Megan: Transitions and wheat harvest

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Megan Roland

“Homesick.” Most people think this term refers to being away and longing to return home. For Roland Harvesting, this word means just the opposite. Our version of homesick means: We’re “sick” of being home and we’re anxious to hit the road for another harvest season.  However, we all know that your home is simply where you make it and during harvest our home is at each and every community we have the opportunity to work in.

Last summer was definitely a year full of change and this harvest season is going to reflect these transitions for Roland Harvesting. The biggest change we will experience during the 2013 season is not having part of our usual crew join us for another run.

James and I  graduated from the University of Wyoming and man-oh-man, are we excited!  James earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, which is certainly not an easy task.  As fate would have it, James is going to be a Mechanical Engineering Intern this summer for Case New Holland (CNH) in Grand Island, Nebraska. This is the only combine manufacturing plant in North America.  Growing up around harvest and running New Holland equipment his whole life it should be interesting to see the other side of things! James was a very vital crew member on Roland Harvesting the last two summers as he was cross trained in everything and became an excellent combine operator. We are all sad that James won’t be returning on harvest for another year but we’re very proud of him and his new journey he is beginning. Plus, having “one of our own” on the inside is always a good thing!

As for me, I have my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and preparing to take my boards very soon. I’m still on the job hunt and looking for the right fit for me. With that being said, I will be a drifter yet again this summer. I hope to be back and forth on harvest but at this point it’s impossible to know what my summer will bring.  Regardless, I will be a part-time correspondent and will be sure to update you all as often as possible. I plan to convince one of the other crew members to take photos when I am unable to be on the road. It’s not summer for me without harvest so chances are it’s going to be hard to keep me away.

This summer Roland Harvesting will have a bit of a different lineup which consists of a combination of experienced and new crew members. The veterans include: Alan (my dad), Brandon (my brother), and Jose. The rookies group is from the University of Wyoming and includes: Eric, Sam, and Kasey.  As in previous years Dad and Brandon will mostly be running the combines and Jose will mainly be a combine operator as well. Eric, Sam, and Kasey will all be cross-training between the grain cart and truck so they will be capable of performing the many different duties of harvest.  My mom (Loretta) and I will be helping out periodically throughout the summer.

Roland Harvesting will be operating a CR 9060, CR 9070, and CR 9080 New Holland combines with 36 foot draper headers. We will bring three semis and grain trailers to haul grain. In addition, the tractor and 1,000 bushel grain cart will be brought on the road to help with harvest. Our TR ’98 combine will hopefully stay at the farm this summer to help out with home harvest.

To briefly recap our history, Roland Harvesting is owned and operated by my parents, Alan and Loretta Roland. My dad has been harvesting since 1978, making this his 35th year of harvest. We run a family based operation that my older sister, Ashley (age 26), myself (23), and Brandon (20), were raised in and continue to help out with. We grew up on a farm near Hemingford, Nebraska, where our parents still reside, farm, and operate Roland Harvesting.

This will be my third year with All Aboard Wheat Harvest and I’m very excited to be coming back for another summer. Roland Harvesting looks forward to sharing our new adventures with you all!

Wyo Crew

I convinced the Laramie crew to take a break from studying for finals so I could get a quick picture of part of the crew. They are sporting our school colors, which are usually referred to as “game-day gold” but I like to think of it as New Holland yellow instead! From left to right: Kasey, Jose, Brandon, Sam, and Eric. Here’s a quick background about these young men…

Kasey is from Hotchkiss, Colorado and is currently studying Livestock Production. Jose is a close family friend from Hemingford, Nebraska and is majoring in Agricultural Business. Brandon is obviously from Hemingford as well and is pursuing a degree in Agricultural Communications. Sam is from Greeley, Colorado and is working on his General Studies as he decides on a degree. Lastly, Eric calls Big Lake, Minnesota home and is currently majoring in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management.

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Jada: An unpredictable harvest season

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Jada Bulgin

Jada_thumbnailDo you ever wish you could predict the future? While custom harvesters can’t predict the future, weather plays a tell tale in helping us determine our future. With dry reports across the central plains, it unfortunately means the outlook of our season is bleak.

If you ask any seasoned harvester what a harvest season entails, he/ she will most likely reply, “Every year is different. No year is ever the same.” This is one of the things that make harvest alluring. It is exciting to see the results of a farmer’s hard work as we help him/ her bring in their harvest and how it compares to previous years.

Since I was born, I have had the pleasure of joining my parents on harvest. My dad, Perry Hoffman, started Hoffman Harvesting in 1972. Born into the harvesting world, dad learned the specifics of the custom harvesting industry as he grew up helping his father with his harvesting business. At the age of 17, Perry decided to branch off and start his own harvesting business. In the beginning, the business had two 6600 John Deere Combines, two trucks and a 1 ½ ton truck that was used as a service trailer. In 1974, my mom, Candice joined Perry’s hand in marriage and the business.  Together they have worked hard to build the business.

