August 31, 2015

View of the day-Looking up at the 75,000 bushel bin...it's a looonnng way up.

We got .20 inches of rain during the night, so we knew it wouldn't be an early start in the oats...if at all depending on how much fell at the field.

We needed to run into Whitewood to get some clear diesel for the grain truck, so we stopped for an early lunch before filling the water jugs and coming back to the camper. There had only been the same amount of rain at the field and there was sun and strong winds, so we were off to work.

The wind was blowing hard, so it was a task to keep the chaff and straw off the air intake on the combine. The alarm went off a few times when the wiper arm would stop due to the build up on the screen, but after idling down, it would start moving again and Marilyn would be on her way.

The cart driver kept the trucks rolling and there was no waiting for the combines, he was on the ready before the grain had a chance to run over the top of the hopper.

Back at the bins, there was no moving the auger because of the high yielding oats...not with 75,000 bushels of storage in the bin, we might have a couple more days to fill it.

We had to make a couple short moves to some smaller patches, then after we got them all finished, we moved back to the first oat field after dark to park the combines for the night.

Tomorrow we move closer to the yard...

August 30, 2015

View of the day-Just finished the spring wheat and the auger wouldn't swing out to dump the hopper. Al checks in with Ray at ProHarvest to see if he can help.

We were back at it before 10am this morning. We did have 13 sprinkles of rain during the night and it was extremely smokey again, but at least there was some wind...not that it did much to clear the air.

We finished the remainder of the spring wheat that we had left from last night, then moved to the piece that had been patched out for seed wheat. We nicely got that done when the big combine wouldn't give up the goods and dump the hopper.

While the guys worked on that machine, Marilyn drove the combine back to the yard to blow out the rads and filters while we waited to go to the next field. Once we got the word, Al led the way to the next field, just outside Kipling on the 605 grid. We cut a large patch to get all the trucks parked, then waited for the rest of the gang to show up.

We are now in standing oats...well, mostly standing...some of it is lying down in places, so it means paying attention to get it all. The cart driver is going to earn his beans with the yield going over 100 bushels/acre.

Good thing for him we are only working with two machines...

August 29, 2015

View of the day-Smokey again and just as busy.

Another early start, even though there was a heavy dew. We were serviced and making dust by 10am. We had the Massey with us again today, so we were able to cover a lot of acres...not having to change headers or fields helps a lot, too.

It was hot today, with not a lot of wind, which didn't make Al too happy. Fortunately, the bins were only a mile or two away, so he didn't have to sit in the stifling heat of the un-air conditioned truck.

Around 6pm, the crowds cleared out as there was a birthday party to attend. Al stayed and trucked for a while, then it was just the Massey and Marilyn with two semis and a grain cart to fill before quitting time. It was around 9pm when we finally got everything filled and tarped. 

It was a good 130 acre day for Marilyn...

August 28, 2015

View of the day-What a difference a year makes...almost a year. This is the very spot where that poor combine almost sunk into oblivion...or China. Last years picture included.

We were up early and on the road to Carlyle to bring the combine back to Langbank. Fortunately, all we had last night was thunder and lightning...no rain. 

Al started rolling as soon as he got dropped off at the combine, while Marilyn went into town to run some errands, then dropped some stuff off for Marg at the farm.

While Al was on the road, Marilyn went out to get the header hooked up to the Dodge, then started out after him. With the header in transport, 40kmh is the top speed, so it was another slow trip, but even with Al's head start Marilyn got to the yard right behind him.

We put the header on, then moved out to the field and started combining in the spring wheat. It is yielding over 60 bushels/acre so the truckers are really busy...not to mention the cart driver. The Massey is back in the field with us, so with three rigs running, it's no surprise he's hopping.

We shut down around 9pm after another 100+ acre day for us.

Not bad considering the move... 

August 27, 2015

View of the day-Al picking up canola in the smokey haze, as the sun goes down.

We were up at the crack of dawn to make Carlyle by 8am, and we were only 10 minutes late. Marg and Marilyn were on their way to Moose Jaw to have lunch with their parents, a couple cousins and a sister-in-law, to celebrate their dad's 89th birthday. 

