August 31, 2009

View of the day-The combine in the wash bay at the campground.

We were up early to get the truck and cart unloaded at the elevator, then get everything moved back into town to get cleaned and loaded. Al worked at getting the trucks organized by the trailers...a bit of a task since the Freightliner hadn't been started since we got to Gettysburg. He was able to get some help starting it from our Kansas harvester neighbor who was killing time waiting for parts to come in before moving up to Kenmare, his next stop.

While Al worked on that, Marilyn got to wash the combine and what starts out as a quick swish always seems to end up being a thorough cleaning...and it takes longer than Al expected, so he ends up having to help with the wash. Once the cleaning was done, we stopped for a short break before moving the combine over to the trailers to start loading.

We loaded the combine and got it hooked up and tied down, then loaded the tractor and cart and got it ready for tomorrows trip north. After hooking the header trailer to the pickup, we started to the move to Menoken, North Dakota, just east of Bismarck. The trip was uneventful until we got to Herried where they still have the streets torn up and only a cow trail for main street...a detour sure would have been nice and they probably would have gotten their work done quicker without having to stop for traffic all the time...but what do we know?

We had to wait a couple of other place along the road for flag cars, but we still made it in just under 3 hours. When we got to the farmers yard we unloaded the combine then swapped headers so we would be able to start right in when we get there tomorrow. We stopped at the campground to make sure we would have someplace to park, it was pretty full and the 'host' told us we might not get a spot with sewer hookup, but they do have a nice shower house so it might not kill us...well, Marilyn doesn't mind, anyway.

We stopped in Sterling for a snack then Marilyn took the first shift driving back to Gettysburg, we stopped in Herried to fuel up and Al took over driving so Marilyn could get the blog done before getting back to the camper. It will be a late night and early morning...we need to be fresh for the drive. With bills to pay, camper to get ready, settling up to do, it will be a scramble.

And Al wants AIS(A$$ in Seat) by 10am...

August 30, 2009

View of the day-Al cleans off the South Dakota chaff from the combine for the last time this year. It's official...after 54 days...4o of them in Gettysburg...we are done combining in South Dakota!

It was an early day for us, one of the farmers we cut for when we first got here came over to get settled up. After getting that out of the way, we went out for breakfast to the sale barn with them...we beat the church rush and were able to get in early enough for eggs...a nice change.

We went out to the field after 1pm to tackle the last of the swaths. Al started combining and Marilyn cleaned the pickup out, thinking that maybe there was an adapter for the backup camera that had fallen out of the box...no such luck...the pickup looks pretty good though.

When the cart was full, Marilyn took over combining and Al took the cart to top off the semi and General. He got back to combining while Marilyn worked on the grain cart lights. They hadn't been working for some time, or rather, when were plugged in they were on all the time, so we never plugged them in at all. She discovered the problem...although the plug looked like it was in good shape, the wires had all been pulled out inside the housing and were touching the live pin. Most of the set screws were gone too, so a new plug end is on the list...the light on the auger doesn't seem to be working...it has juice, but because the cart had grain in it, Marilyn couldn't get in to see if the problem was inside the cart. That will stay on the 'to do' list.

Al got finished up and brought the loaded General into town and Marilyn hooked up the shop trailer, picked him up and went back out to the hill where we had parked the combine. Al started blowing it off and Marilyn looked after shield replacement and more electrical, getting the new plug for the header installed. Once the dust settled, Al drove the combine back into Gettysburg and parked it by the General and we headed back to the camper for a much needed shower.

Tomorrow is swish time for the combine...and loading time for everything else.

Do we remember how, after such a long time...

August 29, 2009

View of the day-Dumping into the cart across from the old radar base north of Gettysburg. The semi and pup are spotted courtesy of the guys at the elevator.

It was another wet morning...at least the humidity made it wet, but that didn't matter, we weren't planning on testing until after lunch. We sat around the camper then went out for a late lunch at the Burg, then Al went out and did a test...15.5%...we wait some more.

Al decided to try it again at 3:30pm and since he didn't have anything else to do, Marilyn gave him a ride out and he took his "green sheet" classifieds to read, while she worked on getting the backup camera installed in the pickup.

We had purchased a backup camera and after UPS lost the first one, the second one finally showed up, so Marilyn figured she had time to wire it in before Al got started combing and got a truck load. Everything went fine until she tried to test it out by hooking up the extension cord to the video distributor...for some reason they sent an extension cord with a four pin end instead of an S-Video end...there would be no camera for a while yet.

The elevator had closed for the day but they told Al to give them a call when he got a truck load and someone would come down and dump him. Marilyn took over combining and after Al got the truck unloaded the elevator said they would spot their semi for us to use so they wouldn't have to open up tomorrow...they would just unload the truck on Monday. They brought it out to the field and Al took them back into town then came back out to move things over to the next field...fortunately it was walking distance.

As the sun started to go down the humidity went back up again and the grain was getting tough again so we called it quits for the night. We went to the Firehouse for supper then came home to find a nice little pint basket of cherry tomatoes on our step...tasty...

But where did they come from...

August 28, 2009

View of the day-A couple of labs get some play time in the Missouri River at Pierre, SD.

We woke up to thick fog this morning...not a good start to the day. The fog lifted about mid morning but the low clouds lasted the better part of the day.

Al went up and replaced an eye bolt from the pickup head and discovered a tightener spring had turned into several separate coils, so after calling around, found a replacement at the CaseIH dealer in Pierre...dang, have to go to the bright lights.

We knew we wouldn't be able to combine unless the sun came out, so we figured we might as well go to Pierre to get the part, shop a bit and get a Chinese food fix in. We came out of the dealer with just the part this time...no toys...so that meant a buck or two extra for Marilyn to spend at Walmart.

After a short lap around Walmart, we went downtown for supper then took a tour down by the river. The sun was trying to break through but it was already 6pm, so the chance that it would dry down was fast disappearing. We headed back to Gettysburg to see if we could give it a try...if the sun was shining there, that is.

It was, so Al went up to put the spring in and do a test...16%...a no go, and the elevator was long closed, so that made it final...no combining for today.

At least the farmer was able to finish swathing...

August 27, 2009

View of the day-The General waits for Al while he finishes a round before taking the load to the elevator.

Al took last night's load into the elevator first thing this morning, then came back to the camper to lay out a game plan for the day. Al moved the cart over to the next field, then Marilyn picked him up to go for lunch out at the sale barn.

After lunch Al took the General out to the field and started combining while Marilyn stayed back at the camper and did some book work until he had a truck load, then went out to take over. We got the field finished and Al moved the grain cart up by the radar base north of town, then Marilyn picked him up and on the way back to the field, stopped at the farmers yard.

Al got the farmer to give him a ride back to the field for the General, which he dropped off by the camper...the elevator is not on harvest hours anymore...then he took him back to the combine. After Al got the combine moved up to the next field, the farmer brought him back to the camper and that was it for the day.

It was another gorgeous day...perfect harvesting weather, perfect grain moisture at 11 to 12%...the kind of day that reminds us why we love doing this.

Once again, a far cry from a week ago...

August 26, 2009

View of the day-The first field of pickup work with the water tower in the back ground...and what's missing? Clouds. A beautiful day and no rain in the long range forecast.

Al did a bit of dental work on the pickup head...he replaced some missing and broken pickup teeth, then came back to the camper to wait for 1pm when we would do our first test of the day.

We went out to the field and cleaned up a few of the swaths by the gate so we could get the truck and cart in. After cutting a test, Marilyn took it into the elevator while Al waited for "the word" that we would be able to go...it tested 13.3%...plenty good, so he was off to the races.

While Al combined, Marilyn hooked up the header trailer with the straight head and went back to the campground to clean it up. We're back down to 5 camper in the campground, so she was able to back into one of the parking stalls and put the pressure washer to it. Once it was all polished up, she turned the hose on the pickup...it had been desperately needing a wash for sometime. The only thing with a clean truck is that now you can see where someone backed into it in the mall parking lot.

Once Al had a truckload, Marilyn parked the trailer back where she found it and went out to take over combining while he went to the elevator...right across the fence from the field. One of the great things about cutting at Gettysburg is the close hauls...and apparently they told us at the elevator that we were the only custom crew left hauling there. After Al took the second load in he sent Marilyn back to do laundry and finished up the field.

Al got the combine moved over to the next field we have to do, Marilyn picked him up and headed home for supper. A very productive day and we actually had loads go in at 11.2% moisture!

What a difference a week makes...

August 25, 2009

View of the day-Our farmer is getting the swathing done just outside of Gettysburg, he's almost halfway with two down and three to go.

Welcome to all the browsers coming over from The Combine Forum...you've got a lot of catching up to do!

Another day where the humidity refused to cooperate and hung around the 65% mark for most of the day. We knew it would be a late start...if it would go at all.

We took a test in around 3:30pm and since we only had about 30 acres and the elevator had enough room for 1000 bushels in the top of the wet bin, they told us to finish the field...which is just what we did.

Once Al took the last load into the elevator, Marilyn took the combine up to the pasture where the pickup head was parked on the trailer. After unloading the straight head on the ground, picking the pickup head off the trailer and putting it on the ground, then picking up the straight head again and lining up to load it on the trailer, Marilyn had to go pick Al up from the General in town.

Back at the pasture, we got the header loaded and tied down, hooked the pickup head onto the combine, then Al greased the combine and lubed the chains on the header...now we're ready for action on the swaths.

Marilyn took the header on the trailer in to town to park it until she could get the pressure washer out to clean it up, since we won't need it again in Gettysburg. Al drove the combine in to the Cenex to fuel it up before taking it out to the next field where the General was parked where Marilyn picked him up. And that was then end of the day.

Tomorrow we tackle the swaths...

August 24, 2009

View of the day-A pair of inmates at the Half Ass Ranch in Gettysburg...

The forecast was for rain today and it started out cloudy and really humid again. We knew nothing would go for the first part of the day, so we went downtown to do some letter mailing, then had lunch at the Firehouse.

Al decided to do a test around 3pm and was surprised to find out the test was 13.8% and the elevator told him he could bring a load in...just don't bring in the "tests" that are in the cart from the past few days. We obliged.

Marilyn drove Al over to where the General was parked and running, then went out to the combine to start making dust. By the time we got a load into the elevator it was 14.2%, but they told us we could bring in another load...and we could bring in the high moisture "tests" in the cart. That load was over 16%, but we all knew it would be.

We did one more load and this time it was 14.8% so they suggested we shut it down for the day. We had missed the rain and the forecast for tomorrow is hot and sunny, so we should be able to finish the field we are on and get the pickup head mounted and ready for the swaths. Still, it was a 50 acre day, and excellent change.

We stopped for supper in the bar at the Cenex...the first time we have been in that building. Considering how long we have been here and how many places there are to eat, it was surprising we have never stumbled in. Excellent burgers, by the way.

We might actually have to get up early tomorrow...

