Yesterday seems like a week ago and I’m even struggling to remember what we did other than cut wheat.
We finished the smaller of the two fields near Arnett yesterday and moved to the larger one. This field appeared to be a piece of cake. However, it’s yielding 60+ bushels per acre and the straw causes a little bit of an issue at times. So, it feels like I’m creeping when travelling at 3.2 mph. I remember when that speed was tops! The field is relatively flat – no terraces like the rest of them have had. And, the best part, it’s across the road from the elevator.
When more than a couple of trucks come to this elevator to dump, it really causes a line and the trucks could be there for more than an hour. The wheat is yielding so well that it doesn’t take much time to fill our trucks. If we had been much further away, the combine would be sitting while both trucks were in line. At least this way, the combine has been able to keep moving – so far.
It sounds as though I really have it out for the Arnett elevator. I do not. It’s much slower pace than the ones we usually dump in. The people who work there are THE BEST! I love hauling into the place because the people are so friendly and make you feel like you’re their best friend. Because of the employees, the rest can be overlooked! 🙂
We’re down to the last 70 of the 1,000 acres we started a little over a week ago. One machine certainly doesn’t “wipe out” a field as fast as two or three (or more) would! One combine does eliminate a lot of the issues that owning multiple combines sometimes produce! We chose to remain small and keep it a family run business. When the stress level gets way out of whack, and I feel like walking away, it’s usually better after I’ve had a good night’s sleep. We worked quite late (for us) last night to fill Frank. I believe it was 11:30 when we got back to the trailer house. I was starving! I think I could have eaten a whole elephant! Nice to have leftovers in the frig – thanks to Taylor and Callie! Just as I was climbing into bed at 1:00 a.m., I heard it – the pitter patter of rain on the roof. It didn’t rain very much but enough that we’ll have a late start. When it’s this close to being done, you just want to get it done! The girls are hoping we finish because we suggested going to the drive-in movie tonight, IF we finish. It probably won’t happen now – unless we don’t cut wheat at all.
While in the process of moving from west of town to east of town, we saw this high tech operation in action. LOVE IT!! As one of our Montana friends once said from the seat of his cabless combine, “Pure pleasure!!
I’m sitting under a tree outside of Ed’s Cafe using their wifi and the birds are in full sing! The sound of one particular bird takes me back to being a 12 year old girl inside my Grandma and Grandpa’s trailer house on the farm near Dacoma, OK. I’m not sure what kind of bird it is, I should look it up. I think it’s some kind of flycatcher… Anyways, I remember laying on the couch that pulled out to a bed trying to get a little extra sleep and that bird would start so early in the morning! I can remember Grandma having NO sympathy for me when I would complain. Probably because she had to get up and start her day anyways. Funny how something like that can take you back to a place and time in your memory bank!
The sun is shining. I imagine Jim will be calling soon to have Taylor take me to the field!