Al swapped out headers and the guys got going in the canola just after lunch. Kim's dad came over with his John Deere combine and the three of them kept the truck driver hopping for most of the day.

Marg and Marilyn stopped in Regina to hit up Costco before driving back through the smokey haze to Carlyle. It was tough to see what the weather was supposed to be bringing since it was overcast due to the smoke coming up from the SW. There were weather watches out for the area...something that had only come up in the forecast today...but we couldn't see anything on the horizon. Or the horizon for that matter.

We got out to the field just as the guys were shutting down, then drove back to the camper. There had been a new breaker box put in and when we started up the fan, our power in the camper was gone, so we got the flashlight out to inspect. Looks like we need some more cords...that's tomorrow's job. We got enough juice running to keep the lights on for the night...unless the swather comes into the yard for fuel.

Lots of lightning in the NW...

August 26, 2015

View of the day-The first hopper full at Carlyle.

We were up early and had the straight header in transport and hooked up to the Dodge, ready for the move. We put the pickup head on the combine and headed south.

It was a two hour drive to get to the field...you get to see a lot of scenery at 18mph...and a lot of idiot drivers. We made it without incident and after leaving the pickup head in one of the canola fields, got to the wheat field and hooked up the draper head to start combining.

Al got a patch cut out for the trucks to park, just as Kim and his brother James showed up with the tandem grain truck. They went back to get the semi and Kim's combine, while Al continued cutting wheat. Marilyn went in to Subway to get lunch for everyone.

Marilyn rode around with Al in the combine for a while, then he jumped ship and left her so he could start hauling grain in Kim's tandem. James was running the other combine and had a breakdown around 6:30pm, so he took the combine back to the yard to get some welding done.

We shut down around 7:30pm...a pretty good day considering the drive...with just over 100 acres combined. We decided not to move the camper, so we had a few miles to cover to get back to Langbank.

Al gets to combine tomorrow...

August 25, 2015

View of the day-The neighbours across the road doing a bit of silage harvesting.

Orders were to be ready to start combining by 10am...and we were early by 10 minutes. We finished the last of the field we were on, then moved south a couple miles to the last field of winter wheat. It didn't take very long before that short quarter was lapped up.

Marilyn got to head back to the farm while Gideon finished off the last acre on this field and a small patch that was on the other side of the water run from this mornings field. Back at the yard, she blew the header off and dug out the mud that had collected in the front of the header.

Al was back at the camper trying to figure out what to do with the next couple of days. The spring wheat has been desicated, but needs a few more days to cure, so it looks like we might be roading the combine down to Carlyle to help Kim with some canola. The camper won't be making the move, since we will be back on the weekend, so we will just drive back and forth.

The weather looks pretty good for the next little while...

August 24, 2015

View of the day-Al and Doug walk over to the the CaseIH ProHarvest truck down in Stanley, ND.

We got the word that there wouldn't be anything happening in the harvest world here at the farm, so we took a road trip across the border. Before we left the area, we got the shop trailer out of the mud and moved it out to the field where the combine was to have it in position for action when we got back from Stanley, ND.

We had talked to the ProHarvest guys last week when we had our issues with the chopper sensor and found out they would be moving north to Stanley over the weekend, so since we had the time, we took a trip. 

Al always has to pick up his annual ProHarvest belt buckle for his collection...and of course, the ProHarvest hats. We can't get down for the kickoff breakfast in Oklahoma anymore, so we have to wait until they get close to Canada to get the ones they know we reserve annually.

We burned down, picked up the goods and burned back home. The only combine we saw making dust on our 450 km tour was Kim's at Carlyle on the canola. Lots of swathing going on, though.

We got back to the combine around 4pm and started to tear apart the cab deck so we could add the re-fabricated extension we had made to get the kit to fit over our duals. This is the before picture of the deck...no way that is able to pivot over the tire.

We were pleasantly surprised that it went as smoothly as it did. We got it loosened up and moved out as far as we figured we needed it to go with the new step. Since Al had gotten Mike from the muffler shop to lengthen the pipes for the main rails, to the length we had decided that we needed...7 inches. Unfortunately, when he took one of the original platform pieces to the machine shop and got them to make another one, he neglected to tell them about the 7 inch measurement...so they made it the same as the original...9 inches.

