First Time Corn Harvest at Thielen Farms

Thielen Farms harvested their corn as high-moisture corn. You harvest it a little earlier than dry corn, you then run it through a roller mill, and then pack it in a silo to let it ferment. Microorganism convert sugars in the corn to lactic acid, which lowers the ph. At a low ph, very little spoilage occurs because microorganisms can't grow, so deterioration stops. The corn is preserved - at a higher feed value - than traditional dry corn, and can be fed at a later date. It is all about preserving the corn for later use at the highest nutritional value possible.

Corn is traditionally not planted in this area because there usually is not enough moisture for it to mature and that means you have lost the considerable amount of money associated with planting costs. So, some farmers take a chance that the weather will be favorable and hope for the best. This was a year that worked for corn in this area. They might never grow corn like this again. So enjoy this truly unusual corn harvest.

Can you believe it? Thielen Farms planted corn, and it actually grew. I never thought the day would come, but it did. Matt is over six foot tall so you can see how good of a year it was for corn. Remember, this is the middle of Kansas where it usually doesn't rain enough to grow corn.

I just could not resist having my photo taken in the corn field.

Yes, Matt, you really can grow corn at Thielen Farms - in a wet year.

Sam loves to ride in the farm equipment. I drove up near the grain truck and little Sam looked out the window at me. I was surprised to see him.

The corn on the left is what is looks like after it is harvested while the corn on the right is what it looks like after it has been run through the roller mill. Why roll it? It increases surface area for fermentation both in the silo and in the rumen - where the bugs (microorganisms) in a ruminant convert the feedstuff/corn to volatile fatty acids. The animal uses the VFA's (acetic, proprionic, and butyric acids) for energy.

The finished product - a silo full of rolled, high-moisture corn. The tractor is used to spread the corn and then pack it to eliminate the oxygen in the pile. The goal is to have 'anaerobic' microorganisms do the work to lower the ph. Aerobic (or bugs that need oxygen) produce unfavorable fermentation results and, therefore, corn that has a much lower nutritional value at feedout.

Hallie, Anna and Garrett made a straw house in the wheat stubble that was left over from wheat harvest in late June.

Sweet Sam

Hallie and Anna gathered straw for the their house/bird nest. It was an absolutely gorgeous evening and sunset.

Sweet Hallie

Sweet Hallie

Hallie, Sam and Anna - doing what farm kids do in the harvest field - they climb and explore.

Anna has a unique sense of harvest field fashion.

Garrett, Anna, Sam and Hallie

Matt, do you always have two pair of sunglasses? By the way, I love the pink ones on your shirt.

Anna

Joey repairing the combine

Dumping corn from the combine to the grain cart.

Garrett helped Kevin fuel the combine. Here they are returning the hose to the tank.

Kevin and Garrett fueling the combine.

Garrett dropped corn from the combine bin.

Garrett on top of the combine.

Sweet Anna

All about Joey and Kelly

Sometimes it just works - I have my camera, the lighting is good, and the subjects are agreeable to having their photo taken. That was the case on Saturday morning with Joey and Kelly.

Sometimes you just have to take a break from the fast pace of life and hug the one you love. Joey and Kelly, thanks for sharing your love with us. We should all take time to hug those we love.

Happy Birthday Jane

This photo of Harvey and Jane was taken during harvest in late June.

Jane is Nancy's baby sister.

Nancy's Uncle Ed was featured in the Idaho Statesman: Boise man named Resident of the Year

Nancy and Jane traveled to Boise, Idaho, last week to help celebrate 'Resident of the Year' with their Uncle Eddie Fager. I have included the link to the newspaper article from the Idaho Statesman. Uncle Eddie is a great, great man and well deserving of this award.

Boise man named Resident of the Year | Local News | Idaho Statesman

Nancy and Uncle Ed taken last year.

Uncle Ed and Jane taken at last year's visit.

Tour of our new building

Where are all of these hard-hat wearing folks going? They are entering the building site for the brand new building for the School of Leadership Studies at Kansas State University. Oh yeah, I am employed with the School of Leadership Studies and I will be one of the few lucky individuals to have an office in the building. It is scheduled to be completed by January. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather between now and then.

Mary and Dorothy were all smiles as they prepared to enter the site.

Bob gave some sort of sign that meant he was ready to see his office space.

Trisha gave a thumbs up to the thought of a new office.

Ok, there is a theme here. Candi gave a two-thumbs up.

As we waited to enter the site, Sue and Bob found a strange need to pose in the form of famous statues.

Mike and Trish found the 'teacher' space in the front of the large lecture hall. They wanted their photo taken in the spot where they will be spending lots of time once the building is completed.

Opus, the design/build firm responsible for - you guessed it- designing and building our building, painted one of the steel i-beams so that we could sign our names on the beams. The beams will be covered with dry wall, but our names will be a part of the building forever. Candi started the process by writing 'faculty' on the beam. There is another beam for our students to sign as well.

The founders of the School of Leadership Studies. Bob and Susan are the ones with the vision of creating a minor in Leadership Studies at K-State. Little did they know 12 years ago that we would have 1300 students and that we would have our own building. They are two amazing people and I am proud to call both of them friends.

My moment of history. You might notice the green beads on my wrist. We celebrated July and August birthdays on Wednesday at our retreat. I was one of the birthday folks, so I had a bead necklace that I decided to wear on my wrist.

Sue proudly signs her name.

More signing - we actually signed on several sides of the beam. Make a mental note - if you are around in 100+ years when they tear down this building, look for my name on one of the beams near the front door of the building.

The signed beam

Susan had a bold vision about six years ago - that a minor could have their own building. That's a lesson for all of us - anything is possible with the right vision and the right people working on it. Susan is the person responsible for making this building happen.

More of Trish and Mike as they admire the building.

This is my office. The view outside of my second-story office window is of beautiful trees. We do have a balcony off the east side of the second story of the building. You can see some of the structure of the balcony.