Big Green Combine

Shall it ne’er be repeated. I did learn a few things about harvesting in the snow and ice. And what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger or builds character or just makes us older or wish we died.  Can’t remember which.

I am so glad we got all the corn hauled out of the bins. Now the cows are starting to calve. The first calf was named Jalapeno. Looks like it will be a Jeff Dunham year for naming calves. William took the Greenstar monitor out of the cab of the combine and put it away in its case. You would think it was made of gold, the price of that thing. I also made an appointment to take the BGC in for its once a year check up. She was running good when we put her away but it’s good to have the guys give her a go thru to make sure everything is ready for next year.

We finished 2009 harvest at 3:pm on Dec. 13. It is still all a blur. From the first day we used BGC and it’s full bin alarm didn’t go off (center picture), to the 10 inches of rain with in a few days, elevators closing at 10:am, to a neighbor being crushed by his tractor, bins braking down, more rain, learning a new combine and mapping program. Then harvesting in snow and negative wind chills. One for the books and so glad it is over. Now we are helping a few other guys to finish up their fields and starting to haul the corn out of the bins.

We are on our last field to harvest. As of this morning there are about 140 acres left. It is testing 23% and yeilding pretty good. I am not able to drive faster than 4 mph. Plus this spring William had to plant around a bunch of wet areas so the rows go every direction. This field has got it all sand hills, a creek thru the middle, terraces, water ways, dry dam, seeps, and mud holes.

Getting to the first times:
This is the first time I harvested on my birthday and will on William’s birthday Saturday. With the negative temps, this is the first time we have plugged in a combine. We had to call the dealer to find out where the plug in was. We ran a block of ice corn out of the auger getting the combine ready. That would be a first also.

Back at it today.