August 23, 2009

View of the day-Just like us lately, this old truck sits and waits...although we will at least see some action before the month is out...we hope.

Sunday is a day of rest...so we did...not by choice either.

Marilyn got to go out for the first test of the day at 2pm and once again there was high humidity which meant the chances were pretty slim that we would be combining...but what the heck. Marilyn took the test to the elevator...15.7%...more time to kill. Al went out at 4:30pm to test, it had dried a bit...14.8%...still no good and the elevator was getting stickier about not taking anything over 14. The only ones going were the farmers with air bins. So it was final.

The neighbor was over for a visit...he had tried a larger sample that ended up being 14.6 so he quit too. To kill the day got to watch the final Ice Road Trucker episode, the end of an all day marathon...not as good as the hype.

Al fears we will be here until September...

August 22, 2009

View of the day-That's what it looks like...we're making dust. For about 5 minutes to take a test...the first time.

Al was up early and out to see how the farmer was making out with the swathing. Apparently they were in Ft. Pierre with at a cattle sale and they didn't get back home until almost midnight, so that meant nothing got swathed yesterday. He was going out to give it a try later on today.

We decided to go out and do a test around 1pm...it seemed to be the thing to do since the sun was shining and the wind was blowing hard. Unfortunately the humidity was 65%...not the best for drying. Al moved the combine over and did a test which we took into the elevator...17.6% moisture...not good. We went back to move the cart over, then decided to change out the high pressure switch for the A/C on the combine...we figured we could test it out when we did the 4pm test. Most of the tests in the area were all around 17% so it wasn't just us.

On the way to check out the pickup head, we ran into the farmers trying to get the swather through a narrow gate. Fortunately Al is an old hand at these things they were in transport mode and through the gate in no time at all and on their way to the wheat fields up north.

We stopped at the Ace hardware to pick up some new electrical ends for the two headers. It seems they manage to get caught when the headers get hooked up and they get ripped off...moving down the highway we really like to be seen and the lights help a lot.

The rest of the day was pretty much like the others have been, until Al went out to do a test at 4pm. He went on his own and was gone quite a while, but since he didn't take his cell Marilyn had no idea what was going on. He came back with the news that the test was 16.6%...not much better...and after checking out how the swathing was going, found out a bearing had piled up...just great. The farmer dropped by the camper later on and said they had everything up and running.

Tomorrow will be better, for sure...

August 21, 2009

View of the day-Idle time at the campground for all the crews. The neighbors spent the day washing pickups...too bad we couldn't have squeezed ours in unnoticed.

Another idle day but at least the weather was dry, even if it was only in the mid 60's. It would have been a good day for the next door neighbors to let their two yapping dogs out of the camper...they were at it most of the day. We usually have the doors and windows closed and the A/C going so we don't notice it as much, but it was too nice of a day not to air the place out.

After a late lunch we decided we had better go out to fuel and service the combine just to make sure it was still out in the field where we left it. While Al greased and fueled, Marilyn got the windows done on the combine and tractor. We had to put on a new part...an upgrade to the wooden idler blocks that keep the clean grain elevator chain from whipping around...no instructions and it looks completely different from the old one. We'll see if it lasts.

After getting both rigs ready for action...we are going to try some straight stuff tomorrow since the swather is sitting in the alfalfa field looking like there could be a problem on one end of it. Al will find out what the problem is tomorrow. If the elevator will take some more high moisture grain, we will be good to go...if not, it could be another day like today.

It will go...it will go... it will go...

August 20, 2009

View of the day-It's sunflower season again and they are everywhere, making the view a bright spot in an otherwise dreary day.

Al was up before the dawn...5:30am to get ready for his road trip to Bismarck. This was only 3 hours after Marilyn had finally gone to bed.

There was a knock at the door at 6am and Al was on his way with the neighbor for points north. It wasn't long after that it started raining again...but what's new. The showers came and went all day, never amounting to much but not giving us any drying weather.

Marilyn spent the day in the camper, working on Al's toy website...which is coming soon...watching TV and listening to the rain and the strong wind that blew all day. Al got home around 4pm with some new toys and the high pressure switch for the A/C on the combine. They had stopped a few times to visit with various harvesters they met along the way...no rush to get home...they were all in the same rainy boat.

After having supper in the camper and getting the dishes done...that dishwasher in the camper we looked at would have been nice...Marilyn took a drive just to say that she had been out of the camper at least once today.

At least he weather report is for clear weather over the next few days...about time...

August 19, 2009

View of the day-The combine and cart sit waiting after the sky clears off from the rain...again.

Al was up early to go see how our farmer was making out with the swathing...they hadn't started due to the rain, so it looked like it would be a slow day all around.

We had a visit from our Kansas harvester to fill us in on what had been going on the last few days...not much more than rain, rain and more rain, and while he was sitting in the camper another round of rain hit. It continued off and on for the better part of the day although we seemed to be lucky enough to have the worst of it split around us.

It was another super-do-nothing day, Al did venture out a couple of times, but Marilyn stayed in where it was warm until we decided to go for a trip around town before hitting the Firehouse for a late supper. The beer clouds were out because the bar was half full of harvesters...the ones that are left around town, at any rate. Al has been invited to go on a parts road trip to Bismarck with the Kansas harvester which means early to sleep.

The bus leaves at 6am...

August 18, 2009

View of the day-Al & Kim checking the load over one last time before we hit the road.

We were up early...not as early as some, but early for us. We grabbed a quick coffee from Marg at work then left for Gettysburg...first stop was the border.

