View from the Cab: My friend the wind

The wind has been my friend lately.

Those of us involved in agriculture depend on the wind direction when it comes to spraying a field, applying fertilizer or even working ground. We always need to know which direction the wind is blowing to protect ourselves and others.

I used the wind to my advantage when applying anhydrous ammonia the past couple of weeks. I actually appreciated those breezy days over the calm ones since I knew which direction the wind was blowing. It is handy to fly a small flag on the tractor to indicate the wind direction.

As I write this, I am closely monitoring what the wind will do over the weekend as I plan to head to western Illinois for the first firearm deer season. Any experienced hunter knows you have to “use the wind” in order to get that trophy buck. If the deer catches your scent, you may as well say goodbye to the opportunity to fill the freezer for the winter. On a windy afternoon last winter, I got a deer.

I must admit I sometimes get annoyed with the occasional windy day here in Central Illinois, but I do appreciate the warm temperatures the southerly breezes bring us this time of the year. Last Thursday, for example, was great. Nothing beats those days when you can crack the house windows open to let some fresh air in for a few hours.

Wind also plays an important role in renewable energy and allows us to mow the yard a few more times before the fall is over. If we didn’t have the wind, we wouldn’t have the chance to fire up those leaf blowers in the yard or mulch leaves one final time. Extreme wind can also blow off the extra dust on the farm equipment sitting outside waiting to be washed off.

Reality has set in now that our first major cold snap came the other day. Now it truly feels like November and Thanksgiving week. That’s something to be thankful for, isn’t it?