October 5, 2010

View of the day-All lined up at the bins waiting to get started on the last field of wheat at Carlyle.

Al was up early getting trucks unloaded and moved back to the field so we could get started by 10am. Start time got moved back to 10:30 when he saw how wet the straw was. He had time to move the cart from the south field 6 miles north and across the moat to the present field.

There is a grassy water run that cuts the field from north to south and the only way across it was over a low passing that was holding water. Al was nervous about taking the empty trucks through, never mind a loaded one, but once he drove through he could tell there was a rock base and it was really very solid.

Marilyn, Kim and Bob started combining and Al was running the cart and filling the bin until it was time to top it off, then Kim took over the trucking and Al got to drive the 2388.

It was another great day for combining, the wind was really huffing...which came in handy when Marilyn had the unfortunate luck of clipping a skunk...and he didn't take to kindly to being disturbed. No amount of air fresheners would be helping get rid of...or even effectively cover, that odor. Kim was at the bins 3/4 mile away and he even got a healthy whiff of it. Along with the skunk, she also scared up three coyotes, one fawn, one fox and several rodents who met their demise at the claws of the hawks that were circling around like buzzards all day.

We got finished that half section by 6pm, then roaded the machines with the headers on this time, back to Bob's farm and the 20 acres of standing barley that he had left to do. Well, perhaps "standing" was a bit generous. Most of it was lodged and flattened right down, so there was lots of stopping to dig the dirt out of the headers...by all three of us. A nasty bit of business, but we got it done.

Kim's mom had whipped up some chili for supper and since we were done the field that was right by the yard, we ate in the house instead of the field. After we had finished we went back to the wheat field to get the General and the two pickups that were left there...tomorrow we will get the tractor and cart over to the next field we have to do.

It should be interesting...swathed flax...