21 Jun Christy: Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children visit the field

Kingfisher, Oklahoma-Well, if you followed along last year, you’ll remember I didn’t quite make Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children’s visit last year due to some major pickup issues. This year, everything went well and we had an amazing visit with two pretty special kids. OBHC even brought us lunch, and a great lunch at that. They picked up some delicious bacon cheeseburgers from Braums.

Lunch thanks to Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children.

Jim brought Phoenix and Dalton from the Boys Ranch Town in Edmond, Oklahoma. The BRT is one of four extensions of the OBHC. These kids come from various backgrounds and learn some really helpful strategies to gain structure and routine in their lives. This helps these children to become more successful in home life once they’ve graduated from the BRT, or when they graduate from high school to enter adulthood. The BRT offers many activities from schooling and chores, to animal programs, campouts, rodeos, and so much more. Jim serves as one of the associate houseparents who help guide these young children. I enjoyed visiting with him while Phoenix and Dalton rode in the combines.

Phoenix couldn’t wait to board the combine.

Phoenix couldn’t wait to jump in one of the machines. I think he was into everything in Patrick’s combine with just a great curiosity of what all these things can do. I know he wanted to drive one, but Patrick thought he might need to wait a few years. I even heard him testing out the two-way radios when Patrick jumped out to check his header. It was pretty cute. Dalton rode with Cole, and I’m pretty sure, from where we were standing, a cow had gotten loose in the wheat field right in front of them. Hopefully they all had a great time.

Dalton headed to the combine with Cole.

There’s a tiny dot where you can see a cow running around in the field in front of the combine.

The OBHC is a fantastic organization, if you would like to learn more, please visit them at obhc.org.

To give you a little update on where we all stand right now, Gary and Rhonada finally made it down to Anthony, Kansas, and began cutting with five machines right away. It was a very welcome relief that they joined us. The first few fields of wheat were averaging around 20 to 25 bushels per acre with a moisture at 12 to 13%. The fields they started today are closer to averaging around 30 to 40 bushels per acre.

Wheat averaging 40 to 45 bushels per acre by Kingfisher, Oklahoma.

Paul and I moved with three machines over to Kingfisher, Oklahoma, midweek, and our job here should be wrapped up today if all goes well. We saw a good jump in bushels per acre in these fields with an average of 40 to 45 bushels an acre. It was nice to get in some better wheat, but the field size out here has been small. The guys have had to take their headers off quite often to move fields, which can get a little tedious.

Moving fields.

The fields were also a little wet in spots and one field shows just how wet it got. We left some pretty deep tracks. Tom also got in a little soft spot with his semi and needed a little tug from the grain cart. It’s also incredibly hot down here with the temperature reading 101 degrees yesterday, and I haven’t checked today, but it’s got to be at least that or higher. With all the rain they’ve finally received in the area and the heat it’s pretty humid.

Deep tracks made in Kingfisher, Oklahoma.

Tom being pulled out of a soft spot by the grain cart.

As we close out Oklahoma’s wheat harvest, things are going good, and moving right along. When we finish here in Kingfisher, I don’t know if the plan is to join the Anthony crew in Kansas, or if the farmers are ready for us in Pratt. Should find out here pretty soon and next time I’ll give you an update up on Kansas’ wheat harvest.

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

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is brought to you by ITC Holdings, CASE IH, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, US Custom Harvesters Inc., Unverferth Mfg. Co. Inc., Lumivia CPL by Corteva Agriscience, Kramer Seed Farms, and High Plains Journal.