Janel: Same Old Song and Dance

Dodge City, Kansas area – Has the same old song and dance ever gotten on your nerves?  That’s what has been happening lately on harvest. I’ve been down this road many times before where we have lots of wheat to cut but we can’t get in the field because of the rain.

The race against the rain has been going on for a week now in Kansas. We’ve gotten some wheat cut but the rain has kept us from being super busy this past week. It rained about an inch Tuesday night.  We got to cut all day Thursday but then it rained about an inch that evening. We cut wheat for a few hours on Saturday too. However, Saturday evening we had a small chance of rain and ended up getting a severe thunderstorm. The thunder, lightning, high winds and heavy rain hit at about 11:30 p.m. and the rain continued on until Sunday morning. We got over 2.5 inches of rain. Then it rained again on Sunday night. We got another 1.5 inches of rain.

The terraces are now full of lots of water and the ground is wet.  It’ll be a few days before we’ll be able to get back in the field. As a combine operator, this much rain is a nuisance. It certainly takes all of the fun out of harvesting. Tough conditions and fighting mud makes it miserable.  As long as the crop is still standing we are still in decent shape yet though.

Typically when we go south for harvest we are very busy.  We just haven’t been that busy this harvest.  Sometimes I feel helpless and disappointed.  I am here to put in the big days of harvesting but Mother Nature sometimes doesn’t cooperate with our work.  On the bright side, our forecast looks hot and dry for the next ten days with temperatures in the high 90s and into the 100s.

Gleaner was nice enough to let the Schemper family demo a combine for a couple of days.  JC ran the combine and it looked like he was having fun.  We appreciated the chance and opportunity to try it out.  Thanks Gleaner!  Please bring it back though so I can put a few hours on it too!

Schemper Harvesting 2018A storm starting to build.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018It’s pretty cutting in deer heaven!  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Sunshine and wind creates good cutting conditions.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat north of Dodge City, Kansas.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018This is deer heaven.  See the track they left through the wheat?  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018I put my blue header on and joined Lonny, JC and Jared.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018The Gleaner demo combine.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018JC Schemper said he enjoyed running the Gleaner demo combine.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Sunder was the most excited about the Gleaner combine.  He told JC he should buy it.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Everyone on our crew now has their own 2018 All Aboard Wheat Harvest t-shirt thanks to HPJ!  Sterling wanted to wear his right away!  Photo by Tricia Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018I was driving the combine to a field and it was looking like I wasn’t going to get much wheat cut.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018LaVern Schemper cutting wheat north of Dodge City, Kansas with a storm building in the west.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018We got wind and then sprinkles at first.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018I unloaded wheat on the truck just before the downpour.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018It poured for at least 30 minutes.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting 2018Small town pretty.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere.  Janel Schemper can be reached at janel@allaboardharvest.com.

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