September 14, 2008

View of the day-Reflections on a summer day...it is still summer, isn't it? Way too soon for the colors to be changing

Just a heads up, if you are in Saskatchewan and can get your hands on the Regina Leader Post, Ron Petrie's story on his day in the field with us is published in Monday's paper.

Back to the show...

A not so early day by last weeks standard, but early enough. Al decided since we weren't going to get going very early today, we would go on an road trip up to Esterhazy and Yorkton.

We made Esterhazy around 12:30pm and were able to sweet talk our insurance man to go down to his office so we could renew the licence plates (tags) for our pickup and car. We were lucky we called when we did, he was on his way for a holiday to Minnisota on his bike and was leaving right after he finished with us.

We stopped out at the farmers field on the way to Yorkton to update him on our progress. He was finally getting to combine some canola, so we kept it short and moved on. We were surprised to notice pretty much all the way up to Yorkton there were way more fields standing or swathed than combined...probably only 10% had been done.

We had called ahead to have a pizza ready when we got to town...mmm...we really miss the Canadian pizza's...they just don't get it down there...the toppings are the important things. We headed up to our house to unload the batch of toys we had dropped off when we went to Carlyle a few weeks back to get the pickup head. After getting that done, we tried unsuccessfully to start the car...dead battery, and no cables long enough to reach from the pickup to the car. Al pushed it out of the garage where we were able to get the cables on and we walked over to the neighbors to pay for a hockey season ticket that she had picked up for Al and drop off some bottles of...er...beverage for lawn cutting services.

Back at the house we were finally able to get the car started and Al went into town to get antifreeze and oil to top it up, while Marilyn stopped to pick some apples off one of the trees in the yard before meeting up with Al in town. After filling the fluid, we tried starting it again, but it was dead again. Marilyn suggested purchasing a new battery for it but Al poo-pooed the idea and forged on back to Carlyle with it. Marilyn stopped to pick up some groceries before heading back in the pickup.

Al went straight out to Kisbey to see if the wheat was dry enough to go...and it was...so he finished the rest of the field then went back to the camper. Marilyn met Al's step-dad at the junction to get the latest bag of mail that he had been collecting for us. While we were standing having a chat, Marilyn noticed some wide loads coming around the curve and was quite surprised to see Holland Harvesting from Minnisota moving north on the highway. Even though we see this all season long, it seems odd to see a crew of six combines with all the support equipment moving north...especially one from the USA. On the way back, Marilyn stopped at KFC at the lake to pick up chicken for the Carlyle crew who were trying to get the last of the barley done.

Back at Carlyle a visit to the field found Kim and Mike trying to get the draper head to feed properly and finally the dark chased them home for supper. Al on the other hand was a little more productive...and the car started...although he was bummed his Seahawks lost in overtime.

And now we struggle with the internet connection...

September 13, 2008

View of the day-Putting the final trim on the garage door.

No rain during the night, but we got up to a cool cloudy day. We went out to the field even though it wasn't looking too promising...still no rain but really dark skies to the west.

Al dumped the General while Marilyn serviced the combine, then made a round to check the moisture...not quite dry enough...in fact, it was wet. The farmer couldn't see us getting started at all today...the rain was inevitable, so we went back to Carlyle. We didn't see a combine going anywhere between Kisbey and Carlyle...not a good sign.

Back at the camper, we found that Kim wasn't doing any combining either. Marg had gone to Estevan to pick up a new garage door...and a Wii for Marilyn...so when she got back we had the afternoon mapped out. It eventually rained, just as we thought it might, but we didn't get the downpour they had Estevan...but it did confirm that combining was out.

Marilyn helped out with the garage door and Al made sure it was warm enough in the camper. It took about four hours, but we managed to get the old one out and the new one in...and working properly...a nice bonus.

Followed by an evening of football...

September 12, 2008

View of the day-Al get a turn at picking up organic wheat swaths near Kisbey.

This crack of dawn stuff is getting kind of tiring...

We moved the combine back to the yard to fuel it up and give it a good cleaning before we moved to start combining organic wheat. After Al got the General unloaded, we moved 20 miles west to the field with the combine and shop trailer. We went back to Carlyle, had some lunch then moved the General over to the combine to start on the wheat. There must have been a lot of Riders fans on the road...lots of waving and blowing of horns.

The wheat was plenty dry so we were able to start right in. It wasn't yielding near as good as the barley...that was to be expected...so Al got a pretty good break to read the paper and listen to the radio...probably fit a nap in there somewhere too. Al gave Marilyn a break for a couple of hoppers so she could regenerate and continue combining while he unloaded at the bin. We got the bin almost full, but Al didn't want to top it off in the dark, so we quit for the night.

We drove back to the farm where the camper was and discovered Marilyn's brother had ridden his Harley over from Avonlea to help Kim out for the weekend. He got a crash course in combine driving and will probably not be allowed to go home until Kim is finished...if Marg has her way.

Slight chance of rain in the morning...

September 11, 2008

View of the day-Finally a flag for the combine...Al really didn't want it...he's not a fan of the Canadian Football League...but Marilyn needed a flag, so the Saskatchewan Roughriders made the cut.

This is the first break with the tradition of flying the US flag on the combine and it is coincidental that we first started flying the Stars and Stripes in honor of the Sept.11 tragedy in 2001 and here we are on the anniversary of that date.

Up and at it early again...trucks to unload, machinery to move...same old, same old. A beautiful sunny fall day to continue the barley cutting...Marilyn never left the combine, but Al shifted back an forth between hauling grain with the General, then taking over Kim's combine when he hauled in with the semi.

