Straight line winds and heavy rains have taken their toll: the oats are bent over nearly to the ground and wedged into one another. I believe this is called lodging and you can see it in the photo. Around the edge of the fields, especially near the road, Minnesota’s newly identified invasive pest, wild parsnip has been giving me plenty to do just to keep it in check. You don’t want to mess with this stuff: if you get the juice on your skin and it gets exposed to sunlight you get a nasty burn. Ouch.

But things are coming along: the oats should be ready to harvest in a week or so, there is progress on plans for a farm office and repairs to the old barn and I’ve cleared many of the trees from along the creek where I hope to put a crossing so we don’t have to go the long way round from the barn to the fields.

The whole thing is overwhelming and exhilarating. I’m sure grateful for good friends who are helping in all kinds of ways.

Strong winds and rains have ‘lodged’ the oats.