September 30, 2013

View of the day-If this shows so much promise, why does it come after a harvest stopping rain?

Al went out early to unload trucks and service the combine. He was able to get combining while Marilyn got the lunches ready before coming out to take over.

Phil kept combining after we left last night until everything was full...until 4am! Not for us...gotta get some sleep.

We finished the canola, then while Al was unloading the semi, Marilyn got the pickup head loaded on the trailer, then started driving back to the field where the straight header had been left. We were going back to the wheat.

Marilyn got the header hooked up and started combining. After dumping one hopper into the General, Al called to tell her the elevator was closing at 6pm...6pm. During harvest?? Oh well, who are we to argue? He waited for the second hopper, but when Marilyn was dumping it in the General, it was filling way too fast. Apparently, Chris had dumped some in the truck when he finished his field...so it was really loaded.

While trying to fill one of the other trucks so Al could get it into the elevator before cutoff, Marilyn noticed the sky was looking kind of dark to the SW. It didn't take long before there were drops on the window…but it wasn't running off the header. But, by the time she made it back to the truck…the rain was coming down…and it was running off the header. After rushing into the rain to get the trucks tarped, Marilyn sat and waited for Al to get back so we could head back to the camper.

Al wanted to get the pickup head strapped down to the trailer, so Phil met them on the road and gave Al a ride down to the big Dodge that was still sitting at the canola field from this morning. Once he got back to the camper, we went to the house to have supper, since we missed it in the field when the rain started.

Hopefully it didn't rain a lot at the field...

September 29, 2013

View of the day-The ravens were very entertaining in the field today. Here, Marilyn was able to catch one just passing by the front of the combine, near the top of the window wiper. They are alot more tolerant of the combine, spending a lot of time just hovering over the swath. A lot of mice met their maker today.

We were on the road to Balcarres by 10am...after grabbing a coffee for the road...and by the time we got to the camper, threw a lunch together and got to the field, it was just after noon.

We had to switch headers before we could start, so we took the pickup head to the wheat field where the combine had been sitting, put the running gear down on the straight header and switched them out. Marilyn started driving the combine over to the new field, while Al moved the semi over, then got a ride back for the pickup.

Phil was already making dust when we got there and thanks to the wind and low humidity, picking up the swaths went a lot better for Marilyn than the last time...well over 3mph...in the heavy swaths. With the help of a busy buggy man, we didn't get any breaks and Al was constantly on the move unloading the semi. No rest for anyone.

We went until 11pm, just as the low fuel light came on the combine...and Marilyn had surpassed the 100 ac mark. What a difference good weather makes.

Finally...some productivity...

September 28, 2013

View of the day-Sunset at Yorkton with a big smoke happening to the west...no word if it was serious. No combining for us today.

Marilyn was up early to go to Moose Jaw to have lunch with her parents to celebrate her mom's 83rd birthday. After getting in a short visit, she was back on the road to Regina to help some of the theatre group find costumes for the upcoming production.

Once that was done with, it was back to the camper to meet Al and then we were off to Yorkton, for a hockey game. Marilyn had some furniture moving to do for the theatre group. Thanks to the help of a couple of strong husbands of her friends, the move up the two flights of stairs went smoothly.

After that, Marilyn pulled a late shift at Liquidation World...one of her off season jobs...helping with the renovation that is going on. Al picked up the truck after the hockey game and Marilyn got a ride home with her friend Brenda.

Another night spent in our own bed at home...

September 27, 2013

View of the day-There must have been one heck of a wind to blow the rain gauge over like this. It took some doing to get it upright...and of course, it was empty, so now we'll never know how much it rained at the field.

Fixing was on the agenda for the day, but there was no rush to get out to the combine...it was still way too wet. Although we were a lot luckier that some of the areas around us. We heard that there was only around .7" around here...it looked like a lot more out in the field.

It stayed cloudy all day, but no moisture fell. It was cool and windy, so it really didn't dry down that much...which we expected. We went into Fort Qu'Appelle to fill a propane tank for the camper and have an early lunch. The hills are looking really beautiful at this time of year as the leaves are turning color. The ski hill will look a little different in a couple of months.

