[AT] Too Dry to Plow

[Gene Dotson]

    Following Ralph's posts on his wet conditions while here in Western, 
Ohio we are getting very dry. I have 20 acres of wheat stubble to plow. 
Yesterday I got the Case 700 tractor and Case 2 bottom plow hooked up to lay 
off a couple of lands on one 10 acre field. The ground is so dry I was 
barely able to scratch out 2 lands. The plow I used is the one I use for 
very tough plowing and was not able to keep it plowing deep enough to make a 
good land. Where it did maintain depth, it turned up football size clods. 
Will have to wait for  decent soaking rain to get it turned.

    Got the Case 900 out of the barn for the first time in about 5 years. 
Getting it ready to do some work. First stage fuel filter housing had rust 
holes in the bottom, so had to take it off and braze it up and install new 
fuel filters. Cleaned it up with the pressure washer and adjusted the 
valves.Still has a little miss on #1 cylinder but will see if it gets better 
with a little use. Will be using it to pull my Case 4X16 plow

    Harvest has started here this week. Early corn is coming off and 
soybeans in a few early fields. Harvest is very early and drying conditions 
are very good. Ohio State Farm Science show is next week at London, Ohio and 
harvest demonstrations should have ideal crop conditions. Tillage 
demonstrations may be challenging for some if it stays so dry.

                        Gene




    Guess our only hope is for "Indian Summer" as it looks like fall is not
> going to give us a break. Saw the first frost on the grass yesterday 
> morning
> and forecasts are for colder the next few days. No big rain this week but
> just cloudy and damp enough that the crops will not dry out from the last
> big rains.
> People are buying big grain carts as its not safe to put a loaded truck in
> the fields. Duals on combines are another option. I've seen some terrible
> ruts in the few fields that have been harvested. It could be a long
> difficult harvest season if it ever really starts.
>
> Ralph in Sask.