Historical sign found outside of the town of Jordan.

First things, first. Did you figure out what all those little rocks were in my previous post?

It’s an ant hill. Notice how nothing seems to grow around these prairie pyramids. I wonder why.

We started cutting the acres we came to Jordan for on Wednesday. We’ll finish today with only 35 acres left to cut. The custom harvester/farmer relationship has been a loyal one between Charlie and Jim. Regardless of how bad/good the wheat is, Charlie has been one to count on our arrival just as much as we count on him hiring us. Because of this relationship, we continue to come to Jordan…and will as long as Charlie will have us in his yard. Charlie and Jennifer mean more to us than just a job in Montana – they’re our friends! We look forward to coming back year after year.

In past years, we’ve been in J Town for 6-8 weeks. As I’ve said before, times change and circumstances change. What used to keep us here longer has been reduced to less wheat acres to cut = less time in town. The last couple of years, we’ve gone further west to the Lewistown and Denton areas. We will be heading that way again in a few days.

I failed to mention in my last posting how Denim’s winter wheat fared. It averaged 40 bushels per acre (quite possibly better than that). The test weight was as low as 50 and as high as 58. The protein was excellent – 15%-16%. There are two kinds of wheat grown in this northern country – winter and spring. I’m not sure what determines which variety is planted. Maybe someone from the northern country can help me out here. I do know this – winter wheat is planted in the fall (usually September) and spring wheat is planted in the spring when the weather allows. The spring wheat is still on the green side around here.

While cutting Denim’s wheat, semis were hired to haul the grain to the elevator. The filled semis would make a four to six hour round trip tour from the field to the elevator and back to the field. If the truck left late afternoon or evening, it was parked in line at the elevator overnight (the driver made use of his sleeper). Once the elevator opened the next day, the truck was emptied and returned back to the field. Charlie will also hire semis. This year, however, we are filling his grain bins. If both bins are filled, he’ll hire a semi to finish.

I have become the combine driver with this job. I think it could be one of several reasons: #1. Jim’s being good to me, #2. Jim finds the fields monotonous and boring, #3. He likes to visit with Charlie when he’s around the farm, or #4. He likes the opportunity to go back to the trailer house. I sort of think it’s #4. The fields are only a mile out of town and it sometimes takes a while to fill the trucks. He can come back to the trailer and sit in the air conditioning and watch TV until the trucks get full. Whatever the reason, it’s ok with me! I’d so much rather be in the combine than the truck any day!

Frank is backed to the grain auger which moves the wheat from the “pit” to the grain bin.

Yesterday, while I was waiting for the truck to get full, I decided to take a walk through a pioneer cemetery that’s near one of the fields. I was even able to talk Taylor and Callie into joining me. I’ve been by that cemetery many, many times before but never took the time to walk through it. I find old cemeteries interesting because of the stories they tell. This one told me some major event must have occurred in 1920 due to the number of deaths that year – old and young. It also told me Jordan, Montana supplied both World Wars with a few of her sons.

The hill overlooking the pioneer cemetery is designated for “man’s (and woman’s) best friend”.

After walking through the Pioneer Cemetery, I decided to climb the hill overlooking the field. Maybe now you can understand why they call Montana “Big Sky Country”!

Another beautiful sunset to end the day.