02 Jul Steph: Powering Through

Today, I am thankful for the wind. We have had our disagreements this summer but today, it really came through. After all the rain we have received, a hot and windy day was just what we needed to get the wheat back to harvesting condition. The ground is still a little softer than we like, but it also means all the cracks from the drought have disappeared! Our combine has been powering through the mud like a champ but Purple had a little trouble when we were moving from one field to another. All it took was an extra tug from the service truck and she was back in action.

In between rains, we have been adventuring around the area, checking out the conditions of other fields as well as the differentiation in rainfall. In some areas it will rain half an inch, while a mile down the road may have gotten two inches in the same amount of time. The one thing we noticed that was a common denominator for a lot of fields was the increasing amount of weeds and grass that have appeared since the rain. Since the ground has gotten so soft in the fields, farmers are unable to get any type of machinery into the fields to spray the weeds. When the farmers do finally get the chance to spray, they must wait around seven days before they harvest it to give the chemical time to do its thing and then allow the wheat to dry out. Our fields are no exception to this and we are having to drive around portions of the field that have been overtaken by weeds for not only the sake of dockage our farmer will experience, but also for the sake of our combine. Weeds are not the most digestible.

Our yields are between 25 and 30 bushels per acre, with test weights at 60 pounds. From what we have heard from our farmers at our next few stops, the wheat only gets better from here!

Harvest Tip: Always keep a tow rope nearby.

Our ruts from only a day before the rains came in.

So close, yet so far away.

Getting the sign all situated!

It is still a “Happy Harvest” regardless of all the rain. We need rain too, right? And I told you this sign would be making guest appearances throughout summer!

Purple got in a little trouble today.

Service truck to the rescue!

Back in the field!

Purple waiting to get loaded up to head to the elevator.

I wish I could remember the heart-felt poem mom and I came up with about our water jugs this evening. It was beautiful. On hot days like today, this water jug is my best friend.

Dad and I! He just loves taking pictures.

Dad jumping in for a round in the combine with Brandon.

Petey and Purple, all lined up.

Unloading the final hopper for the night. Darn humidity anyway.

Here come them storm clouds again.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest™ is sponsored by High Plains Journal and New Holland Agriculture. Steph can be contacted at stephanie@allaboardharvest.com.