Wrapping Up Corn Harvest 2011

As my dad, brother-in-law and uncle (that's right three families supported by our family farm) finish up corn harvest 2011, I thought I would reflect back on a pretty October day when captured some classic harvest shots.

I actually shot the first two photos a day or two earlier as a storm rolled in. We haven't had great weather this year so dad pulled out a corn reel (I think that's what it's called) just in case he had some downed corn (corn stalks that fell over due to wind and shallow root systems).

I decided to capture shots of the combine moving down the field while trying to stay away from the dust...

Then I snapped a some shots of the corn being unloaded.

First into the grain cart...

Then out of the semi trailer and...

into the grain bin!

If I'm lucky, I might squeeze out one more ride in the combine tomorrow night but I'm not getting my hopes up...those pesky nephews usually have priority over me!

You Say Fall and I Say Harvest Time

My dad is a farmer, I think I've mentioned that before.

Actually, I did a search for "dad" on my blog and found 32 posts where I mentioned my dad.

I also did a search for "chocolate" and found 32 posts where I mentioned chocolate.

Hmmm...I wonder what that means.

Sorry, back to the regularly scheduled post...

Soybean harvest started a few weeks ago and I hitched a ride in the combine with my dad after work one evening.

My all-time favorite sight - soybeans ready for harvest. 

 Here comes my ride!

View from the jump seat. 

View out the front of the combine cab. 

Unloading soybeans.

Good-bye Dad and be careful out there!

Coming soon...corn harvest!

Cookies, Clematis and Combines

Cookies

I was craving homemade cookies this weekend and I just watched the second episode of The Pioneer Woman's show on Food Network.

Because of the above, I made these...

I remembered reading about Monster Cookies on one of the blogs I frequent but it was before I started Pinning in and every recipe I may ever want to try. This meant I had to do some searching and I finally came upon PW's recipe on the Tasty Kitchen site.

If you have never used Tasty Kitchen to look up a recipe, I highly recommend it. Lots of great bloggers and others post their favorite recipes there.

Clematis
My sweet autumn clematis has started to bloom!

Can't wait to see it in full bloom!

Combines
As I was driving by the farm (also known as Grandma's house...even though my baby sister and her family live there now) and noticed this...

as sure of a sign that harvest is right around the corner as the turning corn and soybeans in the field around us! We were thinking that harvest was going to be late this year because all the rain this spring caused Dad and other farmers in Indiana to plant late. However, we didn't get much any rain in July and August so the crops have already started to turn. 

Looks as if they either plan to start with soybeans (the bean head is on the combine...the corn head looks more like fingers) OR they are just cleaning it up while they have some time.

Harvest was early last year and it went VERY fast so I only got to ride with Dad once the whole harvest...I'm definitely going to be in the cab more often this year...if I can persuade my nephews to give me a turn in the jump seat!

(No so) Wordless Wednesday...First Ride of the Year

My dad is a farmer. His father was a farmer. His father's father was a farmer. You see where I'm going with this, don't you? 

I grew up on a farm. I grew up knowing that each spring and each fall, we wouldn't see much of my dad for several weeks running. And if we did see him during this time, it was usually inside the cab of a tractor or combine.

Now, I NEVER remember combines (those big machines that harvest the grain) out in the fields so early in September - at least in our neck of the woods. Dad started picking corn last Tuesday. I jumped in the cab for my first (and hopefully not last) ride of the year last Friday. He said that he'd harvested soybeans as early as September 1 before but NEVER corn (field corn, not sweet corn).

Why so early? We haven't had a significant rain since late July. This caused the corn to mature and dry down in the field much faster than normal. Farmers don't want the corn to get too dry in the fields so when it's ready, it's ready - no matter what the date!

Here are some more shots I got during my ride. Enjoy.

My dad...

Views from the cab...

Unloading...notice that dad unloads into grain wagons which will then be pulled out of the field and dumped into grain bins. You may also see combines unloading directly into semi trucks with grain hoppers (trailers) or even unloading while continuing to harvest.

Dad doesn't do that. It's a two-man team on our farm - my dad and my Uncle Sam (though Mom has driven the tractor this year too) and they don't own a semi so this system works best for their limited manpower.