September 3, 2014

View of the day-Oh, the day held such promise.

With the forecast of rain, we were told to "get some grain in the bin", even though the moisture was testing almost 19%. You know the drill..."Shut up and drive". So we did, starting at around 11 am.

Al kept busy hauling grain and trying to find a spot for the grain cart, so Marilyn wouldn't have to drive too far to dump the combine. With all the sloughs and soft spots, that was a bit of a challenge, especially since he couldn't get the General any closer than the gate into the field. Marilyn was being cautious by unloading the combine well before it was full...better to take time to do that, rather than wait for the big tractor to pull her out of a hole with a full hopper.

The clouds were staying to the south and we had sun for a few hours after we started combining and we were able to get another 40 acres in before the clouds finally engulfed us and it started to sprinkle. With only a small patch left to go, Marilyn was racing against the weather, when she got the call from Al, who was about three miles south, that "the dust was not flying on the road anymore...be prepared to get the cart tarped in a hurry."

Then the rain hit and while it wasn't pouring to start with, you could see that it was socking in all around and it was planning on staying for a while. The rule of combining in the rain...don't quit until it is running off the header. It was official now.

Just as Marilyn got the cart tarped and the radios and cameras shut down in the tractor, she notice a service truck driving out into the field towards the combine. It was the farmer, Beukes and his brother Alex with fuel for the combine. Apparently, they had time on their hands to fuel up the rig.

Once the combine was filled, they were on their way and Marilyn got the combine back to the edge of the field and headed back to the camper for the day...or days, depending on the rain.

It wasn't looking good...