09 Jun Load ’em up, move ’em out

Manley, Nebraska—IT’S TIME TO GO! Yes, you read that right, it’s time to leave for harvest! Dad talked to the farmer on Sunday and we have wheat to cut. And it needs cut NOW. Woo-hoo!

Yesterday and today continue to be run-around-like-a-chicken-with-your-head-cut-off busy days. Last night Dad and I worked around the house until the heat of the day was over and then we headed out to the farm. After checking approximately 40 semi and trailer tires, we got the combine loaded on the trailer for moving day.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) is moving day. As long as we don’t run into any problems, we’ll hit the road Wednesday. We are trying something totally new this summer. We’re going to try to move all of the equipment in one trip. Because we’ll have the overload-sized combine in tow, we won’t be able to drive at night. We’ll park somewhere for the evening and roll in sometime on Thursday.

I will update while we’re on the road tomorrow via Twitter and Instagram. Wish us luck and say a little prayer. See you in Oklahoma!

This is how we move houses! We park one right next to the other. Laundry baskets are filled with food, clothes, bedding, etc. and transported from the back door of the house into the camper. 

The garage is just one example of a “little mess” that needs to be taken care of before we leave. The garage is one of my favorite places in the world. As a kid, I spent many evenings hanging out with Dad and smashing pop cans to recycle or watching him change oil in cars. It held my high school graduation party. And I know that when I can’t find Dad in the house I can find him in the garage listening to old rock and working on some little project.

KSTM KTR—Get it? 

We have a new addition to the fleet! Dad’s got himself a nice service pickup (far right).

Dad and I headed out to work on the farm where we store equipment in the off-season. First on the to-do list? A little farmer gossip.

Dad upgraded the combine and therefore had to upgrade the combine trailer. With a new extension in the middle of the old trailer, the sides are so heavy that we have to use a strap mechanism to slowly let the sides down. I’ll video the process sometime this summer!

Remember those Frederick, Oklahoma, FFA kids from the Harvest Kick-Off? They hooked me up with a sweet hat.


Where’s Dad?

I had to step back and enjoy one of my last home sunsets for a while. There really is no place like Nebraska.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest™ is sponsored by High Plains Journal and New Holland Agriculture. The Z Crew can be reached at zcrew@allaboardharvest.com.