The sun has set on yet another harvest, milo harvest 2017.
Last week the milo field was lush and the heads heavy. It was time to begin harvest. The guys pulled out the combine, grain cart, truck and trailer and begin harvesting the crop they have nurtured all summer long.
This is the first time in a while that the farm has raised milo. It was a new experience for me, as I am used to wheat harvest in July; where the temperatures are high and the air is sticky. During wheat harvest we usually have a big crew of people helping for a little over a week. We have guys cutting wheat, ladies cooking meals and sometimes kids running around playing on the 4-wheeler soaking up the summer sun.
Although, this week was cool, breezy…well, actually really windy (which is nothing out of the ordinary for our area this time of year…actually all year long). The crew is just a few people and it’s just me in the kitchen fixing simple lunches.
Just like during the wheat harvest, the guys get up early, hit the ground running and get the job done.
Typically, I make lunches and take them to the field for them to eat as they work. Ham and cheese or chicken salad sandwiches are two of their favorites. A tall drink of iced tea and a little sweet treat in their lunch box will help get them through the long afternoon and put a smile on their faces.
The way harvest works (for both wheat and milo) is cutting the straw or stalk of the plant with a combine similarly to how you would mow your lawn. Only, we are mowing a REALLY big lawn.
Then, when the hopper of the combine is full of grain, they offload it on to the grain cart or trailer. If the truck is in town, the guys dump into the grain cart and transfer it into the truck when it gets back.
Once the truck is full of grain it is hauled to a grain elevator in town.
The guys do this over and over until the whole “lawn” is mowed and harvest is complete.
It is always exciting when a text comes through as they are filling the truck with the very last load from the combine.
My heart if full and I feel blessed to live this simple life. We live a life full of hard work, long hours and are rewarded with the blessings of a bountiful harvest.
Please leave your comments below, I would love to hear from you. Until next time, cheers!