12 Jun Janel: A Survival Harvest 2018

Weatherford, Oklahoma – What an interesting spring we had this year. The cold winter air finally gave up in May.  I was asked over 100 times when I was leaving for harvest.  I typically don’t have the answer until the time comes to leave for harvest, but I estimated a June 1^st start date.  I drove truck five days per week during the harvest off season up until three days before we left for harvest.  Most days, I would leave the shop yard at 5:30 a.m. and haul soybeans or corn all day long and return back to the shop yard in the evening.  While I was busy trucking I was dreaming of the days filled with amber waves of grain!

The best news I have is that Miss Moo (my dog) and I have new wheels again for harvest.  We have a new John Deere s770 combine and 40′ MacDon header which we are enjoying.  I just wish I could cut wheat all day every day!  I have a feeling our acres will be short on our entire wheat harvest route.  I am just going to call this harvest a survival harvest.

Part of our crew went to southwest Oklahoma for the start of our wheat harvest. We were expecting the yields to be much worse.  In the Frederick, Oklahoma area the yield range was 35 to 51 bushels per acre.  Test weights were 62 to 65 pounds.  The protein was 11.5% to 12.5%.  However, we only sent two of our combines to our first harvest stop on May 27^th.  They got there and went straight to the field.  We were way short on acres this year due to the drought which is very disappointing.  I always look forward to the harvest and our first stop but this year it’s just stressful.  A lot of the wheat was grazed and baled.  Right now, cotton is being planted in southwest Oklahoma.  If the drought continues there won’t be much of a cotton crop either and then more than likely lots of wheat acres will be planted in the fall.  Overall, the wheat yields were better than expected.  My dad tells the story so well about many years ago when we got to our first harvest stop and 2/3 of the wheat crop was hailed out.  Now that is a severe disappointment.

I myself went south for harvest on May 31^st.  We started cutting June 1^st in the Weatherford, Oklahoma area and have stayed busy.  I think it may be the first time ever that we cut the entire crop and didn’t get rained out even once.  We were fortunate to have harvest weather which is what I love!  Most days were 100 plus degrees and the humidity under 50% which is what we need to have dry wheat.  The yields were 35 bushels per acre and the test weights were all nearly 64 pounds and the protein 13.5 %.  That is a decent wheat crop.

Now that we have worked ourselves out of work we are looking for work until southern Kansas is ready for us. We all just might be sitting around for a week looking for work.  I am hopeful that we’ll find some wheat to cut.  Our Kansas run looks awfully short on acres this year.  We are looking for more work all the time that is for sure.  Trust me when I tell you this – all I want to do is be in the field and cutting wheat all day, every day.  Please contact me if you would like wheat harvested.  Our website is www.schemperharvesting.com.  Thanks!

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere.  Janel Schemper can be reached at janel@allaboardharvest.com.

LaVern Schemper cutting wheat west of OKC.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

That was us today (6/2/18)!  Miss Moo and I cutting wheat west of OKC.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Miss Moo is a sleeping beauty in her combine seat!  Photo by Janel Schemper.

All I want to do is run the combine and load some trucks!  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Jared and I unloading wheat into the tractor grain cart.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

LaVern Schemper cutting wheat along I-40 just west of OKC.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

JC Schemper all loaded up.  Photo by JC Schemper.

JC Schemper putting the header on the combine in southwest Oklahoma.  Photo by Tricia Schemper.

JC Schemper cutting wheat in southwest Oklahoma.  Photo by Tricia Schemper.

JC Schemper unloading wheat on a grain truck in southwest Oklahoma.  Photo by Tricia Schemper.

Moo loves her combine seat!  I’m still trying to figure out all the buttons and technology.  Oh Deere!  Photo by Janel Schemper.

I’m pretty sure Moo loves me or maybe she just appreciates the air conditioning when it’s 105 degrees outside!  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat west of OKC.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat late into the evening west of OKC.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat in the evening.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

That face though!  She loves combine time too.  If you ever have a bad day just pet the dog.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Filling up the combine grain tank.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat along I-40 west of OKC.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

My dad cutting wheat.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

I like harvest meals on the go.  Homemade potato salad, yes please!  Thanks mom!  Photo by Janel Schemper.

We’ll cut the wheat on the other side of the fence too but for another farmer.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Moo will follow me anywhere!  I was walking out in the wheat to see if it was ripe enough to cut and there she was right there with me.  She makes life more fun.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

LaVern Schemper harvesting wheat.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

A beautiful sight while harvesting a wheat field along old historic Route 66.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

I love a sandwich for lunch while harvesting.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

I harvested this 75 acre wheat field by myself.  I like a clean cut look.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

My combine and header and a wheat field I had just finished cutting.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat during sunset.  I remember cutting this field when I was 13 years old.  Twenty plus years ago.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

A perfectly cut out terrace.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

A combine operator selfie!  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Wild hogs in the field!  I see hogs nearly every year while we are here harvesting wheat.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Schemper Harvesting cutting wheat.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Jared Schemper harvesting wheat.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

 I was cutting a sample and the wheat was ready to be cut.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

I was peeling potatoes for a harvest crew meal.  My mom is our cook but if I’m available I’ll help cook too.  I love good harvest meals.  Photo by Carlene Schemper.

Jared Schemper Harvesting all loaded up.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Jared Schemper driving truck hauling his combine and header.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

I loaded up my combine and will be heading north.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Our customer near OKC let me ride in his awesome blue car.  That was fun and a release rush!  Photo by Carlene Schemper.

A typical early morning in the elevator line at 7 a.m. in Hastings, Nebraska in May.  I transfer grain during the harvest off season.  Photo by Janel Schemper.

Miss Moo and I driving truck hauling grain in April.  I transfer grain during the harvest off season.  Photo by Janel Schemper.