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Tractor Dudes Abide
Partially Cloudy
59 degrees
Humidity 74%
Dew Point 50 degrees
Wind NW @ 10 mph
Forecast: Partially cloudy, Highs mid 70s
Abiding is not a farm activity. Even when the wheat is ‘not quite’ ready. No one is sitting around.
There are gardens to tend. Fences to fix. Weeds to mow. Tractors to maintain. Training on the New Moose.
When Carolyn and i got to the Farm she immediately started cleaning. Mind you Grandma’s house was already clean. But life on a dirt road means that there is always something that needs cleaning and Carolyn spent the first 18 years of her life on the Farm. She grew up in ‘Grandma’s’ house….of course for Carolyn and Bruce and John and Pam Grandma’s house is mom & dad’s house. For Carolyn no amount of ‘city-girl’ veneer can completely cover basic Mai mentality.
Do something.
So, the ‘professional level’ abiding falls on me. After all, some Dude’s got to do it.
My abiding lasted until lunch.
By early afternoon Carolyn has me cleaning windowsills. On a farm dirt is everywhere. Clean it off today and it is back tomorrow.
Bruce stopped by right after dinner. Just to check on how things were going and see if i’d help move some equipment. The chance to trade my vacuum cleaner for a tractor seat was like manna from heaven. Although i would now spend the next several days cleaning tractor and combine cabs with a portable vacuum.
When Bruce offered i grabbed my cap and was in the field truck before Bruce got out of the house.
Over the years i’ve learned
at least the basics
of running the equipment. From weed eaters to the John Deere 8330.
Everything except the combine.
I’ve been offered many chances to learn how to run the Moose but i’ve never had the interest.
Not sure why.
Maybe my lack of interest at becoming a ‘cutter’ is because my introduction to farm equipment was the combine. From the inside. (Inside a Combine https://tregocenterdairy.com/wheat-harvest-2015/).
Maybe my lack of interest in running the combine is because ‘cutting’ wheat is
from my point of view
especially stressful.
It’s how we make money.
Wheat in the combine tank is groceries and clothes and equipment and Christmas. Wheat on the ground behind the combine is money thrown to the wind.
Maybe my lack of interest in being ‘cutter’ is that it requires a lot of mental work.
Is the wheat getting cracked?
Is it falling on the ground?
Is it clean enough?
Cutters are detail people.
I’m not much of a ‘detail’ guy.
More of a ‘big picture’ guy. Often bouncing from big idea to big idea.
Always bouncing from big idea to big idea.
We didn’t yet have Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder when i was young. Teachers tended to say ‘Bob’s mind tends to wander.’ ‘He has difficulty staying on task.’
By the time i was in high school, teachers’ comments become more succinct.
‘Can’t focus.’
‘Needs a couple of years in the military.’
By the time i realized i might have ADHD it was too late. My primary provider agreed that i probably had ADHD but….‘You’ve learned how to live with this. You’re going to retire soon.’ His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the wall reviewing possibilities….‘Hell at this point changing how you deal with the world would probably drive you crazy.’
He suddenly smiled. ‘We might get you into a study, though.’ He loves research.
Driving the grain-cart tractor seems to fit my abilities. Physical and mental.
There is some skill.
Some ‘serious paying attention’ time.
And some world class abiding in a wheat field time.
Some dude’s got to do it.
Another Full Grain Bin
Partly Cloudy, 71 degrees
Humidity 45%
Dew Point 66 degrees
Wind NW @ 9 mph
Forecast: Partly, Highs mid 80s
The grain bin at the corner of the Flagler field is full.
Which is a good thing. A very good thing.
There is a lot of wheat.
But it means we must close the bin. Keep out the rain. And snow. Wind. Birds. Bugs. Then take down the auger. The auger will stay nearby.
Right next to the grain bins.
It’ll be well protected from the wind and Corn harvest is not far off.
There are two bins on the corner of the Flagler ground. One is now full of wheat. Later this Fall the second ‘new bin’ will be full of corn. And just like the wheat, once the bin is full the rest of the corn will either go back to the Farm or into town. With a little bit of luck a lot of corn will have to go into town….because we’ll be out of storage space in the Farm bins.
Happens when you have a great crop.
When Bruce asked if i’d go help him ‘button-up’ the Flagler grain bin i jumped at the chance.
Well i didn’t actually jump.
I’ve reached an age where ‘jumping at the chance’ is truly an expression. An expression not intended to have any physical meanings.
I have been planning to get some photos and video from the top of the new grain bins. And this is the ideal chance.
Good weather.
Plenty of Sun.
