Goings on on the Farm

Rain. Rain. And more rain. I keep wondering when or if it will stop. We have had the good fortune here to have missed most of the worst weather; our friends to the south and the north of us have really been hit hard. Reports from friends traveling in southern Iowa indicate plenty of ground sitting underwater. Our farm is situated quite high in the watershed, less the three miles that divides the Middle Bear Creek watershed from the next watershed over.

We have done pretty well when dry weather has come along, getting in to seed, transplant, and control weeds. And we’ve taken advantage of the wet weather to refurbish the barrel washer, repair our harvest wagon, and catch up on email.

While I was lying with my feet in the creek on Saturday afternoon, a hummingbird checked out my ear. A few minutes later I opened my eyes to see a blue heron soaring just a few feet over me, feet trailing out behind. Later in the week, while I scoped out the harvest in the upper fields, a beautiful, white snowy egret flew over me, chased by a slightly overzealous redwing blackbird.