Jenna: The Waiting Game

Not once in my entire life have I sat in our house in Nebraska on the first of June, and here I am doing so. To be honest, it’s a strange feeling to still be around. Our crew is usually long gone by now, as we generally leave home around the middle of May.

Growing up, there were multiple times we had to hit the road before school was even out. This year, however, my sisters and I have already been out of school for weeks and things are just now starting to happen. My dad and I made the first of two trips to our first stop in Seiling, Okla., this past weekend and just today the trailer house was moved into the driveway, which means packing can now begin.

So, why the wait? Most of you probably know, but there are a couple of reasons why harvesters like us are leaving later this year. One of those reasons is the drought in Texas, which eliminated a lot of work. Another reason is the freeze that occurred this spring in the southern part of the wheat belt, which killed or stunted the growth of a significant amount of wheat.

For us, the culprit is green wheat. After seeing the conditions at our first stop this past weekend, we think a field or two might be ready to cut by early next week. For now, the plan is to head south this Friday. As any harvester knows, though, plans can change.

Jenna Zeorian can be reached at jenna@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.

 

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