Turning the field over to the Buffalo

We start taking down signs, etc tomorrow, but visitors are still welcome to walk though the maze at half price this weekend. Just no more rides on the zip line, nor into the pasture to see the buffalo...

They've closed their pasture gate for the season!

After a bumper crop of pumpkins and vines- the pumpkin field is almost empty except for a few rejected leftovers. Of course that's the goal of this farm operation, which is to sell the whole crop. But it looks so bare now...

Frost hit here the other night so the Sudan Grass (which the maze field was planted in) has "freeze dried", or lost it's moisture.

As soon as we can clean out all the signs in the maze, and the activities in the field, it's ready for the buffalo to move in and take over the field.

They are eyeing those few remaining pumpkins.... (Watch the video link of the buffalo eating the pumpkins!)

Last Weekend Harrah

The weather looks great for our last maze weekend. The cool weather makes people think of fall and the last of the pumpkins will be picked for porch displays. We haven't had a freeze yet, so the maze is still green and pumpkins are still firm.

I'm guessing that 70 percent of our pumpkins have been sold out of the field, which is what we want to see by the end of the season. We'll sell another10-15 percent this final weekend. After all, the farmer's goal is to sell his/her crop. The buffalo are hoping there are a few pumpkins left for them though!

Thousands of people have taken the Prairie Tram ride out into the pasture to see the buffalo. I usually give the weekday tours for school field trips, and Dyllan and Verne do the weekend tours.

I'm amazed at how big the calves have gotten, and that's a main topic on the tram when people see the calves butt the mom's udder for milk. I'm sure the buffalo moms are about ready to say "That's enough, you're weaned from me!"

Calm, Cool and Sunny

After a busy weekend, Patty and I actually enjoyed two days of rain and solitude in our "pasture office". Of course that meant rescheduling school field trips, but better to postpone a week than cancel, or fight the mud.

Today the sun was out and we hosted two groups on opposite ends of life- a preschool, and an senior day care group- many that were in wheel chairs. We enjoyed both groups, and hope their time on the farm brought them all moments of fun, and lasting memories.

The weather turned absolutely gorgeous today, and the forecast is that this great weather will stay with us through Sunday.

If you don't have your home or business decorated with pumpkins yet, this is the weekend to get them. Whether it's at our farm, or in your own state. Get out and enjoy a local farmer's pumpkin patch and bring home some color!

Pumpkins-in-Wating

The light was just right this morning to take photos of the pumpkin field with the Visitors Center behind it.

As the weather gets cooler, more people head out to the farm to pick pumpkins. We're always amazed at how many pumpkins are hauled out of the field on the little wagons. It might be just two to five pumpkins per family, but at the end of the day, it does leave bare spots in the field.

The colors of fall is spectacular with the fruits of the field, the vines, and the various grasses and weeds in the pastures and fields as they mature and turn brown.

Fall is my favorite "season" color!

The school kids have been having a blast on their field trips to the Bison Farm.

They start with the Prairie Tram ride to see the buffalo, then the indoor "show and tell" program on how the Native Americans used the bison for their food, shelter, and clothing.

Next the kids shoot the pumpkin slingshot, have a sack lunch in our picnic area, and then the real fun begins! They explores all the different types of mazes, pump the water pumps for the duck race, and pick out their perfect pumpkin to take home,- all while running full blast in fresh country air!

Goodbye to July

Wow- where has the month gone? August is going to roll in tomorrow and I feel like I've barely started summer. Of course we've had a cool and wet July (compared to some years) so thankfully it hasn't been our typical hot and dry summer.

August starts the school season (kids start Aug. 14th here), and it's the month to get all fall merchandise and supplies ordered, AND get ready for the fall maze season.

Today reminded me of fall because of an unusual foggy morning, so I took some photos at the farm gate to show you how thick the fog was. The Visitors Center barely showed up being a light gray color, but the yellow orange pumpkin blossoms glowed like little lights through the fog.

I was out early to get ready for the filming of a TV commercial, plus a motor coach bus tour of grandparents and grandkids was heading our way.

The fog lifted in time for the video shooting, and the bus passengers were thrilled to be filmed "getting off the bus" as part of the commercial. Of course just a few shots of everything will be used, but they thought it was fun to be included.

Thinking about Agriculture

The Bison Farm Visitors Center was used on Monday for a "think tank" meeting of Farm Bureau people, trying to figure out ways to best promote agriculture and the crops we grow for consumers.

So since I'm thinking about agriculture products this week, here's a photo of another crop grown in our area. This farmer was baling alfalfa this morning.

The 1 to 2 foot alfalfa is cut above the plant's crown when the crop is blooming with its purple flowers. It is raked into windrows and sometimes raked again to allow air to dry the plants out. The baler drives over the windrow, picking it up and rolling the dry plants into a tight round bale, and automatically tying baling twine around the whole bale to keep it together.

When the bale is finished, the back end of the baler hydraulically opens up and kicks the bale out. Alfalfa bales usually weigh around 1500 lbs. This dried alfalfa is a perennial plant that can be cut three to five times during the growing season, depending on the rain fall, and it will be used as winter protein feed for livestock.

Our bison like to eat these bales too because they eat the fresh version in their pasture.

Here's a snapshot of our growing calves coming up to the water tank. Except for the two younger calves, they look like 8-10 year old kids- and act like it too. They now eat grass and drink water from the tank, and play as a group- but run to mom when she calls, and to raid her for a satisfying chug of milk.

It's been a while since I mentioned the pumpkin patch, so here's a snapshot of the first blossom I noticed this morning when I turned on the drip tape system on zone 1. The plants are growing vines and slowly taking over the alleys between the rows. We'll be into fall harvest before we know it.