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).

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

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.

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.

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.
All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere. You can contact Steph at stephanie@allaboarharvest.com.
David Pounds
Posted at 16:06h, 26 MayThe Big Red machine looks nice. Always hoped there would be one.
Steph Osowski
Posted at 02:40h, 27 MayIt looks really sharp against the wheat, I agree!
Tom Stegmeier
Posted at 19:37h, 26 MayAre you going to miss Purple ?
Steph Osowski
Posted at 02:41h, 27 MayYes of course, Purple will always be my main girl.
Rob
Posted at 20:15h, 26 MaySome day you just might get to run a green combine!!!
Steph Osowski
Posted at 02:41h, 27 MayYou just never know!
Anthony Barrett
Posted at 20:42h, 26 MayI’ve visited Seymour in the past. My Dad called my younger brother and I at school years ago. There was a piece of farm machinery he was interested there. We left home (Panhandle of Nebraska) and drove to Liberal, KS. Spent the night in a dive motel. Drive to Seymour the next day, didn’t like the machine, and drove back to Liberal. Spent the night in the same motel and drove home. One of my most memorable childhood trips. We had a blast and still talk about it quite often.
Steph Osowski
Posted at 02:43h, 27 MayThat is a wonderful story, it certainly is a memorable little town. There is nothing like a good road trip!
Keith
Posted at 10:57h, 27 MayIts not a west Texas town if it doesn’t have a DQ and an Allsups. Seymour qualifies.
Steph Osowski
Posted at 13:26h, 31 MaySeymour has quickly worked it’s way into my heart — a true harvest town and certainly qualifies for your standards of a west Texas town. It actually has 2 Allsups!
G Nauman
Posted at 14:03h, 27 MaySpeaking of Purple, is it on the harvest trail this year? Let us know how the red machine compares to the yellow ones after you get a little time on it.
Steph Osowski
Posted at 13:27h, 31 MayI believe she will be making an appearance, yes! I’ll keep you posted for sure. From my experience so far, it is a great machine. Very similar to the New Holland but at the end of the day, they are all the same. As long as they get the job done, I am a fan.
Dan McGrew
Posted at 08:23h, 28 MayThose Texas skeeters are populous, but can’t compare with the Montana mountain meadow breed. I was riding fence along a creek flowing into the Madison,when a squadron of those skeeters attacked.
One divebombed me and rammed his beak through the saddle horn.
Not thinking, I bradded his beak with the hammer flat of my fencing pliers.
That turned out to be a serious mistake.
That monster had us ten feet off the ground before I could slip the Tackleberry Buckle on the cinch and save my horse.
Lucky we landed in willows and marsh from flood irrigation in that valley.
Lost a good saddle, rope, coil of new wire and two saddlebags of staples, etc. though.After that carried a .38 Special thumb buster and just shot those skeeters.
Still hurts the boss made me pay for that saddle.
Steph Osowski
Posted at 13:27h, 31 MayThat story is one I plan to “copy and paste” into my phone so I can retell it. Thank you, Dan!
Sharon and Harry Drake
Posted at 00:05h, 29 MayHi,Steph. Sharon Drake from Winfield, Ks. Good to see you back. Harvest here is not even close yet. Should be good when it is.
On your finger of your glove. wrap duck tape around
the finger. On the open spot put the tape with the sticky sides together so you have the smooth side on your skin. Have a good safe time. Sharon Drake. South central Kansas. 60 miles south of Wichita.
Steph Osowski
Posted at 13:28h, 31 MayThank you for the tip, Sharon! And I couldn’t be happier to be back on the harvest trail.