The Rural Voice, 1983-06, Page 12Adrian Rau, 10
Farming
I would like to tell you a little story
about farm life.
When spring comes it's time to get to
work on the farm. When the land gets dry
enough it is time to clean out the
barnyard. We haul the manure to the field
and spread it evenly around the field. It is
best to get the manure worked into the
ground as soon as possible so that it will
be good fertilizer. Manure also keeps the
soil nice and loose.
Also at this time, you can take soil
samples. This helps to tell how much
fertilizer you should put on the field so
you can grow a good crop.
Once we get the field cultivated, we
pick all the bigger stones that might
harm the seed drill. When the soil is
loose and nicely worked up, it is time to
sow the grain. This is done with a
machine called a seed drill. It sows both
grain and fertilizer in nice even straight
rows. Then we use a packer and harrow.
This helps to pack the ground around the
seeds to keep moisture there so the
seeds will grow.
Next comes the tiresome job of picking
PG. 10 THE RURAL VOICE, JUNE 1983
the smaller stones that might get caught
in machinery and break them.
Then it is corn planting time which is
done with a corn planter. It usually plants
six to twelve rows at a time. Then we
have to pick the stones off the corn fields
too. When the corn and grain get a few
inches high, the weeds start to show up.
So we must spray the crops with weed
spray. This is a job where you must be
careful to get just the right amount of
weedspray on, or you can kill your crop.
Now the crops are ready to grow all
summer.
By the middle of June, the grass is
usually tall enough to be cut for hay.
Some people use a mower to cut their
hay; others use swathers or haybines.
After the grass lays in the field a couple
of days it is dry on top. To get it dry on
the other side, we use a swath turner or
rake. Now we depend on the sun to dry it
for us. Once the hay is really dry we use a
baler to gather it up. Some farmers make
big round hay bales and others make
small square ones. They must be sure the
hay is very dry when they put it in the
barn or it will get mouldy and it gets very
warm and could start a barn fire.
In about six or seven weeks the grass
will grow tall enough to be cut again.
This is called second -cut hay. If it is a
good growing season, some people take
off third -cut hay too.
About the middle or end of August, it
is harvest time. The grain has become tall
and changed to a golden yellow colour.
Now it is ready to be cut with a swather.
It lays the grain in nice straight rows and
fluffs, it up so it will dry. The farmer
needs the help of the sun and wind to dry
the grain. When it is very dry, we use a
combine. This machine separates the
grain and straw. The grain goes into a big
bin and the straw goes out the back of
the combine.
Next we can bale the straw and store it
in the barn. In the winter we use it to bed
the cattle.
At last there is just the corn crop left to
harvest. Late in September the corn is
very tall and brown. When it is quite dry a
harvester cuts the corn into little pieces
and it is stored in a silo.
With all the crops off there is just one
job left to do before winter comes - that
is ploughing the fields.
Although there are many jobs to do on
the farm, it is a most interesting place to
live. I think it's great!
Robbie Bross, 9
R.R.#2 Mildmay