Field work underway in dry conditions in southwestern Nebraska

By John O'Dea, Indianola, Neb.
Apr 12, 2023
Apr 12, 2023

John Odea intro (3).jpeg — The cows in John O’Dea’s calving lot know where to go when he’s in the lot for a good back scratch.
Midwest Messenger photo by Barb Bierman Batie

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

By John O'Dea, Indianola, Neb.

Farming is in full swing here in southwestern Nebraska with lots of strip tilling and spraying going on. Wind has definitely been a challenge for the sprayer operators.

kAm~FC ?6:893@C[ s6C6< |6J6CD[ 8@E @FC @2ED A=2?E65 E9:D A2DE H66<] r@=5 D@:= 2?5 2 =:EE=6 >@:DEFC6 96=5 FD 324< 7@C 2 4@FA=6 H66<D[ 3FE H2C>6C E6>A6C2EFC6D 2C6 2C@F?5 E96 4@C?6C] (6 2C6 DE:== :? D6G6C6 5C@F89E[ 3FE 2EE:EF56D 2C6 36EE6C 2?5 4@?5:E:@?D 2C6 36EE6C E92? H6 92G6 366? 7@C BF:E6 2 H9:=6]k^Am

kAm(6 2C6 86EE:?8 D@>6 A6C>2?6?E 76?46 3F:=E[ 2?5 42=G:?8 92D DH:E4965 7C@> =23@C :?E6?D:G6 E@ >@C6 @7 2? t2DE6C 688 9F?E ?@H] (6 ;FDE 5C:G6 2C@F?5 E96 42=G:?8 8C@F?5D 2?5 7:?5 E96>]k^Am

kAmx F?56CDE2?5 H9J A6@A=6 42=G6 :? y2?F2CJ 2?5 u63CF2CJ[ 3FE :E D66>D =:<6 @FC 42=G6D E92E 2C6 3@C? 36EH66? |2C49 a_ 2?5 |2J a_ 2C6 86?6C2==J E96 >@DE DF446DD7F=] ~FC 8C2DD A62<D :? =2E6 yF?6 ?@C>2==J[ D@ E92E :D E96 62D:6DE E:>6 E@ 86E 2 4@H 3C65 324<]k^Am

kAm(6 5@ H92E @FC 4FDE@>6CD H2?E[ D@ H6 3C665 96:76CD 7@C u63CF2CJ 2?5 H6 4FDE@> 42=G6 E96> 7@C 7@=<D] (6 2C6 8@:?8 E@ AFD9 @FC DE2CE 52E6 2 4@FA=6 H66<D =2E6C E9:D ?6IE J62C 2?5 D66 :7 @FC 4FDE@>6CD 2446AE E92E] x562==J[ H6 H@F=5 36 42=G:?8 2== E96 96:76CD :? |2C49 2?5 E96 4@HD :? pAC:=]k^Am

kAmx’> HC:E:?8 E9:D 2E E96 6?5 @7 2 G6CJ 7F? t2DE6C $F?52J] y2<6 92?5=65 49@C6D 2?5 y@9? v 2?5 9:D 7:2?4é[ z2E96C:?6[ ;@:?65 FD 2E 49FC49] (6 2=D@ 8@E E@ 5@ @?6 @7 @FC 72G@C:E6 E9:?8D 27E6C H@CD9:Ai 7665 A6@A=6P (6 >256 A2?42<6D 7@C E96 4@?8C682E:@? H9:=6 @E96C 72>:=:6D 5:5 E96 4@7766[ D2FD286[ E23=6 D6E FA[ 6E4] xE H2D 2 =@E @7 7F?] |:496==6 2?5 x H6C6 @? E96 8C:55=6D[ z2E H2D >:I:?8 32EE6C 2?5 3C:?8:?8 :E E@ FD 2?5 v H2D 92F=:?8 A2?42<6D E@ E96 49@H =:?6]k^Am

