Any 55+ farmers cruising this year in spite of the drought?

[misty57]

I am being specific to age because when our family was young we didn't vacation every year and the type of crop yield we had influenced most things that were not necessities. Now that we have a fairly empty nest it is a little different. Anyone cutting back on their cruise plans this year?

[SOMBRERO6]

We actually booked our Feb. cruise before we even had an idea about the weather. Hubby works in the Agriculture business............believe me.....he needs this cruise as a stress reliever! Hope you are able to cruise, too!

[misty57]

We actually booked our Feb. cruise before we even had an idea about the weather. Hubby works in the Agriculture business............believe me.....he needs this cruise as a stress reliever! Hope you are able to cruise, too!

Yea, DH is really looking forward to our upcoming cruise in October. I announced when it was 90 days out and he said "I wish it was 9 days away"!

We have another booked in Feb as well. Vacations are my responsibility so the crops don't always effect our plans.

[SOMBRERO6]

We are taking a southern route with only one sea day in Feb. First time Ocean View....we have had a balcony in the past. I am thinking Hubby will feel more confined but we are traveling with family and wanted connecting rooms, so we are giving it a try! He is an outdoor person....wish us luck....he may be helping the crew!

[misty57]

We are taking a southern route with only one sea day in Feb. First time Ocean View....we have had a balcony in the past. I am thinking Hubby will feel more confined but we are traveling with family and wanted connecting rooms, so we are giving it a try! He is an outdoor person....wish us luck....he may be helping the crew!

 

It is hard for us to go without a balcony now too. We had an inside cabin on a 4 day a few years ago and we both were claustrophobic. I now know what "cabin fever" must feel like!

[JimnKaren]

One of the good things about having farm income is the challenge each year and what is happening outside the back door. (My tongue was in my cheek there!)

 

We took a "Sunday drive" in the area today and saw some of the sickest corn I have ever seen, particularly in mid-August. I am doing better than some around here. I figure to lose about 1/3 of my yield. However, the prices at the co-op are up, so my figures show me that we'll end up about the same as last year. Biggest difference? My power bill to keep the a/c running! We'll make it, we always seem to figure out a way to cruise. Nuts to the kids!!

 

Will this affect us? Nope! We have three cruises listed with our TA.

 

Jim

[misty57]

One of the good things about having farm income is the challenge each year and what is happening outside the back door. (My tongue was in my cheek there!)

 

We took a "Sunday drive" in the area today and saw some of the sickest corn I have ever seen, particularly in mid-August. I am doing better than some around here. I figure to lose about 1/3 of my yield. However, the prices at the co-op are up, so my figures show me that we'll end up about the same as last year. Biggest difference? My power bill to keep the a/c running! We'll make it, we always seem to figure out a way to cruise. Nuts to the kids!!

 

Will this affect us? Nope! We have three cruises listed with our TA.

 

Jim

 

It really is a different story depending on where the rain fell ( and the type of land you have!). We live and farm about 45 miles north of you. My DS and DDIL works for a seed company and their people have been cutting some fields down :( Beans may have a fair yield but the corn is a mess. DH said he would find one ear about to fall off and then a few rows away one that is "green as a gourd". Just down the road from us the corn is on the ground. Time will tell what our yield will be. Thank Goodness for FCI.

 

We too will continue to cruise as much as vacation time and resources allow. We decided long ago that we did not want to wait until retirement to travel. I would love to take some longer trips later... it looks like you have some great ones planned. BTW I work in Urbana!:D

[SOMBRERO6]

Wouldn't it be fun to get a group like this together for a cruise? I do believe only farmers and those in the Agriculture business truly understand each other! I would have to re-think the timing...probably Feb or March, here in Ohio. Springtime is too busy planting, summer is busy with wheat and hay, Fall is harvest....Hmmm!

[misty57]

Wouldn't it be fun to get a group like this together for a cruise? I do believe only farmers and those in the Agriculture business truly understand each other! I would have to re-think the timing...probably Feb or March, here in Ohio. Springtime is too busy planting, summer is busy with wheat and hay, Fall is harvest....Hmmm!

Yes it would! DH would be in "hog heaven" to have someone with similar interests. We usually cruise in Feb but avoid March because of spring breakers. We have started taking a trip in late October for the last few years. DH makes me wait to book though until he has a "feel" for how soon harvest will be.

