16 Aug Janel: Downtime
South Dakota–We are caught back up to the harvest again. The wheat has been borderline ready. We have cut nice wheat though that has been yielding 60 to 70 bushels per acre. The test weight has been 62 to 63 pounds per bushel and the protein 12.5 percent. It rained lately which delayed our harvesting time but hopefully all of the wheat will be ready to cut once the conditions are right again.
All I want to do is cut wheat but there is almost always downtime here in South Dakota because we cut winter wheat and spring wheat. Once the winter wheat is cut, we often wait on the spring wheat to ripen. However, downtime is hardly ever a day off for me even though it may be a day away from the field. I stay busy catching up on other work and cooking two meals per day for a crew of 11. I would much rather spend my time in the field making progress and harvesting as much wheat as I can because that’s what I like to do and where I like to be but that takes the right weather and conditions.
Our 10-day forecast is clear with highs in the 70s. Hopefully, we’ll finish up the winter wheat and get started on spring wheat and then eventually make our way up to North Dakota next on our harvest route to cut spring wheat and canola.
All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere. Janel Schemper can be reached at janel@allaboardharvest.com.
My dad cutting winter wheat in South Dakota.
Harvesting winter wheat in South Dakota.
Sierra cutting winter wheat in South Dakota.
Sierra harvesting winter wheat in South Dakota.
Miss Moo says, “Let’s get this show on the road.” MacDon Harvest Support was putting a new hose on the header so we were stopped for a few minutes.
Unloading wheat on the truck.
Harvesting winter wheat in South Dakota.
Harvesting winter wheat in South Dakota.
Uh oh! The sky is starting to change to a dark blue color.
We might get rained out. Rain, rain stay away.
Unloading on the go and the sky is getting darker.
Harvesting winter wheat in South Dakota.
A nice wheat crop in South Dakota.
Cutting winter wheat in South Dakota.
Sierra and Jared harvesting winter wheat in South Dakota.
The rain clouds keep getting closer and the sky darker.
Harvesting winter wheat in South Dakota with a storm approaching.
Harvesting winter wheat in South Dakota.
Storm clouds getting closer. (Photo by Carlene Schemper.)
Wicked looking clouds rolling in.
I couldn’t decide if I wanted blue almond ice cream or a hot fudge sundae so I got both but, of course, Miss Moo gets half of whatever I’ve got so I had help.
Sunshine and clear skies again.
Harvesting winter wheat in South Dakota.
My combine shadow. I love this time of day. So thankful for a beautiful wheat crop to cut!
Cutting winter wheat in South Dakota.
Miss Moo is always next to me. I love her company. She is the best dog ever!
Cutting winter wheat in South Dakota.
While we were in Pierre we went to Hobby Lobby. Sierra said, “Aunt Janel, we have to do the Hobby Lobby challenge.” Ok! One of her favorite things are sunflowers.
One of my favorite things is … you guessed it – harvest! (Photo by Sierra Schemper.)
Hobby Lobby challenge while shopping in Pierre. So cute, Sierra!
Never a dull moment shopping with Sierra!
I said, “Sierra, a flower for the sweetest girl in the world!”
Sierra said, “Aunt Janel, a rose for a peach!”
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