The day began earlier than we were used to while on “vacation” (due to the rain break). This morning, we had to move the trailer house. What a pain! Everything had to be taken down, slid in, unplugged and removed just as if we were moving 250 miles. This little trip was taking us to another section of the park – with lower voltage electricity (no air) and no sewer hookup. Apparently the owner of the KOA had people coming in who had booked our space over a year ago. So, we have a new view when we look out our windows for the next three days. After those three days, it will mean tearing everything down again and moving back to a real RV space. I guess I could look at it as practice – how fast can the cottage on wheels go from stationary to road ready?
Frank needed unloaded from the night before. So, Jim took me to the field so I could take it to town and back before everyone got fired up for the day. When I returned to the field, Jim was waiting for me. The moisture was too high – testing 15%. It was decided we’d go back to the KOA and have lunch before trying it again. The moisture was 13.2% when I took Frank in with the day’s first load…get those combines rolling – again!
The fields we’re working on are thick, some have rust and some are flat on the ground. The fields cut this afternoon had rust and the wheat was laying mostly on the ground. When cut, the wheat with the rust throws out a lot of dark black dirt or residue which turns the yellow beast BLACK. The air is so dirty you can’t see the combines – just a huge dirt cloud. Some of my pictures will give you an idea of what I’m talking about. The combines did have to go much slower than they did yesterday because of the amount of straw that was being ingested. The yields have been outstanding. Jim said it varies from 35 – 70 bushels consistently. The test weights were 60 – 64 and protein from 11% – 13%.
Today was a good day. It yielded seven trips (for me) to two different elevators and an additional 100 miles put on the truck.
View from the driver’s seat while at the elevator pit waiting for the wheat to be dumped.
Lined up from quitting the night before. Jim was taking a sample test with the yellow beast.
I took this picture because these HUGE towers are being set up with a HUGE crane. It’s been very interesting to watch as they have been erected throughout the countryside.
Not much breeze today.
A field fire in the distance.
This gives you a good idea just how flat to the ground the wheat is.
Can barely see the green combine through all the black dirt.
There’s always someone at the back of the truck to open the door before dumping the wheat. He’s also the one to give me directions of either raising the box of stopping the box from raising. I depend on him to watch my box as it’s raising so it doesn’t hit anything while it’s inside the elevator. These poor guys have a hot, dirty job during wheat harvest!
Quite a bit of dust in the air.
After a hot day, this is the very best part of the day – the sun is losing its heat and the shadows are getting long.
This is the inside of Frank’s box when empty.
Not a real good picture because I had to zoom in so much. What I wanted to show was just how BLACK the yellow beast was.
The view from my seat as I was dumping my final load for the day.
I grew up all over the world (my father was in the military) but they would fly me back to Kansas every summer for wheat harvest. I’d drive our little combine and watch the custom cutters sweep through. Great memories of hard work long ago.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank YOU for commenting! Wheat harvest is something no one can really explain why it’s enjoyed by so many people. I think it’s the memories of bringing family together to get a job completed. You’re lucky to have had the opportunity. Most are not!