More on the Corn Harvest—-Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Dayphoto

We had Tally, for the Sunday and part of Monday (YAY). I’ll post more about Tally’s and my adventures tomorrow.

One of the things she wanted to do was ‘Go with Grandpa to the Elevator’. Terry left early…7:30 in the morning…he was 11th in line. The Elevator opens at 6:00 a.m. There were trucks there starting at 4:30 a.m. The days are long during harvest. The wait is longer.

It was too early for Tally to ride down…I let her sleep in…but around 10 I took her down to be with Grandpa for a spell.

This is the line at 10 o’clock in the morning. Terry is number 9 in the line. And more coming in.

Part of the problem is the amount of time it takes to unload the semi’s. And Hour per semi. There are lots and lots of semis. Not so much the large grain trucks like we have. But there are some.

So Tally waited with Grandpa. Then when he went back down in the afternoon we went back with him.
You see she wanted to be there when they dumped the truck. She wanted to see how they did it.

Tally and Grandpa! It’s nice she still likes to do the things we do. Even if it means waiting and waiting and waiting.

The other two are more interested in FRIENDS! Which is as it should be.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Once More–Cross your Fingers and Your Toes–Monday, December 1, 2014

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Dayphoto

Daily we check the corn…riding out on the four-wheelers to get samples from all the fields. Samples on the ends, samples in the middle…then THERE IT WAS…the moisture content said…”Give it a go!” So we did!

Down the rows he went

Opening the driest field

Filling the truck with red/gold corn

Because it was the Thanksgiving holiday and the Elevator was good enough to stop and let everyone have a break….we parked the truck under the car port

Where Monkey-the -cat spent lots of her time checking to see WHY the grain truck was close to the house and not out by the barn.

Silly cat!

Gradually the sun started to set filling our skies with a purple haze

It was stunningly beautiful,

Unusual and gorgeous all rolled into a swiftly darkening day

Terry left for the Elevator at 5 this morning…when he called he was 13th in line and more arriving. It’s 9:00 a.m. right now and he still isn’t home. He will be lucky to be here at noon.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed, send prayers and magic thoughts, please that this load passes and we are out-on-the-land until all the corn is in!

Your friend,

Linda

A Very Strange Harvest —Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday there were 40 trucks in line to unload their corn. The wait was long, long, long. Most of the trucks are semi’s with belly dumps so it goes fast ONCE they get there.

BUT….the corn harvest has turned out to be another one of those terribly hard to ‘dry down the corn’ years. Everyone is struggling and frustrated. The joke is we will be doing corn in January —OH! LET US HOPE NOT!

A field will test dry then as they get to different area, within the SAME field, the moisture content zooms up and the harvest has to stop.

So we do what we can, then wait until the moisture drops and start all over again. Terry is out checking all the fields now…a sample here and a sample there…at the end of the field, in the middle of the field, in a random spot. You sure don’t want to combine wet corn, have it turned down at the elevator and then lose the whole load because it molds. We could get the drying granaries ready, but Terry much prefers to haul straight the elevator. Keeps the crop costs down (electricity to run the big dryer) and we don’t have to load the bins, then get back in and unload them. Unloading a grain bin is TONS of work—we’ve reached an age where back breaking work is something we don’t want to do anymore.

Yes we use a auger to get the corn out of the bin, but you still have to get inside and scoop out the last of of the corn.

Anyway…life goes on. The other house is done, until the furnace is put in; now we will need to look for a renter. But that process won’t start until we get the furnace in. It will be nice to find just the right person who would like to live in the country, take care of a lawn, and maybe enjoy an animal or two in the corrals…our daughter and family had goats.

Today I’m still setting up Christmas…I’m thinking the tree…it’s fake so I can set it up anytime and enjoy the lights. (It’s the lights I love). (Or I’ll be helping Terry…we will see)

Your friend on a western Colorado Farm,

Linda

We Have Begun–Thursday, November 13, 2014

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Dayphoto

The weather turned extremely cold—no rain or snow.

“Humm, I wonder if the moisture has dropped in the corn? I think I’ll run some down and have it checked” Terry said, heading out the door to the closest corn field.

“Okay, I’ll be down at the other house; I’m just about done down there.” I answered him.

“13.1% and there is a HUGE line down there, over 20 trucks waiting to unload.” Terry announced as soon as he got back. “The guy at the Elevator told me the number then laughed –‘No more sitting around watching T.V. for you!”

After he got the truck loaded, he backed it into the carport and we covered the bed with the blue tarp —- freezing our fingers off as we tied the flaps down so the corn would be safe inside, if the freezing wind decided to give us rain/snow/sleet to our area.

So far the bad weather is just around us…the mountains look like they are getting dumped on. Terry left this morning at 5:00 to get in line. The Elevator opens as 6, first come first serve…it’s 8:31 a.m. right now and he is still down there. Makes me wonder what he number was when he lined up. His parting words were—“See you at Noon!” Boy, I hope not.

The minute he gets back the combine will begin, (if the weather holds) the truck will fill up, and depending on the time, it will either head back down to the Elevator (doors close at 4:00, you MUST BE IN LINE at 4:00 to get in on that day…otherwise you are first in line for the next day.) If the truck is full after 4 we will back the truck into the carport and cover up the load. The next day will be a repeat of today. This will go on and on and on— every day until we have every last load down to the Elevator. (No working on Sunday–the Elevator is closed and we take it off also) BUT COME MONDAY……………………….!

It all begins again!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Once Upon a Time …

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Dayphoto

… in a corn far, far away. A farmer was trying to get all of his corn picked. Every day he greased up his combine, poured fuel into the combine, and drove it way, way out into the corn field.

Up and down the rows went the farmer, filling his big red-orange truck with golden seeds of corn.

Gradually, as the harvest kept on the farmer grew very tired — fill the hoper of the combine, then dump into the truck, when the truck was full he then would drive it to the elevator and wait his turn to dump his truck so he could start over.

The day came (when after sitting at the elevator since 6 o’clock in the morning–until 9:30 a.m. when he was able to finally dump and get back home) he became overly tired.

But wait…..

What is this?!?!?