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  1. M

    Never been able to shoot the model 12 well.

    I like to shoot a lot of older guns at the trap range. I’ve never been able to get the model 12 to shoot like the others, always forget to cover up the target. Well High Plains Gunstocks have a bunch of gunstocks that fit so I ordered a very plain Jane basic set. I honestly don’t care for a lot...
  2. M

    Many of us are pigs.

    I’m sure it’s just waterfowlers, and certainly no one here. Each spring the grandkids and I pick up trash around the lakeshore. Probably a half mile of shore line we usually get two bags of trash. Each year. Am I the only one who makes every reasonable effort to pick up my spent shells ? This...
  3. M

    Anyone can do it ?

    There is a maybe 1/4 acre grass patch between the house and the road. When we had cows it was a holding pen before the working pens. This spring I planted a bunch of various hay species left over from other years and projects, turned out to be mostly red clover and sweet clover. We wanted...
  4. M

    Sounds like a no from the USDA

    Seems no release for planting: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/blogs/ag-policy-blog/blog-post/2022/04/04/ag-secretary-vilsack-rejects-open-2
  5. M

    New CRP

    Signed up a little more CRP, it is a long narrow piece next to DNR ground that gets hit hard by deer and the trees reduce production some. The soil types however are top of the list. With the payments rates I don’t think they will get much good producing ground enrolled. It would be rented on...
  6. M

    Took the combine to town.

    I took the combine to Spencer in NW Iowa early this morning. I saw many, many broods of pheasants out on the back roads, more than I have ever seen. Most were evidently hatched in the ditches since there was only corn and beans for some distance. Every thing to roosters with some color to some...
  7. M

    A morning that makes it worth doing.

    Sitting here on the patio drinking that first cup of coffee. Our farm includes a lot of hay ground along with CRP in addition to the corn and beans. When I had cows we rotated the pastures, MIG for those who know. The pastures got reseeded very few years and that kept them labeled as fields for...
  8. M

    CRP opened for haying.

    https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/Conservation/Haying-and-Grazing/map-haying_and_Grazing.pdf I see lots of haying this week, they must have waved the nesting season requirement. current list...
  9. M

    Am I wasting my time ?

    This pond hasn’t been dry since we sold the cows. A month ago I dug an area out that held water and now it’s dry. The DNR is draining the lake and the water table goes down with it. All the nearby water sources are dry. Anyone have any experience with doing this ?
  10. M

    Planting more EQUIP cover

    I managed to get 20 more acres of EQUIP ground planted today. Still waiting on whether or not the other 20 acres got accepted. I applied last fall sometime and they can’t give me any idea if or when it will get accepted. It would have been nice to work it and seed it with the rest but no big...
  11. M

    Predator (coyotes) question

    There are many folks here with deep backgrounds on pheasants, I have long had a question on coyotes. How much net damage to bird populations do they really do ? I understand a coyote will eat anything it can catch. I also hear their main diet is small mammals. But I hunt with guys that shoot...
  12. M

    All Creatures Great and Small

    Anyone see the new version of the show on Masterpiece Theater ? We at our house have read all the books and thought the earlier show was great. This one seems to be pretty good, and as a farmer I must say very accurate.
  13. M

    Going through some old family photos

    Both my folks passed away a couple years ago. I’ve finally decided to sit down and sort the photos and related keepsakes that they accumulated. Tough job, lots of good memories and a few tight throat times. My folks never discussed much about their early life, snippets here and there. Dad...
  14. M

    It’s not just hunters.

    There’s a section of corn across the road from me, just came out yesterday, last field around. I came home late afternoon and my wife says some guys are shooting too close to the house. Odd, the landlord never allows hunting, long story there. I go to the end of the lane and see two guys...
  15. M

    CRP released for haying

    Yesterday I got a call from the NRCS guy and he told me the CRP got released for haying. All programs, no repayment. The CRP here in my part of Iowa is going to take a huge hit. I have a considerable amount, I will cut maybe 10% of it so I can get some thistle control done this fall. He stated...
  16. M

    Hail

    Wife and I went out to survey the hail damage, pretty severe right locally. Two hens tried to get up, couldn’t fly right, went down right away. Clay county, very narrow strip, not sure how long. I delayed the hay cutting until last Thursday, the bird crop was looking pretty good until today.
  17. M

    Know how to ask.

    Some folks just get themselves crossways right off the start. This is a dialog from a phone call this morning, 7:30. Phone rings McFarmer : hello. Hunter: do you own land on the west side of the lake ? McFarmer: who’s calling ? Hunter: *states name* McFarmer: yes we do. Hunter: can I hunt...
  18. M

    Harvest of cover crops allowed Sept 1

    The USDA has decided to allow harvesting of cover crops beginning September first. This would be on prevent planted land. Hope none of us planned on some hunting cover this fall. I don’t know how it will affect winter cover.
  19. M

    First broods

    Saw my first brood the other day. Weather for hatch seems good, haying will be delayed and that might result in some more hatches.
  20. M

    Feeding pheasants, am I wrong ?

    So here on the farm the pheasants have gathered in the grove with all the sub zero temps and new snow fall. I’ve taken to dumping a half pail of corn out there every few days, it gets cleaned up. The deer feed around the grain bins, I don’t know how but they can lick every last kernel out of an...
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