Tag Archives: wheat

The final days of 2011 wheat harvest

by nebraskawheatie

It seems so weird to be sitting at my kitchen table typing this note!

Everyone asks me if it’s good to be home and I have to just flat out tell them that’s it’s good but it’s very overwhelming. They have no idea just how much work is involved with coming home. Preparing in the spring is hard but just so different. You have the anticipation of being on the road and involved with the harvest and all that goes with it. The stress of preparing the house to be locked up and the packing of the trailer house is nothing compared to coming home.

I find myself sort of walking in circles, trying to figure out what to do first. If I don’t mentally set a goal, I most likely will not get it accomplished because everywhere I look, I see work. I did get my house vacuumed and the dead bugs are now in the belly of the vacuum cleaner. Jim and I took advantage of the 90 degree weather yesterday and were able to get the outside of the trailer house cleaned of the road dirt and grime that had collected all summer. That’s a big job and one that I’m glad I can mark off my list of to do’s!

Tomorrow, I’m escaping the mess that looks at me every morning and we’re going to Husker Harvest Days with Jim, Mark, Candi, Jamie, Curt, and Jenna. The chaos will have to wait another day! Not only do I have the deluge of work continuing to pull me down, I have to try to keep up with the outside activities. Yesterday, I substituted for the morning and afternoon bus route. This afternoon, I got to go watch Callie play volleyball. I love to watch the girls participate so it was a welcome break to have to walk away from everything at 4:00. The next goal I have set is to get the trailer house unpacked. I’ll begin that chore on Thursday. It looks like colder and wetter weather is headed for us beginning tomorrow. The numerous steps and times of going between the house and the trailer house will be a little less sweaty with the cooler weather.

So a brief recall of the final days of the 2011 wheat harvest goes a little like this: As you’ll recall, we spent the night in the Garfield Motel. I had to get up the next morning for a 5:00 a.m. conference call. While I was involved with the call, Jim got up and headed for Fellman’s for “story time” with the locals. When he returned, we decided that we really needed to take a couple of hours and go visit some very dear friends before we left the country. So we did! It was well after noon by the time we got back to Jordan. One final meal at Rose’s cafe and we were headed for Miles City.  Since we got such a late start, we ended up spending the night in the truck lot of the station in Alzada, MT.

Have you ever tried sleeping on a twin size bed with another person? Thank goodness I’m used to sleeping on the side of the bed that puts me up against the wall of the truck sleeper! I’m afraid if “my side” of the bed was on the other side of the bed, I’d be falling out all night long! This first night was fairly chilly and the heavy blanket felt pretty darn good by morning!

The second full day on the road was pretty darn full of driving! We had to go a little different route than normal because of so many bridges being worked on in South Dakota. As we started coming into the town of Faith, SD, another harvest crew got ahead of us. I was so excited. Silly, I know, but here we go…it’s a part of the harvest world I was about to leave. It just gave me a good feeling being behind the combines and their trailers. We made a stop at 1880 Town and ate lunch in the Dining Car Cafe. It’s a real live dining car from a passenger train and a different era. It was something I’d never seen and loved being inside something that once was an important aspect of past travel.  We ate lunch, walked around a little and left an hour later than when we stopped. The second night on the road was spent in the Valentine truck stop, again.

Before we parked for the night, Jim pulled quite a ways away from the bar that had just a week prior been the reason we didn’t get a very good nights sleep. I was glad that he’d remembered and pulled as far away from there as he could. What we didn’t expect was a bull hauler full of cattle pull up right next to us. We got to listen to a truck load of stomping cattle all night. I felt sorry for the cattle, as I laid there listening to them, because they couldn’t relax. I bet they were glad when their trip was done!

We made it back to the farmer’s yard almost exactly the same time we had the week prior. This time, though, they were home and wanted to visit about the summer and how it played out for us. We made it “home home” again about 7:00. Mark and Candi had just pulled in from Park River, ND. They had driven all day and made it home just about the same time as we did. They loaded up the girls and we went to Runza for supper together. We’re all back home! And…one of these days, everything will be back to normal and the 2011 wheat harvest will feel like it only happened in pictures. We’ll be anxiously counting down our yearly events until it’s time to head south once again!

