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View of the day-Technically, yesterday. Before and after. We officially called it "done" and washed the combine.
Al spent a few days driving around the area, checking to see if there was any work to be found. On the one hand, it seemed we should be doing something with the fabulous harvest weather, that just refuses to leave...and we're not complaining at all! On the other hand, it would take some doing to get back into the "zone" and we aren't feeling it anymore for this year.
We started washing the combine and watched across the road as the baler man finally got going again and just a mile south of that, there was canola being combined. We had nicely gotten everything hooked up to start washing, when the rain came and put the kibosh on that. Marilyn wanted to run the brush over the combine quickly so the rain would end up doing all the work of rinsing it off, but it started to pour, so we had to quit. As did the baler man and the combines. The sun came out about an hour later and we got the job done.
The last couple of weeks have been spent getting everything ready for storage. With the camper winterized and parked along side the General in the "shop", half the fleet is where it belongs. Al took the straight header down to its winter lodging...Kim's shed at Carlyle, so that is out of the elements for the winter.
The combine isn't so lucky, although it does get nestled between the house and the pines...after serving as a tree trimming platform.
And speaking of trees...it would appear there is a good crop growing in the eaves of the house.
While Marilyn is back at work and getting ready for a couple of theatre events, Al is getting in the zone for a toy show in Regina at the end of October, followed by a road trip with Roger and another friend, to Dyersville, Iowa for the National Farm Toy Show. Marilyn misses out again.
She does get to go to the Regina Show...
View of the day-Cleaning time and for a change, it is Al doing the cleaning instead of Marilyn.
We get home and the wheels fall off the blog, couldn't seem to find time to get yesterday's in until today.
Today was pretty much spent emptying the camper and cleaning the combine. It got blown off and greased up, but it hasn't had a wash yet.
Just in case we find more work...
View of the day-Al driving the combine on the trailer for the trip home.
We had an early morning lined up as we got into Yorkton to fuel up and meet with the trucker that was going to haul the combine home. After exchanging information, we hit the road.
We hadn't gotten far from town when we ran into some rain...and then through some really heavy rain that gave the wipers a workout. The oddest thing was that there was lightning...in October...something you don't often see in these parts. However, by the time we got to Kipling, dust was flying on the gravel roads.
We got to the farm, got the truck lined up and got the combine loaded and chained down. All we had to do was drive the combine on...the trucker did the rest while we watched. Al is really liking this part of the harvest. Once we had the sign up on the pilot vehicle, we were on our way. Marilyn in the pilot vehicle, the combine load, followed by Al in the General.
We made it to Yorkton...the rain had all but stopped, then got the combine unloaded and went for lunch before taking the combine back to the farm. Marilyn had play rehearsal, so Al caught a ride back into town to bring the General home.
And it's almost done for the season...almost...
View of the day-The turtle has its shell on and it on the way home.
We went back to the field to get the combine fueled up and hook up the straight header...which we didn't need after all. Al got settled up with the farmer and then we headed back to the camper.
We got the camper closed and hooked up, then Al hooked up the shop trailer and we headed for Yorkton. We took a lunch break at Whitewood, before dropping the hammer...and we had the wind at our backs, to boot.
We got the camper back on its unloading spot on the lawn, then Al parked the shop trailer and that was it for the day. Except for the unloading of the trailer...which didn't start until the dish was aimed, first thing, for the Blue Jays baseball game, which was postponed due to rain. At least we have TV.
Unloading the camper is a lot less stressful when it isn't loaded for five months of living. We still haven't got to the place where we can leave a set of everything in it permanently. Maybe when Marilyn gets her big heated shop and storage shed to keep it in, we won't even have to winterize it...ahh...dreams.
We keep buying lottery tickets and it might happen...
View of the day-The farmers combine trying to get the last swath of canola into his hopper before the sun goes down. Fortunately, Marilyn had enough room left to help out.
We were making dust before 10am and it was going through the combine "like butter". We made pretty good time and had another combine come into the field mid-afternoon to help finish off the last quarter on this section.
There was another encounter with a skunk today, but this time it made itself seen by running along the canola swath ahead of the combine. Even the hawks wouldn't take advantage of this delectable snack. It ran into the swath and Marilyn had thought of just moving over to the next swath to avoid it, but, the lord hates a coward, so she continued to the end. Didn't take the "stink cat" in and never saw...or smelled...it again.
We finished the field just at sunset and Al had a half a truck load to dump in the bin. Unfortunately, the bin would only hold a quarter of a load, so they had to change the auger to a new bin.
We are going to need the furnace tonight...
View of the day-Not one of our pictures, but one taken with a drone way back August 21 near Kennedy. We are the lower left combine.
Another early morning and a productive day. Still in the canola, but we are over on the hilly side of the field. Even with half a hopper it's quite a chug to get up over the ridge. Here is a shot of Al from the top of the hill...the picture doesn't do it justice.
We had one issue with parts today. When Marilyn got to the end of one of the swaths, she turned around and discovered a large part laying in the swath where she had just come from. This part came from the inside of the combine, just behind the auger bed under the rotor...it is the full width of the combine and the wire fingers on it are at least 18 inches. Since Marilyn didn't have time to take a picture, this parts one will help to illustrate.
The odd thing about this part, is that it actually came out the back of the combine with only one bent wire. How it managed to fit between the spreaders and shaker pan at the back is a complete mystery...and the spreaders show no sign of injury. At least it wasn't important enough to hold up combining production. The part went in the back of the pickup and Marilyn continued on.
At one point, there was the raw aroma from a skunk...a strong, rank smell. Out in the canola stubble you think it would be easy to spot...they don't really move that fast and in the wide open spaces it would really stand out. Not so. There was no sign of it, other than the tell tale smell...and it didn't go through the combine.
There must have been one visiting back at the camper, too...
View of the day-The old way-an old wooden bin in the bush, and the new way-massive bins in the background.
We got rockin' early today with a strong wind helping us out. There were a few rogue drops on the window, but the wind was so brisk, the clouds didn't stick around long and it was back to business as usual.
Al had an easier day as the other two combines left to do some standing oats, so Marilyn was the only combine in the field. This made for a more relaxing day and the bins were just across the road...as you could see in the picture...so he just took a couple hoppers at a time and was back in the field lickety-split.
We just carried on the whole day, the only breakdown was before we started and technically it happened last night...the feeder chain jumped a cog...but it only took 15 minutes to set right and we were making dust.
Al sat on the top of the hill waiting at sunset and Marilyn finally got back into a 100+ acre day...a sweet change, but we lost the wind early, so it was an 8pm shut down.
We'll sleep well tonight...
The combine isn't so lucky, although it does get nestled between the house and the pines...after serving as a tree trimming platform.
