A pause in field work along the Rice-Steele County line Sunday afternoon.
FARM IMPLEMENTS KICKED up dust Sunday afternoon under blue skies clumped with white clouds here in southeastern Minnesota.
Prepping the soil for planting along 270th Street East in southern Rice County.
It was the kind of balmy spring day that draws me to the land, to memories of spring planting.
This tractor and grain cart (typically used during harvest) sat unattended in southern Rice County Sunday afternoon.
While tractors and other equipment have changed since I left the farm of my roots at age 17, way too many years ago, one constant remains. This is the season of transition. An awakening. Black earth turned to warm sun. Seeding of the soil. The promise of a harvest.
Just outside Medford this farmer prepped the soil Sunday afternoon.
The farm girl in me still lingers, waiting for spring days like this, for a drive into the country, for an opportunity to honor the land via photos, via thoughts, via a deep emotional connection to the earth.
© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Lets all remember to slow down on the rural roads and be patient. Think of the slow moving equipment – as a traffic light.
Excellent advice, Greg. I considered this warning as we followed a pick-up truck pulling an anhydrous ammonia tank yesterday afternoon in a high traffic area b/n Medford and Owatonna.
Especially if it is a manure spreader attached to a tractor.
Good one, Renee. I saw one of those in the field on Saturday while driving along Interstate 35.
You are making me miss the farm today as well as the county fairs and going to tractor pulls. Great Captures – thanks so much for sharing the farm life! Happy Week – Enjoy 🙂
I understand exactly how you feel. Every spring and fall I miss the farm with an aching deepness.
Especially the Spring babies – chicks, piglets, lambs, etc. 🙂
Those, too.
I like that connection. Mick planted seeds yesterday – we put out a bunch of starter pots with the intention of doing away with more of our lawn. Quite a different scale than spring planting in farm country, but we will get our fingers dirty.
I saw lots of gardeners working yesterday. I was tempted to start planting flowers and veggies in pots. But I know full well the very risk of frost yet this early in the season.
I think reducing your lawn size is a great idea.
Now you’ve done it, I am home sick!
Greg is correct watch out for slow moving equipment but also mud clots on the roads picked up by the tractor tires and deposited there!
Then time to move home, Don…
Oh, yes, mud clots. Up until today, when it’s started raining, the landscape has been quite dry.
Great verity of tractor pictures. Looks like home
I always love seeing tractors and other farm equipment working the land.
I bet it brings back so many great memories for you! I know I was a farm girl in my other life…. Ha ha!
I have no doubt you were.
Could it be genetic???? Both parent grew up on the farm, and we had lots of fun times getting into mischief around the farm at grandma’s 🙂
It sounds like you have plenty of farm blood running through your veins.
I love to see all the planting going on and since I have some great farmer friends in Iowa now I feel a bit closer to the planting season than I used to. It’s a great time of year.
Always glad to take you back to (almost) Iowa.