We got to the USA side and had a little wait as they went through the motorhome pulling a jeep...no scandals there, then they had us pull up and come inside to complete some paperwork. Marilyn had it all made out and after they scanned the passports, we were on our way.

We stopped in Kenmare for a snack, then drove out to visit with the farmer we had worked for last year...and to drool over the new shop he had built...very nice. After a good chat about the crop and sympathy that he had 'gone over to the dark side' according to Al...he went from two older CaseIH 2388 combines to...a big green one. He would have gone for a big red one but the dealer never called him back...you gotta go where you get the service...

We stopped in Minot for fuel then carried on to Bismarck where we stopped at the KOA campground to look at a camper that was for sale. Marilyn had been looking through one of the free sale papers that come out and found a new camper that was for sale so we stopped by to check it out. It wasn't perfect...very nice for a 42ft 5th wheel...but it not what we wanted. Right behind this camper was the camper of our harvester friends that we had met for the pancake breakfast in Gettysburg, so we stopped in for a quick chat with Bonnie and the girls before we left town. Marilyn didn't get in to one store in the bright lights, not even a convenience store...no withdrawal yet.

We stopped in Sterling for a coffee break and met with Shawn while he was waiting for Bonnie to bring supper out for the crew. They were combining, as were a lot of crews in the area...trying to beat the rain that is forecast for tomorrow. We left Sterling and continued on, noticing the tall, dark clouds that were forming in the south...we even drove through a bit of a deluge for about 5 miles. By the time we got to Gettysburg they skies were lit, but thankfully it was all to the east and south.

Although they probably aren't to happy about that...

August 17, 2009 Happy Birthday Al!

View of the day-A field of Canola finishes blooming south of Yorkton, SK.

We woke up to rain again and after having coffee with Kim and stopping to see Marg at work we left for our road trip to Yorkton. The fields along the way were pretty much the same as they were in North Dakota...some green, some blooming, some looking like it was close to swathing...weird year. We stopped in Whitewood at the Agco dealership to talk to the owner...an old friend who never stops trying to get us into one of those big red Massey's...the color is right, but we just can't do it...yet. After getting the gossip on the ag machinery market, we carried on north. We stopped in to visit with another farmer south of Stockholm, the place where we have been known to park our rigs before moving south from time to time...lots more farming gossip there and an invitation to a new year's eve wedding dance...that will be the first time in a looong time that we have gone out on a new year's eve.

We drove in to Grayson to get our mail, which had been collecting over the course of the last two months...it's always nice to find a cheque or two in the mix of bills. We took a detour through Atwater...population...not very much, perhaps the Hamill of the north, to see if we could find someplace to park the camper so we wouldn;t have such a long drive from the field. The original thought was to see if we could get power at the yard where the bins were, but after checking it out, we could see that wouldn't happen...never mind that Sask Power would probably want an arm and a leg to hook it up. We were told the garage owner in town might be able to set us up with something so we went to talk to him...we're in! He has a spot for us next to his garage...power, water...no sewer though...but we have a small tote tank to take care of that. A drive around town with the wifi-finder showed some promise for the internet as well...might be a $20 cross a palm to use some of their bandwidth.

We got directions on the route back to Yorkton on the grid roads and since they had gotten rain there too, the 20 mile trip was slow and slippery but without incident. We went directly to the Case dealer to see about some parts...and toys...we needed and to get caught up with our parts and sales men. After getting that bit of business done we went out to our house to unload the toys and see how things were making it through the summer...the grass was cut and everything seemed to be in order.

We went back into town and Al got his driver's license renewed...time for new photo id...then we dropped off a farm toy at one of Al's regular customers before going over to the Chalet to meet with Marilyn's friends to get caught up on the latest goings on in town. Al stayed long enough to have his supper and have the waitresses bring him a fancy cake with a sparkler on it...and we all sang Happy Birthday...something that we cringe when we see it happening to other people. He couldn't get out of there fast enough, but that was probably because he doesn't relate to the 'theatre gab'. He went to put fuel in the pickup at the card lock but of the 30 various cards we have for all the places we get fuel, the Yorkton one was missing...so he went back out to the farm to get the spare card from the van in the garage. After all the gabbing was done, we grabbed a drink for the road and started back for Carlyle, blogging it up on the way.

The border might be on the horizon tomorrow...

August 16, 2009

View of the day-A field of flax and a pumpjack wait for the rain to arrive just south of Carlyle, Saskatchewan.

We didn't think about the time change between here and Gettysburg...not that we had anything to get up for.

We had a late breakfast then Al, Kim and Gordie went out to get our pickup header loaded on the trailer. After getting that done, we checked it over to see if there were any repairs that needed to be done before taking it south, since Kim could do any welding that might be needed. The only thing we had to do was straighten the wind guard and with the help of the front end loader on the tractor and some heavy weights standing on it we managed to get it straightened...amazing since it has been 5 years that it has needed to be done.

We decided to take a drive to look at the some of the crop in the area and since there were four of us...Kim, Gordie, Al and Marilyn...and there was no room in the pickup with the toys, Kim drove the van to tour us around. Marg had groceries to get in town and an appointment with a $20 certificate at the casino to keep her busy for the afternoon.

Some fields still have blooms on them and some look like they are almost ready to swath...barley, canola, peas...it is still pretty green most places. The clouds were threatening all day and around 4:30pm a good shot came through, although it would appear it split around the farm and was worse to the north and south of us.

