Sunshine and Muddy Tennis Shoes

I'm thankful for sunshine and muddy tennis shoes.

 

Randy and I scouted some 2017 wheat fields Wednesday afternoon, our shoes squishing into rain-soaked ground. We received 1.80 inches of rain earlier this week. This was in addition to the 3.5 inches of rain that fell the week before.

It was the first moisture we'd gotten since the January ice storm, so I sure didn't mind a little mud on my tennis shoes!

The rain fell at an opportune time. Randy is showing where the wheat "joint" is. Jointing is the time frame where yield potential for the wheat plant is determined, so it's a benefit if it has adequate moisture and nutrients available to it. We had done what we could about the nutrients. We had the co-op top-dress the wheat fields with fertilizer. Mother Nature supplied the moisture!

A different perspective - from the ground up!

The cooler temperatures also helped slow down wheat growth, also a good thing. But after several days of rain, the sunshine provides some "heat units," also important for growth.

The rains also provided moisture for our alfalfa fields (above) and pastures. We'll be moving cattle to pasture at the beginning of May, so these spring showers will give the grasslands a boost.

Famously, "April showers bring May flowers." But it also brings its share of April blooms.

Spring reminds us to appreciate the little things as they come. One day, the hyacinth was exploding with purple boldness. Only days later, the blooms are shriveled and unremarkable. It would have been all too easy to miss them.

So I will delight in the redbud blooms ...

... and the pear tree blossoms ...

... and the purple tulips against rough rock ...

... and the flowering shrubs - the color of the bloom seemingly leeching into the leaves.

And I'll be thankful for all - muddy tennis shoes included. 

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.
And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.
So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27

A Time to Think

Flowers grow out of dark moments.
 –Sister Mary Corita Kent, artist and educator

A Time to Act

Change your thoughts and change your life.

A Time to Pray

Dear God, help me always to see beyond my fears to the beauty of Your creation.

Devotional from Guideposts.

This Joint Is Jumpin'!

This "joint" is jumping. Well, the 2015 wheat crop is jointing anyway.

"Jointing" is when the leaf begins to elongate, forming a stem. Here's how it looks on the inside of the wheat stalk.

The joint is located where Randy's finger is pointing in the photo below.

 

Jointing is the time frame where yield potential for the wheat plant is determined, so it's a benefit if it has adequate moisture and nutrients available to it. We've done what we can about the nutrients. We top-dressed the wheat fields with liquid nitrogen. Now it's up to Mother Nature to supply the moisture we need and to keep the temperatures above freezing.

My Farmer says he'd like to order 3 inches of rain, slowly and gently falling over 3 days. If only it worked like that! We have the potential of thunderstorms and hail today. 

 

There are some areas in the field that are showing stress due to drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, we are in an area of moderate drought (the peachy color in the map below). But, for the most part, the wheat looks good in our area. 

 Kansas Agricultural Statistics reports that the winter wheat crop in Kansas is rated 44 percent fair, with 35 rated good. Both extremes of the crop -- the "very poor" and the "excellent" - make up 4 percent each, and 13 percent is rated poor.

The report also indicates that wheat jointing was at 15 percent at the end of last week, ahead of 5 percent last year, but behind the 18 percent average.

I guess this is one of those times when it's good to be average?