The crop in the front of the picture is the soybeans we were combining.Winter wheat is planted on a field that had another crop on it this year that has already been harvested. It will germinate and start growing.
You hope for good cover of snow to protect it during the winter. You also hope that you don't get a thaw and freeze cycle because it can start growing during the thaw and a freeze at that time would kill it.
It will be the first crop to be harvested because it will have a head start on everything else. Rye is another winter hardy crop that can be planted in the fall.
This is a better shot of the seeding outfit. The tractor is 3rd DS's and the air seeder is DH's. The yellow tank in back is divided and holds dry fertilizer and the seed.
The middle section, which is in transport position on this picture, has shanks that work the earth and hoses that drop the seed into the opening left by the shank. The soil is then closed again and packed to retain moisture and have good seed to soil contact.
When in use, the wings that form the triangle are lowered to the ground with hydraulic cylinders.
It is called an air seeder because there is a fan that blows air and moves the seed and fertilizer along the hoses at a rate decided by the operator to get the correct amount of seed planted to optimize production. The air seeder is used for all size crops from grain to soybeans.
I thought this is a "romantic" farming picture...with the clouds, hazy background and a sharp shot of the equipment.
Corn will be the next crop harvested. The freeze killed this too. And with the windy and unusually hot weather (80s in October for pete's sake!), the corn will be drying out so there will be a better chance of harvesting it dry and not need to dry it either in a grain dryer or an aeration bin....either one is an added expense.
'Bout ready!
