Tractor time

Monday they took the loader off the third Belarus tractor so they could get all three tractors in the the field working. One tractor was spreading fertilizer,  one was cultivating the fertilizer in and working the plowed ground up, the last Belarus Max was using to spray pre-planting weed killer. They were getting ready to plant corn.


There is lots to do in the spring and so all the tractors are sometimes put into service. Since we have such a dry climate, especially during the hot summers, it is important to get the land worked up and planted as quickly as possible to take advantage of the moisture in the ground from winter snow.

This year the snow fell and melted later, slowing spring down from the norm, so the guys were anxious to get started. For several years, Garry and Max have talked about the possibility of buying a heavy duty tractor- even one not made in Ukraine, and when we were home this winter, the boys on the farm thought they could swing buying one for us, since here in Ukraine we make enough profit to buy some new equipment, like the nice new sprayer purchased this winter, but never enough to get the tractor of Max's dreams.

 Of course, then the guys bought themselves a number of new pieces of equipment in Manitoba, and we have been figuring how to get that much money transferred here to pay for it. Garry and Max finally decided on a New Holland (although Max liked the Case) and with the money getting hung up in  international transfer - we have tried a trial 500 several times- Max and Victor and Garry had been working on a money down, pay the rest in 60 days plan that came to fruition this week.

The guys are excited to have the tractor to work with before all the spring work was finished, Garry got to drive it back form Dnepro on Wednesday morning in the rain. We didn't get that much rain, and on Thursday morning the mechanic came out to show them how to care for it. Thursday afternoon we got a good rain that continued into the evening, so the tractor got washed and won't be doing much today I think.

The forecast has more rain in the next week, which may delay planting a few days, but rain is never a bad thing for farmers in Ukraine, since we get so little rain. Garry tells me that they got the headlands planted in the corn field. All of this year's corn will be irrigated, the rest of the land that is not in wheat or alfalfa will be planted in sunflowers after the corn is planted. I noticed on Wednesday that the ground was already starting to crack while walking in the village, so we are happy whenever it is raining, no matter how long it lasts!