30 Jul Janel: Busy harvest days continue

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Western Nebraska—We moved north last Wednesday. I couldn’t believe the hail damage from Goodland, Kansas, to Holyoke, Colorado. The crops were pounded by hail for so many consecutive miles. I feel sorry for all of those farmers that lost crops. That was a terrible sight.

We made it to the farm on July 19, unloaded and we’ve been staying very busy in the wheat fields. However, the conditions are tough. There’s lots of sawfly and tough straw again this year here in Nebraska. The headers plug up and the combines sometimes do too. I wonder if fungicide or a spray creates the toughness? The wheat so far is averaging 35 to 50 bushels per acre. The test weights around 59 pounds per bushel. The moisture has been running dry around only 9%.

Three of our combines didn’t stop here. They hustled up to north central Montana and went straight to the wheat field. They were about a week late getting there. However, the yields are excellent and the conditions good. I hope they have a great run there.

We have five combines here. We’ll be busy for several more days yet especially with the hot and dry forecast. When we finish here three more combines will go to Montana and two to South Dakota. I can’t wait to get there. I love the north country. For me, it’s my favorite part of the summer wheat harvest.

I went home to Holdrege very briefly on July 22 to run some errands and also did three CDL tests. I actually had two people ask me if I was done harvesting. I kindly said no but I wanted to say that the best part of harvest is still yet to come. I don’t think people realize my harvest schedule. I’m only home about five months out of the year. The other seven months I’m gone harvesting. This business takes serious dedication to make it all work.

Janel can be reached at janel@allaboardharvest.com.

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Harvesting the last field in western Kansas with five combines and three carts.
This wheat yielded very well. Almost 90 bushels per acre.
I love loading all the equipment.
Moving day. We moved north on July 19.
I enjoy moving day and getting to drive truck.
I love harvest.
I love moving to the next stop on harvest.
This was almost the normal sight in Kansas this year—weedy wheat fields.
My wheels. All 30 of them.
Since when are chicken strips and fries $13 now?
Cutting wheat in western Nebraska July 23.
This field made 35 bushels per acre.
Obstacles. I dislike obstacles. Trees shouldn’t grow so close to a road. Some mailboxes are annoyingly in the way too.
A nice wheat field to cut.
I love field time.
Uh oh, rain clouds moving closer.
Getting sprinkles and wind.
We got a few sprinkles and wind but luckily the storm missed us.
Moving to another field. There’s a lot of corn planted here this year.
Cutting wheat July 24 in western Nebraska.
A few weeds.
Jared and Lonny cutting across the road.
The 103 degrees high heat helps to combine through the weeds.
Weedy wheat.
Seeing my combine shadow is my favorite time of day.
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