We got almost everything back together, except the extra brace that was included in the original kit...minus the correct length of bolt that wasn't included. We found one that would work, but then had to drill the holes through the square tube. 

We finished just as the sun was going down and the mosquitoes were getting thick. No more turning sideways to get through the railing, no sir, there is enough room up there now for a square dance.

All we need now is a short piece to fill in the gap on the front...

August 23, 2015

View of the day-Sunday lunch on the deck at Kim and Marg's cabin at Kenosee Lake. 

We did get to sleep in, there was no way anything was going to happen in the field...except for ruts. We had a lunch date down at Kenosee with Marilyn and Marg's mom, Anne, who had gotten a ride down from Moose Jaw with a couple who live in the same seniors complex.

Marg had taken Anne on a tour around the farm and Carlyle, before heading up to the cabin to make lunch. Gordie made the scene for lunch, too.

We left the lake around 3pm and went back to the camper, thinking that maybe we could do something with the combine ladder...it was way too wet.

A pretty slack day...

August 22, 2015

View of the day-The combines sit in the rain...too wet to even get to the rain gauge on the combine.

We didn't have any rain during the night, but around 7:30am it started sprinkling, which turned into rain, which continued almost all day. We hung around the camper until around 4pm, then took off for a road trip.

We drove past the field where the combines were parked, but didn't go much past the approach. It was wet...real wet, and still raining. We carried on south to Kenossee Lake, where we went out to Kim and Marg's cabin for pizza, and to watch the debacle that was the Saskatchewan Roughriders football game. They still have a perfect record 0 wins 8 losses.

By the time the game was over, the rain had quit and the clouds were clearing off, which means it will likely be a chilly night in the camper. We headed back to the camper to call it a night. Hopefully the fireplace will be enough to take the chill off.

With an inch of rain, we're pretty sure we can sleep in tomorrow...

August 21, 2015

View of the day-Big Jen hauling to the bright lights of Langbank to unload in the Parrish & Heimbecker elevator.

Lots of dew this morning so we couldn't get going as early as we have been the last couple days. This gave us time to do some extra servicing, since we had brought the shop trailer out with us...not sure how this parking arrangement was decided on. The filters and rads got blown out and once the greasing and windows were done, it was time to crank up.

It was a lot slower going today, the grain started out at the top end of 16% moisture, but the elevator was taking it, so we all just shut up and drove. One machine was having a bit of an issue with a jamming knife, which was frustrating for the driver, but they had a new knife coming Monday, so they just had to work with it. The moisture came down during the day, but with no sun or heat, the straw stayed tough.

We had moved across the road and did a quarter section, then moved back to finish the piece we had gotten rained out on last night. After that we moved over to another quarter and worked on that until around 9pm when the moisture shot up again and everyone was back to a crawl.

Big chance of rain tonight, but Al claims it won't hit us...

August 20, 2015

View of the day-Another vote for auto steer...Marilyn spent a lot of time picking up these 6 ft swaths that were left after everyone had passed.

Earliest day yet...started shortly after 9am, so with no dew and a bit of wind, the day was holding a lot of promise. By the time we got to the field and finished topping of the fuel in the combine, the other three were already making dust...lots of it.

Al had a busy day hauling to the Parrish & Heimbecker elevator at Langbank. For a Canadian elevator, he was pretty impressed...they cleaned corners, asked before cracking the big back door open and even changed the jug on their water dispenser for him when it was empty.

Marilyn went up the field and back...over and over and over...a nice full mile run and yet another vote for auto steer. There were some clouds that were threatening to dump for most of the afternoon, but a few sprinkles to make a mess on the dusty windows, were all that fell.

Until around 6:30pm. The sun was even shining as it started to rain...then it was official. Time to shut it down. It was running off the header.

Hopefully not enough to hold us up tomorrow...

August 19, 2015

View of the day-The fourth machine showed up today...lots of action.

We were up early to get the sensor changed, service and start by 9:30am. It was another perfect day for harvesting...could have used a little more wind to keep the dust away, but we're definitely not complaining.

