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.

Mississippi River

Traffic

You do not get the opportunity to view this

type of boat on the River very often.

This is an example of the usual traffic.

A tug which pushes Barges loaded with

coal, corn and other products

Of course there is the occasional

House Boat.

Iowa Tractor Boys

Leisure Time

Some has to crack the black walnuts

This is done during the Winter Months

This is a Northeast Iowa Winter

Usually plenty of Snow

Modeling a row of Tall Corn


Reading the Press, printed in
Guttenberg, Iowa
this is a Weekly Newspaper



Everything will be alright!!!

Iowa Tractor Boy

Equipment Lineup

Ready for the Harvest

Harvesting the Soybeans

in

Clayton County

Iowa, U. S. A.

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers

Lock and Dam Number Ten

Guttenberg, Iowa

Winter Maintenance

I have one Sibling Brother and one Nephew who are also Iowa Tractor Boys; however they also work for the Corps at Lock and Dam Number Ten in Guttenberg, Iowa. This is a series of shots of the interior of the Locks which show these two working with others to perform maintenance. The Mississippi River if frozen so the maintenance can be performed without delaying the Barge traffic up or down the river.

As I viewed this picture I thought to myself, are these employees discussing how long before the next coffee break!!!