Harvest is still in full swing, and the wind has finally stopped blowing, for a day at least. You can actually hear the birds and they are everywhere. So much for wind towers killing them all.
This year is phenomenal for us. With averages of 70 to 80 bushels, it is unreal. The price is just over $7, finally, after 30 years. Our best field went 88. Our irrigated went 105 bushels to the acre, and that sounds great except this year there was rain everywhere. Unfortunately, it is slow going. No, wait, make that fortunately!
We can only cut at 2.5 miles an hour. A cousin of Kevin’s visited today, and Michael George said he has never seen stubble like this, ever. The trucks couldn’t keep up, and the elevator in Biggs couldn’t either. But a few major shifts – an additional truck for us, and the COOP not hauling their grain at peak hours, made a huge difference.
Everyone is getting tired, though. Long days and short nights are tough. There are always arguments when people don’t show up to grease or service the equipment, and tempers run high. Not to mention losing two transmissions. The lesson to be learned here? Don’t shift on a hill, especially with a full load. Most farmers know that; some don’t. We have lost six transmissions in 12 years, and that is excessive. And expensive, at $12,000 a whack. Ahh, the joys of family farming.
Truthfully, it is all a learning experience. Concentrating on the best parts of this life, instead of the hardships and headaches, is tough. Just being here is an exercise in learning to love, learning to forgive, and learning to let go.