Some of the leaves have made a good lunch for some type of creature, making the leaves look kind of lacy.

We had our lunch then went out to the combine to get our chains changed. We were able to get one done because it used a box and a half of chain, but then that left the length too short for the second one. We had enough chain back at the shop trailer, but that was 10 miles away. We tightened the chain on the header reels and called those jobs done.


A stop at the pickup head was next on the to-do list. We needed to check on the drive shaft to see if we could do something with the slip clutch. Those big swaths of canola were giving it a workout and slowing down productivity. 

We went back to the camper and stoked up the BBQ for supper. Bob had brought over a bag of fresh dug potatoes...and they were HUGE...they will make a quite a few meals.

Chilly night forecast...could have "hard" water by the morning...

September 26, 2013

View of the day-Won't be combining for a while, at least not in the Yorkton area. This is the road from our farm to the highway.

We were up early and in to town to get a few errands done. We stopped for lunch, then came back to the camper at Balcarres. It had rained some more at both places...an inch at Yorkton, and we have to check the rain gauge on the combine to see how much fell here. We were out of the heavy rainfall forecast area...we heard Kamsack, which is NE of Yorkton, had gotten four inches! That will put things on hold for a while.

Back at the camper, we got to catch up on a couple of season premieres that we had DVR'ed, then Marilyn drove back into Yorkton for a play rehearsal. After a post rehearsal gab session over coffee at McDonald's, she was on the road back to the camper at Balcarres.

Not much combining being done along the way...or any, for that matter...

September 25, 2013

View of the day-The combine gets to wait a little longer before seeing action.

We had some rain in the early morning hours, but it quit before sunrise. With the heavy cloud cover, it was still pretty wet out and Bob figured if we got a bit of sun and wind, we would be able to give it a try around 2pm. He went out and did a test…18.5%...that’s a bit too wet, so we had the rest of the day off.

Al had wanted to go to his hockey game in Yorkton, anyway, so we packed an overnight bag and headed for the bright lights. Marilyn went over to Pam’s to work on mailouts for the dinner theatre, then did a couple laps around Walmart until the hockey game was over. After picking Al up from the rink, we went out to the farm for the night…with no blog technology.

Nice to be back home, even if it was only for a night…

September 24, 2013

View of the day-Al dumping into one of Bob's trucks first thing in the morning...his turn to drive combine, for a while.

Perfect harvest day...for us, at least. Combine repairs needed in the other two fields. Been there, done that. They did get going in the afternoon, so it wasn't a total loss of a day.

Al went out early to do the servicing and unload trucks. Marilyn got lunches ready and made it out to the field by 10:30...half an hour before Al told her to be out there. He had already started combining and almost had a truck full, so it was a good start to the day.

Marilyn tried to cut around all the ponds in the daylight, so that when the sun went down, she wouldn't have to deal with getting lost, or worse yet, stuck. This is an aerial view of the half section that we are working on.

We kept going until we got the word that supper in the field was ready, so Al went first, then took over combining to let Marilyn get in on the goods. It was good to get a break to stretch the legs and get a delicious meal to top it off. But, time was ticking and Marilyn had strict orders to get back to the combine by 7pm, so Al could make the elevator with the last load before they closed.

We went until we finished the last patch on the south side of the field, then moved the combine over to the north end and called it a night. It was still pretty nice out and they were calling for rain, but even with the map, Marilyn didn't think it was a good idea to start in the dark.

Let's hope the rain stays away...

September 23, 2013

View of the day-Al waits at the top of the hill for a top up of wheat in the General.

Al was out early to get the combine fueled and serviced, while Marilyn got lunches ready. Now that we have both pickups out here, we don’t have to travel together.

Plans had changed as far as the canola was concerned, so the guys moved the combine north to a field that had been cut already, so we could get the straight header put on the combine. We were switching to straight cutting some wheat…if it was dry enough. We moved the combine up to the next field and Marilyn cut a patch for parking, then we got some trucks lined up for filling.

