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High Plains Journal

05 Jun

Posted at 11:51h in 2017, aawh, High Plains Journal, Z Crew by
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Manley, Nebraska - I have sort of a surreal feeling this morning. It's the last full day of being "home, home." Home, home...wondering where that phrase came from? It's something the girls started years ago. When they talked about "home," it was the trailer house. When they talked about "home, home," it was Manley. It's stuck. And what's even more interesting...I hear other harvesters refer to their homes in the same way. That's weird, but it works. Now you know.

I was laying in bed this morning trying to take in all the noise that Callie was creating. She was up early this morning getting ready to go to work - her "normal" routine. Normal is good. Even the most normal of activities should be appreciated and loved. You never know when that "normal" is going to change. And isn't life all about change? Anyways...I wanted to just lay there and soak it all in because I know once we leave, it won't be the same when we return. She'll be back to school and the house will, once again, be quiet. I've enjoyed having her home so much. So much! 

04 Jun

Posted at 18:45h in 2017, aawh, All Aboard, harvest, High Plains Journal, HPH, Laura, Photos, stories by
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Clay County, Texas - Journeying along the harvest trail in the summer is not exactly conducive to an elaborate vegetable garden though I admit I did plant a lonely cucumber and pumpkin plant for the kids in hopes it would catch just enough rain until we make it for our home stop. My lack of garden is probably why I love a good farmer's markets on the trail. Getting produce picked at the peak of freshness and the fun of the actual market is a win-win. So when I learned of a "pick your own strawberries" event at a patch not too far down the road, I knew we had to do it to give the kids at least a partial garden experience. To put it mildly, it was a hit as you'll see from the pictures below.

02 Jun

Posted at 13:18h in 2017, aawh, All Aboard, Crop Updates, harvest, High Plains Journal, HPH, John Deere, Laura, Photos, Sponsors, stories, Syngenta, wheat by
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North Texas - The kids were both asleep by a tick after eight this evening. Those reading who know them well, understand that this is nothing short of a miracle. I had the camper tidied by nine, which is another miracle as it's usually well after ten or eleven before I finish that. I don't know how its possible with only four people, and so few belongings, but it often looks like squirrel family took up residence by the end of the day.  It seems two of the four, actually maybe one, not naming names, is the prime suspect. Now, I'm going to utilize these rare quiet moments and get caught up on the blog!

We are nearing the end of our time in Texas. In fact, Mark and some of the crew moved to Custer County, Oklahoma, and were able to start there Wednesday, May 31. The rest of us remain in north Texas but will join them in a few short days.

31 May

Posted at 17:50h in 2017, aawh, All Aboard, Crop Updates, harvest, High Plains Journal, John Deere, Photos, Sponsors, Stephanie, stories, wheat by
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Gilliland, TX - Statistically, I don't think I want to know how many hours of my life I've spent driving. If someone were to insert the total hours of my life into some magical stat machine, I would bet 75% or more of those hours have been spent behind a steering wheel of assorted vehicles, trucks and machinery. I was once told that I drive a combine so casually it's as if I'm driving a car. But, it's what I love, so I wouldn't want it any other way.

We spent all of Sunday working on equipment -- a true harvester Sunday fun-day. It wasn't on purpose though. We started off the day with good intentions; but when it smells like there's a bonfire in your cab, something is certainly wrong. We came to find we had a bearing go out on the re-thrasher that needed to be replaced. Not only that, but we also had to made a phone call to the MacDon Harvest Support guys to come and calibrate/check our header. It was the best time for it to happen if there ever was one.

30 May

Posted at 10:40h in 2017, aawh, All Aboard, harvest, High Plains Journal, HPH, John Deere, Laura, Syngenta, Videos, wheat by
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North Texas - To all of you wishing you were out cutting in a field or those who just need something to get you through until harvest reaches your area, I made you a little something.  Enjoy! [embed]https://youtu.be/P7zQ6Smn_cc[/embed]All Aboard Wheat Harvest™ is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John...

