06 Sep Laura: Montana, our home away from home!

Montana — The crew has been in Montana for more than a month now. With the exception of fall harvest, this is our longest stop of the year.

It truly starts to feel like a home away from home.

My Instagram account, with its all-knowing nature, agrees. In the past, due to our lengthy stays, the app has reminded me that I need to register to vote in Montana. Don’t worry. I’m only registered in my home state. There is no double dipping here, although I am now quite familiar with the state’s political candidates due to the incessant barrage of political ads. Is it November yet?

Ads weren’t the only thing that kept coming this past week. Pop-up showers were the theme for several nights in a row. The key word here is showers. They haven’t really been enough to do much good in terms of banking moisture for the 2025 crop, but just enough to drive us from the field prematurely and sometimes have a later morning start.

Despite the showers, our team continues to make good progress. The crew has finished nearly all the barley for the season. They’ve made a large dent in the canola as well. That’s a good thing, too, because it is time for some of the team to head to North Dakota. It won’t be too long before high moisture corn harvest starts in Kansas.

The little harvesters have been busy. In their spare time, they completed swim lessons and made a great amount of progress. I’m proud of the way they’ve learned to embrace new environments and situations in the towns we visit. That type of courage doesn’t come easily.

They’ve been in the field and have been a great help with meals, too. Rock-splitting is a favorite pastime, and there’s no shortage of stone in the former glacial till areas of Montana. One never knows what type of treasure may be waiting inside. They’re soaking up these finals days of summer as it will soon be time to return to Kansas.

Despite all the adventures harvest can bring and our thankfulness for the opportunities we’ve been given, this can be a bittersweet time, too. We’re well into the season, so homesickness can creep in. There have been many miles, long days, and it’s been a long while since many of the crew and our immediate family have seen family and friends. Even the comforts of home like favorite foods, pets and more start having a pull. I’m thankful for our crew and the sacrifices made because it isn’t always easy helping feed the world.

I am currently unable to access my AAWH email. If you have tried to reach me, I regret I haven’t responded. Feel free to reach us on Facebook or Instagram at High Plains Harvesting or Under the Flyover Sky. Thanks for your patience! 

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. Laura can be reached at laura@allaboardharvest.com.