14 Aug Laura: Trucks
South Central Montana: Harvest continues out here in south central Montana. As mentioned in a previous post, we are hauling into onsite bins. Therefore, protein and test weights aren’t available. Yield ranges have been in the 70s. These are dryland acres.
I thought it was time the truckers got a little post. Usually the combines, tractors and grain carts get a lot of attention, because they’re physically harvesting the wheat. Trucks have the a very important role, too, of transporting the grain to a storage facility. For those readers not as familiar with the process, our drivers need a CDL (commercial drivers license) for harvest. Passing the written, walk around, and driving test is not exactly a walk in the park. I don’t intend on ever letting mine expire! They also have the responsibility of driving a heavy load though rural and urban areas. We want our drivers to be safe for themselves as well as for those around them.
If the wheat is poor, things are slow for the driver. If the wheat is yielding well or the haul long, they may be on a continuous circle between the field and bins/elevator. They also have the opportunity to meet more people through their interaction with the elevator personnel.
Some employees prefer to drive only truck, only field equipment, or a combination of both. If possible, we prefer that our employees all have the ability to drive truck, in addition to the other equipment. This adds flexibility to the team.
Below are some pictures of our truckers who happened to be in the field at the same time I had my camera out.
One of the red trucks. (Photo by Laura)
James watching the tractor operater fill his truck. (Photo by Laura)
Hey there, Leigh! (Photo by Laura)
A truck pulling in for another load. (Photo by Laura)
Getting ready to load. (Photo by Laura)
The wheat was great on this day. Two trucks loading at once. (Photo by Laura)
Loading the truck. (Photo by Laura)
The trucks are nice, but what about that beautiful Montana scenery? (Photo by Laura)
All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere. Laura can be reached at laura@allaboardharvest.com.
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