Al got a call from our neighbor in the campground at Gettysburg and it would appear that they got another shot of rain last night...about another inch and almost two inches fell south of town. Apparently we have an extra day or two to get back now, so we will take our stash of farm toys back home and check on how things are looking up there.

Al got to watch the Roughrider football game on the big screen...and they won...so he has one foot on the bandwagon again...

August 15, 2009

View of the day-Rain, rain and more rain on the way through North Dakota...the corn looks to be loving it. We had an inch of rain from both storms yesterday and more are due today.

Marilyn was up extra early to take advantage of the great bargains that are usually available during Gettysburg's Crazy Day. After an hour of looking around, she came back to the camper with three bags of treasures...and one was doughnuts.

We got the back seat of the pickup packed to the top with the farm toys Al had purchased over the last couple of months, threw in an overnight bag and the laptop then headed north. We stopped at the farmers to hook up the header trailer and he gave us a Tiger Lilly that he had pulled out of the garden...we knew we couldn't take it to Canada, so Marilyn left it for others to enjoy in Herried, SD.

We continued on our way, stopping in Sterling, ND to have coffee with our Canadian harvester friend Lynn and then on to Minot. We stopped to pick up a few things and have a snack at McDonalds then stopped again in Kenmare to fuel up before getting to the border.

We made the border with plenty of time to spare, even with the wait we had while three cars of Manitoba people tried to get through with all their purchases. They didn't seem to be too happy as they came out with the receipts for the duty and taxes they had to pay. We, of course, had plenty of room on our purchases since we had been out of the country for a couple of months.

We got to the farm at Carlyle and after seeing all the new toys they had acquired over the summer, went in to watch the football game and get caught up on the crop conditions.

Tomorrow we unload the toys...

August 14, 2009

View of the day-The pile keeps getting bigger as the trucks roll in to unload before the rains hit. The bins behind the pile hold 108,000 bushels.

We knew we wouldn't be able to get going very early, so we took it easy until just before lunch. We went out and moved the header trailer from the field to the farmers yard so we could pick it up in case the predicted monsoons came. We did have showers as we drove out but it didn't amount to much. After we unhooked it in the yard, we went back to the sale barn for lunch.

Al went to the elevator to sweet talk the main man into letting us bring in a load to see if we would be able to finish the field or if the farmer had to swath it. He said to bring in one, so Al went to work trying to find some dryer wheat to combine while Marilyn drove around the field looking for her lost thermos...which she never did find.

Al took the load in and it was within the elevators limits, so we continued combining with an eye to the sky...nasty clouds all around us, but no rain...thankfully. We finished the field around 7pm and got the last load in...16.7% for some reason...1.5% higher than the other loads...but it was only 200 bushels, so it wasn't that bad.

The farmer has decided to swath the rest of his fields since the weeds have become such a problem, with all the rain that has fallen. We now have to go to Carlyle, SK to get our pickup head while the swathing gets done...and there is rain coming anyway.

Marilyn decided to do laundry but with all the harvesters parked in the campground now, the shower-shack washer and dryer have a lineup, so it was downtown to the main laundromat. The score down there has gotten worse...3 of 8 washers work and 2 of 6 dryers work...and there was a harvester using more than his half of the machines.

Got the washing done and had one load left in the dryer and since they run 45 minutes, Marilyn decided to go back to the camper...then the deluge hit...it just POURED. After about an hour, she went back to get the dry clothes...and they weren't. It wouldn't have been so bad if she had taken some extra quarters to run the dryer again...nope...back to the camper for the cash. This also meant another 45 minutes...and the rain starts again, but we aren't getting the really bad stuff that has been happening, it kind of split around us.

Tomorrow is the annual Crazy Day in Gettysburg so Marilyn will be getting up to hit the 7am bargains before we leave for Canada. More rain forcast for tomorrow...

And there is already over an inch in the gauge...

August 13, 2009

View of the day-Al dumping the last load of the day at the Gettysburg elevator...the wet stuff had to go in a bin and not on the pile.

Al was a gentleman and got up early to fuel and service the combine then came back to the camper to kill some time before we could go out and see if the wheat was any drier than yesterday.

It was another hot sunny day, but this time we didn't have a lot of wind helping dry things down...and it was mighty humid...another item that was not any help to the grain or the trucker. We went to the sale barn for lunch then went up to the other field where the cart had been left. Al drove the cart back to the combine and Marilyn did a test. It hadn't dried down a lot.

The elevator said if it was around 15% they would take it, but didn't want anything higher. The grain looked plenty dry...no green heads, but the pigeon grass that had sprung up was causing all kinds of grief by raising the moisture and making for slow unloading of the combine. There were also small corn plants about 8 inches tall that were making everything sticky and they weren't helping the moisture either.

We had a couple of loads that were over 15%, but since they didn't chase Al out, we just kept going so we could finish the small patch that we were on. Of course, once that was done, we did a little more...just to finish off the truck load.

When we had gone out to do the test Marilyn had thought she would be able to go back to the camper to get her snack sack and coffee while Al combined for a bit, but things were going so good that she stayed in the combine and got Al to at least bring out her small thermos of coffee. He gave her the thermos as she was unloading the combine and after she took a short 'walk' around the combine got back in and continued combining...forgetting about the thermos...which is still missing. It is a real shame because she finally got the John Deere logo scratched off it.

We finished filling the truck around 7:30pm then after Al dumped it, we went to the Firehouse for supper...a nice change.

Tomorrow the search for the thermos is on...

August 12, 2009

View of the day-The A/C man has saved the day...good thing too, it was a hot one.

