First days in Saint Franny

St. Francis, Kansas—Words you’re rarely going to hear my dad say in the same sentence are, “I don’t think we’ve ever taken this way before.” Each summer, we take the same roads and stop in the same towns and fuel up at the same gas stations. So, imagine my disbelief while traveling to St. Francis that these words were said over the radio! It was a different route over the last 140 miles of the trip that took us through towns we hadn’t passed through, and I saw a few wheat fields I’ve never seen before so that was pretty neat. It seemed we chose the hottest day of the week to travel, though, it being 103 degrees and all.

Osowski Ag Service rolled into the city limits of St. Francis around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. I think our tires took a sigh of relief after being on the smoking hot, black pavement all day. Dad and Mom went to unhook and setup the trailer while Brandon and I unhooked and unloaded all the equipment. Then, in true harvester style, Brandon and I took a main in the service truck to see how good ol’ Franny was doing that fine evening.

Farmer Randy was waiting and practically twitching with excitement to get us out in the field yet that night but ended up letting us wait till the following morning so we could have a fresh start. We had perfect conditions for cutting. Picture this: bright blue sky, puffy white clouds sporadically placed in the sky, combine running smoothly with dust blowing swiftly out the back, light breeze blowing through the air.

However, toward evening, clouds started surrounding our field. It sprinkled but it didn’t stop us one bit, we kept on rolling and it turns out sprinkling was all it planned to do! The dust was still flying and the moisture on our truckloads went even lower, if that makes any sense at all. Also, just a little fun fact for the day, a gentleman was in the scale house during one of my trips to the St. Francis Equity and we got talking about AAWH and he pulled his handy-dandy notebook out of his shirt pocket and asked me for my autograph. Talk about a sweet gesture!

The yields have been between 45 to 60 throughout the field so far. Test weights have been around 62 pounds. We have another 80-acre piece that will be ready for us to cut today (Thursday) but after that one, we may find ourselves playing the waiting game for awhile before more fields reach harvest stage. Just means we will get to take in all the excitement St. Francis has to offer! And it’s Fourth of July weekend so pretty good timing, wouldn’t you say?

Quote of the Day—“I’ve never been so excited to have an empty truck in all my life!”

Stuff Harvesters Like—Running into other harvesters at local establishments at lunchtime! (Isn’t that right, Steigman?)

Quick pitstop in Hill City, Kansas.

A quick pit-stop in Hill City, Kansas.

If you're ever in Hill City, check out this resturant! Some delicious homecookin'!

If you’re ever passing through the Hill City area and are feeling hunger pangs, Osowski Ag Service highly recommends Red’s! Talk about some delicious homecooking.

Back in the wheat!

Back in the field!

Chomping.

Steering wheels make good chew toys.

Meet Brady, Farmer Randy's cute little grandchild.

Meet Brady, Farmer Randy’s cute little grandson. This is his first harvest!

Where the green grass grows.

Where the green grass grows.

Crusing right along.

Farmer Randy drives his tractor/grain cart while we are cutting his wheat.

Farmer Randy runs his tractor/grain cart for us while we are combining his wheat.

Purple.

Storm clouds.

Storms a’comin!

Trying to beat the storm.

Pretty cool looking, if I say so myself.

Made for a pretty cool background for the evening.

See the windmill?! I didn't tll after I took it.

See the windmill?! I didn’t see it till I threw my zoom lens on and snapped this photo, so it must have been meant to be.

Farmer Randy and Dad, riding around in the tractor.

Dad rides around with Farmer Randy in the grain cart.

Night shift.

Night shift.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and New Holland Agriculture. You can contact Steph at stephanie@allaboardharvest.com.

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