19 May Emma: Machines Are Humming
Wheat harvest for Misener Family Harvesters has officially started and it sure didn’t take long to get back into the swing of things.
Yesterday we drove three combines, tractor and grain cart, and two semis to our first stop on the 2012 trail. We started south of Elk City, Okla., and cut around 160 acres. Not too bad for our first day. The wheat averaged about 11 percent moisture, 61 pound test weight, and around 30 to 35 bushels per acre. Compared to last year, the wheat is considerably better, like night and day.
Dan took this picture yesterday. The farmer is right behind us with the tractor working the field.
Yesterday was rather exciting as we had our first fire of the year. At the end of my header there is a pulley with a bearing in the middle. That bearing went out due to the fire, but I was quick to act and was able to put it out before it started any part of the field on fire. The fire was an intense moment, but thankfully not all moments in the field are that intense and we can also take a moment to have a chuckle, or two.
Vincent is back with the crew and in the past he has driven the combine. This year he is in the grain cart hauling from combines to trucks. We quit rather late last night and Vincent got confused as to which truck he was dumping in. He filled the front hopper on the first semi and the back hopper of the back semi. Let’s just say we gave him a hard time and had a good laugh at his expense. (All in good fun!) These are the times in the field I look forward to the most.
Last year’s drought was detrimental to farmers throughout the Midwest, and we’re still seeing some signs of drought as we move north. We may have had moisture in time to get a better wheat crop, but we are still in dire need of rain. We’ve only measured an inch this month, and typically May is our most active season. As much as I would like to stay in the field, we could really use a rain day or two.
I’m thankful we got rain when we did and the good news is – rain is forecast for tomorrow. I’m praying and crossing my fingers that the weather man is right.
Be safe out there, and God bless!
All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta
Emma can be reached at emma@allaboardharvest.com
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