We were up early...before 8am...quite a shock to the system after all the time off to sleep in. Al unloaded the truck and Marilyn went out to the field to fuel and service the combine while waiting for the A/C man to show up.

Once he got to the combine and figured out that the problem was a loose compressor belt, a bit of tightening and the combine was blowing cold once again. After Al got back to the field with the General, we went into town for lunch then went back out to start combining.

It was plenty hot...upper 90's and a good wind. It seems like everyone in the area is finally getting to combine with the trucks are rolling steady and dust flying everywhere. It won't take long to get things done at this rate...as long as the wheat is dry enough.

We finished up north of town and cleaned up a small test plot before heading over to the next farmer we had to work for. Marilyn cut around the field to the yard and cleared a spot to park everything then we took a test into the elevator...14.6% and it was getting more humid as the sun went down, so we shut down the combine for the day. Al dumped the last load into the bin and after Marilyn picked him up from the field it was back to the camper for supper.

Tomorrow should be another hot one...

August 11, 2009

View of the day-Al gets to combine...that's right. COMBINE...finally.

The sun was shining and there was promise of some high temps for the day, so we figured we were going to be able to get going at some point in time.

Al went out to cut a test just before lunch...it was 15.5%...too wet for the bin. It had to be 13.5% or less so we waited at the camper, had lunch then Al went out to the field with the General. It had been sitting for quite a few days, so it needed a quick boost to get started...new batteries are on the list before we leave here.

Marilyn went to pick up the mail and threw a snack pack together to last into the evening hours, because if we got going, we wouldn't be quitting until after dark...or if it got too tough.

Part way through the afternoon, the cab of the combine got a bit stifling and when Marilyn looked at the cab temp there was an error code flashing. She turned it off an on and tried shutting the combine off and on to see if it needed to be reset. That plan worked for about two minutes then it was back to cooking again...so she 'shut up and drove' with just the fan blowing hot air.

A call to ProHarvest ended in a voice message to Ray to see if there was something else we could try and while we waited for him to call back, Marilyn went back into town to get the shop trailer to blow out some of the rads to see if that would help. Nope.

Al got back to the field from the bins just as Marilyn was putting the shop trailer back in order and since he had no grain to dump, he volunteered to drive the combine for a while. Marilyn had to do a wiring job on the trailer hookup since it got ripped out of the plug in when she didn't unwind it far enough to make the corner into the field. They haven't been working that good anyway, so it really wasn't a 'make work' project...the clearance lights all work now and the plug looks better than ever.

As the temperature cooled down the cab started to get a bit more tolerable and the A/C started working again. We finally shut down around 10pm...it was getting a bit tough but we did get around 80 acres done...what a great change from the past week.

Tomorrow we have to meet the A/C man at the combine at 8:30am, that won't be easy...

August 10, 2009

View of the day-A visit from the ProHarvest guys to get some software updated on the monitor.

The sun was actually shining this morning and with the exception of the few clouds you can see in the picture, we had sun for the whole day.

Al had the plan to move the rigs out to the field, but since we knew we wouldn't be doing any cutting we decided to split the trip up.

We went to the sale barn for breakfast and got our eggs...that doesn't mean we got up early, it just means they make eggs all day. As we were leaving we saw the ProHarvest truck at one of the new 8120 CaseIH combines that was on a trailer...they were fixing the air seat. Marilyn went and asked Ray if he would come out and do the software update on the combine before they headed back to Pierre and he said they would...it helped we were only a mile from the sale barn.

We went back and hooked the header trailer up to the pickup then Al drove the tractor and cart up to the field while Marilyn followed. We did a bite test on the grain and it was pretty soft so we went back to town via the highway and since the ProHarvest were still with the other combine, we went back to the camper.

We waited until around 5pm, then went out to move the combine to the field and the ProHarvest guys were just finishing the update. Al took the combine into town to fuel it up and Marilyn went to get some groceries to make supper...you read right. She was disappointed there hasn't been any fresh dill at the store, so she called the farmer's wife who had mentioned she had a garden. The garden was at the farm just a few miles past the field, so while Al was driving up she was able to go pick some dill, and since the farmer was out there working she was told to take a few other things...onions, tomatoes, broccoli...and she did. After picking Al up it was back to town to make supper and rest up for some combining tomorrow...maybe.

Back at the campground, things were happening...two crews moved in...and almost filled the campground. This is more like the old days. We now have no view out the side windows and the neighbors have two pups that they leave barking in their camper.

We miss Hamill...

August 9, 2009

View of the day-...sigh...more rain...the rigs sit in the combined rye field outside Gettysburg.

We were up early to take advantage of the harvester appreciation breakfast put on by the town of Gettysburg...waffles, scrambled eggs...and bacon for a nice change of meat. The Gallaghers were there and we had a good long visit with them, closing the breakfast down before they left to move north.

Back at the camper it was internet, TV, nap...and repeat. We did go out for a drive to check the weather...more rain...so we couldn't move the combine out to the next field we have to do.

Al was pretty happy that the new NFL season has started...even if it is just exhibition it is still football that he can watch.

Maybe tomorrow we move things...

August 8, 2009

View of the day-Same old, same old...

There was a bit of rain during the night but we were lucky enough to be missed by the bad weather that hit various places in the state. The fog and humidity helped to fuel more rain during the morning but by 1pm the sun had started to break through and it ended up being a beautiful afternoon...sunny and a strong north wind.

We went out to the sale barn for lunch...there are still new harvesters pulling into the lot out there. We took a drive out to the campground out by the Hwy 83 junction to visit with the Gallagher's. They were moving equipment up to Sterling, ND so after a short chat we went back to the camper.

