Harvesting Soybeans

It’s that time of year again. Harland started harvesting the beans late last week, and has been at it every day since. ( To see when they were planted back in the spring, click here)  He starts early in the morning and keeps at it until about 9pm at night. Then he comes in, has supper, showers, checks his email, and falls over into bed. In the AM, he has his breakfast, and a quick goodbye and “BE CAREFUL” from me, and he’s headed back to the field.

The hours are long, dusty, and stressful, but the view is nice.

Here he empties his load into a grain truck. Bill, our neighbor, a retired farmer, helps out a great deal by driving the truck to the elevator in town to unload, and then bring it back empty for Harland to fill again.

Here Harland comes, dust flying. It’s been very dry here lately, which is good for harvest, but bad for allergies.

The bean plants are cut off at almost ground level and drawn into the combine where the beans are removed from the pods and stored in the hopper, while the empty pods and plants are shredded and shot out the back of the combine where they will eventually rot, providing nutrients for future crops.

The sun sets, and the day ends.

The moon rises. But Harland keeps going.

—–>  Come back tomorrow to join in the harvest on VIDEO:   From riding in the combine, to hanging off the side of the grain truck while he unloads the beans into the truck. See and hear all the action – up close.

~~~~~~~~~~ W ~~~~~~~~~~~

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