[JimnKaren]

We don't usually travel in the summer, too much going on around here. There will come a time to return to Alaska, that means summer! We have never done the land portion, it will be time to do that!

 

Karen thinks it neat when we cruise in February, then we get Valentine Day at sea! We did renew our vows once on Sea Princess on Valentine Day with the Captain officiating (in his quarters). Karen did not know about it before we boarded. Then when it happened, she claimed that she hadn't brought the right dress for the occasion. I got lots of brownie points for doing it though.

 

I don't usually watch much TV that has lots of commercials, but there was something on the other night and a commercial came on. I did not believe it! We both laughed. Farmersonly.com. A dating service for us rural folks! The commercial was a stitch, we thought it was a joke until I checked it out.

 

Misty...you in Paxton?

 

Jim

[SOMBRERO6]

Are you serious???

[JimnKaren]

Yeah!

Check it out!

 

Jim

[misty57]

No Jim, 15 miles north of there, right along I57.

[JimnKaren]

And I thought that my 8 minute drive to work was long!!

[misty57]

I know! I lived in Urbana before I was married, and in the snow storm of (ok now I can't remember the year:p but is was the year John Lennon was shot)

it only took me 10 minutes to get to work. We have to drive at least to Paxton for anything except gas, and we are in C-U almost every day even on my days off. DH grew up here but I am a city girl at heart:).

[JimnKaren]

We had about 2" of rain during that last storm (all in 2 hours!). It soaked in and now the yard is crunchy again. As expected, the weeds sucked up the moisture and put on a growth spurt! It is somewhat cooler at night, but still...

 

Jim

[SOMBRERO6]

We took a trip over to Indiana a few days ago....How sad that corn looks! Now I see why we are hearing so much about the drought on the news. We had almost 2 inches of rain this week, so things are looking a little better here in Ohio.

[misty57]

We've had rain here and there up to 2 inches over the last several weeks. I know they are expecting heavy rains this weekend, but it's not going to help our corn at all, except make it too wet to combine. Beans are still a possibility but ours are starting to "turn" now. We are thankful for the rain however, as the ground really needs it. Some people have had their wells go dry around here.

[JimnKaren]

There are spots that look disgusting and other look only bad. The bummer is that they are almost next to each other.

 

Our corn got picked yesterday and we were down only 15%. With the pricing that is going on, we are better off this year than either of the past two years. Now, we'll see what beans are like in a few weeks.

 

Jim

[misty57]

DH said his seed rep said he wished it was already Oct 30 because of the prices... I said NO! Then our cruise would be over!

 

It's still raining off and on. It was just a constant sprinkle this afternoon when we went out for dinner, not quite enough for an umbrella, but enough to ruin my hair:D.

[JimnKaren]

Between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning, I had a bit over 4.5 inches in my rain gauge. As you said, mostly light rain after that. I'm gonna go with 4.7 inches from Isaac.

 

Some fields that looked bad before now look disgusting! I have no idea what those farmers will do once they make an attempt at picking the corn!

 

Jim

[misty57]

Lots of rain here also. The average is about 4 inches. Some are taking out corn around here... hearing about yields of 20-25 bushel per acre:eek:. A reminder of 1984. DH is working on getting his combine ready.. he always washes and waxes it before taking it out :D I have never really understood that but he does keep his machinery in good shape. He said he was doing a moisture check yesterday and had trouble finding 4 good ears to test. Some of the ears were just falling out of the shucks. It really makes you appreciate the blessings of the good years.

[JimnKaren]

It is amazing to me to see corn in the field that is still green and within one mile it has literally fallen down and looks like it is rotting right there.

 

Without a doubt, this is the strangest bunch of weather I have seen in all of my years. We went on a cruise in mid-March, came home to temps in the 80s. Things were going on in my yard that should not happen until late May. We had a frost and we lost all of our apples and cherries (and I mean all, nothing left). Then some flowers bloomed in June that are usually done by early April. I did some fall clean-up in the flowers beds and now they are coming along like gang-busters!

 

Bean fields? I am sorta scared to get close and look (corn was good, beans are ?), some fields are done and others are still green.

 

As Lucy Van Pelt used to say, "Good grief!" (Or was that Charlie Brown!)

 

Jim