There wasn't a beep out of the chopper alarm today, so the sensor was the problem. the only hiccup during the day was a break to fix a few sections that had piled up thanks to a rock. This one even sheared off three bolts. A 20 minute fix and the show was on the road again.

Al was kept hopping in the General hauling grain. They are loading into 72,000 bushel bins, so that eliminates moving the auger all together. After two fields, we have it half full. Lots of room left for the next couple or so.

The buggy sure kept us rolling all day...no time for a pit stop, no waiting at all. What a difference a year makes...no fears about getting stuck at all. It was interesting to see the places we had gotten stuck last year, then see how the sloughs had dried right up and we could almost drive through them. Marilyn saw the ruts that were left from the back wheels of the combine as we left one of the fields last year after the dual were on. They were a good 18 inches deep with thick dried out cracks along the bottom...again, what a difference.

Good day, over all...115 acres...

August 18, 2015

View of the day-Getting cranked up to start the day...most of the crew, at least.

It had rained three times during the night, so we weren't sure if we were going to get going very early. The ladder extension was top of the list, if we had time to do it, but after the rest of the guys got their equipment moved out to the field and did a test, there was no fixing anything. It was "go"time.

We moved our combine out and Marilyn brought Al back for the General, the went back to the camper to make lunches. Once she got back to the field and took over combining, Al was delegated back to truck driver.

Shortly after Marilyn got started, the alarm came on for the straw chopper, so she shut everything down and went to inspect the cause. there wasn't one...everything was working as it should. Al came out and the only thing we could figure out was the sensor must have been bad, or not in the "sweet spot" to read the RPM's. We could see nothing was seized up and it was turning properly, so Marilyn went back to work.

The alarm would go off occasionally but when it did, the numbers would go from 2850 RPM to zero without dropping gradually, so Al called Ray from ProHarvest to see if he could shed some light on the problem. He sent us back to do some adjustments on the sensor and when that didn't help, said we should get a new sensor...unfortunately, the only place "close" by that had one was in Weyburn...180km SW from where we were.

Before deciding to make the trip there, we checked to see if maybe the bearing could have been the problem. Just in case it gave up the ghost, Al called the CaseIH dealer in Moosomin to see if they had the bearing. They did, so Al drove 50km E to get one. Unfortunately, when he got there, he found out there had been a change up on that bearing after a certain serial number and we were in that category. They didn't have the right one. The parts guy felt really bad for Al driving all that way for nothing, but one of the mechanics was a great help, so it wasn't a total waste of time.

On his way back, he decided to bite the bullet and drive to Weyburn to get the sensor, since it was going off and on randomly all day...but still doing it's job normally. So it was just a 460km day for Al...and he loves driving. Not.

We combined until 9:30pm, when it had gotten tough and slowed everyone down. Lack of wind wasn't helping...it was making it tough to see through the haze.  We filled the trucks and called it a night. Marilyn got her once a year chance to drive the loaded General back to the yard.

Just like riding a bike...it all comes back...

August 17, 2015

View of the day-This is Al's blog, every year since 1994 he has kept a daily journal in these little books. This year's didn't make the table, since it has just a few pages in it...and it would have screwed up the layout. With the 2015 book included, they represent 40% of his life. Today he turned 55 and as Marilyn's sister, Marg(who also hit that number earlier this year), was quick to tell him "Freedom 55 does not exist".

It was a busy day of running around as we were up early to get the Dodge to town to get the brakes looked at. Al brought the General in to Quality Tire to get a couple of new boots put on...or so he thought. How often does a tire shop talk you out of new tires? He told Al by putting a new tire next to an old one, it would just wear out the new one faster, so he got a newer used ones and saved him $600.

We were lucky to get a loaner truck from Mike at Minute Muffler, where the brakes were getting done. We had to hit a few places in town before the truck was done at lunch time. We stopped in for a visit t H&R Block, where Al was treated to a "Birthday Pie"...pumpkin to be exact...Al's favorite.