The combine showed the moisture was 16.5%, but when the elevator tested it, they claimed it was 17.8%. That was not good, so we were going to wait for a bit, which we did. We tested with our portable tester and it was showing 16.5%, so we started up again. The wheat was running around 70 bu/ac, so Al was kept busy with the trucking, and had gotten some relief when Phil came out to run a truck or two.

Across the field from us, also combining for Bob, was Chris in his CaseIH 2388 combine. Phil was keeping the wheat away for him, but would cross back over to Marilyn to get a top off on some loads. These fields are in an area where there are a lot of potholes, so there really isn’t a straight run and as it got close to dark, Marilyn was taking care not to get too close to those potholes.

When the elevator closed…at 7:30pm…Al left the empty trucks for Marilyn to fill and he went back to the camper. It didn’t take much longer for Marilyn to get the trucks loaded, and after they were tarped and the combine fueled, that was it for the day.

Except to stop for fuel in Balcarres on the way home…

September 22, 2013

View of the day-Al picking up on the go...with the semi!

Late night, no camera...well, no high resolution camera...and a long day of slow going. Marilyn had to use the video camera to take pictures until she gets her good one back from Pam.

We went out and got started in the canola. We had 35 ft swaths that were pretty wet underneath, but the grain was..."dry"ish. Marilyn never did see 3 mph...it was tough to even get to 2 mph without plugging the auger on the header. So it was a day of "shut up and drive".

Al was kept busy hauling with the semi to the bins about 9 miles from the field. We had a cart driver, Garth, who kept the canola away from the combines...it helped that Marilyn was slowing down production. Bob was in a loaner CaseIH 8120 combine, with a much bigger feederhouse, so he could really make time.

We finished the field and moved 3 miles to the next field, around 9:30 pm and did a couple rounds. Bob told Marilyn not to go off the edge of the field...it looked like a downhill run, but it was hard to see because of the trees.

Can't wait to see what it looks like in the daylight...

Septermber 21, 2013

View of the day...tomorrow-The new buggy man...new to us, at least.

Busy day away from the camper. Al took Marilyn up to the highway, where she jumped in with her friend, Pam, to go to Regina for a tech meeting at the theatre where the drama festival will be held.

Al took off the other direction to Yorkton, to get the pickup head, the little Dodge for a second vehicle, and then stayed for the Yorkton Terriers hockey game in the evening.

Pam drove Marilyn back to Yorkton and dropped her off at the rink to get the little Dodge, then she went back to the camper. Al followed after the hockey game.

Marilyn left her camera in Pam's vehicle...

September 20, 2013

View of the day-The rising moon sets the tracks on fire.


Moving day. Al worked on getting the trailers lined up for loading and Marilyn took care of the camper. 

We were only taking the combine with the shop trailer and the camper, so there wouldn't be a back haul this time.

We got left Carlyle right at noon and although there was a forecast for strong NW winds, there was hardly a breeze. Which helped the haul immensely. 

We met the Holland Harvesting crew with a couple of combines and headers that were loaded and moving south. The truck with the double header trailer chucked a huge stone right into the windshield of the Dodge, scaring the hell out of Marilyn and leaving a 3" ring of cracks in the middle of the window.

We made it out to the farm, got the camper parked, then unloaded the combine and moved the trailers to the back parking spot. After getting the camper hooked up to power and water, we went into Ft. Qu'Appelle for supper. Then came back to the camper. No pressure now...we are at the last stop of the season.

Let's hope the weather cooperates so it goes smoothly...

September 19, 2013

View of the day-Al grabs the spare tire for the header trailer out of the box of the General...just in case. He could have used it to tube across the moat.

Two inches. That's how much rain we ended up with. It just poured. Now it's official...we are done in Carlyle. Kim will be able to handle the rest with his combine and the help of Bob with his JD. We will be leaving the tractor and cart for him for backup.

We needed to get the header trailer out of the field along the highway...but it was wet. Marilyn thought the trailer should have been left on high ground, like the grass on the approach. The guys left it on high ground in the field...but it had to go through a low spot to get to the gate. They went up with the pickup and it was going good downhill, but when the trailer wheels sunk and the truck started to spin, that was it. Time for some big artillery.

