Replanted Soybeans

During a very wet June 2015, part of our field of soybeans across from Prairie Creek was covered with water and the soybean plants drowned.

In this video, you can see Prairie Creek's path marked by the greener soybeans among the more mature soybeans:

Farmall H Tractor and Summer Clouds

Some videos of a Farmall H Tractor and summer clouds:

Oldest Tractor in the United States of America

Here is a video of the oldest tractor in the United States of America, the Old Hart-Parr Number 3.  The tractor is on loan from the Smithsonian Museum in Washington to the I & I Farm Museum in Penfield, Illinois:

Sunrise Over Will County

Sunrise over a Will County field in Manhattan Township:

John Deere 7720 Titan II Combining Soybeans

I took some photos of my dad and brothers combining soybeans.  My older brother unloaded the wagons into the grainery and my younger brother was riding in the combine with my dad.  The beans farther away from the grainery are double-crop soybeans that were planted after wheat.

Check out this video of my dad and brothers combining soybeans:

Baling Hay in Will County

Photos and Videos of Baling Hay in Will County:

Baling Hay 

Baling hay in a waterway

Baling Hay

American Gothic Gourds at Will County Fair

For people who attend the Will County Fair every year, the Fair can seem like one experience that never changes.  I love walking through the exhibition hall and seeing the familiar and beautiful displays of fruits and vegetables lovingly grown and displayed by local gardeners.  Last year, however, this entry for the "Gourd Dressed as a Farm Wife" class caught my eye and made me realize there is always something new to discover at the fair!

Gourds placed in a diorama replicating "American Gothic" 

2012 Corn Planting Begins in Illinois

Despite a freeze warning for the same night, this Will County, Illinois farmer planted his first corn acres April 11, 2012.

Planting corn on April 11, 2012 in Will County, Illinois

Here is a video of corn planting 2012 with a 6 row John Deere corn planter and an International Harvester 656 Tractor:

Will County Farmsteads from a Country Mile

Will County Farmsteads:

Farmstead in Eastern Will County

Farmstead in Manhattan Township

Windmill, Crib

Farmstead, Eastern Will County

Will County Corn Harvest 2010

Will County farmers enjoyed warm and dry weather--along with soaring commodity prices-- while completing their 2010 harvest.  In fact, it was so warm that corn kernels that fell out of wagons and combines germinated and grew, as seen in the pictures below:

Corn harvest, 2010, warm weather induced dropped corn kernels to germniate

An odd sight: volunteer corn in a newly-harvested field.  Will County, October 2010

Grand Champion Steer at the Will County Fair

The Will County Fair Beef Show is held every Saturday of the Will County Fair in Peotone, Illinois. Cattle breeders and livestock farmers from around the area bring their stock to compete for a chance to win a Grand Champion ribbon.

Here is the Grand Champion Steer Drive from the 2010 Will County Fair:

Vintage Farmall H Raking Hay

Here is some video of a vintage Farmall H raking hay in Will County, Illinois.

2010 was a challenging year for hay farmers in Will County. It rained through much of the month of June, thwarting efforts to get the hay crop in. The hay in this video is rather dusty from having been rained on a few times.

The Farmall H tractor in this picture has been in our family for decades. My grandpa bought it from the local hardware store in Manhattan, Illinois. Hard to think to a time when you could buy tractors from the downtown of your local, small town.

Here is the video of the H in action:

Queen Anne Farmhouses

Have you ever noticed these twin Queen Anne Farmhouses in Will County?  They are located between Peotone and Wilton Center, Illinois.

Queen Anne Farmhouses

I always enjoy driving by these two beautiful, working farmsteads.   

Here is some interesting information about the Queen Anne Style of homes.

Peotone FFA to hold consignment auction January 22, 2011

The Peotone FFA club will hold a farm machinery auction Saturday January 22, 2011 beginning at 10 am at the Peotone Fair Grounds.

Combine to be sold: Case-IH 2366, Case-IH 1063 Cornhead, Case-IH 1020 grain head

Tractors to be sold include: Case-IH MX275 Magnum, Case-IH 8940, Case-IH 7250

Other farm equipment to be sold: Case-IH 955 Planter, 12-23 rows, 3 boxes; Flicklin CA 14000 Grain cart,  Sunflower 6332 soil finisher, and much more.

For a complete auction listing with photos of the farm equipment, visit Larry Lorenz's Site.

Winter Thaw Floods out Winter Wheat in Will County

A mid-winter thaw and heavy rain resulted in flooding in Will County.  Some fields of winter wheat flooded then froze over when temperatures dropped again.

January 1, 2011, a winter thaw and heavy rain resulted in Prairie Creek in Manhattan, Illinois overflowing 

 Winter Wheat covered with frozen water

Winter Wheat 

Field of winter wheat in Will County, Illinois.  A thaw resulted in flooding, which then re-froze.

Welcome to Will County Farming!

Welcome to Will County Farming!

This website will feature photos, videos, and stories about farming in Will County, Illinois.

To start things off, check out this video of a Will County farmer kickin' it old school with a New Idea Corn Picker!