After all the errands were done, Marilyn stopped in at Staples for a visit and then picked up a few more groceries. Once we get combining, there won't be time for any town runs, so we want to be loaded up for action. Al left town with the General and Marilyn followed a half hour later.  We hit a couple of rain showers before getting back to the camper...just a sprinkle there, but enough to put the brakes on any thoughts of testing.

One of the other combines that will be working with the farmer and us, showed up in the yard...another red one...but the "other" red.

Tomorrow, we work on extending the ladder...should be interesting...

August 16, 2015

View of the day-Both of us working on the knife in the header...one bundled up and one in short sleeves.

Wow. Talk about a change in the weather. When the front went through the temperature dropped and the wind came up. We almost had to turn the fireplace on in the camper! Still take the cold over the heat and humidity.

Game plan for the day was to get the header on the combine, check out the hopper jamming, then change out the sections on the header knife. We got item one done, then started in on the second one.

We tried to examine the schematics on the CaseIH parts site, to see how the grain tank cover was put together. The picture looked pretty detailed until you zoomed it in, then the quality was so poor you couldn't tell if you were looking at a bolt or a dotted line that pointed to a reference number that was impossible to decipher. We tried to get the areas lubed up as best we could, then left the juice to soak in as we went on to the last job for the day.

We though we only had a few knife sections to change, but as it turned out, there were quite a few...15 to be exact. Some of them didn't look to bad, but we could see there were cracks that were just waiting to let go, so while we were in the business of changing sections, we did all the rough ones.

After we got that finished, we headed out for Yorkton. There wasn't going to be any combining until Tuesday, so we figured we might as well go get the General and bring her down. We stopped in Whitewood for a pizza, then rolled north to home.

Got some "still need" items packed and ready for the morning...

August 15, 2015

View of the day-It's cleaning day for all the machines. Time to get the barley chaff and straw off the combines.

Today was moving day...after we got everything cleaned off. We did get rain during the night...2mm...enough to settle the dust and make a slight mess on the combine. It was another hot sticky day, but at least we had the wind to keep the bugs away for a while. 

We had been having issues with the hopper cover and wanted to see if we could figure out why it was binding when we opened it. We're still trying to figure it out. 

We got the combine blown off, then took it and the straight header over to the next farm we will be working at. It was a big move...10 miles west. We got the rigs parked out of the way, then went back to get the camper. It took some doing to get the it parked into the right spot, but once we got it plugged in and the A/C running, we were on the road back for the header trailer...and then back again to get the shop trailer.

With everything moved, we got the dish hooked up and aimed, all the while feeding the mosquitoes, but once the wind came back they couldn't hang around long. It cooled off quite a bit...a welcome change from the rest of the week and we might even be able to have a night with no A/C.

Road trip to Yorkton tomorrow...

August 15, 2015

View of the day-Al picking barley on the top of a hill...and there were a few of them.

Another early start...gotta do it while the weather allows it. We got the combine fueled and serviced, then Al was on his way at 9:30am. The green ones were just ahead of Al, since they fueled up when they got back to the yard last night...you know how the lineups are at the fuel pumps. With four machines needing 750 litres or almost 200 imperial gallons, it does take some time...so we wait until morning to do the trans"fuel"sion.

Marilyn brought lunch out and rode around the rest of the day. We had an issue with a rock...a big rock...so big that Marilyn couldn't get it unwedged from between the auger and the belts. Al came out and between the two of us, we were able to get it loose...one wonders how it fit in there in the first place. It didn't dent the auger, but two of the disappearing fingers that pull the crop in were gone...not far, mind you, they could be heard rattling around inside the auger.

We got the barley finished...finally finished and went back to the yard to assess the damage. While Al was pulling out the remnants of the broken disappearing fingers, Marilyn was in the hopper trying to figure out how why the camera would quit working every time the hopper was full. She discovered the excess wire loop had come loose and when the grain would fill the hopper, it would put so much weight on the wire and it had rubbed the outer casing in one spot allowing it to short out, but only when the hopper was full. A little bit of electrical tape and some zip ties and we were back in business.

With our shopping list for the CaseIH dealer in hand, we took a road trip to Moosomin to get the parts we needed for the repairs. We had supper at the Dairy Queen, then came back to the yard and got everything put back together...good as almost new.

