26 May Steph: Commence

Gilliland, Texas – You know how they say everything is bigger in Texas? That’s no lie. I kid you not. I had a mosquito the size of a quarter bite me today. Around dusk, Josh the Elevator Worker and I had to dance around like fools while unloading my truck in an attempt to keep them away. Not like it worked much — my arms and neck are covered in little red welts. Battle scars on the first full day of cutting, what more could you ask for? Harvest is HERE. The yields are between 20-25 bushels per acre with test weights coming in at 58 pounds. With a whopping distance of four miles to haul the grain in to the elevator, we are seeing some major progress and were able to do 250 acres on day one with our combine.

We may be harvesting in Gilliland but we are camped out in Seymour and let me tell you something — I love this town. It has “harvest” written all over it. It has the perfect combination of hotels, restaurants and campgrounds to accommodate harvest crews of all shapes and sizes. And I’m not talking Holiday Inns and Super 8s, oh no. I’m talking “La Siesta Motel” and “New Mavrick Cafe”.

We went into a convenience store today in Seymour for some general harvest day needs and happened to strike up a conversation with the owner. The owners’ name? Jack Blizzard. Like Jack Frost but cooler (see what I did there?) and in the flesh. He kind of inspires me to make me want to write a children’s book… The Economic Adventures of Jack Blizzard.

Quote of the Day – “Your ‘bad days’ would mean the world is ending to anyone else.”

Stuff Harvesters Do – When you’ve been harvesting in a town long enough, it becomes a good investment to simply purchase the campground you so often inhabit. (Courtesy of C & K Harvesting out of Cuba, Kansas. They happen to own a campground here in Seymour, TX).

Betty Crocker; Trailer Park Edition

Coffee is a necessity.

Wild hogs have become a major problem for farmers and ranchers.

Meet Farmer Glen.

Havin’ a little pickup chit-chat.

Pup Susie, enjoying some nice shade.

Putting the duels on.

Up is down and down is up on this gearshift in the combine.

Meet Brady – our salesmans’ son.

We were combining corn, of course.

Cheesin’ pretty hard with that sun in his face. Notice the cell phone inside the hat. Crazy how times have changed!

Filling that hopper up.

This thing was so neat — you put your phone in it and you can virtually skydive, walk with dinosaurs or assist with the zombie apocalypse.

Mens aid. Brady, Salesman Mike, Matt, John, Ryan (Farmer Glen’s son) and Farmer Glen.

Salesman Mike, Brady and John, posing by the new combine. Mike came down to get it all setup and make sure we made it down safely. Thank you for all your help, Mike! Shoutout to Titan Machinery in Wishek, ND for the support.

When you can’t find a coffee can for the sample, you improvise.

Getting acclimated.

My reading material.

Sad day in the neighborhood when you see this. They’re my favorite though so I’ll tough it out till the whole finger is gone.

Unloading the first load of 2017!

Not a bad sample.

This is the first time I’ve ever photographed a red combine.

Peace.

There goes Matt.

Making dust.

The best site.

On the go.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere. You can contact Steph at stephanie@allaboarharvest.com.