Steph: Elevator Shenanigans

StephNEW_thumbnailRain is the one factor that can make or break a harvest day. The forecast (according to smart phones) has only included a 20 percent chance of rain the last couple days, which anyone around here will tell you is exactly when it rains. The funny thing about these particular rain clouds is just when you think you’re in the clear, it starts to pour. And then the sun comes out while it’s raining, giving us back the hope we lost. Most would say hey, it rained, we are done for the day. What do we do? Sit around and watch it dry for an hour or so and get going again. I guess you could call us die-hard.

At the elevator yesterday, I was in line at the ground pit waiting patiently for my turn. All of a sudden, the workers at the pit started walking around to the doors of the trucks and informing us to go to a different pit on account of technical difficulties. Talk about insta-scatter. Trucks were turning around every which way, trying to get closer up in line, dust flying everywhere. It was chaos. I was at the end of the line anyway so I just sat there and watched. It was rather entertaining. However, once we all got out of that area and in line for the next pit, roads and entrances were blocked and the chaos continued for another half hour or so until everything was back to normal. Nothing like a little chaos to spice up a day at the elevator!

The field we have been harvesting resembles a crater. To get there, you have to travel down a road that is pure pasture for about 15-20 minutes. The road is similar to an obstacle course with its twists, turns, potholes and fence posts that I have to maneuver around to get where I need to be. The situations we get ourselves into, I tell you what. However, the wheat waiting in the “crater” is beautiful, yielding from 70-100 bushels per acre with test weights in the low 60s. If I had a GoPro, I would have strapped the thing to the cab of my truck so you could have experienced it yourself.

SHOUT-OUT to the American Legion in Hemingford, Neb. for having the best mac and cheese bites in town! I highly recommend them if you are ever in the area.

You might be a harvester if…you go home at the end of the day and find wheat in your pockets.

Rollin' along.

Rollin’ along.

Believe it or not, there's a field down there!

Believe it or not there’s a field down there.

Nice, clean sample.

View inside Petey.

Truck lineup.

Truck lineup. Notice the blue Pete is new to the crew. We had to have one of our truck drivers from home bring it down for us in this beautiful wheat crop.

Oh the parents, so cute.

Oh for cute, the parents.

Going right along.

Dad checking if the combine is throwing over.

Dad checking to see if the combine is throwing over.

I'm a fan of these unloading photos lately.

I’ve been all about unloading pictures lately.

Coming on down the hill.

Coming on down the hill.

Loading up the header.

Loading up the header.

A little rainbow action.

Who needs gold when there’s a combine at the end of the rainbow?!

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Dad better appreciate this because I love it.

Dad always gives me a hard time when I take pictures of him but this one might take the cake so far.

Ticket I get to direct me to which pit I am to dump at. Lucky number 3 this time!

The ticket I receive to tell me which pit to dump at. Lucky number 3 this time!

Farmer's Co-op.

Farmer’s Co-op.

In line.

The line.

End to another day.

End of another long, dusty day.

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

 

 

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