30 May Jada: Waiting on wheat to turn

Hoffman Harvesting is caught up. We are looking for work in Oklahoma as we are waiting for the wheat ripen in Kiowa- our next stop. The past day we stayed in Oklahoma City on an impromptu family vacation because we were in the area searching for work. We went to the Oklahoma City Zoo and had a great time. I don’t remember the last time we had a day where we had a couple days off without worries of needing to do something or be somewhere. It almost makes you feel guilty.

Today we are working on some things and are back at the search for work. The wheat is just barely ready in the area we are in. Below are some pictures of the damage Oklahoma City received this past week due to toronado storms. Allen Funk Harvesting was in the area and lost a combine, truck and trailer. Thurman Harvesting also owns a boat house in the area the storm hit and lost everything. We have heard of even worse stories where people have died or were in critical condition. In additon, we have heard some stories that had to be a miracle. One couple sought shelter under their porch. When they came out, the house was gone but their shelter remained in tack. Some of the stories are almost funny as no one got hurt. Two men ran outside to get a piece of baseball sized hail. Afterwards they were aware of their stupidity and thought how they could have been a newspaper headline. Another woman bought a brand new car and put it in her garage because she thought it would be better off then out in the elements. She took her husband’s truck into town  to seek shelter and after the storm came home to find the garage gone and her new car in a tree. No matter if the story is funny, filled with damage or despair, we pray for the folks that have experienced these horrific storms.

Trees were uprooted and equipment turned over.

A truck and a backhoe turned over from the storm.

Just a week short of the storm telephone poles were replaced.

A train was overturned and a roof temporarily patched.

A relatively new lot almost completely destroyed from the toronado.

A building ruined from the toronado.

Jada can be reached at jada@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2011 is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.