30 Jul Tried and true

Hemingford, Nebraska/The Open Road—I was told today that a true harvester always hates the end of the road. I guess that must make me the truest of the true because when it comes time to hit the dusty trail leading back to home, it always feels too soon. I told Dad to just send me to Montana or western North Dakota with Purple and the combine and I would do just fine on my own! The irrigated wheat that finished up our southern harvest season did right at 70 bushels per acre with 59 pound test weights. Not a bad note to end on!

Another tiny trucker anecdote: some of the things my Dad gets me into, I tell you what. If you happened to see my video Take a Ride in Purple! you saw the interesting conditions that we truckers had to endure every load. On my way out of the field yesterday, I am pretty sure I saw my and Purple’s lives flash before my eyes. We had trucks parked on a different end of the field than usual to make it more convenient for Brandon to unload the combine. However, the only way out from that particular side of the field was a hill path. A literal hill path, the kind that run right along a hill. At one point, I was convinced I was gonna tip right over and that would be the end of that. However, I am happy to report there were no casualties or tipsy-turvies.

We began the two-day trip home today and made it exactly halfway between Hemingford and home. Driving all day sure gives you time to think and I am going to give you a small example here of how my brain works; I was listening to the radio today and a song came on, your typical cute little country love story. At one point, the lyrics go, “Threw my truck in 5th gear” and all I can think is, “Man, he must have really grinded those gears to start in 5th…that’s hard on the transmission.”

I also have to throw a quick little shout-out to the Phillips boys and Caroline for your great service and sarcastic humor that make you guys so much fun to be around! We look forward to seeing you guys again next year!

Quote of the Day—“Harvesters never say die!”

Stuff Harvesters Like—A smooth, flat, not-heavily-trafficked road to travel down. (We did NOT get those on our first leg of travel.)

A view of our crater field!

View of Hemingford when coming in from the west end of town.

Purple at the Farmer’s Co-op in Hemingford.

The storm in the background made for such cool scenery!

The lighting in this one looks so cool!

Last couple swipes of the field!

The sky was unreal.

Loaded up and ready to go!

Parked for the night, we will make it home tomorrow!

Cruisin’.

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