SEGMENT: FARM FACILITIES, FARM EQUIPMENT & CROPS
Lloyd Johnson>ISM Interviews A-L>ISM Interviews A-L, Segment 23
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- FARM FACILITIES
- Can't keep new machinery out in the elements & had to build new buildings. Buildings on the farm now are mostly from his father and himself. In grandfather's day, everything was in the barn. It was taken down in his dad's era. Put up a pole barn that is still there. Had a separate milk barn. Story about finishing milking at ten p.m. one night; announced that he was through milking and sold the cows (late 1950s). Tore down the corn crib, chicken house. Built a machine shed.
- FARM EQUIPMENT
- Father's first 1952 Case tractor restored a few years ago. Father never owned a combine. Had a baler, mowing machines. Equipment evolved. Lloyd had combines, open air combines; changes were just evolution of the industry.
- CROPS
- Stopped growing wheat because not profitable. Corn was sold and used for feed for 40 cattle. Hay was important. Bought from neighbors, too. Most pests come at time when ineffective to remediate. Spurred industry to create pest-resistant plants. Remembers a farm with corn, drove by one day and there was no corn. Called around and sent soil samples to a lab. When collecting samples, found the land 'alive with wire worms'. Ate 50 acres overnight. Weather, insects, weeds, water, wind, market are all hazards. Had two back-to-back years of flooding out of his whole crop. This year (2008) on April 10, usually would be done planting; but it's rainy, so will be late and yield will be lower. Describes plant cycles. Last year was very dry, yet yield was high, rare.
