Cottonwoods Releasing Cotton

The white on the tree below is a cottonwood releasing its cotton.  It looked like a  mini snow storm. The cotton can carry the seed for many miles till it finds some bare wet ground to sprout on. Click to enlarge.

Old Barns

Barns are magnificent structures that many photographers have recorded.  You can buy all kinds of coffee table books that have barns in them.  I choose to photograph barns on the decline.  I want to be able to see light through the barn.  I am always curious as to the vintage and type of farm they represent.

Newly Mowed Hay

I caught a customer today mowing clover hay.  After the hay is taken off he will be planting soybeans.  Nothing smells better than newly mowed hay.  Too bad this isn't scratch and sniff. 

Hay Mowing

Mississippi River near Portage De Sioux

I like this shot of the Mississippi River near Portage De Sioux Missouri.  Illinois is in the background.

Corn Condition

Looking at corn condition, we have symptoms of cold and wet weather.  We are seeing purple corn, yellow corn, striped leaves, burnt leaves, and etc.  The good news is that stands are decent, drowned areas are minimal, and best of all 99% of corn is planted and emerged before the end of May.  Should we look for a record crop?  July and August weather will control that. 

Effects of No-Till on Soil Organic Carbon

I previously shared information from Dr. Ken Olson of the University of Illinois concerning whether or not No-Till increases Soil Organic Carbon.  Dr. Olson has recently teamed up with other researchers in the Midwest to take a more broad look at the subject.  In this news article No-Till soil organic carbon sequestration rates are questioned by Dr. Olson and others.  Let's be clear that nobody is saying that No-till is a bad thing.  Dr. Olson is dedicated to soil conservation and the positive effect that No-till has on soil loss is not questioned. 

Levee Repair

The levee below was damaged near Portage de Sioux, MO in the flood of 2013.  This spot held, but needed major repairs.  It protects thousands of acres of cropland and the villages of Portage de Sioux and West Alton. A slide and a corroded culvert caused problems in this area.