Our soybean fields have green flags by the entrances.  If you look closely, the green flags read "Liberty Link".

We use these flags to make sure everyone knows these soybeans are Liberty Link, and not Round Up.  They are both GMO soybeans, but one is resistant to Liberty Herbicide, and the other is resistant to Round Up.

Most soybeans grown in the U.S. are Round Up.  These flags help ensure our neighbors, or a custom applicator, don't assume these soybeans are RR Ready, and spray an adjacent field with Round Up.  

I am a big proponent of GMO technology.  I am very offended when GMO opponents claim farmers are nothing but pawns for Big Ag.   Farmers are often portrayed as poor, gullible suckers who have no choice but to blindly follow the recommendation of Big Ag.  That could not be more wrong! 

We have options when selecting seed.  We have public non GMO varieties.  We have private Round Up and Liberty Link varieties.  Next year when the patent expires, we will have public Round Up varieties available from universities. 

You can call me many things, but please don't call me a schill for Big Ag.  That's a surefire way to make me angry. 

We are in the middle of wheat harvest.  Of course it is 90 degrees with 25 mph winds.  Perfect wheat drying weather.  Not good for much else.

We did have to shut down one combine for overheating.  I don't mean engine overheating, but smoke coming from somewhere else.  It's hot, things are overheating, and there is straw and grain dust everywhere. It is a fire waiting to happen. Our fire department has responded to one combine fire in Stephen this year.  Fortunately no one was hurt.

It reminded me of August 2007, when Conner started his little 4 wheeler on fire.  We can laugh about it now, but there was panic for a few moments.

We were harvesting the field right by the house.  Conner asked to drive his little 90CC 4 wheeler out to ride in the combine, and make laps around the house.  He was so excited to have an open field to drive in instead of the same old tracks he made during the summer. 

I hadn't seen Conner drive by the house for awhile so I called Brian and he said "Yeah, let me see, HE'S ON FIRE."  Click. 

I grabbed 5YO Holly and we took off an another 4 wheeler.  When I got to the field, I see the grain cart tractor driving way too fast, and realize Grandpa John is racing to Conner.  There was an emergency.

I reach Conner, and he's running in circles screaming "Don't be mad, don't be mad."  He was physically fine, but in panic mode.  The 4 wheeler was on fire and the stubble around the 4 wheeler was black.  All the fire extinguishers in combines worked, and a disaster was averted.  Our guardian angel earned her wings that day.  It was hot and windy, and we were so fortunate no one was injured, and the fire did not spread throughout the field.   

I wasn't mad at Conner until I found out about his helmet.  As he was jumping off his 4 wheeler, he took off his helmet and set it on the seat!  So we had a melted 4 wheeler, and a melted helmet.  I still tease him about that.  Go ahead and throw $100 into a fire. 

I do park my car outside after returning from the wheat field.  I don't want it in the garage with an underbody full of hot straw.  Better safe than sorry.   Safe harvest!

The past two summers we have had a neighborhood bear.  Two years ago the bear took a chunk out of the 4 wheeler seat and spent his summer in our corn.  Last year we found one a few miles west in another old yard.

This summer has been devoted to this lost girl.  A neighbor spotted her a few weeks ago near our farm.  This morning she was making the rounds in the neighborhood.  We do have two elk herds in Northwest Minnesota.  Just a guess that this girl is from the Kittson County herd, which means she is 40 miles south.  The Grygla herd is 70 miles to the east. Here is a graphic from the MN DNR about where to find MN elk herds. 

Let's hope this lost girl finds her way to the herd.  She seems awful lonely, especially with snoopy neighbors following her around trying to take a picture.