People are also reading…

Screwworm spreads into 4 more counties
Cereal rye smothers weeds
Revamped program offers one-year contract for cover crops
Beet stands come through cold, windy spring
Montana Department of Livestock and MSU Extension issue guidance after New World screwworm detected in Texas
What can I do about drought, minerals, and fly control for cattle?
Downpour floods fields in south-central North Dakota as farmers finish planting
What cattle producers need to know about New World screwworm
From the Fields: Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini
Nitrogen prices spawn interest in fertigation
Manage small acreage pastures before, after drought
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Monitor water sources to protect herd health
Lewistown native shares his passion for agriculture
Farmers make replant decisions

PPR O’Dea — The O’Dea family was on pancake duty on Easter Sunday, mixing the batter and manning the griddles to feed the after-church crowd.
Submitted photo

kAmp7E6C y2<6 8@E 5@?6 7665:?8[ H6 H6?E E@ E96 (2F89 72>:=J 9@>6 :? |4r@@< 7@C t2DE6C 5:??6C] y2<6 2?5 E96:C 52F89E6C[ z265:?[ 92G6 366? 52E:?8 7@C D6G6C2= >@?E9D 2?5 H6 86E E@ DA6?5 2 =@E @7 E:>6 H:E9 96C]k^Am

kAm}2E6 2?5 z6CCJ 2C6 G6CJ H6=4@>:?8[ 86?F:?6 A6@A=6 2?5 H6 C62==J 6?;@J 9@H E96 72>:=:6D 92G6 >6D965] |:496==6 2?5 x 2C6 3=6DD65 E92E E96 3@JD 92G6 7@F?5 DF49 H@?56C7F= =25:6D E@ 92G6 :? E96:C =:G6D] %96 8:C=D A:E49 :? 9@H6G6C E96J 42? H96? E96:C D4965F=6D 2==@H] xE >2<6D 6G6CJE9:?8 >@C6 7F?]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 5:??6C E96 3@JD 2?5 x A2:C65 @FE 2 EC2:=6C =@25 @7 96:76CD H:E9 3F== 323:6D 7@C E96 D2=6 :? |4r@@<] (6 2C6 <66A:?8 2== E96 A2:CD H:E9 96:76C 42=G6D H:E9 A=2?D @7 >2<:?8 >@C6 3C65 76>2=6D :? E96 7FEFC6] xE :D 2=H2JD 7F? E@ H@C< H:E9 E96 8FJD]k^Am

kAm(6 925 2 >:?:>F> @7 ?@:D6] p 4@FA=6 96:76CD H6C6 2 =:EE=6 =6DD E92? 4@@A6C2E:G6[ 2?5 @?6 5:DA=2J65 2? 2EE:EF56 E92E H:== >62? D96 H:== 92G6 2 42C66C 492?86 :? E96 ?62C 7FEFC6] x?DE625 @7 AC@5F4:?8 3667[ D96 H:== 364@>6 3667] x 92E6 CF56 3692G:@C :? 2 96:76C] x H@?VE E@=6C2E6 :E] pD =@?8 2D 6G6CJE9:?8 :D BF:6E :? E96 >@C?:?8[ H6 H:== <?@H H6 8@E E96> C:89E]k^Am

kAmxE >2<6D 6G6CJ@?6VD 962CED D<:A 2 362E :? @FC ?6:893@C9@@5 H96? E96 7:C6 42==D D@F?5 2C@F?5 96C6 27E6C =2DE DAC:?8] (6 92G6 925 D6G6C2= D>2== 7:C6D DE2CE :? E96 D2>6 2C62 E92E H2D 56G2DE2E65 @?6 J62C 28@] {F4<:=J[ @FC G@=F?E66CD 92G6 366? 23=6 E@ 86E E96> 4@?EC@==65 H:E9 >:?:>2= 52>286 E9:D J62C]k^Am

kAm!=62D6 AC2J 7@C C2:? 2?5 @FC 7:CDE C6DA@?56CD[ 2?5 36 42C67F= 2>:5 E96 DAC:?8 CFD9] xVG6 ?6G6C 366? E@ 2 7F?6C2= H96C6 E96 A2>A9=6E >6?E:@?65 E96 56462D65 2=H2JD 36:?8 E96 7:CDE @?6 5@?6 A=2?E:?8]k^Am