Tomorrow we see what is keeping the hopper from opening up smoothly...

August 13, 2015

View of the day-The backside of the combine making dust in the barley.

We woke up during prime meteor watching time, to the sound of rain on the camper...that meant clouds and going back to sleep. The rain didn't last long or leave much, it just meant a later start in the morning.

Since the combines came back to the yard, Al was able to do the servicing by the shop trailer, which also meant giving the air filters a good cleaning. Since we had extra time to kill, Marilyn gave the windows on the combine a thorough cleaning and RainX treatment, so dusting them off would be more effective. By the time she finally got them finished, Al was ready to head out to the field and start picking up swaths.

Marilyn stayed at the camper for the better part of the day...got the Dodge washed, then started working on a task that has been in the works since the first book(the one at the top of the blog) was put together. It was time to start on the 2008 season's book. Today was a good day to stay inside and work on the computer...not the hottest this week, but still not pleasant.

Al combined straight through until 9:30 then brought the combine back to the yard. Since they are only 1 mile north, it was a short drive.

Could see the end of the barley tomorrow...

August 12, 2015

View of the day-This little fella hit the door, but managed to perch on the chain after it happened. He stayed there for a full pass down the field, through all the barley dust, getting his wits back, then flew away after we dumped on the cart.

Shades of Oklahoma! We got the combine serviced and started combining just after 9am. There were heat warnings on the radio all day and the weather reports were correct...no 110ºF day, but a cooker, just the same.

We only had a few acres to finish before moving on to the next field...it was slow going in the downed barley and coupled with the high yield it took a while. 

We passed around a spot that looked like the seeder had gotten stuck in, judging by the erratic seeding pattern in the otherwise perfectly lined seed rows. Marilyn wanted to check out the depth, but Al was on a mission to get done. They had to be 4 feet deep...we went around them.

Once we got finished, we had to drop the straight header into transport to get out the tree lined lane through the farm yard.

After Al got the pickup head on the combine, we headed over to the next field, where we changed back over to the straight head again. While Al carried on combining, Marilyn took a run into Whitewood to get some groceries and hurried back to get them in the fridge before they spoiled in the heat.

By the time she got back out to the field with some snacks, they were just finishing dumping in the semis for the move to the next field. We were done with the straight head for a while, so we put it into transport one last time for the day and moved over to the next field to jump in with the other two machines that only had pickup heads. With four machines, it didn't take long until we were done and the green ones were taking a supper break in the field.

Marilyn went back to the camper as the combines moved to the next field for more barley. She had visitors drop off some fresh garden cucumbers, tomatoes and crab apples...is it possible to eat too much of these things? 

It was kind of funny that the gentleman had asked us when we got the camper parked, if we would like some cucumbers...we said "yes, please"! All we could think about the last couple of days was how good those cucumbers were going to taste...but they never showed up. Marilyn bought cucumbers and tomatoes at the grocery store today. Figures.

No pickup service for Marilyn tonight...the combines came home to the yard...

August 11, 2015

View of the day-All set up in the tent at the Yorkton Thresherman's Show...the last show of the summer season.

We were able to get into the grounds at the Western Development Museum just after lunch on the day before the show, so it wasn't a mad rush to get set up. We had four tables and Roger had four right next to us, which he and Linda started filling a few hours after we got there.

After the set up, we went out for supper with Roger and Linda, then they got their RV parked in our yard for the weekend. There was perfect weather for the show...a nice change from the rain that seemed to be a regular occurrence lately. There was a lot of action around the grounds, but it seemed like we couldn't get away from the toys to see any of the threshing demonstrations. We got to see them getting ready for the parade at the end of the first day.

Sunday had a lot more traffic than Saturday did, but Marilyn didn't get to take in the festivities or the pack up, since she was trying to get last minute costumes and sets constructed for the Renaissance Fair that the theatre group was putting on the next weekend...that, and pack the camper. Fortunately, Mike and Heather, two of Al's toy pals were able to save the day, helping him pack up after the show.