We had a short break for supper in the field again...a change from the US harvest when everything is on the run or when we get in at night. Once we had a quick snack, we continued on combining until it got too tough to cut, then drew numbers for the shower.

Another long day...

September 10, 2008

View of the day-Kim unloads from his combine into the General.

Up early again for coffee, then Al put Marilyn right to work servicing and moving things around...no chance to even shake the cobwebs out.

We moved over to some standing barley so that meant a switch of the headers...back to straight cutting again. We were combining along side Kim and his CaseIH 2388. He covered more acres with his 36 ft draper head, but his hopper was smaller, so synchronizing the unloading was a bit difficult. Al was hauling with the General and shuttling with the grain cart when he had time and Kim's dad, Bob was hauling with their smaller grain truck.

We combined all day and well after dark...no waiting on trucks...the boys kept the combines rolling and with the exception of two short stops for repairs...Kim on his header PTO shaft and Marilyn with a broken knife section there was hardly time for...you know...stuff. Kim's new grain trailer was delivered after supper, which gave Bob a chance to book off for the night.

Marg and Gordie brought supper out to the field and we had a short break for that burgerfest, but it was back in the combines to try and finish the field. It would be such a shame to leave 10 acres for the morning.

But getting it done doesn't mean we get to sleep in...

September 9, 2008

View of the day-Everything started and warming up to get unloaded as Al & Kim finish their morning conference.

A really early day for Marilyn...up to have coffee in the house before everyone was off to school and work at 8am. Al got the trucks started then we got the combine unloaded just as our company for the day showed up.

We were lucky to have a visit from Ron Petrie, a columnist from the Regina Leader Post newspaper. Along with his regular column...a damn funny one, at that...he does a weekly story about life in Saskatchewan. It was time for his annual story about the harvest in Saskatchewan and decided to come out and spend the day learning about the custom harvesters life. It was a great day and hopefully he will be kind...we hardly yelled at each other at all...while he was here. He was nice enough to take us out for lunch before we got the rest of the equipment unloaded and moved out to the canola field.

We did a test and the canola was dry enough to go, so Marilyn got started right in making dust as Ron rode along learning about the harvest life...probably more than he wanted to know. After taking a few pictures, he went with Al to the bin to unload a truck full of canola...Al was impressed with the way a "city folk" was able to line him up to the auger.

We kept going on the canola as it got dryer as the day turned into night when we were finally able to get the field finished. We weren't able to get the combine calibrated right away so we can't say what the yield was for sure, but it was close to 45 bu/ac...pretty good.

A great day with no rain...

September 8, 2008

View of the day-We're back in Canada and parked out at Carlyle, with a welcoming committee...what a day!

We were up bright and early to get things settled up and battened down for the last leg of the US wheat harvest. Al went out to the farm while Marilyn got the trailer road ready, then it was time to hit the road.

We started off with the General/combine and pickup/camper/shop trailer. We had a bit of a NW wind, but nothing to keep us out of the 'tall one'...high gear for you automatic transmission folks. We made the USA/CAN border and stopped at the US side to get our stuff cleared, then went over to the Canadian side...oh, dear...

Marilyn had always had her paperwork in order when crossing the border...all receipts in categories, divided by vehicles, two extra copies, all required forms filled out on the computer...perfection, really. A few years back the regular officers had said we didn't need these forms and receipts any more...Marilyn kept filling them out anyway. Not having them done felt like not wearing a seat belt when you have done it all your life...like you will fall out of the seat. The one time she doesn't have it done...there is a new woman at the crossing...not just a novice...an expert on all rules pertaining to declarations.

Well, an hour and a half later we left the border, blank forms in hand for the next trip through while we wondered where we had gone wrong. On the bright side, she had us pull so far ahead of the crossing so we would be out of the way of the other traffic and because she was so busy with the other people trying to get through, she never looked in any of our vehicles or trailers. Unlike the poor couple who were just going home in their car...she opened up their luggage and riffled through it...lucky us.

We got to Carlyle, parked the General and it's load, then found a level spot to park the camper...within wireless range, of course. After that we turned around and headed back to Kenmare to get the Freighliner/tractor/grain cart and header. On the way down we had to go through the US port again...oh boy, the friendly lady on that side waved us to move up to the gate...then walked away. It was quitting time for her, and who should be taking her place? Mr. Happy...and the first thing he did was take our passports and tell us they weren't valid...what??! We had just gotten them in the spring...yes, he said "but you haven't signed them"...whew. And we were on our way.

We got to Kenmare, fueled the rigs up, then headed back north. At the US side this time, we dealt with one of the old regulars, while Mr. Happy had his supper. On the Canadian side, Marilyn pulled up and the officer came out to find her with a hand full of forms that had been filled out...as requested by the morning shift...and he said..."that's a load of crap(translated), have a nice day"...he waved us on and walked away. He had come on shift just as we were leaving the first time, so apparently he knew what was going on. Marilyn wonders if it is possible to phone the border to find out who is working to save on the grief in the future...

Back in Carlyle, Al got the Freighliner parked just in time to catch the second quarter of the first NFL game. After supper with the landlords...Marilyn's sister Marg, her husband Kim and their son Gordie...Al continued on with football, while Marilyn got the camper set up and the dish aimed. There is wireless internet here, but it seems we are just on the fringe, so it is not unlike dial-up.

Tomorrow we move the router...and maybe do a test...