Planting CRP - Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Ok, ok, I know - I'm way behind in publishing these updates.  Mea Culpa.

I left Indy just after 2 pm that Tuesday.  I went home, changed clothes and was at the SWCD (Soil & Water Conservation District) office to get the seeder drill at 3:30 (rental unit).  Low and behold, it does not take a ball (even though I had taken with me both a 1 & 7/8" and 2" ball).  No, it takes a flat bar to tow.

I drove down the street to Dave's Body Shop (shout out) and had them use an impact wrench to take off the ball.  Back to connect the drill.  I signed the appropriate paper work and headed home.

I got back and noticed that I required a hydraulic line in the back of the tractor to raise and lower the drill.  No dice.  My new Kubota has only hydraulic pick-ups in the front.  A quick call to Lahrman's and they said they'd be right over.  Within 20 minutes, I had a "borrowed" tractor from the Lahrman's that did the job.

We hooked up the drill and ensured that it was functioning properly and I took off to plant the CRP.  Technically, I am planting CP33 - which consists of tall switch grass, forbes, legumes, and wild flowers.  This is for several reasons - first, it helps with water run-off; second, it provides habitat for God's creatures; third, it provides for pollinators (the wild flowers); and finally, it sets a boundary between properties.  We all win!

So here I am towing a drill around my property planting 4.2 acres of seed - and I'm starting at 6 pm.  I get finished at 9 pm after having Alex plant his field too.  He and I take the tractor back to the Lahrman's farm lot.  And then I got to clean the drill.  I had to sweep out all the unused seed so it was clean for the next use.  And then, I returned the drill to Frankfort.

I got home and stepping into the shower at 11:05 pm.  And all of this was with modern machinery.  Granted, the drill was only 6' wide, but still, I can't imagine how the farmers of old ever made it.  In the end, I drug that 6' drill 1.375 miles to plant my field.  That does not include turn-arounds and water ways.  Let's hope the end product is worth it.  Pictures coming when it gets up and the flowers bloom.

Here is a shot of a similar seed drill.
You can see multiple bins for different seed types.
It works pretty well.
But they ain't cheap.  Renting is the way to go.


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