Adventures of a Modern Farm Family: Harvest around the main farm

Yesterday morning I arrived at the farm to see a line of semi trucks all the way up the drive way! There were people everywhere...in grain carts, waiting near the shop, working on the combine and by the grain set up. We are hauling the grain about an 1 hour away to a wet mill, so it takes a lot of trucks to keep up and they were just getting geared up to start hauling. Usually when we harvest around home it is just our trucks hauling to the grain set up at the farm and that is it, so this was new for me to see so many people I didn't know around. Brad was taking moisture samples from the corn and make sure everybody was loaded correctly. Bob was getting a few things ready on the combine and Diane and the boys were inspecting the cab of the combine. Vince was really excited to get to ride in the combine and asked me if I wanted to sit on the floor with Grandma. I was worried Grandma was really going to sit on the floor, but Bob got her a stool to sit on and then Vince determined the stool was a better spot to see what was going on. So, Grandma ended up with the buddy seat.

Trucks lined up

Getting the combine ready for the day

Grandma Diane and the boys in the combine

The moisture in the corn is still rather high around 30% and Brad is trying to blend it with our corn from last year that is dry. If the moisture is too high (over 25%) then the load will get rejected. Where we are hauling the corn they don't send the drivers with load tickets saying how the corn moisture level and test weight were. Brad has to wait to see that information online and it hasn't been posting for about 12 hours after the load was delivered, so it is a bit of a game and requires that Brad stay on top of things and constantly monitor the moisture of the corn. It has caused a little bit of stress in his life, but before you feel too sorry for him keep in mind that when he set these contracts he knew there would be a few headaches.

Brad adjusting the amount of new and old crop that is mixing

Grain cart turning around to head back to the field

I love being around all the action during harvest. It is just fun to see everyone working together and usually everything runs so smoothly. It is teamwork in action and it is fun to be apart of. My favorite harvest was when I spend most of the fall in a grain cart, it was a blast! Yesterday I told Brad I wanted to run the moisture tester for him and I honestly did until I remembered that I had Joel with me. I am pretty sure he wouldn't last very long helping me with that job. Maybe I will get to do a guest appearance in a grain cart this fall!