Good morning. After a very wet week following Labor Day, this past week was "picture" perfect for harvesting. I've generally been careful not to post too many pictures that focus on machinery and instead more on people. However I am breaking my own rules this week for the benefit of our readers and friends living outside our country that would enjoy seeing what a harvest day looks like. About 15-20% of our weekly visitors live outside the USA. Below Grandson Ezra who is in 7th grade is mowing field borders, terraces, and waterways after a field has been combined.
A harvest day actually starts the night before. Repairs or maintenance that "crop" up get taken care of during the hours we're not combining or trucking which is usually after the trucks and carts are full for delivery the next morning.
With our corn processor opening at 6 am, the field crew leaves for the field before that so they can load trucks coming back for their next load. It is often dewy and wet before daylight so it takes a cornhead in tip top condition to run. Last fall we overhauled both of our main cornheads that grab the stalk and then chop it on the ground as the ears go up the throat to get threshed. Generally a wet morning adds little moisture to the grain delivered.
This fall we have been having a lot of black dust coming off the corn stalk. This is due to our extended dry spell followed by a week of rain which caused a fungi to grow on dead leaves. This does not affect the ear or the grain quality. Thanks for the visit Greg.
Some troubles can't wait until the harvest day is over. I am confessing to this oops. Cornheads run close to the ground by header control. Our heads also stay on the row without steering which helps a bunch in down corn. I came to a terrace and three snouts dug in the ground and folded under the head. It wasn't actually quite as bad as this looks. I had to tear more stuff apart in order to replace the snouts. This combine was running again in about two hours. Of course my kids asked if I was on the phone.
Although about 80-90% of our crop goes straight to market from the field, we do dry and store a little corn. Below we are drying and storing corn in a bin at Kurt and Emily's place. Bins are a relief valve for us when the lines get long at the processor.
Our graincart drivers have to be on their toes. There is rarely a rest when "chasing" the combines who unload the grain on to the cart on the go. I've seen the boys unload on the go as they turn around to the next set of rows. The combines communicate to each other through an iPad. The combines also communicate with the carts the same way. Cart drivers can see bushels per acre and combine drivers can see how many pounds a cart has on.
With such a beautiful week for combining the lines did get long as many farmers are harvesting and a strong basis is encouraging many just to go straight to town. Basis is the difference between the Board of Trade and what the processor is paying. Some loads are called contract. They were sold ahead of time. Some loads are called spot. That means the load is sold that day (on the spot).
Our trucks often come to the processor early in the morning to get ahead of the lines so they can get back to the fields in a timely fashion. We use our own trucks and we also hire great owner operators who haul for us. Thanks for the picture Andy.
It takes a lot of fuel to keep everything running and the field crew usually fuels up early in the morning or late in the evening. On this occasion our fuel man bailed me out as I was flashing empty. Thanks Brent.
Talk about house calls. What about field calls. Our friend and chiropractor has been coming to our shop every couple of weeks and adjusting a whole crew of us. Then Jan feeds the crew lunch in the office. Well with such a busy week he helped out BJ and Mike in the field. Thanks Dr. Mark.
Kudos to the gals when they help us move from one farm to another. The combine heads come off and go on a cart. Then combines, heads, carts, and trucks all move to the next field. Thanks Kristin.
We look forward to a break in the action when we have supper together on a busy harvest day and a huge thank you to Jan, Kristin, Cassia, and Emily who take turns preparing and serving meals. It's usually after the processor is closed for the day and before we fill everything up for our next morning.
So here's the disclaimer. No matter how prepared we are, things break. We here on earth have no control on when it rains and when it doesn't. We can't keep the wind from blowing. We can't dictate markets. We can't predict a virus coming and upsetting our lives. As you can see these ears in the cornhead are what we call nubbins from a farm that yielded just 150 bpa. If I lived just "for" farming, and bushels, and machinery, and markets, I would come up short and disappointed most days. So my goal is to make a living "with" farming.
Every field we harvest is not standing perfectly. The 7 weeks of dry weather cannibalized the stalks as it tried to put all it's energy into making an ear. Just like a corn plant I'm weak without help. Like we talked about weeks ago I need brace roots. I also need roots that go deep. The upper brace roots are my family, friends, help, and folks we do business with. The deep roots is my faith that God is in charge of all things, including my life here on earth. That's why in this crazy year I try to live as normal as possible "with" this virus and not "for" it.
I'm using way too many words this morning. Wrapping up I think we should live "with" things that are temporary. I think we should live "for" thinks that are eternal. What's eternal? Things that last forever.
1. Like acts of kindness. It's so rewarding to bless someone else. And I have many examples of good friends that bless me as well. Like Marvin and Jean who brought us coffee and brownies while we were combining on their land.
2. Family and friends. In other words, relationships with folks we work with. With folks we work for. Living "for" my family and friends is realizing they belong to God and not to me. Living "with" our spouses is just that. Living "for" our spouses says we want what helps them thrive, not ourselves. Same with with help and friends.
3. Faith. We are living in a world where we need something to hang on to. I so look forward to Sundays. It's not just a day of rest. It's not just with family and friends at church or for a meal. It's a realization and a comfort that I don't have to be in charge of this crazy life. I have a Father in Heaven that's looking out for me. I'm so imperfect. But I serve a Savior that's covered my wrongs. Living "with" God is believing, accepting His truth, and going to church, and that's all good. Living "for" God is the gratitude part. The saying thank you part by being grateful for every day. Just living "with" truth gets us to heaven however that's not God's end game. He wants us to live "for" Him by serving, being generous, and helping others have a positive day. Thanks for stopping by. Thanks to you who encourage me. And a special thanks to those of you outside our borders.
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