We ran into some green wheat at the beginning of this past weekend and unfortunately we’re still waiting on some of it to turn. Most of the fields are ripe but there are a fair amount of green kernels still scattered throughout the fields. We...
The last couple days have been typical harvest for the Roland crew. We’ve been able to cut and haul a lot of wheat but in the process of doing so we have also had many random breakdowns. From sickles breaking on the headers (due to harvesting short crops this season) to a brake canister needing to be replaced on one of the semis to a chain breaking on the grain cart we sure have been keeping our mechanic, Jason, busy! Most of the breakdowns have been fairly minor, but having to stop and fix something is always time consuming, especially when multiple things break throughout the day.
Harvesters in Dighton are getting ready to cut. This morning the Dighton fairgrounds look like a used machinery lot, but soon everything will be gone. They will be in the field’s cutting- or so they hope. Unfortunately, we do not have a job here so we...
The wheat around Andale, Kan., has been averaging 40 bushels/acre. Compared to what we had in Oklahoma this is fantastic wheat. There has been one thing that has caught me off guard though. Apparently in this part of Kansas is worse off than I thought when it comes to drought conditions. I've been talking with some of the local farmers and one in particular, Orin Winter, says that since November they have only had a total of four inches up until these past couple of weeks. I guess a girl coming up from Oklahoma where the drought is severe didn't realize how bad it was in this neck of the woods.
To our luck, Mother Nature has decided to cooperate with us lately. A couple days ago we moved north to the Great Bend and Hoisington, Kan. area where we were able to pick up a little work from an old-time friend and customer, which was greatly appreciated. The wheat was ripe enough to begin cutting, to our relief. Things went well there and we were able to finish up in a timely fashion. The wheat in that area was yielding about 30 to 40 bushels per acre. The only complication we had was an accidental run-in with some old deer antlers. The antlers literately pierced through the steering tire and we had to take it to town to patch it up. Who would have guessed that something as harmless as a buck shedding his antlers in a field could cause us a whole afternoon of grief!
Yesterday we moved near Hays, Kan. and were able to begin harvesting there as well. However, we got sprinkled out in the afternoon but hope to get started up again soon.
All lined up in Great Bend, Kan. before we unloaded
The other day I bought too many hotdogs so I made them into a hot dish that’s really easy to make. The crew said they loved it. While I just dump until it looks right, I will give you the original recipe… Bean and Frank Bake 2...
Scott Clark's crew has moved into Kansas and has seen dramatic differences in the wheat crop due to moisture. This week Scott talks about a clients secondary crop and how rain tends to change plans.
The crew moved to eastern Kansas last Tuesday and Wednesday. Most of the east side of Kansas has had a considerable amount of rainfall this season – and it shows. The yields have been averaging from 40 to 65 bushels/acre and the test weights have been as high as 64 pounds. The wheat is waist high in most places, and we aren’t forced to run our headers on the ground to get all the wheat.
Happy Father's Day. . . Here's a little Father's Day humor to "you" no matter what you're called.......... First they call you dada, then they call you daddy, then they call you dad, then they call you collect.
Kaidence and her "Daddy" on Father's Day. Leon's lucky he's still known as Daddy ; )
This day is an unforgettable one and a day that never seems to typically be celebrated at the same stop. We've celebrated as far down as Texas and far up as Colorado. What's funny is this day helps mark where we were on our route each year. Last year we were in Kiowa, KS. The year we were in Texas, I made my dad brownies and bought Dairy Queen ice cream to go with it. You just remember weird tidbits like that.
We're still in Andale, Kan., and it has been a constant battle with rain. With all the moisture we've been going through some mud. Take a look at what we've been dealing with here in Kansas. Be safe and God bless! Emma can be reached at emma@allaboardharvest.com. All...
This past weekend, we loaded up all together and moved to Pratt, Kan. Along with about five other crews sitting in town, we are all waiting on green wheat to ripen up in the area. For the past few days we have been...