Brian: Kansas harvest kicks off

Sublette, Kansas—Wow!  What a difference just a few days can make … After the heartache Oklahoma dealt us with the rains, mud and challenging fields conditions, Kansas welcomes us with sunny skies, triple-digit temperatures and flat fields.  The weather has turned completely around, and harvesters couldn’t be more happy.

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Ideal harvesting conditions make for a fast-paced harvest here in Sublette.  With the header loaded on the trailer, we are off to the next field.  What a change from Oklahoma.

We started our two stops in Kansas in reverse order from normal, meaning we are currently in the Sublette area.  Ideal conditions mean we are moving quickly through our acres, and we will soon wrap up here and move east 50 miles to Minneola.  Watch the video below to get a quick summary of what we have been up to as Kansas harvest officially kicks off.

We were excited to connect with some young visitors from Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children for an afternoon. A big thanks to Randy Pickle for making the long drive so the boys could experience harvest first hand.  The boys were eager to ride along for an up-close view of harvest from the combine cab.  It was an afternoon of good conversation, sharing and a change of pace for everyone’s daily routines. Experiences like these allow us to share the story of agriculture in a unique way.

The OBHC is a faith-based ministry that provides families a safe, stable and nurturing place to live.  OBHC assists struggling families by teaching important life skills that helps them develop a solid foundation on which to build a more positive life for themselves.

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I was inspired by the stories these young men shared as residents of OBHC, and I think  you would be, too. Make sure to visit obhc.org/10AcreChallenge to learn more about this great organization and consider how you might join in supporting the great work, including being a part of the 10 Acre Challenge.

The All Aboard Wheat Harvest corespondents are proud to be sponsored by The Oklahoma Baptists Homes for Children, and we thank them for their ongoing partnership.  It’s a special opportunity each year to help encourage and engage with and these young adults as we share our unique harvest lifestyle.

Next week I’ll be bringing you some harvesting footage live from the fields of Minneola, Kansas … and trust me, it’s going to be fun to watch.  Take care!

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With some supervision from Uncle Brian, young Titus takes a turn behind the wheel.  The next generation of wheat harvester has officially begun training!

 

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Cameron delivers another load to “the pile,” a common storage method in southwest Kansas.  After harvest, a tarp will cover the wheat to protect it from the elements during storage.

 

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A double-nozzle diesel fill up, along with topping off the diesel exhaust fluid tank, ensures the machines are fed for another long day of work. This also means many mornings start with a fuel bill that exceeds $1,000 for the day.

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What a difference a year can make—this years beautiful wheat crop in the top image compared to last years disastrous crop in the bottom image is almost hard to comprehend.   Last year drought and weeds forced some fields to be abandoned.

 

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Sometimes the best places are found off the beaten path, and the crew was treated a few times to donuts from an amazing small-town bakery—a crew tradition while here.

 

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere. Be sure to join the conversation by leaving a question or comment. Brian can be reached at Brian@allaboardharvest.com.

 

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