Farm Updates
It’s been crazy! For 16 straight days, I have been in the combine from early morning until 9:30-10:00 p.m. But, I can say, WE ARE DONE WITH THE HARVEST! Yields were good. Much better than last year. Combine was having issues with the emission control system. It is so frustrating because the problems have absolutely nothing to do with the actual combine operation. Just added expense and frustration!
Now we are onto hauling manure and tillage, which I will be helping starting this afternoon. It is less stressful than running the combine. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE running the combine but there are many things going on at the same time.
At the end of the day, we are so thankful and blessed. In fact, when we finished with harvesting, both my husband and I were in tears thanking God.
As far as the pigs go, our barns are all full. We are already having some health issues. Not sure exactly what is going on but they are on antibiotics until the sickness passes.
So Much Has Changed
One can’t help but think about how we used to farm and the changes over the years. We have one farm, about 150 acres, located about 13 miles from where we live. We plant corn every year. It is a lot of work to truck the corn back to the home farm. I believe I heard 35 truckloads.
Years ago, it would take us over a week to harvest that farm. Today? We can do it in less than 2 days. Yes, we need an extra person for trucking. And yes, the machinery and grain-handling systems are much improved. But so much easier now.
The other thing that has changed is my mother-in-law would make us ice cream bucket lunches to take to the field. She is still alive, but living in a nursing home so can longer do that. Sometimes, it’s the things we take for granted. I miss her out on the farm.
And Speaking of Lunches . . .
We are so lucky that we live in an ag community who supports farmers. One thing they do is deliver lunches to the field. Companies like Compeer, Profinium, Hefty Ag, Central Farm Service, and Pioneer Seeds. I can’t express how thankful and appreciative we are. Here are a few pictures of our lunches:
Other Strange Thing This Fall
Just the weirdest thing. A bird built a nest on the top ledge of our grain cart. That bird nest survived the entire fall harvest. We had over 40 mph winds and it rode over 700 acres of crops in the field and also down the gravel county roads.
And it survived. And I don’t know how!
I think we as humans need to learn from this. What do they do that can survive these conditions? (Sorry, not the best picture.)
A Few Harvest Blog Posts
There is just so much that goes on during Fall. Here are a few blog posts of mine you may be interested in:
How Do Farm Wives Survive Fall Harvest?
Tips and Tricks For Surviving Fall Harvest When Dating a Farmer
Confessions of a Combine Driver
Let Me Leave You With This . . .
A few pictures from harvest.
Until next time!
