26 Jun Janel: Fighting Green Then Finding Dry Wheat

Dodge City, Kansas—For the first few days of cutting in southern Kansas we were fighting green. The moisture on the loads went 13.3% to 15%.  The fields I’m cutting have big, full wheat heads.  It’s all making over 60 bushels per acre.  The test weights have been 61 to 64 pounds per bushel. We’ve had to cut around some green wheat in the fields and then will have to go back later and get it cut when it’s ready. The wind has been blowing strong for several days. That has helped ripen the wheat right along. Now all at once we are finding dry wheat to cut. The high 90 degree heat every day and wind has been a blessing for trying to get wheat cut.  The loads are now testing 9% to 12% moisture.

I enjoy being here. The Kansas wheat harvest is a favorite part of my harvest run!  What I love about cutting here is that the farmer puts in his greatest effort.  There isn’t a weed on the land.  I appreciate a hard working farmer and an excellent crop!  Our forecast has chances of showers and thunderstorms and highs in the 80s and 90s.  Progress has been made but this morning (June 19) it’s raining. Harvest may be delayed a day or two now. I’m not looking forward to dealing with any mud in the fields

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc, BASF, AgriPro, Gleaner and High Plains Journal. Janel Schemper can be reached at janel@allaboardharvest.com.

Strong wind blows the chaff around.

Hot and windy days help ripen the wheat quicker.

We had cut a load and stopped to wait on the moisture call back from the truck driver.  It was 13.3% so we kept cutting!

Cutting wheat in southern Kansas on a hot and windy day.

Harvesting the grain that feeds the world is my job!  I’m an essential!  Thank you farmers and harvesters for all of your hard work!

Losing daylight.  It was a beautiful day of cutting wheat!

Miss Moo helping me check out the wheat field! This wheat made 84 bushels per acre.  The best I’ve cut so far this year.

She’s a pro at checking wheat fields!  This is her 12th wheat harvest!

Finding a few green wheat heads.  This is what offsets the moisture in a load of wheat sometimes.

Miss Moo knows how to smile for pictures!  She’s very talented!  By the way, she loves combine rides with me and air conditioning especially on a super hot day!

Check out the big, full wheat heads. An excellent wheat crop.

I appreciate getting to harvest a wheat crop as good as this one!

A truck driver waiting on a load of wheat to haul to the elevator.

Lucky to have heat (98 degrees) to ripen the crop! It’s been in the high 90s recently.

Cutting wheat in southern Kansas.

The wheat in the low spot is green so we’ll leave it and have to come back and cut it later.

My favorite time of day is evening and when I start seeing my combine shadow! It’s quite the sight!

So much wheat to cut but losing daylight. We got the field cut and shut down at 11 p.m. on June 18. 

Cutting wheat with the boss! Happy birthday, Dad, on June 22! He’s a veteran and my true American hero!

Way to go, Mom! She captured the sunset and us cutting wheat in southern Kansas on June 17.  (Photo by Carlene Schemper.)