Someone around to call for help if i fall.
So, i ‘jumped at the chance’.
The new grain bins don’t look nearly as tall as the bins at the Farm. However, as Jessica,
one of our awesome family photographers,
would point out this may be a matter of perspective. The new grain bins are a lot wider than the bins at home. They don’t ‘look’ to be as tall.
(above the portable deer blind)
But halfway up the bin stairs a couple of things leapt to mind:
1) Grain bin stairs (instead of ladders) are an incredible farming innovation.
2) I’m not as young as when i really did ‘jump’ at the chance.
3) Perspective or not, the ground is a bone breaking distance away.
Hanging on a lot more tightly than my ego would like to admit, i made it to the top.
It was well worth the climb.
The view from the top of the bins is….awesome.
Last Wheat
Partly Cloudy, 91 degrees
Humidity 37%
Dew Point 60 degrees
Wind S @ 12 mph
Forecast: Sunny, Highs mid 90s
3:58 pm Saturday July 10th, Wheat Harvest 2021 is finished.
Well at least all the wheat is cut. Still need to take the last of the wheat to town. Move all the equipment. Move the trucks. Clean everything. But now is the time for a Spotted Cow!
Or two.
Not sure when someone first brought Spotted Cow beer to the Farm. Could have been someone from Wisconsin who was visiting. Could have been someone from the Farm who was visiting Wisconsin. Could have been a Christmas/birthday/wedding/anniversary present. But drinking a Spotted Cow at the end of harvest is now the tradition at the Farm. A tradition all the more special because Spotted Cow beer is not sold in Kansas.
Our supply is limited to friends and family who occasionally bring a six-pack or two to the Farm. Six-packs that are saved for very special occasions. Like the end of harvest.
Soooooo, Bruce, John and i are savoring a Spotted Cow and swapping stories about 100+ bushel an acre wheat.
If you come to visit the Farm,
and live where Spotted Cow is sold,
bring a six-pack or two. We’ll raise a bottle in your honor at the end of harvest.
Glory Days
Mostly sunny, 83 degrees
Humidity 51
Dew Point 63 degrees
Wind N @ 9mph
Forecast: Sunny, High 80s
Seven years ago, we had a story about Farm dogs (Farm Dogs Wheat Harvest 23014). The post had a great video of Shadow flying.
But that was exactly seven years ago to the day. Well actually just the date….July 7th not the day.
Now shadow is too old to stand in the Ranger. He still likes to be in the ranger, or one of the pickups, but he may need a bit of help getting in. Once in the pickup he’ll stay in the pickup. Occasionally look outside to make sure everything is the way it should be, then go back to sleep.
Stache has taken over the ‘young dog’ duties.
Although Shadow can’t get around like he used to he still dreams of his glory days. And he tells stories to anyone who will listen.
‘Glory days
well, they’ll pass you by
Glory days
in the wink of a young girl’s eye
Glory days.
Glory days.’
Bruce Springsteen (May 31st 1985)
Chased from the field….again
Partly Cloudy, 71 degrees
Humidity 87%
Dew Point 76 degrees
Wind NW @ 4mph
Forecast: Sunny, Highs mid 80sPush day Tuesday July 6th!
Today we’re going to get the Kohler ground done. It is good wheat. Maybe not quite as thick as some we’ve been cutting but this is very proud wheat.
It’s all standing.
Some of the ‘really’ good wheat
~104 bushels/acre
was so top heavy with grain that it fell over. The stripper header was able to pick up. Some was so matted that we had to leave it for the birds.
And Harvest mice.
And Deer mice.
And Prairie voles. Ground squirrels. Gophers.
And a grain-cart full of other critters.
Today Bruce was cutting by 9:30. I was in the grain-cart by 10:10. John was in the field by 10:30.
There were a few technical glitches.
Broken grain-cart PTO sheer-bolts.
A faulty monitor on the header.
All corrected. All the equipment functioning flawlessly. All the crew at top form. When the sun goes down the wheat in this field will be in the bin.
Rain?
What rain?
As always everyone has an eye on their weather app. As always there is discussion about which app is the most accurate. As of midafternoon nobody’s app had it right. Or everybody’s app had it right….depending on how you look at it. And looking North it was obvious there was rain in our near future. Coming a lot sooner than anybody’s app predicted. They all show green, yellow, and red passing right over us in the very near future. The only discussion now is when.
Maybe an hour.
Maybe two.
But we can put a lot of wheat in the bin or at least the semi & grain-cart in two hours.
Midafternoon plus 15. ‘Time to shut it down’ Bruce says.