They came back to the farm to get Kim's tractor and it was fortunate that he had to go up near the field to pick up some culverts for a new approach he was working on...the header trailer was on the way...sort of.

They got the trailer hooked up and it came out onto the highway like a dream. Kim parked it on the shoulder, then went on his way. We got it hooked up to the truck and went on our way...to Balcarres.

We went through a few misty/rainy sections, but it had pretty much stopped by the time we had gotten to Balcarres. Al got the trailer parked, then we talked to Balcarres Bob about parking the camper...among other things...like the inch of rain they had gotten, then headed out for Yorkton.

Marilyn had to pick up some printing that she had done at Staples, so she got to visit a bit with everyone there while Al went next door to the cardlock to fill the truck and slip tank. We were going to need fuel for the General and by getting it in Yorkton, we get dividends back...and every little bit helps.

We went out to the farm to see how the house was doing. Apparently those "tin cat" mouse traps were finally earning their keep. The garage door from the breezeway was open just enough to let the mice in and all traps were full and there were three in the tin cat. It didn't look like they had gotten into the house...but it was only a quick look.

Marilyn took the dually north to Ebenezer to meet a truck that was delivering some theatre curtains that had been ordered. Al got the half ton Dodge running then took it into town to get the licence renewed, so we could take it to Balcarres with us. We met back at the farm, then after a couple stops in Yorkton, started back for Carlyle.

Tomorrow we load up and move to Balcarres...

September 18, 2013

View of the day-The rain came as forecasted, not as much...at first.

We had some of the loudest thunder that we have experienced in a very long time...at least, outside Oklahoma and Kansas.

It rained until around noon, then quit for the rest of the afternoon...and we never saw the sun...that settled it, we were done here in Carlyle. Al and Kim took the high transport header trailer up to the combine at the wheat field to load the straight head. They got it loaded, then moved it over to a high spot in the canola field we had done along the highway.

They came back to the yard with the combine, then got the pickup head strapped down so we could take it north. Gerry Prevost was passing through on his way from ND to get the pickup truck that Al had brought up a while back. He offered to move the pickup head to Yorkton for us, since he wasn't pulling anything else with the truck.

We had supper in the house before Marg went up to the casino for a slots tournament and we came back to the camper. Al got the call that Gerry was going to be late, so he got Kim to follow him into Carlyle so he could leave Gerry's truck at the Coop cardlock. It was a very good thing they did that.

About a half hour after they got back to the farm, the sky lit up with constant lightning and the heavens opened up. It poured...hard. It had been pouring for an hour or so and Marg still hadn't gotten back from her tournament.

It was kind of a white knuckle drive, but she managed to get back to the farm, but the road was starting to flood. And there was no sign of let up.

Tomorrow, we see what the rain gauge holds...

September 17, 2013

View of the day-The auger is done with the canola, so Kim and Al get it moved from the bin.

We got going on the canola later than we would have hoped, but there wasn't too much left on the field, so we had it lapped up in a couple hours. We went back to the yard to fuel up, then the plan was to get on to Bob's canola. 

Bob went over and did a sample, then brought it over to Kim's to test. It wouldn't even register on his tester, so they took it over to Precision Ag, thinking their tester might be able to do it. Nope. Same thing.

Kim decided we should go up north and get on the half section of standing wheat, so we changed headers and moved north. Al went back to grain hauling in the semi and Doug hauled in the tandem.

Al was up supervising the loading of the semi to make sure he could get the tarp rolled. You know combine drivers...they'll rail the truck if there not supervised.

We got going on the east side of the field and it was going pretty good until we lost the sun and the humidity went up.

The little wind that we had, disappeared and the dust was just hanging in the low spots. We kept going until our speed dropped and the combines started growling, then we quit for the night.

Here's hoping the rain misses us so we can finish...

September 16, 2013

View of the day-Bob does a sample to test on the next canola field.

Kim got the last few rounds of wheat combined, then the guys got the trucks unloaded at the bin. We got the grain cart and combines moved back to the yard.

