Steph: Story time

There are only so many things a crew can do on those long days after rain. It takes all you have not to go out to the field with a hair dryer and bring it down to a low enough moisture yourself. Greasing trucks and cleaning cabs consumed our day today. We took a sample in around 3:30pm this afternoon and got a 14.9 percent moisture test. The good news is that we will be able to cut tomorrow if the rain stays away tonight!

IMG_8746

Greasing the truck. Good thing it doesn’t need to be done everyday!

SO-Helena, Okla.

The pink nails stand out a bit.

Now since that was the extent of our day, it’s story time.

Flashback #1: Back in 2002, we used to have to split up our crew at this spot because we had a job both here in Helena, Okla. and in Tonkawa, Okla., just 60 miles east of Helena. We would end up leaving the trailer we have for the hired help in Helena with my Dad along with one hired guy. My Mom, my brother and I would take two of our hired hands and head to Tonkawa. This particular year, my Dad and Hank, the hired hand he had with him that year, weathered a really bad storm that ended up shutting all the power off. That night for supper, they cooked a frozen pizza on the gas grill in the camper and ate it by candlelight.

Flashback #2: Speaking of Tonkawa, Okla., I actually had my first sleepover there when I was 5 years old. Here’s the back story to that. We parked out camper in the yard of the farmer we cut for but there was one big problem. Our camper needed more power than their fuse box would supply and we kept setting the light pole on fire. The neighbors heard and felt sorry for us and let us stay in their yard instead. Not only did the neighbors have adequate power, but there were a whole bunch of kids my age running around. A girl a few years older than me, Melanie, and I became friends right away. A few nights in, there was a terrible storm and our camper was rocking like crazy. I was terrified so Melanie’s Dad offered to take me to their place so I could be in a house that did not sway with the wind. Melanie and I are still friends to this day. I was actually in her wedding the summer of 2011 and we got to spend the day together on Thursday this past week.

SO-Helena, Okla.

My longtime Oklahoma friend Melanie and I at her wedding summer 2011.

All Aboard Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta. You can contact Stephanie at stephanie@allaboardharvest.com.

1Comment

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.