Midafternoon plus 20 and the rain is upon us.
After our recent adventure with rain in the field (Rain Coming, below) i park the grain-cart so the wind will help push the tarp across the top of the cart. Once again John tarps it. This time with minimal effort.
Midafternoon plus 30 and we are racing the rain, before the roads turn to mud.
Over coffee in the morning, we find out that less than a mile South of the Kohler ground received an inch plus of rain. At the Farm less than 20 hundredths.
Ah, well.
Moving the auger
Partly Cloudy, 67 degrees
Humidity 88%
Dew Point 763degrees
Wind S @ 5mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy, Highs low 90s
The grain bin we’ve been using at home is full.
As full as Bruce wants it to be.
Time to move the auger.
There are several augers at the Farm but this auger is the tallest. The only one that will reach the top of the new grain bins. The first bin was started after wheat harvest last year and finished in time for corn harvest. The second (the new-new grain bin) was finished after that.
They’re big.
The ‘tall’ auger has to go from the Farm to the new bins. About five miles West.
Fortunately the auger will ‘scrunch-down’ to move….avoiding power lines, wind, and low flying birds.
Once at the new bins it’s just a matter of ‘un-scrunching’ the auger. And lining up the auger spout in the top of the grain bin.
Once set up in the right position it is best to secure the top of the auger so wind gusts don’t whip it around. The new bins have an awesome walkway leading to the ‘roof.’ Once there it is an ‘old fashion grain bin’ climb to the top. At a 45 degree angle. The final climb, and securing, is usually done by whoever loses ‘rock-paper-scissors’
Fortunately new grain bins have a safety ring to prevent a person from falling all the way off. Great addition. But like seat belts we never really want to test their efficiency. Once the auger is secure it’s time to lower the auger ‘hopper’. Grain comes out of the semi, into the hopper, up the auger into the grain-bin.
Now to do some serious cutting.
Happy 4th
Partly Cloudy, 83 degrees
Humidity 64%
Dew Point 69 degrees
Wind S @ 11 mph
Forecast: Clearing, low 90s
Happy 4th of July 2021!
Big plans for cutting today. Bruce left at 8:15 in the field flatbed. Plan is to start putting full in the vehicles.
At least the diesel drinking vehicles.
There is a tank on the field flatbed that holds a fair amount of diesel. Not enough to fill the combine but it’ll fill the tractors.
One at a time.
Bruce is planning to make several trips. Also going to grease the equipment. William is heading over to drive the semis to the new grain bin. Unload them, then drive them back in the field.
Bruce got carried away last night.
Filled both semis.
He’d sent the field crew, John, William, and me home about 9:45pm. Said he was going to finish filling the white semi, then head home. He got home about 12:30 after filling both semis.
With a little luck once the semis are emptied, the equipment serviced, the windows cleaned, the handheld radios handed around we should be cutting by noon. A great way to spend the 4th!
No such luck.
Carolyn texted a little after 9 that Jan & John had 1.68 inches of rain (1 inch & 68 hundredths) last night.
What?
Here at the Farm we had a light dusting of rain at the Farm. A heavy dew at best. Just enough to settle the dust. Jan & John live about four miles straight South of the field we’re in. If they got that much rain maybe the field got some.
I immediately texted Bruce.
He immediately texted back.
A little while later he texted to say he tried to get to the field where we’re cutting but almost got stuck. Stuck before he got near the field.
No cutting today.
So….guess it’ll be a 4th of goofing off. Enjoying the weather. And, of course, beer, brats on the grill, seven-layer salad and lemon bars.
Happy 4th!
When the Rain Comes
Cloudy, 66 degrees
Humidity 84%
Dew Point 50 degrees
Wind NW @ 14 mph Gusts 25 mph
Forecast: Rain
‘If the rain comes
They run and hide their heads….’
‘Rain’, The Beatles (May 30th, 1966)
9:35pm The wind has picked up.
Not quite hurricane strength, but the gusts would give Hurricane Irene a run for the money. the air is full of dust, wheat chaff and cows.
John and i made an executive field decision that when William gets back with the semi we’ll unload what wheat we have, tarp everything and hunker down.
9:37pm Bruce calls.
A short direct message.
‘Shut it down!’
‘It’s getting dark too dark to see’
‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ Bob Dylan (July 13th 1973)
Bruce’s call prompts an immediate decision.
Get to the semi even before we see it!
We start heading to the edge of the field.
9:40pm William pulls into the field.
9:41pm Thunder, lightning, horizontal rain. The hurricane hits. Straight out of the ‘nor-nor-west’.
