Laura: To rain or not to rain

Northwest of Great Falls, along the Canadian border—It is Aug. 22, and rain chances start tonight and are in the forecast through the weekend. As much as one hates to see rain interrupt harvest, the area needs the moisture. Our crew could really use a rain break to catch up on sleep, life, and have some much deserved rest and relaxation. Normally we have these types of weather events scattered throughout the run, but with the extreme drought those storms and natural break makers haven’t been as common. Our crew has really been giving it their all.
Our return home comes a little closer every day. Normally this is greeted with great excitement and internal fanfare. However, with the drought and high temperatures, things are looking tough in places for fall harvest, especially dry land acres.
For the time being, I’m trying to push those mental images out of the way and focus on the positives at hand. We are currently seeing our strongest dryland wheat yields of the entire season. One of our farmers even said, at eighty-four years young, that these are the highest spring wheat yields he’s ever grown. At times, they were pushing 70 all the way to 100-plus bushels an acre. That’s incredible. Last year we didn’t cut a single acre for them because it was hailed out. It is crazy to think how extremely different two years can be. In addition to the spring wheat, we have also been harvesting winter wheat and lentils.

Another thing to be thankful for is we can be together as a family. We made the decision to start school remote again to allow us a little more time on the road. Thanks to all the amazing school resources these days that are available online and in print, support from our schools back home, and all the historical and science opportunities in the area, we really can have the best of both worlds. This region is rich in educational opportunities. Whenever possible, I try to take advantage of the resources at hand and make their history and science books come alive for them. Just this past week, they were able to see one of the largest collections of triceratopses in the world, they stood where Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea traveled at the headwaters of the Missouri River, and were a stone’s throw away from mountain goats and big horn sheep in the mountains. We even got to attend Shakespeare in the Park.

Beautiful sunsets.

Pablo cutting away on the wheat.

Breeno and Paul cutting next to each other.

Shadows at sundown.

A mountain goat calf.

Shakespeare in the Park was a great, unexpected treat. It is a theater company from Montana State that has been traveling to present to underserved or rural communities for the last 50 years.

What a great fossil collection!

Laura Haffner can be reached at laura@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.

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