractor Boy that grows corn has to pose in the field such as the Baseball Players did in the 1989 "Field of Dreams" classic film staring Kevin Costner. Here is the Iowa Tractor Boy and his three Sons at the edge of the Corn Field.

For those who may not know, the film "Field of Dreams" was filmed in Dubuque County, Iowa near Dyersville which is about 25 air miles from the field where this picture was taken.

As a Former Iowa Tractor Boy, I will never forget the classic line from the film: "It This Heaven?" "No, It Is Iowa."





This Farm is near the Mississippi River just off of Kale Avenue in Clayton County near Guttenberg, Iowa. You will note that the crops are planted on the contour to help reduce erosion.

Former Iowa Tractor Boy

Juliette, Georgia

As you may know the originator of this Blog was raised in Iowa. Recently he visited Juliette, Georgia which is also the site for the filming of "Fried Green Tomatoes."

There is an old cotton mill in this town which is now a private home and a motorcyle museum. Near the museum there was this John Deere Tractor of some years back. Of course the Former Iowa Tractor Boy had to check it out.

Helos Join the Fungus Fight

Iowa Tractor Boys Employ Modern Methods

More than normal rainfall has caused the crops in Clayton County, Iowa to experience fungus problems more than average. Here you see a helo in operation. This equipment is the modern day equivalent of the former "Crop Duster Aircraft."

Here is an image of the helo restocking chemicals. I am sure that the helos are more effective in as they do not need long approaches and long departures over a field which results in excessive use of chemicals. The helo can deliver with pin-point accuracy.

A distant shot of the helo in operation over a cornfield near Kale Avenue in the Guttenberg, Iowa area.

As a Former Iowa Tractor Boy I continue to be impressed on the inovations employed by current Iowa Tractor Boys to provide us all with the items that we enjoy on a daily basis - food!!!

Public School for Iowa Tractor Boys and Girls

You can see how Clayton County, Jefferson Township Scholars dressed to attend the Jefferson School Number Six (also known as the Ceres School) when I was in the Fourth Grade. I, Alan am the fourth Scholar from the right end on this photo. My Brother David would have been in the Second Grade. He is the first Scholar on the right end. This picture was most likely taken during the 1949-1950 School Year.

I believe that I was in the Sixth Grade when this picture was taken. There were children from two families who attended Jefferson Number Six during it's final year of operation which was 1951-1952. Our Teacher shown on the far right was Sula Schrader. Her Husband operated the "Shell Gasoline" Tank Truck which hauled fuel to the Farmers. Mrs. Schrader was considered wealthy because she drove an Oldsmobile Car from town to teach us in this one room County School.

I suspect that you could consider me the Teacher's Pet because I am right next to her. My Sister Thelma is the fourth Scholar from the Right. My Classmate, Louis is to her Left. My Brother David is just in front of the tree. I think my Sister Vivian is the second Scholar from the Left end.

This School was on the Corner of our Parents Farm and we carried the drinking water to school each day.

I do not recall when this picture was taken, but I suspect that it was at the end of a school year when we held our annual picnic. Most likely this was taken in the Public Park alongside the Mississippi River in Guttenberg, Iowa.

Now you know how Iowa Tractor Boys and Girls were educated in the 1940 and 1950 era.

Corn Planting Time

This is What Iowa Tractor Boys

Live For

Here you are viewing a Young Iowa Tractor Boy, who is also a U. S. Navy Veteran loading the Six Row Corn Planter in preparation to planting the Corn.
Another View of loading the Corn Planter. Corn is used in cereals, food items and also is consumed by both Dairy and Beef Cattle. The Pork industry also consumes a lot of Corn. Besides that, the United States of America exports an abundance of corn to Nations overseas. The United States exports over 3.3 billion bushels of corn each year. It is also important to also note that corn production around the world is on the upswing. More Nations are growing their own but the economic impact of exported corn cannot be denyed.

Some of the corn planted in the Midwest this week and during the first weeks of May 2010 has already been sold on the futures market. To be a competitive Iowa Tractor Boy you must do more than plant the crop and care for it, you must also manage the marketing of your production.

The Question Is Answered!!

Where does Beef Steak Come From?

City children know that produce and meats come from the Market. All Iowa Tractor Boys know better. In fact, even their Sisters know better. Here you see a few "Brood Beef Cows" who are also young Mothers. Their offspring will become the Steaks of tomorrow.

Angus Beef. Here you see young beefsteak on the hoof along with the Brood Cows. A Northeast Iowa Farm scene. Not all land is used to produce corn. Some is just simply to rugged, especially near the East and West Borders of Iowa which are marked by Rivers and the streams that feed these rivers.