Grandma Barb’s This and That

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The Life of a Soy Bean Field

I thought it would be fun to show you the life of a soy bean field.  I know many of you are from big cities or other countries and may not realize what goes into raising soy  beans.

Here's the big tractor waiting to plant.  Sorry I didn't get a picture of the planting.


Here is what the field looks like in July or August...nice and green


The middle to late September...Almost ready to combine


Here is one farmer combining the beans.  Some farmers load the beans into this kind of wagon and then it is hauled to either their farm and put in bins or to the elevator in town.


Other farmers use these huge wagons and then they are emptied into the big grain trucks below




The farmers work well into the night.  Sorry for the quality of this photo.


This is what the field looks like when they are finished.



It costs a lot of money to grow the beans.  The huge equipment is expensive.  Then there is the cost of seed, the fuel to run the tractors, combines, and big semis.  Plus the hours of work that goes into it.  The soybean harvest has pretty much wrapped up and now the farmers are onto picking corn.

I hope you have learned a little about what goes into growing soy beans.


Thanks for stopping.  Have a great day.
Until Next Time
Barb

47 comments:

Beth said...

Thank you for the walk through beginning to end of the soybean crop. Great pictures!

Mari said...

It's nice to see this, from start to finish.

Sally in WA said...

Great post - very informative. I saw the combines running well into the night, or maybe it was overnight into the early morning hours, last week on my way to work. It was too dark to know what they were harvesting. Beans and corn, corn and beans - that's what I told my other half was growing in MN. Why do they use tracks instead of wheels on some tractors?

Elizabeth Edwards said...

i always wondered if those highlights on tractors get used? it is nice to see them in working order. so cool!! i bet that is very hard work. ( :

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Fun post, Barb! Great photos! This time of year, the farmers are always out in the dark getting the crops in...

TexWisGirl said...

HUGE money in that equipment! i hope the farmers in your area all had a good crop.

Carletta said...

Lots of hard work goes into farming and the outcome from start to finish dependent on so many factors. It's a leap of faith we should all be thankful for.
A wonderful photo series!

Vee said...

A farmer's life is no easy row to hoe...now you've got me wondering about the price of soy beans.

Carole M. said...

thanks Barb for an informative series on the soy-bean growing. I know the farmers around the world work hard for their income; they deserve what they get back in good years well and truly.

Judy said...

I passed one like that in the top photo today, he moved over and stopped just so that I could get by (whew).

Kerin said...

Very informative, thank you.

Most farmers in our part of the country grow hay, and wheat, and oats.
I don't know of anyone that grows soy beans.

Thanks for taking the time to post the pictures, and explanation of activities that are involved.

Enjoy this time of year.

Kerin

Kerin said...

Very informative, thank you.

Most farmers in our part of the country grow hay, and wheat, and oats.
I don't know of anyone that grows soy beans.

Thanks for taking the time to post the pictures, and explanation of activities that are involved.

Enjoy this time of year.

Kerin

Our photos said...

I Thank you also for the walk through beginning to end of the soybean crop. Beautiful photos.
Greetings, RW & SK


Anonymous said...

It reminds me of the wheat harvest... the big whirring combines, the trucks the long nights and hot days... to feed us and the world... Thank you for coming by to share on Rurality Blog Hop #37!

Rose said...

Great post...I live in soy bean country, too! I hate to think what kind of fuel bill the farmers have now!

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

That was very interesting, Barb! I love that second photo with the endless farmland stretching into the distance. A beautiful area. Yes, hard work for farmers - an honest days work! xo

Mersad said...

I actually have to admit that I have never seen soy bean fields before (even though I love eating soy beans). So this was a fun and educational post for me! :)

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

Ercotravels said...

Wonderful equipment for the use of Farmer!! such sounds a friend of farmer..
Beautiful photos!!

Lynn said...

not an easy life style, great post and photos.

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

Very nice post Barb. We saw some being processed in a field recently. I'm always fascinated at how fast the equipment works.

SImple and Serene Living said...

There are a lot of soybeans grown in my area now. Farming is hard work and we just take it for granted that food will show up in our stores. xo Laura

Cranberry Morning said...

Isn't it fun to watch the harvest! We didn't have soybeans this year, but there are lots of them in the area and the fields are such a pretty color.

May Ann Francisco said...

Great photos...I like the field...

Pamela Gordon said...

A very interesting post Barb. The farmers around here grow soybeans now and the equipment is often shared due to costs. I like the rust colour of the crop when it's ripened. Great photos!

Anonymous said...

I learnt a lot. And the photos are lovely too.

Kaya said...

I enjoyed this post, Barb! I saw the process from the very beginning and I know a little bit more about soy bean fields right now.

And your pictures are very excellent!

Patty Marker said...

Very interesting and such beautiful country you live in.

Debbie said...

This farm girl want-to-be LOVED this entry!!

Beautiful images!!

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh this is good not everyone is lucky enough to see how it works they just see tofu:)The harvest is just wrapping up here too and corn will be next. Great shots. B

Our Neck of the Woods said...

Fascinating! I'm always so intrigued when I see farmers working. A lot of respect for them!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

When we lived in Kansas, about a thousand years ago - the farm on which we lived (we rented the farm house - the farmer lived in the guest house) was a soy bean farm. I was so surprised when I saw the roughly tilled land was being planted - it looked like nothing would grow in those big clods - but those soy beans came right up and were a beautiful crop. He had much smaller equipment that what you showed - methods must have changed a lot.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

I love to see the bean fields in the spring- when everything is fresh and new. Don't care much for the crop duster that sprays the fertilizer and weed killers though.

Anonymous said...

Good information about the growing of soybean crop.

genie said...

It was so nice getting to see and read about the big machinery used in the planting and harvesting of the soybeans. It is a major undertaking. It is always so nice to find a post that takes us form the beginning to end of a certain process.

EG CameraGirl said...

Loved this post...and I live in soybean country. ;))

Bilancia Designs said...

Very interesting, Barb!
I've been combing through your other posts, as well (I know..I'm so far behind checking out my favorite blogs). Your pictures are so lovely (as always).
I'm now designing at a beautiful, historic landmark in my area. So much history and such a gorgeous, old mansion. I'm in love!
I hope all is well with you...
Sending you hugs~
Lisa xo



JOY @ http://joysjotsshots.blogspot.com/ said...

This would be a great picture story for an elementary teacher to use. As a Kentucky classroom teacher, I used farming a lot for the economics we were required to teach. A few soy beans are raised in south central Ky where I'm originally from. Son-in-law raised wheat and corn for a while. Yes, it's a massive job. Are you going to show us corn and wheat?

Liz said...

A very interesting post, Barb! I wasn't aware of what Soy bean plants looked like so I've learned something new tonight.

Amy Burzese said...

Don't you enjoy watching the harvesting? I get excited when I come across it on the road.

Audrey said...

As always Barb ... you have the most beautiful pictures and interesting information. Glad to know about the soy beans.
Blessings,
Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures

Stewart M said...

I thought beans came in packets from the supermarket - just like milk comes from cartons!

Nice post!

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

Elaine said...

Farming is not for the faint of heart--a very difficult job. Good post!

Anonymous said...

Very interesting and I loved the photos, Barb.

Nancy said...

Well done Barb -- sounds like this wasn't your first soybean rodeo. :)

MastHoliday said...

Great post with nice photos!

Tanya Breese said...

thank you for the lesson! i had no idea!

eastcoastlife said...

Great post, I learn something new today. I live in a busy and tiny city. It's amazing how huge the land for growing soy bean can be. Thanks for this informative post.