The combine’s loaded and waiting for the window cover to be added.

 That job’s done!

 The top picture was taken in Ed’s yard just before we left. The tractor shows the farmer’s determination and hope in a crop for next summer!

Goodbye Square Butte and Montana wheat fields. Sure hope to see you next year!

Crossing the Mussellshell River into Garfield County.

Sand Springs, MT. In 1983, we stayed here while cutting for Charlie Murnion.

The last picture taken in Jordan just before heading for Miles City.

The lot we spent the first night on the road in Alazada, MT. The town of Alzada is on the right.

Following another harvester into the town of Faith, SD.

Lunch and a break near 1880 Town along the South Dakota interstate between Phillip and Murdo.

Lunch in the Dining Car Cafe.

I don’t know a lot about the sunflower crop except there’s quite a few more acres seen than there used to be. Something that I find interesting is the sunflower head will actually follow the sun from east to west. Every sunflower head I saw must have completed it’s life cycle with the head facing east. Every field I saw, they had completed their final sun worship at exactly the same time. Another interesting tidbit I’ve often thought about when seeing the corn fields is just how identical the height of the plants are and that the ears are located exactly the same spot of the plant throughout the entire field. And somebody wants to try to tell me there is no God?

The final night of being on the road was spent at the truck stop in Valentine, NE.

The new Nebraska windmills.

The Platte River just south of Schuyler, NE.

Mission complete

by nebraskawheatie

Nebraska Countryside – green, green and more green!

We made it home about 5:00 this evening! The first load back was a success.

After a not so peaceful night of sleep, Jim woke me up at 7:30 to tell me we should probably get going.  The restaurant/bar next to the truck stop was blasting some sort of noise until after 2:00 a.m.. I honestly think I could become a rock star if that’s all the better I had to be. I wondered how anyone could make “music” like that and people listen to it – guess I’m just getting old!

At 4:30 a.m., it started to rain and the north wind began to blow. I reached for one of the blankets that I had folded up earlier in the evening. It went from hot and muggy to cool and rainy. The cold front just continued to follow us south.  So, when Jim woke me up by calling me (he sleeps in the cab of the Pete when we’re on the road – I in my bed in the trailer) to tell me he thought we should probably get going, I wasn’t a happy camper. “You look grouchy”, he says. “I AM grouchy!”, I say back.  On top of all the happenings during the night, my body’s used to it being 6:30 NOT 7:30 and all I wanted to do was stay in bed where it was warm. McDonald’s coffee sure tasted good this morning 🙂

We had one minor event during the day and that was all. When we stopped in Schuyler for fuel, Jim noticed one of the tires on the header trailer had very little tread left on it. So, he changed it before it could create more problems when it blew.

When we get home, it’s so overwhelming! The yard is in good shape – thanks Matt! The weeds did have a heyday, though. I may start pulling a few of the larger ones tomorrow…maybe. There’s more dead bugs in the house than ever before and the spiders and their webs are everywhere. Makes me wonder why I think it’s important to clean the house before we leave in the spring.

I guess we’ll spend the day tomorrow doing whatever we can.  On Monday, we’re going to take the family and go to the Nebraska State Fair for the day.  We haven’t been there in a lot of years because we’re usually still in Montana. On Tuesday, we’ll be headed back to Denton to get the combine and the two pickup trucks we left up there.

Now that we’re home, harvest and being away just doesn’t even feel like it happened. I was trying to remember all the events of the summer as I was driving home. One year, when Jamie was fairly little, she hated having to leave the trailer so bad, she decided she was just going to stay in it. She did for a couple of days but then moved back to the house. What’s wrong with us? I love summer, I love seeing friends along the route, I love being with my family, I love being on the road, I love my cottage on wheels – I just love harvest! Only 9 more months to go and we can do it all over again.

“Tracy, you got your camera handy?” “No, why?” “Here’s something you don’t see everyday – a mobile haystack.”

This is a park just south of O’Neill. We’ve tried stopping here nearly every year when we can. We used to try to make it specifically to this park while on the road because it has a decent shower house. It’s a very nice place to take a break!

