Universe, you call the shots

Helena, Oklahoma—The plan was set. Dad announced that we would be getting all our ducks in a row and heading to our next stop by the afternoon. These “ducks” included paying our fuel bill, paying the campground owner, squaring up with Farmer Mike, packing up the camper and loading equipment. Easy peasy, right? We thought so too until reality came around and reminded us what was up. From our header trailer being stuck in the mud to our Peterbilt having a dead battery, the universe was clearly telling us that we should not depart just yet. Well, universe, tomorrow it is!

Other than counting silos and/or roadkill alongside the road, I have this little game I like to play while we are traveling from stop to stop. When coming to a stop sign, I count how many times Dad uses his breaks to see if I can use them less than he does and rely more on my downshifting to get my engine slowed down. Now I know what some of you are thinking: “Steph, you have an unfair advantage because watching him ahead of you tells you when stop signs are coming!” The fact that makes this even keel is that he has Mom ahead of him so he can actually see when they are coming. He and his big combine load block my view of the stop sign until I am uncomfortable close to it. Therefore, the opportunities to slow down are even for both of us. And after he reads this he will probably get super competitive with me…shoot.

Well, Osowski Ag Service has officially made it stop #2 on the harvest run—Helena, Oklahoma. We got here and the humidity felt as though it was 100 percent so we are looking at getting our headers back into the wheat tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon. Farmer Mike here in Helena says this is the best crop he has seen in years so we can hardly wait to get started!

Quote of the Day—Call me puddin’.”

This quote deserves a little story attached. So, the night we had a cookout in Hobart with Farmer Mike and his hired hand, JD, Mom provided the dessert. The dessert, coincidentally, was a banana pudding with chunks of pound cake in the bottom (I know, swoon). JD could not get enough and kept saying how it was the best pudding he had ever tasted and that he could sit down with the bowl and eat it in its entirety. We all started calling him “pudding” and were all getting some big laughs out of it. He obliged with my quote of the day from above.

Stuff Harvesters Like—A quick and painless trip to the next stop on the harvest trail.

Success!

With this new 40-footer, some of these gates seem to have shrunk on us. Dad mastered this gate with a little bit of guidance from me!

John Deere tractor or North Dakota State tractor? :)

John Deere tractor or North Dakota State tractor?! Colors are the same, after all. 

Chef Mike!

Farmer/Chef Mike. He’s pretty good at both.

Don't that just make your mouth water...

Doesn’t that just make your mouth water…

Harvest isn't all about work.

Having a grand ol’ time at the cookout!

Can't enough of them Oklahoma sunsets.

Can’t get enough of those Oklahoma sunsets.

Cacti.

Some cool cacti.

Did a little senior photo shoot for Brandon!

We did a little senior photo session by some cool red rocks around Lone Wolf, Oklahoma, for Brandon.

The crew!

The crew!

Mom and dad!

Aren’t they so cute?

Sportin' the new AAWH tshirts!

Sportin’ our new AAWH T-shirts!

Rollin' into Helena, Okla.

Made it to Helena, greeted by overcast skies.

Our new "yard" for this stop.

Our “yard” for our stay.

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

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