By the time i get the front half of the semi full of wheat John has unloaded the wheat in the combine into the grain-cart.
It then goes straight into the semi.
One of the advantages to new equipment with bigger augers….we can unload a pile of wheat in no time.
This hurricane simulation is becoming serious. It really is getting hard to see. I never saw John drive around me and the semi. The edge of the field where he went to park is barely visible. But when i got there,
by dead-reconning,
i found the combine facing South. So, i parked next to it. Facing South.
Not my finest decision.
William had the semi tarped and shut down by the time i got the grain-cart parked.
By the time i got out of the grain-cart tractor and walked around to the back so i could tarp it John was out of the combine and heading my way. Got to me just as i was grabbing the tarp crank.
Long handle to roll/unroll the tarp.
There is still some wheat inside and i figured It needed to be covered. Protect it from the rain. I learned later that this was not necessarily the case. It was a fast-moving storm. Not much rain would get on the wheat. None would soak in….but old school thinking is hard to break.
If there is rain, cover the grain.
I had the tarp about halfway across the grain-cart when basic aerodynamics intervened. The wind
still ‘nor-nor-west’
caught the tarp and turned it into a sail.
About 4,500 years ago, the Phoenicians traveled all around the Mediterranean with sails remarkably similar to the grain-cart tarp. But unlike Phoenician sails the grain-cart tarp is only secured on one side. Suddenly it was out of my hands and flapping against the side of the grain-cart.
Now….we’ve all seen ‘that’ look.
That look that contains a whole conversation.
A look that lets you know your actions are beyond understanding. A look akin to disbelief. Almost awe.
John gave me ‘that look’.
‘Makes a good lightening rod’, he said as he took control of the tarp crank.
William
well on the way to soaking wet
walked up. Started helping John.
Together they began re-rolling the tarp. Once rolled up they began unrolling it across the grain-cart. All was going well until the front edge of the tarp got caught on the front edge of the grain-cart.
This happens.
Occasionally.
Especially in the wind.
I’ve seen it. And what’s more i know how to fix it.
So, in an effort to redeem my credibility as the grain-cart guy i climbed up the ladder on the front of the grain-cart. Leaned over to the right.
Leaned further to the right.
Grabbed the tarp where it was stuck and pulled.
Nothing.
I pulled again.
Again Nothing.
On the third ‘nothing’ there was nothing to do but climb back down. William quickly sized up my defeated drowned-rat demeanor and headed up the ladder.
Leaning over,
almost climbing on top of the grain-cart,
he wrestled the tarp free and pulled it across. John finished unrolling the tarp. Secured the tarp crank.
9:50pm We’re wet. We’re tired. We’re going home.
Not sure how to nominate a field hand for a medal, but i’m going to find out.
William deserves one.
Climbing on a huge metal object in a thunderstorm to get the job done.
John deserves one.
Holding a lightning rod in a thunderstorm to save the sail.
Without them we might well have lost the grain-cart tarp.
We left the field without any incriminating comments in my direction. John headed for his farm in his pickup. We headed to the Farm in the other pickup. The semi, combine, gain-cart staying in the field.
Not sure how it happened but i’m driving our pickup. Perhaps because i’m older. Perhaps William is just too wet to care. So, as the driver, i decided the one mile of hard surface highway is too dangerous in this wind and rain. We’ll stay on the dirt roads. Just cross the highway by the Farm. Much safer.
A mile before the highway i head North. This is a dirt road known by all the locals. This dirt road is all dirt.
No sand.
No gravel.
No traction.
But that is another story.
This Ain’t Right
Partly Cloudy, 76 degrees
Humidity 63%
Dew Point 62 degrees
Wind NE @ 7 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy, Highs 80s
‘John, stop!’
John is in the combine. we’re making good time. Unloading,
wheat from the combine to the grain-cart
on the go. A bit tricky. Saves time and it is a definite crowd pleaser. But on this occasion, something just does not look right to me. The combine auger has wheat spraying out like someone put their thumb on the end.
‘I see it.’
Seems the rubber nozzle,
that directs the flow of wheat coming out of the auger,
is coming loose.
John climbs to the top of the grain-cart. With one foot on the cart edge and one foot on a bow he tries replacing the nozzle. i’m at the top of the grain-cart ladder with one hand on the cart and the other holding John’s right leg.
Some for support.
Some to push him into the grain-cart if he starts to fall.
After a few minutes i become apparent that this job is going to take more than a daring Flying Wallendas act.
We head to the edge of the field
Bruce suggests replacing the high-wire act with the top of the field truck.
