20160727 - Von Bergen Farm (HRB)

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H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.comFarmer Mike Von Bergen connects a hose Wednesday, July 27 2016 from a portable water tank to an irrigation trickle system for peppers and melons on the family's farm near Hebron.

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H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com Farmer Mike Von Bergen checks on the pepper crop and soil moisture Wedneday, July 27, 2016 on the family's farm near Hebron. Despite some short periods of hot conditions, most of Von Bergen's crops are about two weeks ahead in the growing season.

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H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com McHenry County farmer Mike Von Bergen repairs a leak Wednesday, July 27, 2016 in one of the irrigation hoses used to supply water to the musk mellon crop on the family's farm near Hebron.

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H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com Farmer Mike Von Bergen uses a greese gun Wednesday, July 27, 2016 to lubricate the gears on a center pivot sprayer on the family's farm near Hebron. The spayer is set to water 90 acres of a bean crop.

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H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com A musk mellon plant grows over one of the irrigation pipes on the Von Bergen near Hebron.