View of the day-Harvesters comparing stories.
Wow, what a day! We got to sleep in, sort of, thanks to the storms that went through. We went over to Alva to visit with some other harvesters in the same boat (no pun intended...oh, hell, yes it was) as everyone in the area. It was unbelievable the amount of outfits we met as we were heading back to Cherokee. We must have met at least three crews with a total of 15 machines on trailers, and all of them were moving north. In Cherokee, there has been a steady parade of crews moving north, you wonder how many harvesters are left...there are a LOT of fields left standing, and some crews are still in Texas!
While we were at the motel in the picture, a gentleman came up to us and asked if we knew anyone who would be able to cut 700 acres for him up at Liberal, Kansas(about 150 miles NW). They didn't get the rain and the yields on dry land were around 50 bushels and acre, and the irrigated was running around 70. No one put their hands up, the story was the same all around the area. The local farmers are looking to find cutters, since theirs have pulled out to head to their next jobs, and it would appear all of Kansas is ready.
As the rains keep coming, the quality of the wheat goes down, and the price goes up-$5.73 today. A lot of the farmers have had insurance come in and zero their crops, which isn't helping the cutters who have stayed behind. If it isn't one thing, it's another, and each day brings new challenges.
Al got to unload the seed wheat on his truck, and do a few repairs on it. Marilyn went out to the field to check the combine out, and the rain gauge on it showed 2.75 inches, although the top of the rain gauge had blown off, and not knowing at what point in the storm that had happened, the best we could do was guess at the amount.
Marilyn had a conference call meeting at 8:30pm with Theatre Saskatchewan, on which she is a board member. We didn't bother getting phone hooked up in the camper this time, so Marilyn had to use the only payphone in town, down at the convenience store, right on the main highway through town. It was fine until the sun went down and all manner of insect creature found it necessary to dive bomb, and just generally creep her out. It wasn't too bad...the call only lasted til 10pm!
All day long, the sun shone and the wind blew, so maybe tomorrow...
3 comments:
Hi Marilyn. I guess everyone is having rain. Reading your accounts of rain there puts into perspective my grumblings here while fishing. I've spent most of June at the lake and have had a fair bit of rain but I guess rain while trying to fish doesn't quite compare to rain why you're trying to earn your living. Really enjoy your blog entries. Hope things improve for you.
Joanne
wow!! I am really enjoying your blog. years before you would go away, we'd miss you and not really know what you do, and now it's like i'm there with you! Almost ;)
anyhoo, TSI appreciates your dedication I'm sure. I know I do. but did they know you were on a payphone? I mean they could've cut it a little short no? take care, hope you have a great day! and I'll keep reading.
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