06 Jun Christy: Clean cuts and rain ruts

Wichita Falls, Texas – We have been cutting steadily through rain showers here in Texas. Rain has halted operations for a day here and there, but we’re hoping tomorrow we can finally finish the last 120 acres needed to complete our first job. We’re thankful we haven’t seen any damaging hail or tornados hit our area, but it has been around and close.

Texas has been a great stop this year. Crops have been producing around 40-70 bushels per acre and test weights have been averaging around 63 to 64 pounds. We haven’t battled much wet ground, but a few fields have had some wet spots. Rain that has pounded us the last couple of days have made things a little trickier, but we’re working around it and hoping to get it done.

Patrick moved equipment up to Kingfisher, Oklahoma. They have also seen a lot of rain and after sampling at 16.9 percent moisture, they’ve decided to wait a few more days before moving campers that direction. It won’t be long before we’ll be needed at all our next stops.

We’ll have a crew move by Anthony, Kansas this weekend. I think they’ll be able to roll right away. Crops are looking pretty good that direction.

Back in Iowa and Minnesota where we farm, they have seen a lot of rain as well. It sounds like we might need to run back up and replant a couple spots. We’re hoping by home all farmers can get finished planting soybeans and replants can get in when they need to.

On our off time with the rain, our crew is out at the local rodeo. I’m glad it’s worked for the crew to see life around Texas, especially our members from overseas. It was neat to see a few women bull riders. Texas definitely does rodeo right, and I know our crew is having the best time.

I picked up our last J1 trainee from Dallas this last week. He’s from Germany and will be our only crew from that country. We still have a few more crew to join us yet this year, and then our crew will be complete. It’ll come just in time, as we’ll be needing more truckers here soon.

A lot will happen in the next few days as we will be splitting up to accommodate our upcoming jobs, but I’m excited to make these next moves to see how wheat is looking in other areas. Hope the weather will straighten out so everyone can get done in Northern Texas.

Thank you to our 2024 All Aboard Wheat Harvest sponsors: High Plains Journal, Lumivia by Corteva Agriscience, Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc., Merit Auctions, Kramer Seed Farms, Shelbourne Reynolds, and U.S. Custom Harvesters, Inc.