Is It Ready Yet?

Well, it's still harvest time around here and looks like it will be for a while yet. Harvest this year has felt very disjointed as compared to previous years. At this point we are more or less half finished, maybe slightly less than half. We have Tom's winter wheat and barley cut as well as some re-crop spring wheat. I'm not sure, but I think each field has some pot-holes or patches left uncut that we'll have to go back for. 

Beautiful Spring Wheat!

Right now, we're waiting for things to dry up enough to be able to continue on. In the meantime, our crew has been helping a neighbor and dear friend of ours, Brett, with his harvest. My understanding is that his wheat will all be cut sometime yet today, then the plan is to move all the way up to some re-crop spring wheat that Jeff and I have on our leased ground way up north. 

Jeff is checking on some wheat near the only tree on our farm ground.

There's been a lot of crop tours wherein we'll drive out to the fields, walk around looking at the wheat and assessing it's done-ness. Is it ready yet? Probably not. Jeff thinks the majority of our crop has probably another week-10 days to go. Maybe more. Hopefully we do get to try out the re-crop this evening and it will be cut-able. It would be nice to keep rolling along!

We have had a lot of humidity and rainy weather patterns this August, which is a big reason behind the slow cutting season. You can't cut wheat if it's too wet. It just doesn't go through the combine. All the moisture may not make good cutting weather, but it's great for the impending winter wheat seeding season, which will take place yet this fall. Always look at the bright side! 

Outstanding in our field.
The joke that never gets old!

Today was actually my first day back at my "normal job" at school. We had staff meetings today, then tomorrow is the actual first day of school. I've had a lot of mixed emotions about starting back. I feel bad that I'm not around the farm to help more, but also thankful that we have Stephanie here to help out. I also have some regret over not getting more done over the summer from some arbitrary mental list I created for myself back in May. Trying not to be too hard on myself, though, as we were nevertheless very busy this summer with travel. I did work some over the summer, too, with our Altacare Summer Program. Despite all of this, I am proud of myself for continuing on with running and fitness all summer long, which has been a challenge for me in the past. I feel stronger than I ever have, since high school, so that's good. I am excited for the kids to come back to school tomorrow and to see them all, which will make this wistful feeling of summer's end a little easier.

And, someday too, we'll be done with harvest. Just not anytime in the next couple weeks. We'll keep you posted!

Can you find Quincy, the cat?