Marmalade Hollow: beautiful photos

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Wheat Harvest

Did I mention it was wheat harvesting time? Did you know this is a HUGE deal 'round here? Everything in the spring revolves around wheat harvesting time!This year it's 2 weeks early. Last year it was 2 weeks late. You can't ever figure. We had a huge storm roll in last week that put the wheat harvest on hold. Some farmers were thrilled and said, 'Bring on the rain". Others were upset as it puts a halt in harvest. Now they are working 24/7 to get the wheat harvest in on time. Why is it important to get it in on time? The wheat can dry out meaning it's not as good of quality. They generally have about 2 weeks to haul it all in and it's all hands on deck to get it done. A lot of teachers and students, apparently, sign on to help out - driving combine or trucks or trailers, etc. It's actually a pretty interesting experience!

It's common during harvest to see common experience to see combines everywhere, and semi trucks with trailers full of grain sitting lined up at the grain elevators waiting to drop off their loads. Combines and grain trailers on the road can move pretty slowly and it's a bit aggravating when you're in a hurry but most of the time it's just what it is and you take in the scenery because there is no other option.

Sometimes the farmers bale the straw. Straw's what's left after the wheat head has been cut from the stalk. Sometimes the head is just taken off the top of the straw and the left is rest to be tilled under. When the straw is baled- most commonly in BIG HUGE round bales weighing anywhere from 800-2,000 lbs- sit out in the fields like hay stacks.

Wheat harvesting time is certainly busy!