The transition from “home, home” to the harvest world has always been a hard one for me. It takes everything I have to push through it year after year after year. This time, though, it was the worst!

When we began this way of life as a family in 1990, we had a young family. I was young, Jim was young and we only had two of our four daughters at that time. Jamie would have been 4 and Jenna only 2. Taylor and Callie came along way after this lifelong adventure began for us. Funny how at the time my children were growing up (and I was getting older), I never really thought about them growing up – and not being with us.

Jim and I continue packing and loading and preparing for the annual wheat harvest year after year. Our children continue getting older and moving forward with their own life adventures. I can see as this continues, the transition from one world to the next is getting harder and harder for me knowing my kids are still at home. People used to ask me if it was hard leaving home. My reply, “no, because everything that means home is with me in the trailer house”. Taylor graduated this spring. Her last summer is looming in the near future – maybe this year? That leaves Callie on her own with her dear ‘ole parents to take care of. AND now to throw things even more into a loop, we have grandchildren making our lives more complete. It was REALLY hard leaving that ‘lil man in the rear view mirror!

Isn’t he just the CUTEST baby ever!

The anticipated day of departure was Tuesday, June 11. Not to be. We pushed hard to be ready but it just didn’t happen. I was glad to have the complete day to finish and a few more kisses to a baby’s cheek! As I had mentioned in previous posts, my neighbor, Dorothy, was in tough shape. She passed away very early the same day that we were supposed to leave. She had told me we weren’t supposed to leave early this year. God had a reason to keep us around. She was right.

So, we finished last-minute packing, cleaning and said our final goodbyes on Tuesday night. We pulled out the driveway fairly early Wednesday morning.

Travel was definitely harvest type travel…HOT! We left home with comfortable temps which gradually got hotter the further south we went. And, of course, the re-charged air conditioner in Frank failed. Windows down + hot air + late nights = one TIRED driver!

Frank was thirsty!

Jim pushed. He pushed us all day to try to get to Shattuck early evening so we could set up camp in the daylight. His plan failed. We arrived in Shattuck about 9:45 pm. We had to try to find the new campground in the dark. Not gonna happen. So, we parked the equipment where we landed – in the parking lot of the elevator…right next to the railroad tracks. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing from the wrong direction and we were HOT! I was so tired, it didn’t matter. The next morning the rest of the family kept talking about the trains and how they sounded like they were coming right through the trailer. I never heard them (well, maybe one or two).

That was day one. Day two began with setting up camp. It’s always hard trying to get into your new “normal” without having to feel pushed to get to the field. We had to get to the field. What do I do first? Make iced tea, of course! So, I ran the water hoping to eliminate the taste of hose if ran long enough. All at once, Jim says, “WATER!” We got water running out from under the kitchen sink. GREAT! At the same time, the farmer’s manager knocks on the door and wants to show Jim the fields. He leaves. I run water to find where it’s leaking. Take the pipes apart, adjust something that’s out of whack and put them back together again. Fixed and I was able to do it before Jim got back. Good thing! Time to get to work!

Jim and I got equipment moved to the field for a sample. It was dry enough to keep going. No rest for the Z Crew! This was JUST yesterday. Seems like so long ago already. We finished field #1 this morning. The outcome was 18 bushels per acre, test weight 58 lbs, protein 16.7% and moisture was consistently at 11%. This os probably the best field we have.

We moved to field #2 mid afternoon. No go…moisture test was 15.1%. An early return to the trailer house. Ok by me!!!!!!!

Adjusting the header before our trial run.

The wheat is about two inches shorter than my knee.

And…we’re off!

Pete and Frank patiently waiting to do their job.

Jim checking and  re-checking moisture.

Day one in the wheat field coming to an end.

Loading the MacDon head on the trailer to move to field #2.

Entrance to field #2.

There’s something in that pasture we haven’t seen the past couple years – green grass. Thanks to the 2-3″ of rain this area received over the past week and a half. Jim even found a mud hole in the field today.

What’s on tap for tomorrow? Maybe sleeping in!!