Turnin a Wheel

Well here are lots of pictures from the past 3 days and a few updates of how things are going.




Time to unload after days on the road!!


Our double header trailer, that's what I drove all the way from MN.


Blurry picture of a wild boar piglet. We were driving around Sunday night checking fields when we spotted this little twerp. 1 of the farmers we cut wheat for here grows watermelons also, lots of watermelons, oh how I wish they were ripe when we were here! Anyway...last year he had 100 acres of watermelons destroyed by wild boars. That's 100 acres that were planted by hand, I can't imagine how devastating that was. But I know why he hunts and traps boars in all of his spare time!!




Getting the head attached and set




Beautiful field! Looks about ready huh? These farmers are thankful to have any crop at all this year, they have had a terrible drought in the last year. This is no bumper crop, and at least 6 inches shorter than last year, but they are thankful to have anything this year.


Hoping the wheat will go today and the machines will run smoothly.


adding oil to the gear box on the head.


1st cut of wheat for us in 2011. It was Monday early afternoon. We found some adjustments needed to be made on that combine and that the wheat was too wet. We cut samples every hour or so that afternoon and though it was drying it was still about 1 % point too high for putting in the bin.








Running another test strip




Andy making sure the branches don't hit the combine.


Cutting a sample in this field. By Tuesday around noon the moisture % was down to 13.3 or so, that was good enough for the farmer so we got rolling!




Jon & Andy collecting a sample....of wheat...we have been testing the moisture of the wheat berries a lot to make sure it isn't too wet for storing in the bins. The moisture kept dropping nicely on Tuesday afternoon to 12 - 12.5%


Jim & Jon combining. The wheat seems to be averaging around 20 bushels/acre so far.


Progress, and its lookin good.


This was a comical sight. In the pasture right next to the wheat field there was this bird standing directly behind the steer. even when the steer would move the bird would follow...the steer watching the combine, the bird watching the steer's rear end, not sure what the bird was waiting for but it was funny.


This is what I like to see! You are quite the guy Jon!

Reality TV???

A few months back during the convention we attended we were approached about being part of a documentary / reality show about the wheat run and custom harvesting. We agreed to be interviewed and that went really well we thought. It was an exciting opportunity and possibility that none of us would have imagined happening! We were told they would be in touch and a couple weeks later we had more interviews over the computer. They said they would be in touch but we did not hear anymore about the show, so they must have picked a couple other crews. We didn't know much about it except that they would be following / filming 3 crews over the summer. There was already 1 crew lined up and they were interviewing for the other 2 crews to follow. A part of us was a little disappointed that we did not get chosen but in the end we are ok with it, it wasn't meant to be. We are REALLY looking forward to watching it on TV though! We know the 1 crew that will be in it but have not heard who the other crews even are. I think it will be on in the fall, but it may be longer than that. We don't have many details since they weren't sure exactly when it would air. If and when we hear more about it we will let you know....especially since it is supposed to be on a cable channel....and we don't have cable....so we will be going to people's houses with cable to watch the show! He-he :) We are really excited to see how it will turn out and what the other crews go through on the wheat run.

Destination!

We have successfully made it to our destination! About a half an hour before we got here Andy's truck was losing power, he coasted into a parking lot and we changed the fuel filter. That was all it needed and we were back on the road. Other than that we had a very uneventful, safe, smooth journey down here to Southern Oklahoma and we are counting our blessings for that!! We got the camper parked and hooked up, plus we even got a spot with a couple shade trees this year, how wonderful :) By then it was 1:00 so we went to the local cafe for lunch of country fried steak. Now we will go unload the combines so they are ready to go when the wheat is.

Here's a few more pictures of the drive yesterday.

The hilly drive through central Nebraska.


When we left the truck stop Saturday morning it was 35 degrees, cloudy, windy, and drizzly! Brrrr....


Lots of cattle grazing in this part of NE, it is nicer to see than feedlots, though we saw a couple of those also.


A little old farm in the valley.






The Grand Island, NE CASE IH plant. The only manufacture combines and a few swathers. We toured it when we were at the convention, it was really neat. They only run 1 shift per day but make 27 combines start to finish everyday.






The clouds started to break and the sun was coming out, it was nice to see.


Where we spent Saturday night. It was cool but comfortable in the evening. I washed my hair in the gas station bathroom sink, I felt like a bum, but it felt good to wash my hair at least after a couple days. We will be able to take showers tonight, yippee!


2 heads are better than 1.

It is amazing weather here right now! Low 70's, breezy, sunny....so much nicer than last year when we were here.

Leaving for wheat harvest 2011

Well its Friday the 13th, what better day to start our journey south? As good as any. We ended up leaving the farm around 8:30 this morning, not as early as we wanted but that was ok. After double checking everything and a round of pictures and hugs we were on the open road. Andy leading the way in the white straight truck pulling Jon's combine, then Jon in the yellow straight truck pulling the 2nd combine Jon bought, next was me in Andy's pickup pulling 2 heads, and last was Jim in our pickup pulling the camper. We are only taking a skeleton crew and less equipment to the first job.

Andy checking the combine.


Group picture for now.

Jon & I


We had to take a detour in South Dakota, when we came over a hill this is what we saw! There had been several places where the water was about level with the road on both sides but not flooding the road. I was surprised that it was even open.


The water got deeper the farther we went along. I guess it was around 1.5 - 2 miles with water over the road.


Glad we did not have to turn off here.


Where it was deepest. Very thankful we all made it through fine.



We are parked at a truck stop for the night in O'Neil, NE. We ate supper at Subway and will be going to bed early. We turned the heater on in the camper for a bit, it was only in the 40's and is supposed to get down to the 30's, hope it doesn't freeze. We are all thankful for a good day on the road today and pray for safe travels tomorrow as well. We know the power of prayer. Many of you have told us you are praying for us, and let me tell you those few words are powerful and have helped hold us up in the past and we think back on that when we need encouragement, so THANK YOU!

Gearing up for harvest 2011

Jon, Dan, Andy, and I just got back a few days ago from the national U.S. Custom Harvester convention held in Grand Island, NE this year. We originally weren't going to attend this year, but as it got closer we decided to go. We are all glad we did! Last year we felt somewhat as outsiders watching all these people that knew each other gather that seemed to have been custom harvesters forever. We made good connections last year though and this year it was fun to see some familiar faces and meet many new acquaintances. Plus there was the added bonus of the Case IH combine manufacturing plant in Grand Island that we got to tour - amazing! All in all it was a fun and educational trip, well worth our time, and we each came away with a LOT of free stuff!

As we are well on our way into March and the temps are more regularly in the 30's here in MN, we are looking forward to first our planting season here at home on the farm and then to the summer of being on the road for the wheat harvest. Though as soon fall harvest was over here in 2010 Jon was already thinking about the next years harvest and has been planning ever since. He purchased another 2388 Case IH combine so we will have 3 combines along with us this summer. There is much to be done and for that we are thankful.

Corn

Well, it is only November 2nd the combines are all done! Such a difference compared to last year. Things went really well overall. Now we can get the rest of the fieldwork done with the Salford, start cutting trees and trimming field edges before the snow flies! It will be nice to enjoy Thanksgiving without having to think about needing to get out to the field.


Holly combining corn.




Notice how tall the corn was! Some areas were unbelieveably tall this year. In the tallest areas, I was eye level with the ears of corn, with several feet of stalk above my head, it was crazy.




My aunt and cousins came and all rode in the combine and tractor with me! It was kind of squishy, but I'm glad they came.


Some fun time spent together during harvest.