Works well.
10 minutes of unbolting and re-bolting and we’re back in the field.
Another day.
Another problem solved.
Rain Coming
Partly Cloudy, 76 degrees
Humidity 90%
Dew Point 65 degrees
Wind N @ 17 mph Gusts to 25
Forecast: Rain, Highs 70s
At 1:30 we took the combine over to the new field, primarily so we could cut a test strip.
Test the moisture.
If the moisture is acceptable, we’ll go ahead and start cutting. At 1:30pm the field was too wet to cut.
15.6% moisture.
close but….
So, to kill a little time move the grain-cart over to the new field. Then drive around to check other fields. Ended up back at the ‘new’ field about 3:15pm.
A bit more cutting.
14.3%
Good enough to cut. Especially with the threat of rain this evening. NOAA, the local stations, the birds, everyone says rain is coming. How much? No one is willing to commit. But it is coming. OK we’d better cut some wheat.
By 4:15pm we are in full swing. John taking over the cutting duties from Bruce. Bruce running the semi’s back to home. This wheat will stay at the Farm.
Remember the clean grain bin? ‘Compromise?’
(See below)
By 5pm Carolyn & Pam are in the field checking out the new equipment.
And the wheat.
This promises to be one of the best wheat fields ever. There is talk of 100 bushel per acre. This talk is generally whispered. No sense tempting ‘fate’.
Carolyn & Pam stay for about 45 minutes.
5:30pm and William is in the field driving semis. Bruce is at home unloading wheat.
7pm Pam & Carolyn & Bruce are back with dinner. Not sure why but i can certainly put away some groceries when working in a wheat field. Bruce takes over cutting so John can get dinner.
More talk of rain. Not a 100% chance. More like 70% but the birds have all checked in lodgings for the night.
Moisture is now about 13%.
The push to cut wheat is on.
We’ll cut until the last moment.
Bruce, Carolyn & Pam head to the house at about 9:15pm. Bruce wants to get the grain bin auger at home down before the serious wind, and maybe rain, hit. The auger can easily get blown over by the wind.
Those of us in the field are still committed to cutting until the last moment.
9:35pm.
The last moment.
But that is another story
Portable Cab
Mostly Cloudy, 78 degrees
Humidity 53%
Dew Point 59 degrees
Wind N @ 10 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy, Highs 80s
I take an air-conditioned, surround sound tractor cab as standard. Wouldn’t work in the field without it.
Carolyn, however, vividly remembers her dad working fields without an air-conditioned cab.
Even without a cab.
But serious surround sound.
Lots of dust. Lots of heat. Lots of sweat. Lots of dust sticking to sweat. She tells a story about him coming home covered in dust. Hair. Clothes. Face. Hands. Goggles.
All the same color.
When he took off his goggles, he had big rings around his eyes. He looked like a raccoon.
Back in the late 1940s a Kansas farmer had an idea. He’d seen farm equipment with cabs. They were expensive. Especially as an after-market add on. Most folks just didn’t have the money. So,
he thought,
how about something the farmer could buy once and use on different pieces of equipment. Something portable.
Something to keep the farmer from breathing dust.
Something like the hoods he’d seen his Navy shipmates wear while fighting fires during World War II.
The Portable Cab.
Mr Kohlmeyer’s Portable Cab never really caught on. The farm equipment manufacturers had already seen the light and were putting cabs on everything.
But Mr Kohlmyer’s kind of thinking is what made makes the American farmer the best in the world. And, of course,
(said with lots of local pride)
the Kansas farmer the best of the best.
Thanks to Holly Swigart (family friend from Pittsburg, Kansas) for sending the article.
A Fun Field to Cut
Partly Cloudy, 87 degrees
Humidity 59%
Dew Point 70 degrees
Wind N @ 17 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy, Highs 80s
The field South of the Farm
right across the road
is done. Time to move to Jim’s.
Jim’s ground is about two miles South.
Jim’s ground is flat. Well not Montana wheat field flat,
think John Deere combines side by side,
but flat for around here.
Checking the field, a couple of days ago Bruce smiled. ‘This is going to be fun’.
Now, when a ‘cutter’ says ‘it’s going to be fun’ a small but persistent alarm rings in my ear. the cutter comment usually means some serious movement of large amounts of grain.
First from the field to the combine.
Second from the combine to the grain-cart.
Third from the grain-cart to the semi.
The greatest amount of in field movement of grain is by the grain-cart. So….
‘This is going to be fun.’ usually translates into ‘the grain-cart’ is going to be busy. Really busy.