Today, our operation offers state-of-the-art harvesting solutions such as four 4WD John Deere Combines, Kinze Grain Carts with scales, and several Kenworth Semis for hauling. The business specializes in harvesting barley, beans, canola, corn, flax, Milo, oats, sunflowers, and wheat. My husband Leon and I play a managerial role in our family owned business and have since 2009.

Our 3 1/2 year old daughter, Kaidence, joins us and has since she was born. While people who don’t understand harvest often find our nomadic lifestyle odd, I feel lucky to have had the experiences I have had because of my parent’s profession. I feel blessed to be able to raise my daughter in this type of lifestyle. Custom harvesting exposes children to many different people. If you ever meet my chatty daughter who knows no strangers, I will have to say it’s thanks to harvest. Harvest teaches kids a work ethic, how to appreciate the company of others no matter who they are, and the importance of family.

Our close-knit group eats, sleeps, works and plays in close quarters. While having people so near sometimes makes me feel like we could fill a reality show with enough drama for a season, at the end of the day I like to think of our crew as a family. Our job is to harvest, but we enjoy the company of the people around us and the work we do which makes harvest more than a job. It’s a lifestyle choice.

Please join our family this harvest season. Like every year, we may not know what our future holds, but we look forward to seeing how our future unfolds before us. Only time will tell how well our harvest season will go for us. Follow us at allaboardharvest.com to find out! All aboard!

Candice Perry Leon Kaidence held by Jada
Our harvesting family. My Mom and Dad – Perry and Candice Hoffman, Leon and I with Kaidence.

Jada can be reached at jada@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard Wheat Harvest™ is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta.

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Are you ready?

Posted on May 20, 2013 by All Aboard

AAWH 13 Teaser

Join Jada, The Z Crew, Emma, Stephanie and Megan for another year in the wheat field.

Follow the tour here, or on our social media channels. Follow the tour on Facebook or Twitter. And don’t forget the breathtaking photography. Follow us on Flickr.

Instagram is a new addition to the program this year. Follow along @allaboardharvest or Instagram hashtags #aawh13 or #wheatharvest.

As harvest is on the horizon so are the challenges that face all five crews. We hope you enjoy following their stories as they share the lifestyle that is custom harvesting.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta. For more information contact crew@allaboardharvest.com.

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The 2013 Calendar Is Here

Posted on October 25, 2012 by All Aboard

2013 AAWH Calendar

Enjoy harvest all year long with the 2013 All Aboard Wheat Harvest calendar. This calendar features the best images of the 2012 harvest captured by our correspondents. Visit the High Plains Journal web shop to purchase yours today.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta. For more information contact crew@allaboardharvest.com.

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A Great Surprise to an Ending of a Season

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Emma Misener

There can’t be a better ending to a wonderful year for this years harvest. Misener Family Harvesters are soon to be heading home, wrapping up another year. I had to share how our ending unfolded because it’s just too good not to share! Enjoy the video, and God bless you and yours!

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta 
Emma Misener can be reached at emma@allaboardharvest.com 

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Thank You For Another Great Year

Posted on August 28, 2012 by All Aboard

The 2012 wheat harvest has been an exciting and noteworthy harvest. Combines were rolling in the fields as early as May 8, and activity that early was unprecedented.

All of us at High Plains Journal and Syngenta would like to thank everyone who made the 2012 All Aboard Wheat Harvest possible. We would like to thank our hard-working correspondents for their efforts to give us the latest reports direct from the field. We had a talented group of women out in the field telling the story of wheat harvest.

Jada, Emma, Taylor, Callie, Megan and Stephanie did an outstanding job keeping us up to date on the progress of harvest, and kept us informed and entertained throughout the summer.

Thank you to all of our loyal followers, contributing sponsors, and all who make up the All Aboard Wheat Harvest community. Your support is appreciated.

Our correspondents are now heading home, or starting school, and some are beginning the fall harvest.

Thanks again for a great wheat harvest, and we’ll see you next year.

For more information contact crew@allaboardharvest.com.

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Congratulations To Our Grand-Prize Winner

Posted on August 27, 2012 by All Aboard

Nathan H. has won this harvest rig courtesy of Rocking H Farm Toys.

You can check out the Rocking H website here.

Thank you for your participation.

For more information contact crew@allaboardharvest.com.

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Win A Harvest Prize Pack

Posted on August 20, 2012 by All Aboard

You could win a Harvest Prize Pack! Simply comment on the question below to be entered to win. The winning entry will be randomly selected from the comments section of this blog. You must comment to win.

If you could spend one day with a harvest crew, what job would you request?

