Harvest #2

LB says that I'm not a very good blogger because a good blogger would post every day no matter how late they had to stay up.  So, I guess  I'm going to have to work harder at keeping you posted.  My Aunt Nana even told me that she had been checking every day so that she could see what exciting things had happened during harvest, and I'd let her down. 

 I'm sorry Aunt Nana.  Could you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?

I'll try harder, I promise.

Well, back to harvest. 

Well, one of the Major things about harvesting wheat, is knowing when it's ready to cut.  When the wheat is ripe, the head of the wheat will turn upside down.  Like in the picture above.  Sometimes, the heads don't turn all the way upside down because the beards(the things poking out the sides of the head) get caught on each other.  Once the head turns, you then wait for the seeds to dry out.  If the wheat is too wet when it's cut it's too dangerous to put into the elevators.  Wet wheat in an elevator will ferment and then becomes very combustible. 

So, the waiting game begins.  Every morning all the farmers get the equipment serviced and out in the field ready to cut.  If there was a heavy dew the night before, you have to wait until the sun dries it out.  Having a little wind doesn't hurt either.

Once the wheat gets dry enough the race begins.  They start the combines and they don't shut them off until the dew sets in again.  So harvest calls for some pretty late nights.

Well, I'll tell you more tomorrow.

Amy