Kim was concerned for his canola, due to the strong wind forecast...those swaths would shell out if the wind started them rolling and they are woven so tightly together that when one part goes, it takes a long stretch with it. While Kim changed out his concaves to go into the canola, we got the straight header loaded on the high-speed transport trailer and hooked up the pickup head.

Once Kim was ready to go, he went across the road from the yard to the canola to get a sample to test. He had only made it a few yards, when his feeder kept shutting off and after further inspection, we discovered he hadn't taken the transport locks off the header.

These keep the pickup belts and rollers on the front of the header from bouncing when we move down the road. When he put it down to pickup the swath, it couldn't accommodate for the rise in the ground and he ended up doing a little "landscaping" by pushing the dirt into a pile and into the header. While he cleaned it out, Al kept an eye to see the areas that Kim missed because he couldn't see from his position inside the header.

Marilyn had a theatre meeting and rehearsal in Yorkton at 5:30, so Al told her they would be able to handle the short haul to the yard and she could go. She wasn't so sure, but he kept insisting she go, finally admitting that he really wanted to combine for a change. She didnt' need any convincing.

She got to Yorkton, had the meeting, then had the first read through of the new play that will be going to a competition in early November, then will be the entertainment for the group's annual dinner theatre, Nov. 22,23,Dec.7,14. This time it is a small part and only because they were short actors, did she agree to take the part.

By the time everything was finished it was 10pm and she still had to drive 120 miles back to Carlyle, so that is the reason for the late blog.

Better late, than never...

September 15, 2013

View of the day-Right back to work in the field, with Kim in the lead and Al forever dumping the cart.

It froze last night...just a bit...the water was still running and thank goodness the furnace works.

It was a chilly day, with a bit of a wind...not enough to shorten up drying the wet grass. Of course, to quote an old customer of ours "we're not cutting the *&^%ing grass". Al and Kim got last night's trucks unloaded, then went out to the combines to fuel and service. Marilyn got lunch ready, then headed for the field.

It seemed the wheat was a bit wet, but we didn't do a test right away...just cut a truckload sample. The first test was 15.7% and the second load was 17.2%...time to shut down for a bit. We waited for a while out at the field, then Kim decided to use the air bin that he had put aside for the canola, so Al and Marg got the auger moved and the combining commenced again.

We finished the big part of the field, then Marilyn moved across the creek...via the road...and cut a parking patch. We took the sample of the cut back to the yard to test. It was plenty dry...14.2%...well, dry enough to go, at least.

Bob was out with his grain truck to take some of the pressure off Al and Doug. This meant we were able to keep Al in the field with the tractor and cart...a big help to keep the combines running. The yield didn't go down much as we got to the other side of the field...still over 50 bu/ac.

We went until the trucks and cart were full, then quit for the night. It was getting chilly and after the sun had disappeared, the jackets had to come out...even Al's.

Besides, it's Sunday Night Football...

September 14, 2013

View of the day-Al and Kim dump the last load of canola from up north.

We were out making dust by 9:30am...quite a shock to the system. There were only a few swaths left on the canola, and a small patch that Kim had to cross the great divide to get to. Between the three combines, it didn't take too long to wrap it up, then it was back to the yard to change headers and fuel up.

It was fairly cloudy out and it actually looked like it might shower, even though there wasn't anything in the forecast. We did end up with a couple of sprinkles at the canola field, but Marg called from the farm and said that it had rained pretty good and there was even hail that had fallen...not enough to do any damage. It didn't take long before the sun was out and the wind picked up to dry things out.

There was some rearranging in the yard, getting the auger moved and set up at the next bin, so Al got to take care of the auger. We got the pickup head back on the trailer and hooked up the straight head so we could finally get started on the wheat.

Mike, a farm toy collecting buddy of Al's was passing through the area, so he came out for a ride and helped us shuttle some things around. He wanted to go for a ride in the combine, so Marilyn let Al drive for a while so they could get caught up, while she drove the tractor and cart. It was a nice change for both of us and Mike got a good visit in before heading for Yorkton.

Marilyn tried to keep the wheat away from the combines, but it was running so well that the trucks were filling up too fast...isn't that a great thing to have happen...and Al had to abandon the combine to haul grain.

