Harvest here has been going really well. The guys should be finishing up as you read this blog post. Rain is coming in tonight and the weather is taking a turn towards Winter so it’s a really good thing. They started out the day with 55 acres to finish up. It has seemed like it has taken for forever but in reality, it’s actually been a shorter harvest than usual…closer to a month than the usual 6-8 weeks. There is still field work and tillage to do, but all in all, the guys are in good shape.
Sunday I decided that I’d spend an hour or so and ride along with Hubby. The combine is HUGE! It’s only a couple years old. Hubby loves it as it has become his “home away from home”.
Can you believe that in the last two weeks he’s clocked in 224 hours of work. YEP…most regular people have 80 hours in a two week period…during harvest, Hubby works LONG, LONG hours.
The inside of the cab is nice. This combine has a buddy seat. I love it. In years past I’ve had to sit half on the arm rest and half on the window ledge. Not anymore…Can you believe that under my seat is a tiny refrigerator??
On his right, Hubby has all the controls. The little monitor is a camera monitor and it allows Hubby to see what is going on at the end of the auger when he dumps the corn into the wagons.
The monitor above shows Hubby “how the corn is running”. It tells the yield and test weight along with lots of other things I don’t really understand.
The blue part on monitor shows what part of the field isn’t combined yet. We worked on the tiny square doing lots of short rows.
Here we are ready to go. The neighbor farmer is out in his combine too.
There is a long time spent when this is the only view. I don’t know how Hubby doesn’t end up stir crazy just looking down row after row after row. Remember the 200 and some odd hours Hubby put in the last two weeks-most have been put it with this as the view.
When corn is all husked, shelled and goes into the hopper that is in back of the cab of the combine. As that fills, the monitor beeps letting him know how full the hopper is.
Once the hopper is full it’s time to dump- emptying the corn in the hopper into wagons. The wagons get hauled home, dumped and brought back.
It takes some careful, on the go, planning to know about how full the hopper will get with each pass. They want to be as full as they can be before dumping but not overflowing. Here the wagons are off in the distance.
I am not good with being directionally oriented. I can’t imagine how Hubby can keep track of this all in the dark!!
While I rode with him we filled two wagons…then we had to part ways. I had work to do at the house in town.
Hopefully today is the last day of this and Hubby can join me in getting more work done there. I hope you enjoyed your ride along…
Today I am thankful for Hubby’s job and the fact that even though it’s long hours, he loves it. Hubby’s job has provided for our family for the last 29 years and I so appreciate knowing that he has a secure job that makes him happy. I am also thankful that his job has been a big part in shaping the lives and experiences of our family. I love living a farming life and I am thankful that Hubby’s job has afforded that to us all.
Thank you for the ride-along, Jo. One of my sisters lives in Indiana and on her bucket list was to ride on a combine. Luckily one of her nephews-in-law works for a farmer and was able to grant her this wish. She was totally awed by what that piece of equipment does. Now I kinda know what she experienced. Thanks again!
I grew up in Northern Indiana and our neighbor let me ride on his old Gleaner. Those machines are incredible and have come a long way with technology. I’m glad your husband has a nice machine to use for harvest.
I’ve driven a 6600 side hill – it’s a rush. I haven’t been in anything this new, yet. One of these days I will get to do it. One of first dates was hauling corn til one in the morning. I guess that’s what it takes to be a farmer’s wife.
Fascinating post! I grew up in small town SW Minnesota; I remember at harvest we would see the combines out late at night with bright lights to show the way. There would be no activity on Sundays, but when the sun went down, the day of rest was over, and there the combines would be right back at it! Amazing how the weather drives the farmer!
One more memory…when a young farmer lost his arm at the start of harvest, the neighboring farmers drove over in their combines, harvesting all the fields in a couple of days. The compassion of farmers for one another is inspiring; what a sight to see combine after combine after combine working the acres for the ailing farmer.
Thanks for sharing this with us. Tell your husband thanks for the long hours of work to keep the rest of us feed.
That is sure some fancy farming equipment! Very technical looking. Glad you are having good weather in Iowa. In northwestern Wisconsin (about one hour east of Minneapolis/St Paul), we have about 10 inches of snow today!
I enjoyed your post!! I used to love to ride on the combine with my father back in the late 60’s. Combines were sure different then!! I loved growing up on a farm!!
This brought back memories! I met my husband in 1976 and rode with him many times in the combine back home in Iowa. You are right about these new ones–positively roomy!
I enjoyed the ride along as well as everyone else, I am a farm girl, raised in Ga on a dairy farm, long long hours and lots of cows but like you it’s a good life and one that GOD made special people to do.
Amazing, Jo! After working in professional careers for many years, here we are going back to our roots in a small way. Thanks for all you do for the rest of us. We all are so blessed.
Take care
Emily
It was very interesting to see all the photos of the inside of the cabin – thanks for sharing and explaining what your hubby has to do every day. I’m presuming he is allowed to listen to some music while he is driving along, all those long hours.
Thank you so much for sharing. Unlike most of your readers, I’m a city gal so this was very interesting. I like how you explain so many things step by step. And many thanks to your hubby for all the hard work to keep all of us fed; farmers are really unsung heroes.
I know next to nothing about farming so I was really surprised to see the controls for the combine – they look very complicated to me! I showed my hubby and he said that farming is high tech now. Who knew? Thanks for a view into the farming life!
oh jo, i dont think i’ve ever read a more beautiful tribute on a husband. the love and respect for him comes thru loud and clear. it is so wonderful the outlook you have on his job and how it effected your families life. i just love your life style and how down to earth you are and how you share that on your blog. please keep it coming. your hubby is one lucky guy!
sara