And this year with exceptionally good wheat, well….the grain-cart driver is going to be really really, busy!
But, it is an easy field to cut.
Dry.
Level.
Easy to see from one side to another.
OK, it was a fun field to cut!
Wheat Harvest 2021 Begins
Sunny, 84 degrees
Humidity 60%
Dew Point 68 degrees
Wind S @ 13 mph
Forecast: Sunny, Highs 100
Wheat Harvest has truly begun.
With the usual last-minute tweaks.
Like the flat tire on the ‘small’ semi.
So, semi to town.
Carolyn & Bob to the weekly dump run then pick up Bruce at the tire shop. Thought we could pick up the semi later in the day, but the tire guys have to order a tire so we’re going to run with just one semi today.
No worries.
The John Deere guys got here just before 1pm. Continuing orientation on the new combine. General functioning. Upgrades. Etc.
Cuttin’ Time!
Life is Good!
Grain-cart Scale
Sunny, 90 degrees
Humidity 30
Dew Point 55 degrees
Wind S @ 21 mph
Forecast: Sunny, Highs 90s
Wheat fields are generally measured in bushels per acre.
Semis are generally measured in pounds.
As long as i’ve been a grain-cart apprentice the semi is filled to the liking of the driver.
The semi driver.
Some semi drivers like the wheat filled up to the top of the trailer box. No higher.
Some semi drivers like it filled up to the center of the bows.
The bows support the tarp when it is covering the wheat.
Some semi drivers like it one way if they are going to one elevator and another if they are going to a different elevator. Or fuller if they are going to put the wheat in a bin at the Farm. And less full if they are going into town.
Law enforcement
Kansas Highway Patrol
only cares about weight. And they occasionally set up portable scales.
rSo, semi drivers
ours included
are a lot more conscious of wheat weight than i am. I go by the bushels. After all bushels per acre is how we brag.
Or moan.
One of the first things semi drivers are required to announce on the field radios when they get back from dumping grain in town is the weight, moisture, and bushels. All these things are figured out ‘automatically’ by the elevators.
Elevators are also more concerned about weight than bushels.
The new grain-cart has a built-in scale.
Way cool.
Back during Trego Center Dairy, dairy days, there was equipment with built in scales. That way the various dairy cow nutrients could be measured and mixed exactly.
Although the new grain-cart comes with a built-in scale the monitor in tractor cab needs to be installed.
Seems straight forward.
Installing this kind of equipment is everyday work for a modern farmer. And John Deere tractors have mounting points all over the inside of their cabs. However, it is not a John Deere monitor, so a bit of farm-technology is required.
Step 1: Cut a bar the monitor can attach onto.
Step 2: Drill a hole in the bar to secure it to the John Deere cab bracket.
Step 3: Flatten a few inches of the bar, on the hole end, so it will be flush with the John Deere mounting bracket
Step 4: Mount the monitor.
Yep. Having the right tools always makes the job go better.
Now if we just had the monitor’s power cord….
Wheat Drying Weather!
Sunny, 79 degrees
Humidity 44%
Dew Point 55 degrees
Wind SSW @ 23 mph
Forecast: Sunny, Highs 80s
It’s a wheat drying day.
No guarantee we’ll start cutting tomorrow….but there is a good chance.
Actually, there are no ‘guarantees’ in farming.
This morning Bruce took the last of the wheat (see ‘Compromise?’ below) to town. Well almost to town. He pulled over because of a leak in a radiator hose.
Called.
He was stopped on the Cargill Road.
Dirt.
Two miles East of the Farm.
Runs straight to the Cargill elevator.
‘Bring the white pickup.’ Bruce said, ‘The one with Max in it.’
Sure, enough Max was stretched out on the front seat. Max loves to ride.
Pickup.
Tractor.
Combine.
When i opened the driver’s side door Stache streaked by my legs and into the pickup. Stache also loves to ride. But he’s more of pickup or riding lawnmower dog.
I was committed to taking Max into to town. Stache, however, is a bit young and rambunctious. But there are dog leashes in pickup….maybe….
As soon as Stache began shaking off the water he carried back with him from the pond i was suddenly committed to No Dogs riding to town.
About two miles from the Cargill drive i found Bruce. Seems he especially wanted the white pickup, not because of Max, but because there is a two-gallon jug of radiator fluid in the bed.
Put the radiator fluid in the semi then drove straight to Kenny’s.
Our local diesel guru.
Yep, there is a leak. Once the engine has cooled off it’ll get a new hose. Go to the elevator and offload the wheat.
Never did make it to elevator.