We were combining next to the drive-in...it is still in operation, in fact "Turbo" was being shown tonight. Too bad we were too busy combining to take a break. Al kept trying to get close to the fence to see if he could pick up the radio frequency, but we had him hopping with the unloading.

We stopped for supper when Marg showed up with pizza. We finished our supper, then got back to combining. 

Here, Kim is trying to get his "return to cut" working on the straight head...once you have used it, it's tough to go back to doing it manually, but he never did get it figured out. 

The wind was really huffing, which helped a lot, especially since the wheat was running so good. Marilyn's yield monitor was showing well over 50 bu/ac. That's why the truckers were flying.  We got the trucks filled, then called it a night so we could get back to the farm, clean up and watch the last half of the Rider's football game. What a waste...they lost and it wasn't pretty.

Could be an early morning if the wind stays up...

September 13, 2013

View of the day-Precision Ag brings us supper in the field and the flatbed on the pickup makes a great table.

Today we moved five miles north of the yard to work on more canola. Al and Kim took the semi and tandem up to the field and Marilyn picked them up after stopping for a few groceries. We went back to the farm to bring the combines and the pickup...just in case...to the field, then it was time to crank it up.

Al was able to keep up with the semi, until the bin filled up, then he got behind and the combines had to wait for a bit...as you can see by the mountain of canola in the hopper. Kim got another driver out for the tandem, which helped get us back on track. Bob was out with his JD combine, so those truckers had no rest.

Day two with the seed saver worked a lot better when Marilyn changed the angle to 20º...there was not one pod on it during the whole day. Even with the dust that collected, you can see what is going on underneath without any problems, and there is still a bit of canola the collects along the ridge on the bottom, but as you can see from the picture, you could almost count them.

This UFC field...Ultimate Field of Canola... was going to be tested by Precision Ag for yield. Several farmers who used the seed would be tested and the one with the highest yield would get a trip to Vegas. Kim had to decide which swath was going to give him the best results...it was a tough one to decide, they all looked good.  Marilyn's monitor was showing almost 65 bu/ac in some places, but by the time you find that out, the swath has already been picked up.

He chose two swaths that ran 2/3 of the way across the half section and waited for the weigh wagon to show up. When it showed up, we all had to stop for supper that they had brought out...A&W chicken...and it hit the spot. 

Once we were done dining, Kim went on one swath and Marilyn went on the other, so we could both calibrate our machines for weight, and see which swath was the best. Marilyn lost. Too bad it wasn't that 65 bu swath, still mid 40's is nothing to sneeze at.

After they dumped the weigh cart into the semi, Kim and Marilyn took on a couple of riders and we worked until we had gotten both trucks full, then called it quits.

Tomorrow we straight cut wheat...

September 12, 2013

View of the day-Marilyn's combine reflects four times in the horn covers on the roof of the semi.

Another day of hurry up and wait...at least the weather was gorgeous to wait in. The test was so close, but we still didn't get rolling until after lunch. Bob came over with the JD and waited with the rest of us, until Kim decided it would be dry enough by the time we would finish the field.

It was tough going, because the stalks weren't really dry, but just as Kim predicted, the moisture came down, so it was full speed ahead. Kim was tired of sitting in the combine and wanted to get some exercise, so he swapped jobs with Al...and it didn't take much convincing.

Kim's mom, Audrey, came out to ride around with Bob as he made the last few rounds of the field, then they went back to their yard with the combine. 

Once we got finished, we went back to the yard to fuel up both combines. Marilynblew off the combine...with the dusty canola and not much wind, it was really sticking. She had to do a bit of tweaking on the seed saver...changing the angle to match Bob's, who didn't seem to be getting as many pods on top as she was.

Marg made supper, so we ate in the house with them...sharing some of those Facebook recipes paid off...the parmesan chicken breasts were delicious. Then it was NFL time.

Marilyn got some quotes for autosteer on the combine...good thing she was sitting down...it was a lot closer to put her head down for a good weep. She would have to sell off a lot of stuff to cover the cost...or combine around 500 acres.

Looks like that wooden knob really will be her autosteer...