USCHI

U.S. Custom Harvesters, Inc. is an association of professional custom harvesters serving the needs of the American farmer. The organization was established and chartered in 1983 in the state of Texas and serves as a link between the harvesters and the many groups of people they work with, such as farmers, businesses, State and federal government. We are a dues-funded membership organization with the Harvest News magazine as our primary means of communicating with members.

All Aboard would like to say thank you to U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc. for supporting the 2012 wheat harvest. For more information contact crew@allaboardharvest.com.

To enter scroll down and leave a reply.We will announce a winner at 1 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, August 22.

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Megan: A Twist On Wheat

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Megan Roland

Even though I already bid my farewell to all of you in my previous post I realized there is something I’d still like to share. To be honest, my mind is always full of so many different ideas and thoughts that my “oops, I forgot to share this” attitude to go on forever. Regardless, this post is about something very special to me, and maybe even to you too.

Although wheat harvest is pretty well wrapped up for most of us we don’t merely forget about it as the year goes on. Whether you’re a farmer or a harvester I believe that wheat is so much more than just a crop to sow and reap. Wheat is a symbol of possibility, dedication, hardship, struggle, faith, family, love, endowment, and livelihood. How can all of these incredible characteristics of wheat be captured? Perhaps photographs? Yes, through pictures you can enjoy the sight of the golden wheat in its natural environment as it sways and dances in the wind awaiting to be harvested by the massive combines. However, there is another way to physically attain these qualities of wheat. You may ask, “How is this possible?” The answer is simple: Wheat weaving.

When my sister, Ashley, and future brother-in-law, Kurt, were wedding planning last year the one thing they knew they had to incorporate into their wedding was wheat. Both being raised with farming backgrounds, wheat was very important to them as it symbolized their past, present, and future. One of Kurt’s family friends, Janet Christenot, from his hometown, Chester, Montana, and her wheat weaving talent were the perfect answer as to how this significant grain could be included in their wedding.

In August of 1978, Janet attended a brief wheat weaving class at the Liberty Village Art Gallery in Chester, Montana and absolutely fell in love with the unique artwork. Living in the middle of wheat country she had an endless supply of materials and started exploring the possibilities. Janet slowly began to make her own work as her creativity and inspiration grew. Working with this art form for over thirty years she mostly does traditional work and continues to make many of her own creations. Janet crafts a variety of wheat weaving designs including sculptures, nature forms, framed art and even jewelry.

Janet is very passionate about wheat weaving and it is evident in her remarkable work. Living in wheat country for many years, wheat remains very special to her and through her artwork she is able to capture all of its intrinsic characteristics. Her work holds the most incredible detail that continues to amaze me.

In fact, as Janet explained to me, wheat weaving is actually an ancient art form that dates back to over 8,000 years ago to the Egyptians. It was the belief of many ancient cultures that a spirit lived in the grain and that weaving was a way to trap the spirit of the field to ensure a bountiful season for the upcoming year. I find this historical account of wheat to be fascinating. Furthermore, I never realized this type of wheat preservation has been around for thousands of years.

To further explore the unique artwork of wheat weaving check out Janet’s website at http://www.creativewheat.com/. For my family, wheat weaving is a unique way to recall everything that wheat means to us – from special harvest memories to growing our own crops to our livelihood. So whether you simply find wheat to be a beautiful art form or you have a deeper tie to its significance, wheat weaving is an extraordinary way to capture the majestic traits of wheat.

Cake topper
Photo by Janet Christenot
This is the cake topper that Janet created for Ashley and Kurt’s wedding. Yes, it is all made out of wheat! How incredibly beautiful is that?! Check out more of her artwork at her website!

Wheat field
Can you believe that Janet is able to make such breathtaking creations from wheat? I guess wheat is just an art form all the way around!

All Aboard Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta. Megan can be reached at megan@allaboardharvest.com.

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Emma: An End to One Season, A Beginning of Another

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Emma Misener

Summer and harvest are coming to an end. I’m going to miss the summer heat, and the cool thunderstorms, the hum of machines, and the chaff in the air. Fall harvest will be starting soon and I’m ready for what new adventure that it brings.

As All Aboard Wheat Harvest comes to an end my story sharing will be put on hold until next time. I love the interaction with all the readers, and I will miss it. Each one of our followers make it fun to tell my families stories. I really do have a sense of joy when I share my life with everyone. I love what I do, and I hope I’ve been able to share that with all of you. From the bottom of my heart I thank you.
Group Hug!

Dan, Mom and I
I’m happy to call myself a custom harvester, and I’m proud to be a part of the agriculture industry.

Thank you High Plains Journal, Syngenta, and all of our sponsors who make it possible to share our stories every week.

Until next year, God bless you all and be safe!

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta
Emma Misener can be reached at emma@allaboardharvest.com

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