18 Oct Christy: Back in the fields

After more rain days than we would like, we’re back in the fields. Paul is running one of our nine machines on corn by Round Lake, Minnesota, and most everyone else is still working on soybeans. The fields are a little soft after all the rain, so it’s a little muddy.

Fields by Reading, Minnesota, received over 2 inches of rain last week. They were definitely a little muddy, but as the weather has dried, less tracks are being made. One machine is working to finish those beans.

By Hartley, Iowa, two machines on beans are doing really well averaging around 60 to 65 bushels an acre. If this weather would straighten out a little more, I think they should be done with beans there and move on to corn.

Before the rain, we snuck one of Paul’s personal fields of beans in the mix. He was happy with how it did. As a harvester, your first priority is your customers, so when you have fields of your own that are ready, it’s nice if they fit in the schedule. Soybeans are little bit touchier than corn because after a certain percentage of dryness, you start losing yield quickly. It’s really important to get soybeans out on time.

Meal delivery has become a little more challenging with the three crews by home. All in all it takes about two and a half, sometimes three hours to reach each crew for each meal. I’ve begun sending quite a few sack lunches, and packing a few coolers for supper so I can minimize the miles I’m putting on. These guys might be put off by sandwiches by the time the year is done.

One machine by Elkton, South Dakota, is still switching back and forth between corn and soybeans, and our two machines by Roscoe, South Dakota, are moving through bean acres quickly. Yields are pretty low due to dry conditions over the summer by Roscoe. Those beans are only doing between 15 to 20 bushels an acre. They have rain in the forecast, and cooler temperatures ahead. You can see from the pictures crew sent from out there that it’s pretty rough looking, with pods spilling their beans before the combine even enters the field. Those beans also had some hail damage. Fields out there just didn’t see a break from Mother Nature at all this year. I hope for all the farmers out there that conditions greatly improve for next year.

(Photo by Patrick Gomon.)

(Photo by Patrick Gomon.)

Out in Nebraska, Gary is combining with two machines on irrigated soybeans. They’re moving pretty slowly with yields upwards of 80-plus bushels an acre. Hopefully he can wrap up there next week and they can move back this direction.

Lastly, we do have some exciting news to share. We added a new crew member, Penny. She’s an Olde English Bulldog about eight weeks old. I’m not really sure why we felt now was the best time to add a puppy into the mix of harvest craziness, but we definitely love her already.

Christy Paplow can be reached at christy@allaboardharvest.com.

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