Soybean Harvest 2013

Back in May, Harland planted our soybeans. Later, the beans came up and unfurled their big green leaves to the summer sun. 

It’s been a good year for beans. About the time the beans bloomed and were setting on pods, we got some unseasonable but welcome rains.  The beans were quite happy with the moisture and put on more pods than they usually do.

More pods = more beans = more bushels per acre = happy farmer.

This Monday, the beans were ready. After lunch when the morning dew had dried off, Harland hopped on the combine and took it out to the field to start the harvest.

That evening, after work I joined him in the combine. While he drove up and down the rows we chatted. Just little things about our day.

After about an hour, Harland stopped so I could get off the combine. He got back to cutting, while I took pics.

The sun set and he turned on his headlights and continued on – back and forth across the field.

When the hopper got full, Harland drove over to the grain truck to unload.

After he unloaded, I climbed up the side of the truck to get a look inside.

Twilight blue settled in.

Harland continued back and forth across the field.

The hopper filled up again and had to be unloaded.

About 8:30pm, Harland stopped for the evening. I gave him a ride back to the barn where he picked up his truck and we started for home.

Down the hill from the farm, a doe ran out in front of me and crossed to the other side of the road. I stopped the car. She paused at the road’s edge looking the way she had just come. Her fawn came across too, but the doe continued to wait looking across the road. I looked too thinking she must have twins and was waiting for the other fawn, but all I saw was a second doe. She stood indecisive, and finally turned back into the field. I continued toward home. Near the house, I saw a half grown fawn at the edge of the road, I slowed but it too turned away into the field as I approached.  Corn harvest is ongoing too which disturbs the deer because they use cornfields as cover so we see a lot of deer this time of year.

Harland has been working on soybean harvest all week coming in around 9 pm each night. This morning it began to rain, gentle and steady.  Rain brings all harvest activities to a stop. When I left for work this morning, Harland was on the couch enjoying a well-deserved nap. Tomorrow he’ll be back to harvesting the beans. When he’s done with that, he’ll start on the corn, and somewhere in between he’ll plant winter wheat.

It’s a busy time of year.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo