September 7, 2009

View of the day-A New Holland combine between Minot and Bismarck laps up the last pass as the sun goes down.

We went out to the farmers yard at 9am to get the Freightliner started and to get settled up before making the move north. We decided that to avoid getting one of the trucks stranded in case it rained a lot, we would take the General and combine up to Wilton...about 40 miles north...and park it in the Cenex lot until tomorrow. That way if there was a deluge, we wouldn't have to worry about wrecking the farmer's yard or getting stuck trying to get to the highway.

We took the shop trailer and General to Wilton then came back to get the Freighliner, tractor/cart and header, then started out again...but this time we would take the loads all the way to Kenmare.

We had a south east wind which was a great help for most of the way but just out of Minot Al called to say that he was having power issues and perhaps the fuel filters were plugged. Now, the Freightliner doesn't see a lot of action, it's really just to haul the cart rig and for backup grain hauling, so the fuel filter hasn't been changed for...well, let's just say they haven't been changed in the 2000's and leave it there. We got to Carpio and found a place to park the Freight because Al knew it would never make the climb out of the valley.

We took the header into Kenmare and the Ace Hardware store was open and luckily we were able to get new filters for the truck, so with a gallon jug of diesel fuel and the filters, we went back to Carpio to doctor up the Freight...we just hoped that was the problem with the power.

After we got back to the Freight, we changed out the filters and it started right up so we figured we might as well get it into Kenmare as well. The filters did the trick and Al had all kinds of power...for the Freight, anyway...to get us parked in Kenmare.

We stopped in Minot to pick up a few things at the Walmart, then forged on back to Menoken to get things in order for the move across the border. We encountered a couple of showers, but nothing serious and hopefully that is all of the precipitation that falls so the rest of the harvesting gets done.

Tomorrow...the border...

September 6, 2009

View of the day-Cutting the last of the wheat at Menoken with the neighbor to the west's flax swaths in the background. Officially our last day of combining wheat in the U.S.

We only had about 40 acres to do and there was high humidity again so we decided to go into Bismarck to get our water jugs filled and have brunch. We drove to Walmart only to find that it didn't open until noon...what the heck??! We killed time by having lunch at the truck stop before going to get our water and heading back to the field.

When we got to the exit to the field, we could see that there were combines going in the next field...four Masseys...we only knew of one person that could be...Gallagher's.

Al called over on his cell to see what the moisture was and it was around 14%, but they were going into air bins so we had to do our own test. Fortunately ours was 13.8% which was good enough to go...and we did. Shawn came over and had a gab with Al, getting caught up on how things were going over at Sterling...it sure didn't take those four machines long to whip off that field across the road.

We got the field finished around 5:30pm then figured we had time to get everything cleaned off and loaded up, ready for the move north. The original plan was to get at least the header and Freightliner load to Wilton to help shorten the haul and avoid getting stuck in the yard if the forecasted rain should hit while we were moving the other load to Kenmare. We would have been cutting it too close to sunset, so we decided to wait until tomorrow morning to move the first load to Kenmare.

So now we get our papers in order and prepare for the trip back into Canada. We will come back and stay in the camper tomorrow night, then take the combine, camper and shop trailer right to Carlyle on Tuesday.

If everything goes as planned...

September 5, 2009

View of the day-Unloading on the go as the sun works it's way down at Menoken...that's right, we got to combine!

High humidity this morning but at least the sun was shining and of course one of the two places in the state that had fog was right here where the combine sits.

We decided to go into town for lunch and had omlettes on the brain so we figured we would check out a place the farmer had told us about in Mandan...we didn't realize how far from town it was...but we got there and got our egg fix in, then made it back to the field to do a test at 1:30pm. It was 15.3% so we went back to the camper to kill a little time before trying it again.

We did a couple more tests before we finally got going and once we did we were able to keep at it until 9pm...Marilyn actually got the use the lights on the combine. We did around 50 acres which should leave about 40 to finish for tomorrow and hopefully we can start a bit earlier and even have time to load some stuff up.

Wouldn't that be something...

September 4, 2009

View of the day-Another day of fixing...a successful day of fixing. We better get combining soon because we are running out of things to do.

No fog today but the clouds and humidity put the brakes on any thoughts we might have of combining. Marilyn unloaded the rest of last night's non perishable purchases out of the pickup and got them put away. A purchase of the "magicJack", a USB phone jack that gives you a phone line off the WiFi or other high speed hookups. Now usually, if it says "as seen on TV", you're getting some kind of crap, but after getting the thing hooked up and registering, it worked as described. Marilyn called her sister in Carlyle and it sounded just like a regular phone line. For $40 for a years worth of free calling anywhere...a damn good deal, even if the signal is as bad as it is here in the campground. Sales pitch off.

We went into Bismarck for lunch and to pick up some new tail lights for the cart trailer...and just kill some time. We got the stuff we needed, except for the new Farm Forum Green Sheet...we could only find last week's edition and that was old news. After taking a quick trip around Tractor Supply and coming out empty handed we fueled up the pickup and headed out to the field to do some fixin'.

First on the list was the light on the grain cart auger, once that was completed it was on to the tail lights on the trailer. There was such a good deal on the LED tail lights at the truck supply shop, we figured we might as well change all four of them rather than just the one that the blown tire took out. We were having issues with our magnetic flashing lights that we use on the pickup, so we got some quick connect plugins and got alligator clamps to go directly to the battery since the cigarette lighter plugs that they came with had connection issues.