Later in the afternoon Al took the shop trailer out to the combine to blow off all the rye chaff while Marilyn made sure the buttons on the remote control didn't seize up for Al.

We read the paper too late today to go see the old time tractor pull at 2pm. This weekend is the 4-H fair and tomorrow we may go check out the bull riding.

Tomorrow we get up early for the harvest appreciation breakfast...

August 7, 2009

View of the day-Three support vans at the Case dealer in Pierre...MacDon, New Holland and CaseIH...a busy place.

A pretty uneventful day, not really hot but awfully humid...a good day to take it easy. We had knocking at the door first thing in the morning, someone wanting to make sure we would be attending the harvester appreciation breakfast on Sunday morning. Apparently they have lots of food and not a lot of harvesters so they were drumming up business.

Marilyn worked on the laundry at the shower house and Al went out to the combine to load the header onto the trailer so we could clean the rye off of it. He went out to visit with the farmer and took a look at some of the fields we have to combine yet, then listened to the Roughrider football team take another one in the loss column.

There was nasty weather out at Sturgis today...golf ball size hail and wind, and it is coming our way.

Might take a road trip to the hills tomorrow...

August 6, 2009

View of the day-Al has temporarily gone over the edge...testing out something green in Aberdeen, SD on a rainy day.

Even though we didn't have to be, we were up early to decide what to do on this rainy day...like there weren't plans in the works already.

Al worked on finding some place for his toys...the storage under the camper is getting mighty full, but he did manage to find enough space for what he had so far. Once he got that task done, he went over to chat up the neighbor and see how they were coming along...and how they would pass the next few rainy days away.

After checking to see if we had any mail, we grabbed a quick snack and headed out for Aberdeen for the day. It rained most of the way and a couple of hours after we got there, the rain caught up with us and it rained off and on for the rest of the day.

We went directly to pick up tickets for The Producers and it was a good thing we did because when Marilyn got there, another woman came in behind her and between the two of them, they got the last 5 tickets for the show...it was sold out. They were in the back row of the balcony, but at least we had tickets.

Marilyn went with Al to some of the dealerships then continued on to the usual stores to shop and Al checked the rest of the dealers out, then he picked up some magazines to read out in the parking lot while he waited for Marilyn. Once we were done shopping we stopped at the Pizza Ranch for supper and then it was time to hit the theatre.

What a beautiful theatre they have in Aberdeen. They have been renovating as they raise money and it has really been spruced up since the last time we were there. Marilyn was quite envious of the beautiful facility, but put that all aside to see the great performance Aberdeen Community Theatre players put on...excellent sets and scene changes, beautiful voices...a real enjoyable evening.

We were able to be among the first out and after picking up a coffee for the road, we left to drive the 90 miles back to Gettysburg. The rain had let up for most of the way home, although we did see a lot of lightning to the SE of Gettysburg as we got home...hopefully our Kansas harvester friends are out of the line of fire of this one at Highmore.

Another late night and more rain in the forecast...

August 5, 2009

View of the day-Finishing off the last of the South Dakota rye at Gettysburg.

We got up early, considering how late we got to bed last night and tried to figure out what we would do with the day. Al spent a lot of time on the phone with our home phone company trying to figure out how the 'great deal' they talked us into when we left home could be costing so much...he didn't get very far.

Marilyn wanted to go to Aberdeen to see the local community theatre performance of 'The Producers' and perhaps do a bit of shopping, since Al was clever enough to take the 'no mall' route home yesterday.

Al's plan was to leave Gettysburg around 4:30pm to get to Aberdeen in time for the show...how convenient. We went out to the combine to put the new guards that had been delivered in the tool box and while we were there we thought...what the heck, lets do a test. Al had no hope that it would go...the weather really didn't seem to be conducive to drying and they were very particular the load could not be over 14%. Al cut a sample and Marilyn took it into the elevator where it tested 13.5% and the man said go ahead and cut a load.

Al was at the combine so he started cutting while Marilyn dropped the pickup off at the camper and took the General out to the field. Once it had a load, Al took it in to the elevator to dump and Marilyn finished up the field...finally done with the rye. Al thought it would take forever...as it has in pretty much every year we have been combining it here. Marilyn rode in with Al to the elevator for the last load, then it was back to the camper for the rest of the night.

After a visit from our other farmer, we found out the spring wheat has to be dry enough to go in a bin so that means we are off for another few days...Aberdeen here we come...

Got to get rested up for tomorrow...

August 4, 2009

View of the day-The wheat could be a while off in North Dakota.

We were up earlier than usual and decided to do a road trip to Pingree, ND and see how the crop looked along the way around the countryside

We fueled up at the local service station, then kicked ourselves when we saw the price was 20 cents a gallon cheaper up the road...oh well, we're helping the economy.

We drove straight up US83 and ran in to construction in a couple of places, which meant waiting for pilot cars, but we had nothing but time anyway. While waiting at one spot, a semi hauling a couple of 3000 bushel hopper bins...a wide load at the best of times. Marilyn was in the drivers seat and decided it would be wise to pull over closer to the shoulder. There was a small car behind us and then a semi was behind that...the little car didn't get the idea so the semi couldn't move over and as the hopper bins tried to pass the waiting vehicles he dropped a wheel of the edge of the new pavement and carved a good chunk of it up. The flag girl looked like she was going to have a kitten as she watched the huge load tilt one way, then back again before straightening up and carrying on...it was quite entertaining. The wide load had hardly slowed down at all behind the pilot car...it could have been bad.

