Wheat Harvest 2014!!

Wheat harvest officially started here in our neck of the woods this week!!

It's REALLY bad!!

Really!!

They were at our house tonight cutting our little patch. .

So after dinner. .

Cami and I walked out back to hitch a ride.

You don't have to be a farmer. .

to notice. .

that the wheat comes up to a 6 year old's knee!!

BAD!! 

Lots of dirt was blowing in the breeze too!!

 

While we stood at the side of the field waiting on Grant to come close enough to hijack. .

I noted some more trees that the drought has gotten!! Some time I'll have to post a picture of where our old tree row USED to stand. .every tree in it perished in the severe drought!!

And it's always a little sad to see more damage!

There is just something sentimental to me about those big ole machines and the huge expanse of blue sky overhead hanging over those amber fields of grain!! 

I included this super pathetic picture for my farm rooted family back in the land of rain. .

This shows how miserable the wheat was in a LOT of spots. .

this has NOT been cut yet. .

NOR was it at the edge of the field like you might expect to see. .it was in the middle!

YUCK! 

This is what the entire field should look more like!!

Even though at closer viewing. .

it is not really impressive either!!

As I sat on in the jump seat watching. .

round after round. .

I couldn't help. .

but remember when I used to ride shotgun with my dad during harvest. .

and then riding shotgun with my love as a newlywed. .

and NOW. .I am riding shotgun with my CHILD!! 

He LOVES harvest. .

everything about it!!

Down to enjoying his sister's endless rattling mouth every evening!

(Though he will tell you he doesn't!) 

Uncle Joe runs the other combine. 

Jeremy and Cami have been checking out the harvest action every evening this week. .

And today, he has been helping them to move equipment to different fields. .

They have to take those tremendously long headers off. .

and put them on the long trailers to fit down the roads.

Papa is the supervisor. .

He also trucks all the grain to town!

Devin has also gotten initiated. .

much to his eleven year old delight!!

He is being taught how to run the grain cart. .

And seems to have the job spoken for already for next summer!!

Tractor safety course. .

Here he comes!!

 

As soon as it came. .

Harvest will be over!!

Flower photos are taken. .

And will be shown soon!!

Enjoy your weekend, ya'll!!

Separating the Wheat from the Chaff. .

I think that I mentioned last week, that it certainly is hard to keep in mind that it is STILL May around here!! In the nearly 18 years that I have lived around here, I don't ever recall a wheat harvest starting this early!! The kids finished school Wednesday. .and wheat harvest started on Thursday the 24th.

Grant and Tristan are both driving a combine for Papa this year. .

the days are L-O-N-G. .but they are both really liking it!

By Thursday night, we were all out in the fields watching and taking rides. Cami was really impressed at how big everything was. .For those of you that have never seen a wheat field unless it was on the road NEXT to the field in your car. .Here is where your bread starts!

Those sharp little blades go back and forth, cutting the wheat off near the ground. .

and they are swept up into the combine with the blades going around and around in the header.

Cami and I rode with Uncle Joe. .Tristan is driving the machine to the left and Grant the closest one on the right.

I don't know what the enticement is here. .

but this is their favorite part of harvest. .

the part they can't WAIT to do!!

. .eating the wheat and making a "gum" out of it. .

I remember doing the same thing as a little girl too. .

so I guess part of that magic lies in being small!!

Unloading the grain is a DIRTY job. .especially when the wind is blowing 40 mph, as it has here for nearly a week!! No fabulous wheat photos because of that!

Then it's back to going round and 'round the field some more!! Tristan left yesterday to go help my family on their farm for the third year. It was difficult enough for me last week. .knowing how my dad would have been busting at the seams to get started with the highlight of the year for every farmer. .I'm not sure how my family is handling it. .living this harvest with his memory in their shadows. .instead of his person at the head of the party. .but I am praying them strength and peace!!

After the wheat grains are separated from the chaff (the leftover wheat stems and junk pieces). .the straw particles blow out the back end of the combine

Really DIRTY!!

Watching this reminds me of a verse from the book of Matthew. In chapter 3 we're told about John the Baptist's preaching to the people. He advised them that every tree (us) that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire (hell). He then goes on to liken what will happen in the harvest of souls on that last day. .to a grain harvest. 

Matthew 4:11b-12 

"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the grain with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, storing the grain in his barn but burning the chaff with never ending fire."

So many people think that the bible is so hard to read and understand. .

But much of it is so easy to picture. .

This verse may not be so easy to comprehend. .if you don't have any farm experience. .

But let me just tell ya. .

You DON'T want to be the chaff!!

If you, as a tree. .

can't look at your life and see any good fruit produced. .

BY you. .

FOR God. .

You may want to reevaluate your stance. .

and make some changes!!

Do it today. .

For it is the ONLY day we are sure about!!

Thanks for stopping by!!