We did a test around 3:30pm and the farmer ran it to the elevator in Sterling...15.5%...not a chance. Mrs. farmer brought out chicken and muffins for supper and after we had a snack we went out and did another test...14.6%...that was it for the day. The wind was really blowing and the sun did come out when we were in Bismarck, but it wasn't enough to overtake the humidity, so we called it a day.

We went back to the campground, which was now full up...probably because it is the long weekend...and Marilyn stopped by the shower house to see if she could get a warm shower instead of the cold one she had to take yesterday. It was laundry day yesterday for most of the guys in the campground...they were lined up, so that meant no hot water...it wasn't pleasant. But today, a hot shower and the laundry got done as well.

There is a harvest moon out and we aren't harvesting...that's not right...

September 3, 2009

View of the day-The wheat still waits...

We woke up to fog again and although it cleared off, the clouds remained for the better part of the afternoon. The sun eventually broke through but after testing a couple of times the moisture was still a percentage point to high to go in the bin.

We got a lot accomplished, even though it wasn't combining. The new tire got mounted on the cart trailer along with a new mudflap and oversize load sign. The grain cart got a new power plug in and most of the lights are working...except for the auger light which must have taken a hit on the road somewhere because it was kinked over and it jingled when you shook it and the straight header got a new plug for the flashers.

Marilyn got to go into Bismarck for a shopping marathon, although it didn't start until 8pm so it was late when she got back to the camper. Al decided to stay at the camper and watch local TV...with the digital signal and the new TV he was able to get cable quality...only 5 channels, but it was TV.

By the time Marilyn got back it seemed there were a lot of campers online and there was no way to upload the blog so it had to wait for the slow down.

Sorry...it shouldn't happen again...

September 2, 2009

View of the day-Al gets to make a round or two until the cart gets full...fortunately he had to fill the farmers truck first so he got an extra couple of rounds before he had to go back to cart duty.

There was high humidity and clouds so it seemed like we wouldn't be doing much combining until later on in the afternoon. We went out to the combine and Al got the oil changed and rads blown out while Marilyn greased then blew out the air filters, then we took the blown tire off the cart trailer. We decided to go into Bismarck to get some parts and a new tire...and have lunch somewhere different for a change.

We dropped the tire off then went for lunch at the steak buffet...excellent, of course. We stopped to get a new wide load sign and mud flap for the trailer since the blowout made short work of the ones that were on there. After we got most of the stuff we needed, we went back out to do a test...imagine everyones surprise when it tested 12.7%...apparently the humidity hadn't affected it as much as we thought.

We got started combining and went great guns for the rest of the afternoon getting another 50 or so acres done before the straw got tough...not that we couldn't cut it, it just makes a mess when it throws it up against the standing grain and leaves 'normies'...little stands of uncut grain. The farmer hauled into the elevator and Al continued putting the wetter stuff into the air bin. We pretty much have it filled up but that's okay since most all of the green stuff has been cut.

Back at the campground it was a mad dash to the shower house to make sure there was hot water tonight and no lineup...none in the shower or the laundry room.

Better save that job for the morning...

September 1, 2009

View of the day-Marilyn gets to cut some pretty nice wheat just east of Bismarck, North Dakota.

We were up early and got all our errands done but missed our 10am AIS by an hour. Getting the bills added up took some time at the fuel and camping places so we ended up being somewhat behind schedule.

Once we were all hooked up with the camper and shop trailer, we had to do a quick fix on the cart trailer lights...don't know what we did, but we got them working. We're pretty sure it was just a ground issue, but it could have had something to do with someone dragging it back out of the way to get to the old corn head we were parked beside...either way we had signal and brake lights so we were happy.

The construction wasn't as bad as yesterday, they had smoothed it down a bit at Herried but we still had to wait for three pilot cars over the whole trip. We had an unexpected stop about 12 miles south of the interstate when Al blew one of the tires on the trailer, but after inspecting it he decided to try and limp it in the 25 miles to the farmers yard.

Marilyn rushed on ahead and got to the campground at Menoken, unhooked the shop trailer then got parked in the camp spot...full campground so no sewer, but water and electricity. Fortunately we are just across from the shower/laundry house and as long as there isn't a line up from the other harvesters/road construction/tourists, we should be alright. After hooking up the shop trailer it was over to the farmers yard to see how Al was making out.

We took the combine out and did a test and while the farmer took the test over to the elevator at Sterling, we unloaded the tractor and cart. He called back and it was tested 13.5% so we started combining right away. There were a lot of green spots due in part to the 8 inches of rain they had gotten earlier in the season...5 inches in one shot...so there was standing water and lots of drowned out spots. Al was dumping in an air bin in the yard so while the farmer trucked the dry grain to the elevator, we took off the wetter wheat and dumped in in the bin.

It started to get tough after the sun went down so we quit around 9:30pm and came back to the campground. Good news here is that we have WiFi for internet, but we are at the end of the campground so the signal isn't the best and it comes and goes, but at least it's not the usual rest stop internet we have had in the past.

And then there was the shower. The shower house is spotless...quite a difference from the last campground. Al was able to have a good shower but by the time Marilyn got to take her turn, there had been a lot of showers and laundry done...a cold shower is not really what you want at the end of the day. Tomorrow it will be a different story.

And at least we got moved, parked and combined 50 acres...finally some productivity...