Eventful journey

Part two of Emma Misener’s update finds the crew on the move to South Dakota after wrapping up in Oberlin, Kan. Emma talks about not only the move, but wrapping up in Oberlin and the challenges farmers in northwest Kansas will be faced with. Read the sweet part one of Emma’s update here.

On the last day of harvest in Oberlin, Kan., we expected a challenge—but it wasn’t as bad as we had anticipated. Storms have been a problem as of late here in northwest Kansas. The storms left quite an aftermath. There was water behind the terraces, deep mud, and broken off and tangled wheat. This made harvesting a challenge, but our crew rose to the occasion and was able to get the job done with minimal issues. The averages in the area were 39 bushels per acre, 58-pound test weight and 11-percent moisture.

The storms not only did damage to wheat that was uncut, it did severe damage to fall crops. Our crew doesn’t harvest fall crops in Oberlin, but we feel for the farmers there. It does not look good. Hail came through and basically flattened the fall crops. We will be praying for all of those farmers and the new hardships they have to endure.

Following our last day of cutting we woke up to very heavy dew and hot temperatures. At 6:30 a.m. it was already 80 degrees. The crew prefers cleaning in the early morning when it is typically cooler, but that didn’t happen.

After Oberlin was completed another was on deck. In the words of Willie Nelson, we were “On the Road Again.” Our next destination is northeast South Dakota, near Watertown. We took the tractor, grain cart and combine to Gregory, S.D., first and then later brought the remaining equipment.

Moving day is a very stressful time for all harvesters. You are always on your toes and always cautious to avoid accidents. Dad always says, “It’s not you or me that I’m worried about—it’s those other drivers that I don’t trust.”

Not only is defensive driving important, learning to deal with struggles along the way is a must. Unfortunately, the trip didn’t go as smoothly as we had all hoped. Olivia and I left with the cargo trailer a little before the rest of the crew. While we were doing OK, the crew behind was having a terrible time. Two semi tires blew, as well as a camper tire. All needed to be replaced, and that meant spending three and a half hours in the heat and humidity changing tires and unloading combines in order to get to the blown tires. Olivia and I had arrived in Arapahoe, Neb., and spent three hours waiting on them to catch up. It could have been much worse, but problems are still frustrating because wide loads are prohibited after dusk and although we made it to our destination before sunset, it was close.

The crew’s equipment and campers will stay in Gregory until the wheat is ready near Watertown. We are planning a trip back to Oklahoma shortly because we have a special opportunity ahead. We have been invited to bring four antique tractors to Waterloo, Iowa, where John Deere is having a Fall Festival to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the new generation John Deere tractor. We will be taking those tractors to Worthing, S.D. One of our fall customers will be storing them in a shed until it is time for them to head to the celebration.

Be safe and God bless.

Wet fields near Oberlin, Kan.

Hail pounded this wheat.

This corn was also damaged by hail.

On the road again.

The convoy prepares for the move.

Moving day was not without struggles. An air leak on the semi turned out to be a 15 minute fix, only 50 miles from our destination.

We went through a storm in central Nebraska.

The photo just does not do it justice, but the sun finally started to peek through.

No matter what kind of day you’re having you can always choose to see the beauty in everything. God sure does have an imagination.

For more information contact crew@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2010 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection. 

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