Jada: The early bird doesn’t catch the worm this year

Jada_thumbnailBefore our headers hit the field, we were prepared to have a less than fair harvest in Olney, TX. The first set of fields we cut seemed to solidify our fate- we were happy to hit the double digits. Then it happened…. We started harvesting! Our grain cart, which we were almost starting to regret bringing, was parked less and our truckers had to start trucking- not waiting on truckloads.

Texan wheat

Now this is a crop!

Straw is actually coming out of the spreader

Our chaff spreaders actually have chaff/ straw to spread.

“Green” crew members who haven’t been on harvest before started getting a taste of the real action that takes place when our hoppers get full with wheat that is yielding well. Fields seeded at a later time are averaging in the 30’s to 40’s. This is a great crop for this area especially at a time of severe drought- the area is at a level 4.

Combine number two dumps on the grain cart

Combine number 2 dumps on the grain cart.

A family meal in the field

A family feast of roast beef, carrots, potatoes, homemade bread and peach pie.

What we are noticing is crops that were seeded at a later date are yielding better than crop that was in early. Those who got their crop in early either did not have a crop or had a very low yielding crop around 10 bu./ ac. On the Campbell farm, the wheat that was seeded 3 weeks later than the rest is what is yielding well. Conversations with locals leave us uncertain what is contributing to this as there was no rain or hail- only drought and an early frost which should have affected all the seeded crops. Maybe someone can answer this unsolved mystery. Mystery or not, on this rare occasion, the early bird doesn’t catch the worm.

Kelly entertains Kaidence in the field

Kelly entertains Kaidence in the field. Or is it the other way around?

Instead of running away our snoopy neighbors came to check on us then went back to grazing

Instead of running away as I suspected they would, our snoopy neighbors came closer to check us out then slowly went back to grazing nearby.

All Aboard Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta. Jada can be reached at jada@allaboardharvest.com.

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