Pete and my cottage on wheels.

Some happy Nebraska cows!

A Nebraska highway.

Nebraska crops - soybeans on top of the hill, corn at the bottom.

Looks like paint on his head, it’s blood. He hit his head on something while changing the tire on the header trailer.

Changing the tire.

Back in Husker land!

by nebraskawheatie

The above picture is of main street Valentine, Nebraska.

Just a brief note tonight. We left Broadus about 7:30 this a.m. and headed south. Stopped in Belle Fourche, SD for breakfast and then never stopped again til Valentine, NE. Another night of sleeping in a parking lot. This time in the truck lot at the station on the south edge of town. Walked to a restaurant for supper. Sitting in the McDonalds using their wifi. Should be home tomorrow. FYI – last night I had several extra blankets on the bed. Tonight … the extra blankets are being put away. What a difference in weather! Nice to still feel the warmth of summer but I have a feeling I’m NOT going to like being back to the humidity that home has to offer!

Bear Butte – Near Sturgis, SD

Me and my love of old buildings. This is an abandoned home along the highway somewhere in South Dakota.

The vast South Dakota scenery…NOTHINGNESS!

We go through several of these deep river basins. All of them had been flooded this spring.

I really debated on whether or not I should share this photo with the world. This is what being on the road, without a shower or even brushing your teeth for a couple of days will do to you 🙂

He was a magnificent looking cat – HUGE! I wanted to take him home with me.

And, by the way, remember me saying something about watching for loaded combines? There’s one in the lot tonight!! Makes me feel like we’re still on harvest.

Gettin ‘er ready for the road leading home.

by nebraskawheatie

We got started on the big job of cleaning the combine today. We waited for the latter part of the day simply because it was fairly warm here today and there was no breeze. When we decided to start, the air was cooler and there were a few clouds in the sky. That certainly helps when you’re subjected to the elements and the tiny, little wheat chaff and dirt clings to anything it can. Jim said he was glad that big job was done – cleaning the header. I told him I didn’t think it was that bad. He said I would if I had to do it all myself. Yeah, I suppose you’re right! I tried picking and pulling as much of the straw out of the areas that I could while he used the air hose and blew out as much as he could.

Today, I felt like I was a caretaker of the lawn. Because we’re parked right in the middle of what feels like a park, I felt like I should water the patches of the grass that were beginning to need a drink. I moved the sprinkler around most of the day. When I finally moved it for the last time and came in the trailer, I told Jim I felt like a homeowner with a real yard to water. I haven’t moved a sprinkler around like that probably since I was a kid. My dad took great pains in taking care of our yard when we were growing up. We had a beautiful lawn! We learned that the spot of dirt under the tree was NOT there for Barbie or GI Joe to be having a campout in…or for the toy dirt haulers!! So, I just expected that everyone had a nice yard like that. I was wrong! Jim is not one to keep a perfect lawn. I also learned 20+ years ago, that you better just like the dandelions that are growing. I finally convinced him one spring to spray the dandelions – the flowers died too. So, I’ve learned to endure the dandelions because that means I still have my flowers to admire.

When I leave in May, my yard is beautiful! The flowers are all in bloom, the yard is green (including the dandelions) and there are no weeds. Now, when I get home, it will be a different story. The weeds will  have won the battle over the summer months. If having dandelions isn’t bad enough for our neighbors! I do have to give a huge thank you to Jamie, Jenna and my brother, Matt, for mowing the acre of yard that we have. If it weren’t for them, the neighbors would REALLY hate us. Thanks, guys!!!

Even though Jim’s got the feederhouse safety block down (the red thing under the feederhouse), I still get a little concerned while we’re working under the header. I personally knew someone 30 years ago that had only been married 6 months. Her husband was a farmer and used the shade of the header for eating his lunch. The header fell on top of him and killed him. I think of that every time we’re working under the head.

The time of day when the long shadows begin to take place. Can you make out what the shadow is?

Tracy, “Jim, why didn’t you tell me to wear my boots tonight?” Jim, “You hate it when I tell you to do something!” Geez, I really dislike having the wheat beards and cheat grass get between my socks and my feet! Seems like I’m picking that stuff out of my socks several times a day because it starts working into my skin and it hurts!

