Today is the occasion of one of the most beautiful of all historic farming activities: the wheat harvest.

Of Howell Farm's two fields in wheat this year, the smaller field is ready. The larger field still has some growing to do.

Farmer Jeremy remarks that the quality of the crop in the smaller field is excellent. Jeremy seeded the field a little heavier than usual in the fall, and this seems to have done the trick to crowd of the weeds. Some years thistle is all over the place; this year there's hardly a thistle to be seen.

The wheat harvest relies on a piece of 1800s technology, the reaper binder, which cuts the wheat and ties it up into sheaves using twine. Humans then pick up the sheaves and build upright mounds using 8 to 10 of the sheaves, including 2 sheaves on top to help keep out the rain. These mounds, called shocks, let the wheat dry outside for a few days until it's ready to be threshed.

When Howell Farm first started using a reaper binder, Jeremy recalls how the binder would mis-tie every 4 or 5 sheaves, and the sheaf would have to be tied manually--a big hassle. Then, after a trip to Lancaster to visit the Amish, the farm started using the same higher quality twine the Amish had been using. Problem solved.

The invention of the reaper binder in the mid-1800s was a huge step forward for agricultural technology. For about 10,000 years beforehand, wheat harvests had been very similar and very tedious: the wheat was cut and collected by hand using a short-handled sickle. It wasn't until the 1830s that Cyrus McCormick invented a horse-draw machine that cut wheat stalks close to the ground, and then it took another 45 years or so for the tying part of the equation to be invented and perfected.

According to an article by farm historian Larry Kidder:

"About 1905 an Illinois farmer commended that when he first began farming, 'It took ten men to cut and bind my grain. Now our hired girl gets on the seat of a self-binder and does the whole business.'"

The pigs get up to leave their luxurious swimming pool when the food arrives.

On farms across New Jersey, haying operations are now in full swing, and it’s no different at Howell Farm. Hay has been cut in several fields, raked, tedded and is now ready for baling. This is also the time of year where the farmers pay very close attention to daily weather reports and track incoming storms.

The market garden this year wil be planted with sweet corn and popcorn. On Saturday Farmer Rob used his team of oxen to pack the soil. It’s now set to be disc harrowed and then planted as soon as possible.

During the summer, mechanical culitviation is necessary to give the crops an advanatage over their weedy competitors. On Saturday, Farmer Larry culitvated the potato field, and today the potatoes are looking to be in excellent health. 

Howell Farm is located in one of the most deer overpopullated parts of New Jersey, with New Jersey being one of the most deer overpopulated places in the country. In other words, Howell Farm is ground zero for deer-induced crop damage.

And so, one of the most important factors in growing a successful corn crop here is a deer fence. Last week the farmers installed a somewhat-portable plastic mesh deer fence around the field, though it’s certainly still jumpable for a motivated white-tailed deer. The fence will soon be fortified with some strands of electrified wire.

On Saturday, Farmer Ian began cultivating the cornfield, though the job’s not yet finished. The cultivated rows look even more well-groomed and orderly next to the weedy rows that still remain.

As part of the continual safety testing and maintenance of Howell Farm's historic steam engine, it was time to replace some tubes in the boiler.

One week after planting, the corn in the cornfield has emerged from the soil looking green and healthy. Soon, a portable deer fence will be constructed around the field to protect the young crop from hungry deer.

May 2014 was a little warm and a little wet—and overall a little of everything—according to the latest report from the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist:

“May 2014 had a difficult time establishing an identity. What began with a storm that carried over from April 30th and resulted in the 7th largest flood of the past century in the Raritan basin on the 1st, later included some warm days, late freezes in a few locations, severe thunderstorms with hail in others, and a spectacular Memorial Day. Overall, May averaged 62.1°, which is 1.3° above average (compared to the 1981-2010 average). This ranks as the 35th warmest (tied with 1962) in the 120 years back to 1895. Precipitation averaged 5.18", which is 1.18" above average and ranks as 19th wettest. “

Spring 2014 was a little cool and a little wet:

“Spring (March-May) temperatures were on the cool side, averaging 49.3°. Spring precipitation across the state average 13.38". This is 0.88" above average and ranks as the 28th wettest. 

On the global climate scene, some forecasters are now saying there is a 90% chance of El Nino conditions forming this year. That often means more rain for parts of California (now suffering extreme drought) and warmer winters in the Northeast:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/11/-sp-el-nino-weather-2014

This year’s Howell Farm cornfield, now freshly planted, was, in reflection, “a grisly piece of ground to work,” according to one farmer.

Over the winter, the field was kept in sod, and come spring the thick grass roots grew deeper and thicker. Plowing began on May 13, and finally finished on May 27. The going was so tough at times that horsepower on the walking plow—usually pulled by two heavy draft horses—was increased to three horsepower. All of our farmers lent a handed, including farmers Ian, Jeremy, Rob and Larry.

On one particular piece of ground that was turning over poorly, Farmer Rob used his ox team to pull a roller, with the intent to pack it down. One observer remarked that it was possible to see daylight under the roller as it bounced and stuttered across the soil.

Discing began on May 27 and continued through May 30. The ground could only be described as lumpy, and the walking was tough for man and beast. Even after two passes with the harrow—with the furrow and against—conditions were still chunky.

On June 3, the roller was again employed, this time pulled by the horses. The chunkiness, though not cured, was reduced. 

Finally, yesterday, June 4, it was time to plant the corn. The timing of the planting was just perfect. After a dry spell, a steady rain visited the farm this morning.