Big Equipment rule #586: If something sounds wrong, STOP.
I’m heading out w/glass cleaner, paper towels, sacks, and other implements of window maintenance to clean equipment windows. No sense having tractor/combine/semi cabs with walls of glass you can’t see through.
Compromise?
Cloudy, 67 degrees
Humidity 88%
Dew Point 57 degrees
Wind NNW @ 7 mph
Forecast: Intermittent rain, high 70s
Well, it rained.
Barely enough to settle the dust. Settle the dust on the vehicles. Not the roads. Vehicles passing by still stir up a rooster tail driving by.
Enough rain to say it rained.
Enough rain to slow the whet drying.
Not enough rain to really help the corn.
The compromise?
Find something to do.
And there is always something to do at a farm.
Waiting for harvest concession #1: Clean out the grain-cart.
Last used to move corn. Get rid of any left-over corn, so we’re only hauling wheat.
Waiting for harvest concession #2: Clean the wheat out of the grain bin.
Still have some wheat from last year. From the bin to the grain-cart to town.
Waiting for harvest concession #3: Orientation on the New-Moose.
The new combine is close to an all ‘glass’ setup….touch sensitive computer screens now control just about everything. An afternoon of lessons. And maybe Read The Manual.
Waiting for harvest concession #4: Pinochle!
The Weather….again
Sunny, 80 degrees
Humidity 76%
Dew Point 66 degrees
Wind W @ 10 mph
Forecast: Sunny, Low 90s
Once again, we’re waiting on the weather.
And, of course, debating the weather.
No rain. 90–100-degree days. Steady South wind. We’ll be cutting wheat by Wednesday.
Rain. 80–90-degree days. No wind. The corn will thrive.
As the saying goes, ‘It’s hard to be just right.’
Think i’ll resurrect the ‘Weather Hot Line’.
In the days of my youth Dave Breeze (Marine Corps buddy and best man in Carolyn and my wedding) decided we needed some way to satisfactorily complain about the weather.
No matter how much we complained it just seemed that no one was paying attention. So, we took matters into our own hands. We accepted the challenge of being the person to call with weather complaints. One year Dave would be the complaint department. Next year it would be me.
We freely handed out our phone numbers.
We got answering machines to take calls if we were not at home.
People left requests.
Complaints.
Call back numbers.
Of course, we could not do anything about the weather, but at least people had the satisfaction of calling someone.
People went away feeling better.
Checkout the story ‘Trego Center Cyclonic Vortex’ in the Wheat Harvest 2017 tab https://tregocenterdairy.com/wheat-harvest-2017/ .
I think this service still has value. Especially after the year we’ve had.
Let me know if you’d like to be part of the Weather Hot Line Team.
In the meantime
since we are not cutting
we’re cleaning, cutting grass, pulling weeds, servicing equipment….usual farm stuff. AND New-Moose/grain-cart orientation begins tomorrow!
New Toys!
Partly cloudy, 78 degrees
Humidity 70%
Dew Point 67 degrees
Wind ENE @ 14 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy high 90s
Christmas in June!
We’ve got new toys.
A grain-cart and combine.
Very big toys!
The grain-cart is bigger than the ‘old’ grain-cart. Holds more grain. The auger is bigger, longer and wider, so it will unload a lot faster.
And put wheat on the ground a lot faster!
Clayton Andrew was at the Farm a month or so ago and helped put cameras on the new grain-cart. One on the auger end, so the driver can watch the grain come out, and another on the back of the grain-cart. So, the driver can see right behind the cart when backing up. Or cruising down the road.
Side Note: One of the weird things about pulling stuff behind a tractor is that it is often very hard to see if someone is behind. One narrow-dirt-road trick is to drive to left side of the road then make a sharp turn to the right. For a moment the tractor is at enough of an angle to allow the driver to see what is coming up behind. Of course, it is important to turn back to the left before driving off the road.
I’ve come close.
But never hit the ditch.
The same procedure can be initiated by starting on the right side of the road, with a sharp turn to the left. In the early days of my farm life i saw people doing this and unjustly assumed ‘home-brew’ was involved.
The ‘old’ grain-cart had a camera at the discharge end of the auger. Allows the driver to make sure the grain is going into the semi. When I learned to drive the grain-cart it didn’t have a camera. According to my instructor (Guru Rheta) a good gran cart driver doesn’t need an auger camera.
True.
However once or twice during my apprenticeship I ended up with a scoop shovel picking up wheat i put on the ground next to the semi.
