Growth Rings

 In 1977 Jan planted this Pin Oak tree on our yard. It was a drought year. It was the year our oldest son Mike was born. He celebrated his 43rd birthday this past Tuesday. This tree is straight and strong. It has a single trunk thanks to Jan's care and pruning. This trunk's purpose is to point the tree upward.  It serves us well.

This Bur Oak tree died in 1977 across from our house. We've never taken it down. It used to be healthy, standing with others on the bank of a creek. The first year here, I made this ditch into a waterway with a dozer. I saved this single tree because of it's size and health. However it died when it lost the soil and structure around it's roots.

Jan's Grandpa Frank planted this tree some years before we moved here. It was a freebee from opening a bank account somewhere. It looked like a bush when he planted it. It still looks like a bush today. This tree doesn't have a clue which trunk is it's main one. It had no guidance, direction, or pruning. It is splitting and it's weak. It didn't have a straight purpose when it was young. Age and maturity has not corrected that.

 I could print a dozen or more correlations and examples between the life of a tree and human nature. However I'm sure you are already following my thought process.

Jan has planted over 250 trees on our yard in the last 43 years. I have helped her with many of them however they all were her idea. Obviously the earlier plantings are real assets for her and I on our yard for shade, wildlife shelter, and beauty. We and our guests truly enjoy them. However Jan hasn't quit planting trees just because her and my time around here is getting shorter and we more than likely won't be benefiting from our younger trees. She still plants several young trees every year and has plans for many more. It's called, paying it forward. Others went the extra mile for us. It's our turn to do our very best to finish strong.  

Jan loves working outside and it shows. She prunes young trees on top for a straight single branch upwards. She prunes them on the bottom for a healthy, strong, single trunk with a purpose. She often feeds them with fertilizer. It's best to fertilize trees when they are dormant (late fall) to help establish strong roots. This summer she has had to water her new trees every other day during our current dry spell. She has me drive steel posts so she can tie them to grow straight. And wraps fencing around the young trees to keep the deer from rubbing and eating them. In other words she cares for and protects them. Just like we as parents do for our children. And like God our Father does for us, His children.

Our landscaping projects can take years and Jan is very patient with me. This past week, with the help of Eli and Matt, we worked on moving in more rocks and black dirt so Jan can plant some of her favorite flowers and shrubs. 

It's getting closer and closer to go time for harvest. We are working on cleaning and servicing our semis. And making sure the air conditioners work. Depending on yield about 80% of our crop goes straight from the field to the processor. Much of it has already been forward contracted. 

 

 We worked on graincarts. We greased, washed, checked alignments, and replaced auger flightings that were worn. We installed their scale displays in the tractors pulling them and made sure the scale cells on the carts were free and clean. One cart now has a wireless display directly to an ipad.

A lot of silage chopping has been completed. We just chop a little with a New Idea Uni and bag it. Estimated yields on corn on corn seem to be down significantly compared to corn on bean ground. Below Jamie's crew is chopping for Jason. Thanks for the picture Jason.

Kurt has been busy hauling grain for others. We also cleaned out a bin of beans for a landlord. Commodity prices have rebounded some due to dry weather and storms. 

Speaking of storms and back to trees, Central Iowa lost many, (some most) of their large trees due to the 100 mph plus winds that went through 3 weeks ago. This picture was taken near Solon, Iowa. Thanks Randy. 

Our life's journeys, just like these trees are unpredictable. None of us are guaranteed a long life.

 I'm sure as folks clean up those trees they will see the wood grain inside the outside bark. A crosscut log will show the growth rings of a tree's life. Every ring in that grain is a complete cycle of a season (year). The outer rings are the youngest. The thickness of the ring determines the condition or the climate of the season.

As we grow through life, folks watch whether we are straight, strong, point upwards, or have a purpose. When tough times come and we lose our structure (normal) they also see if we have deep roots. If we live for ourselves, or if we pay it forward for those who follow us.

 Ezra and Elijah helped me cut down this Ponderosa Pine last week. It had around 27 growth rings and had been dead for a couple of years. It was part of a grove Jan and I planted on the northwest part of our yard.

And just like those lost trees on Randy's parents farm near Solon, folks will come and clean up our stuff after we're gone. They will see our growth rings (years). Our early years. Our productive years. Our hard years. And, our final year. Hopefully in the crosscut of the grain they won't see a coalition of  pessimism, negativism, anger, and fear; and throw their memories away. Hopefully they will see rings of giving, encouraging, pruning, supporting, and protecting; and will put those rings where they can see them every day. We have a crosscut grain of a Catalpa tree as a centerpiece on our kitchen table. It has been varnished and has 103 growth rings. Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by. And hope you are looking forward to another week.