There was also the ladder extension kit that we had gotten from CaseIH to move the platform out past the dual tires, for easier cab and servicing access. Right now, the ladder has to stay in the 2/3 turned position because of the tire width. This kit was supposed to add to the rails and platform...unfortunately, the tires we have are not 'standard' size and the whole thing was about 9 inches short. After Marilyn had struggled to get it all apart and partially back together, we ended up putting it all back the way it was and proceeded to come up with a plan to lengthen it and still keep the support.

Monday, Marilyn got the final load in the camper...well, enough to keep Al going for the week until she was done with Staples and the Renaissance Fair.  After taking the combine into town to get loaded, we took the camper down to Langbank, not to where the header was sitting, but to a new farm that was just looking to get some combine help with fall rye. We had met these farmers at AgDays in Brandon and when they found out we had combined a few miles west of them, and that their crops might be ready earlier than the Kipling area, it was a perfect fit.

Al made the big move to sell his combine trailer in the spring, so now we relied completely on Kardynal Transport to shift us from place to place...not a big deal when you are not going all the way to Oklahoma. 

Because the combine was so wide, due to the duals, Al had to pilot the load, while Marilyn followed in the rear. We got out to the farm and while the combine was getting unloaded, Marilyn got the camper set up for Al. It was easy to keep an eye on what was happening with the combine, since the view was perfect out the camper door to where it was unloading.

After we got the combine set for rye, it was time to move out to the field and get the rust off. There were three other machines in the field...all green...but at least the tractor and cart were red...Versatile red. 

Once Al set up, Marilyn went back to Yorkton and he was able to start picking up swaths as soon as he was out at the field and continued until the field was close to done, then Al was sent packing to do the winter wheat on his own for the rest of the night.  

After switching to the straight head, Al started cutting the winter wheat around 6:30pm and combined until 10:30 before shutting down for the night. Unfortunately, Al woke up to the sound of rain on the camper roof the next morning, so he came back home to Yorkton for the weekend.

While we were at home, Al got the General ready for action, whenever it would need to be called to duty. He also spent some time looking for parts to make the ladder extension work on the combine. There had been more rain during the week, so we didn't have to get back to Langbank in any great hurry, which was good for Marilyn and her theatre business.

It was a perfect day for the Renaissance Fair...a little long, even though the event was from 11am to 7pm. Marilyn and Brenda had to get to the park by 7am to get the sets and tent up. This was the first year for the fair and it turned out pretty good considering there were several other things going on around town the same day.

With the weekend finally over, it was time to think about heading back to Langbank. Marilyn got the rest of the stuff for the camper loaded up, then we hooked on to the shop trailer and headed south. By the time we got to the camper, it was already dusk and the mosquitoes were hungry, thank goodness for the automatic satellite dish. We were a bit concerned about the signal finder...Al had run over the cord with the lawnmower...but it worked.

We are looking forward to a week of hot weather, this is the thermometer on the combine at 9:30am! We got the windows washed and were out in the field in no time. Since they only need the combine here, Al gets the honors and Marilyn gets time off. The shop trailer has been needing a good cleaning, so that is what has been on Marilyn's agenda for the last couple days. On a rough road, the bolt bins give up their cargo and usually we just use the magnetic wand and dump them all in the trays, Marilyn decided it was time to sort and return them to their rightful spot. Not sure how long that will last.

Al got finished with the winter wheat, then it was time to move over to do some straight barley. The road over was too narrow for the straight head, so we had to put it into transport, mount the pickup head, then move to the next field. When we got there, we had to unload the pickup head and put the straight head back on.

Al started making dust...itchy dust...and Marilyn went back to her bolt sorting. After getting that done, there were even a couple of nightmare drawers in the tool box that got a makeover. 

Marilyn took supper out to Al and then rode along for the rest of the night. The barley was yielding pretty good, so Al was only able to go up and back on the field before he was full...a couple times he almost couldn't make it back to the truck. There was only one other combine in this field and the grain cart was on the other field with the other two machines. 

Thank goodness for the camera in the hopper, as you can see, it helps to fill the hopper right up without spilling over...that's quite a pile!

So now it is official...we are in the swing of things and the blog should get updated regularly...for a while at least...