The crops along the way were really green...REALLY green...everything is so far behind this year but most of the way they looked quite lush and full of promise if nothing else. We got to Pingree, stopped for a visit at a friends farm, then Al dropped Marilyn off at Donna's house, where we stay for the fall harvest, to have a visit while he went over to collect the boxes of farm toys that had been collecting at Mike's place since earlier in the year. After he came back to pick Marilyn up and have a visit with Donna, we went over to the 281 Stop to have supper and visit with some of the locals.

We left to go back to Gettysburg around 9:30pm and worked on the blog on the road. Once we got to Sterling to get fuel, Marilyn found some wireless to get the upload done.

It's going to be a long night...

August 3, 2009

View of the day-The rain that hit Gettysburg today...that's not fog...it's solid rain.

Al got up early and emptied the rye at the elevator then came back to wait for the farmer to show up with his grain truck so we could go back to the field for his seed rye. He didn't show up, so we drove out to his place and watched him finish shoveling out the seed wheat that was left in it. He met us at the sale barn for lunch, then we finally left for the field.

Once the grain cart was emptied in to the farmers truck and the General, Al brought the truck in to dump and Marilyn took the grain cart out to the next field. We went back out to the field to get the header put on the trailer then did a bit of fixing before moving over to the grain cart.

The field had a few 'headstones'...not just rocks...huge boulders that lay in wait for an unsuspecting header to cross over and knock out a guard or two. It wouldn't have been so bad if we would have had the usual spares in the tool box on the combine...so we found the 'best bad one' and used it to finish off the field. We had to change the guards out once we found some 'better bad ones' to use until we could get some new ones.

We did a test and took it in to the elevator...13.8%...and 14% was as wet as they would take it. They said if we did a load it would probably be over 14 and they couldn't do anything with it. Now...we are the only ones that bring rye in...we brought in 1500 bushels that were 12.5% or less...so there would have been lots to mix it with...and we only have 40 acres left to do. They still wouldn't let us go...so we resigned ourselves to going back to the camper and call it a day...at 4:30pm.

It was kind of a weird day...foggy in the morning and it never really burned off, there was always a haze and it was really sticky although the humidity wasn't really high. We decided to go to the Firehouse for their harvester appreciation supper just after 5pm. About 5:45 we heard sirens and decided to check out the weather and see where the fire was so we drove out of town a way. The town is in kind of a dip, so we really don't see weather that is coming from the NW very well.

We drove north of town and headed west to where the smoke seemed to be coming from...then we hit a dead end and decided to turn around because we could see the dust kicking up and the hills were disappearing fast. About a half mile from the highway the rain hit and we were able to get to the highway during the downpour...and did it come down! It only lasted about 20 minutes, but it was a complete wall of water.

We went back into town while it had let up a bit, it was still coming down and their were branches and leaves all over the streets...no hail, but heavy rain and wind took the weak ones down. We went to the Firehouse for our steak...and they decided to have pork loin instead...it was alright, but when you are psyched for beef, it was a letdown, however, we passed on the free beer.

So now we definitely have tomorrow off...a road trip, perhaps...

August 2, 2009

View of the day-Al clears a patch in the rye so we can park everything in the field.

We knew we were going to try the rye today, one way or another. We had lunch in the camper, then took the combine and header out to the field. Al drove the combine out, so after getting the header hooked up, he went in to cut a sample and clear a spot. We unhooked the header trailer from the pickup and took the sample into the elevator to get it tested and to see how late they would be open. The temps were in the high 80's...a nice change...and the wind was blowing hard, so we were hopeful.

The rye tested 12.7% so we were plenty dry and while Al got the General moved out to the field Marilyn threw together some snacks. The farmer followed Al out, then brought him back to town to get the grain cart and Marilyn went out to start combining.

This is another place where we have to be very careful with our weights...the DOT is just waiting for someone to be overweight so they can slap the big fines on. Al hauled two loads in and by the time Marilyn had the next load ready it was too late to go in. The farmer wanted some seed wheat so we figured we would put what he needed into the cart to unload in his truck tomorrow.

It was well after dark by the time we had enough for seed but since there was next to nothing left to combine, Marilyn forged on to finish the field. Once again we got to use the lights until just after 11pm, but we got the field done and tomorrow we will move back to town to do the last field of rye.

And the motorcycles are rumbling past by the hundreds for Sturgis...

August 1, 2009

View of the day-The bees are busy working.

A beautiful day, but not a lot of combining going on in the area. We went for lunch at the sale barn then drove down to Highmore to return the old oil rad that we had taken out of the combine...the only way to get warranty. Al purchased a few toys that he needed for his collection then we headed back to Gettysburg.

We knew the back way in to town, so we turned down the gravel road off the main highway...but turned off of it a mile too early, so we had a lovely tour of the countryside before turning around and getting back to where we had gone wrong. There isn't a road every mile since most of the land is fenced off for pastures, so backtracking was the only way to get right.

We went out to the combine to service it and put the header on the trailer so we could move to town without stopping traffic. Al drove the combine in and fueled it at the station when he got into town. Marilyn unhooked the header at the lot where the rest of the equipment was parked then waited until Al had parked the combine and then went back to the trailer.

After supper in the camper we started watching Men in Black...a classic...when the Kansas neighbor dropped over for an update. Marilyn decided to take a walk around town then remembered that tonight was the annual dance recital...which she missed by an hour. The walk was an enjoyable one with no wind, mild temperature and most importantly, no bugs.

Tomorrow we test the rye...maybe...