And the hunt begins…

by nebraskawheatie

On the hunt…for more acres to cut, that is. It always sounds like such an easy plan – make some phone calls, talk to the locals, drive from town to town, etc. Sometimes, though, it’s easier said than done. When the wheat’s cut, it’s cut! The Denton area is looking pretty bleak for finding more acres. So, the decision would be now to move to a different area or get your mind geared towards the fact that the summer wheat harvest may be over. We still have plenty of time to be out here cutting more wheat before fall harvest is ready but would we have enough time after moving equipment to another destination? I know all these things are swirling around the inside of Captain Combine’s (Jim) head. It will take us two trips to get everything home and we’re already close to 1,000 miles away. Yesterday afternoon, we created some flyers to hang up in stores, elevators and gas stations. We took a drive to surrounding communities and placed them where we hoped the right person might see it. So far, we haven’t received any calls.  Unfortunately, the weather’s too good. Maybe if there was rain in the forecast things would be different. I took just a few pictures of the elevators we stopped at: Denton, MT elevator

Moccasin, MT elevator

Oh, geez, Jim…did you REALLY need another cap??

 Moore, MT elevator

We were invited for supper at Terry and Coke’s house – if we made it back in time. We weren’t gone that long so we headed north of Denton for supper. On the way to their house, I convinced Jim to stop and let me get out to look at the old school house that was near our destination. I love looking at these old buildings but it gives me a sense of sadness to think how alive they used to be at one time. These buildings once meant so much to someone. When I visited with Coke about the school, she said one of the teacher’s that taught there was planning to come visit the building one day very soon – she’s 93. Oh…the stories she would tell. I wish I was there when she walked into that building again after so many years have passed! Supper was really yummy but the visit with friends was outstanding!

And the heat begins…again

by nebraskawheatie

Today was a reminder that it is still summer – even in Montana! I’m not sure how hot it got today and it certainly wasn’t anything we experienced in OK or KS this summer BUT it was hot in the sun. There was no wind so the dirt just swirled around the back of the truck while I unloaded it. Needless to say, the mixture of the wheat dirt and sweat really makes for an itchy day. A shower is next in order!

Today was a little different simply because we were visited by a familiar face! Mark Rathe with the New Holland Harvest Support was able to fly to Lewistown from Bismarck and deliver some  parts that were needed for us and for another NH customer. He visited us first, we had lunch with him and his pilot and they were on their way to the next stop. I got a call from him late afternoon and he was already back to Bismarck. Thank you, New Holland and Mark for the outstanding support you provide!!!

We’re just shy a few acres from being done with the winter wheat. The spring wheat is still just a little green and could certainly use the heat the next few days intend on delivering. My only hope is that if we have to deal with the heat, a little wind would be helpful. The Canadian geese are flying over the camper this evening. I think they probably know the heat we’re going to experience is temporary and they’re headed for their winter home. Already? Why must summer go so dog gone fast?

The girls started school on Thursday. I really miss them and it will be good to be all together again when we’re finished.  It’s the school schedule and the time being set by someone else that I don’t like about the end of summer. I love how our days are determined by something other than the clock on the wall and a schedule. If it’s sunny, we cut wheat. If it’s raining or green, we have time off to do what we can’t do when the sun is shining. Most days, I don’t even know what day of the week it is – let alone what time it is. I bet the girls are missing this schedule, as well. But, once we get home and back into the routine of “home, home”,  summer wheat harvest will feel like a dream. Unfortunately!

I got a new camera so the pictures can continue. I used it a little bit today but the battery didn’t last long so not many pictures to share with you today. The battery is on the charger getting ready for another day.

Ed, our farmer, servicing his combine and getting ready for the day.

Jim had to back down into the field today because of the gate and the field entrance.

img_0008This is the grain bin that I climbed yesterday and told you about.

Crossing a brand new bridge. The old one was washed away this spring from the flooding they experienced. The bridge didn’t give us problems, it was the marking posts. They were exactly lined up with the guide wheels on the header. I had to help Jim maneuver through the maze.