Flying Pigs

Cincinnati is known for its statues of flying pigs that decorate the city.  This is in honor of its world title as Porkopolis in the 1800's after Buffalo New York lost the title it probably didn't want in the first place.  These cities fed the world as barrels of salt pork were shipped by boat and train as far as they could go.

I call most the roads around here old hog paths as the hogs were driven to the many processing points in Cincinnati.  The state road in front of our farm was called the Cincinnati-Chillicothe Pike when Cincinnati was the largest city. Chillicothe was the state capital because it was settled early off the Ohio River and was closer to the center of the population of the new state(1803).

Tomorrow is the Flying Pig Marathon which has blossomed to a record 40,000 runners.  That's larger than local county seats combined.  Daughter Shannon will be running and has for years now.  There is a lot of good history in our local city and it's good to see the family represented in it.

Farmers will be running around like flying pigs when this weather straightens up.  Many have a few acres planted but the cooler, damper conditions are keeping most of the seed in the bag.  I bet the bags will be empty in a couple of weeks if conditions improve.

Only a few fields still look like this one from  my friend Hay Hud in Lebanon.  More fields have been burned down each day as farmers prepare to plant their corn and soybeans.  Cover crops have really done well across the midwest and it's time to get them killed for planting.

Crop rotation is just about like flying pigs.  It doesn't happen.  I was asked my opinions of how to handle the huge weed resistance problem we have because of our mono-culture of cropping.  They were mentioned in this American Society of Agronomy article.

I can't believe this year is approaching half gone so quickly!  It's been a good year here so far but each year has its challenges.  I wonder what this years will be?

Ed