A problem with unloading grain from the grain-cart to the semi is that the grain-cart needs to be just the right distance from the semi. Too close and the grain is piling up on the ‘far-side’ (the side farthest from the grain-cart).
Hopefully not piling up off the side of the semi.
Too far away and the grain is piling up on the ‘near-side’.
On numerous occasions i have driven up to the semi, realized i was too close or too far so drove around again. Making little circles next to the semi until i get it right.
Side note: Generally, grain is off loaded to the semi on the semi’s driver side. This is because the tarp that covers the semi is rolled up on the semi’s passenger’s side. Unloading on the semi’s driver’s side means there is less chance of damaging the rolled-up tarp. In the days of my apprenticeship i once unloaded on the semi’s passenger’s side over the top of the rolled-up tarp. Broke off one of the brackets for the tarp. On another occasion i got to close,
on the driver’s side this time,
and hit the semi with the grain-cart auger. But i haven’t done anything like that in years. Which, now that i think, says more about Bruce’s patience than my ability to learn.
The new grain-cart has a longer auger AND the nozzle at the end is steerable. The grain-cart drive can put the grain in exactly the right place. Unfortunately, it’s probably a lot easier to put the grain where it shouldn’t be….like on the ground.
I begin in cab orientation on Monday, so will post some photos.
The combine looks very similar to the Moose. However, a second glance caused me to stop dead in my tracks and said, Whoa!
But that is another story.
Tractor Jones
Rain, 40 degrees
Humidity 40%
Dew Point 35 degrees
Wind NNW @ 84 mph
Forecast: Clearing, Highs 40s
I have a serious ‘got to get in a tractor’ jones going on.
Not sure why.
Maybe it is the COVID restrictions on….
well on life.
Or maybe it’s the pollen. Or birds. Or temperatures well above freezing. Or more sunlight. Or it’s been almost a year since we’ve been at the farm. Or all the photos and videos of when we were last at the farm.
During the first part of ‘COVID induced self-isolation’ Carolyn started jonesing about cleaning. I was dragged along….kicking and crying.
The attic was first.
Threw away a lot of stuff.
Ended up using several of the neighbor’s trash cans.
Cleaned and reorganized all that was left. Then vacuumed….the attic.
Then we hit the storeroom.
Then the garage.
Then bedrooms.
Then painting.
Hilary’s room. Our closet. Several ceilings.
Finally Carolyn released me from house duty with my promise that i would clean up/weed out our photos and videos.
Terabytes worth of stuff.
Two external hard drives full of photos and videos.
When i started the ‘great Green photo cleanup’ we had just over 2.55 terabytes of photos.
We now have 3.2 terabytes of photos.
Yeah….i screwed up.
Instead of just eliminating photos i started running them through PhotoShop.
Cropping.
Adjusting color.
Combining.
Generally playing.
Once i realized the errors of my ways i decided it was better if i stepped away from the photo reorganization. Turn to something more straight forward.
Videos.
We had about 5.5 terabytes of video. Mostly in four-to-ten-minute chunks. Mostly about the farm. Didn’t take long to realize that the videos would take up a lot less space if they were put together. Short well edited movies about the farm.
We now have a little over 7.25 terabytes of video.
As i was drinking coffee and ordering another external hard drive i suddenly flashed on a midmorning coffee and doughnuts discussion with several technology friends. Back when i was teaching nursing students, our college had the biggest tech-team at the university. Even bigger and better than the university technology program. We had the most awesome team of technologist at the university.
OK, that’s a personal judgement call, but i’m standing by it.
That midmorning doughnuts and coffee discussion landed on all of the data that is swirling around the ether. When i proposed a data cleanup several folks began to laugh. ‘Who’ll pay for it?’ Seems it’s a lot cheaper to just build more server space than to hire people to search through data looking for stuff to eliminate. Well, what about programs to search through data looking for stuff to eliminate?
Same answer.
Still cheaper to just build more server farms than create programs to sort through data. Server farms thousands of hard drives. How many hard drives?
Many. Actually, many times many.
Although they don’t brag about it, Google is creating a navy of floating server farms. So far one in California. One in Maine. Maybe more.
Again….they aren’t bragging.
So far.
So, what will this mountain of data, on the ocean or land, be like in 50 years? Or 100 years? Or two hundred?
More coffee.
Strong coffee.
Even the tea drinkers of the team turned to coffee to fuel our ride down dim dystopian paths. Paths leading to a time when all technology,
all humanity,
is dedicated to storing data. Not compiling data. Not using data. Just storing data.
The poet Hazelwood is right….’coffee spreads darkness’.
Yep, it’s time to put down the coffee and get into a tractor.
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