29 May

Posted at 09:15h in 2017, aawh, All Aboard, Crop Updates, harvest, High Plains Journal, John Deere, New Holland, Photos, Sponsors, Stephanie, stories, Syngenta, wheat by
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Gilliland, Texas - It takes me exactly 27 minutes and 14 seconds to get from the field to the elevator, scale/probe, unload, scale and get back to the field. However, I've never had the opportunity to combine a 450-acre field of wheat (talk about heaven -- 450 acres without changing fields ONCE), so John got pushed outta the driver's seat, and I hopped in. I also wanted to see what these red machines are all about. My review, you ask? It's pretty awesome. Our wheat stats have stayed about the same with 20-25 bushels per acre and 58-60 pound test weights.

My buddy seat was occupied for awhile today by Miss Breanna. She is Farmer Glen's niece, and we had ourselves a time. We spent a good portion of the afternoon talking about our favorite colors, swapping stories and singing along to Shania Twain on the radio. She also likes Johnny Cash, and said she would have ridden in the combine with me all day long -- a girl truly after my own heart. She climbed off the combine, and then shortly after climbed right back up the ladder to give me a hug so, I'd be lying if I said she didn't take a little piece of it with her.

27 May

Posted at 11:15h in 2017, aawh, All Aboard, Crop Updates, harvest, High Plains Journal, HPH, John Deere, Laura, Photos, stories, Syngenta, wheat by
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Wichita County, Texas: May 24 - Mark it in the books - the official start to the cutting season. I had almost forgotten how I love to hear the hum of the machines. The low sound almost has a calming effect on the soul, and nothing can beat the smell of fresh cut wheat!

Due to moisture, some fields have some patches that remain to be cut, so we don't have official yield data to report yet. Test weights are coming in around 58 lbs per bushel. Hail damage has affected yields, and some fields have been zeroed out at our first stop. Today's forecast shows a high of 99, and tomorrow shows 101 with a little wind. It should be prime cutting weather, if we can avoid the small chances for rain in the forecast.

27 May

Posted at 06:55h in 2017, aawh, All Aboard, High Plains Journal, Videos, Z Crew by
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Manley, Nebraska - The preparations have been ongoing for quite some time. The talk about harvest and when we'll be leaving has been happening for more than a month. I've often thought about creating a sign and start wearing it every day about the first of April. What would this sign say? It would say..."I don't know when we're leaving". Maybe I should just create a t-shirt! So, THINKING about harvest and DOING harvest are two different things...two different worlds. 

26 May

Posted at 19:00h in 2017, aawh, All Aboard, High Plains Journal, HPH, John Deere, Laura, Photos, stories, Syngenta by
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Wichita County, Texas - After a couple seasons of life on the road under my belt, I'm packing lighter and lighter all the time. I don't have time, energy or space in our camper house to deal with unnecessary clutter. So, I debated bringing the kids' mud boots this year. Surely we wouldn't need them for a third year in a row. I finally threw them in as a mind game and insurance policy against the imaginary Texas harvest rain gods because if we had them, we wouldn't need them, right? Wrong. With grain moisture around 15%, we were just on the verge of being able to cut when the rains started. As I've stated many times in my writing, I have a terrible time wishing away rain when I come from an arid area and armed with the knowledge that this region broke out of a terrible drought just two years ago. However, the Texas weather systems and I need to have a little chat, because these harvest rains are starting to be a thing!

26 May

Posted at 15:45h in 2017, aawh, All Aboard, Crop Updates, harvest, High Plains Journal, John Deere, New Holland, Photos, Sponsors, Stephanie, stories, Syngenta, wheat by
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Gilliland, Texas - You know how they say everything is bigger in Texas? That's no lie. I kid you not. I had a mosquito the size of a quarter bite me today. Around dusk, Josh the Elevator Worker and I had to dance around like fools while unloading my truck in an attempt to keep them away. Not like it worked much -- my arms and neck are covered in little red welts. Battle scars on the first full day of cutting, what more could you ask for? Harvest is HERE. The yields are between 20-25 bushels per acre with test weights coming in at 58 pounds. With a whopping distance of four miles to haul the grain in to the elevator, we are seeing some major progress and were able to do 250 acres on day one with our combine.