Crops are Growing

It's a stormy day here, which is a delight, as we need the moisture to get the crops growing. Alfalfa is peeking its green leaves through last year's broken stalks.

The fields are starting to get greener as we emerge from the winter. Hurray!

Here's the same view about 10 days later. It's amazing what a little moisture can do. 

The first crop of alfalfa should be ready to harvest in early June. Then, depending on weather, there will be two or three more crops after that.

In a nearby pivot field are little sprouts of barley poking up out of the ground. Barley is an annual, and once it gets cut, it's done for the year, it won't grow back like alfalfa. Crops are rotated periodically though the fields to help balance out nutrients and get rid of crop-specific pests. In addition to alfalfa and barley, we'll also have corn, orchard grass, fescue, and oats fields this year.

Seeing all this green in the fields makes me think I better get to work on my garden!