Planting Corn - Family Farm Style

I know I talk way more about the cattle side of our farm than the farming side.  I have also talked more about putting up hay than growing corn.  I have finally figured out the reason.  No...  I don't feel that the corn farming is not an important part of our operation or to telling our story as American Farmers.  The main reason why I don't get many pictures or things to talk in relation to the corn farming is because a lot of the things that go into growing corn happen either during the day time while I am at work or at night which is not condusive to taking good pictures.  We are very blessed to have a father-in-law who is willing to give us some of his time and resources to make sure that we can get the seed in the ground and the corn harvested to the best of our abilities.  He wants to see us make the farm work and succeed and is willing to help us.  However, I have noticed that he is able to make time in his busy schedule to come help during the weekdays and between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm.  The time of the week when I am at work.  So by the time I get home they are wrapping up what ever project they are working on.  Or Mark will be working on the farming after he gets home from the day job and gets the cows fed which is usually well past dark 30!!


Fueling up the tractor and checking the fluids before heading back to
the field!! 

Due to getting some rain on the eastern side of the state late last week and the fact they are almost done with planting their corn and soybeans my father-in-law and his hired man came out Friday with our corn seed (did I mention he is also our corn seed dealer??  If not we have a great corn seed dealer that always makes sure we have the right seed!!!!).  They got the planter hooked up and adjusted and were able to start planting some corn while Mark and I were both at our day jobs.  After they left that evening Mark finished up planting the field they were on.  Early Sat morning guess who drove the 2.5 hours back to our house?? 



Opening a bag of corn seed!




After fueling and checking fluids, the planter gets filled with seed
before heading to the field to start planting. 


Yep my father-in-law came back to help plant while Mark and I worked on sorting cows and began the process of hauling cows to grass.  But this time I was armed with my camera and got some PICTURES!!!!!!  It was really hot on Sat so we didn't sort too many cows (we didn't want to over heat the cattle) and when we got done Mark jumped in the tractor and finished planting what was left of the seed we had.  We were a couple bags short so again our seed dealer being so dedicated to serving his customers sent out some more seed Sunday morning with his hired man who also helped us finish planting while we hauled more cows out to grass!!!  In 3 days we got the planter hooked up, adjusted, all of the seed in the ground, all the cows sorted, 1 pasture filled with pairs and we each put in a full day work at our "day jobs".  We couldn't have gotten so much accomplished without the help from our family.  This is what American Family Farms is about.  Coming together to make sure we all have a chance of succeeding!!!!

Starting to plant another 1 of our fields!  Mark is walking behind the planter
to make sure it is putting the right amount of seeds in the ground and that
the level is adjusted properly!