It is time to gear up for All Aboard Wheat Harvest 2010 sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.
 
Stop by and visit the DuPont and High Plains Journal booths at the 2010 Commodity Classic in Anaheim, Calif., March 4 – 6, to receive more information about the upcoming harvest and sign up for e-mail updates.
 
We welcome back familiar faces this harvest, as Jenna and Jada will return in 2010.
 
We are excited to welcome new faces aboard – and will be announcing a new correspondent to the wheat harvest crew soon.  
 
Get All Aboard at the Commodity Classic! 

High Plains Journal is seeking a correspondent who is working on a custom harvesting crew for the 2010 wheat harvest to help us:

− Document harvest progress and report important news

− Capture the unique people and places along the way

− Illustrate what an exciting event that harvest is in America’s Heartland. 

It was a summer of new places, people and experiences for Zeorian Harvesting. From having the latest start to the season we can remember, to working in three new places, to sitting in the rain for over a week straight mid-season, to putting 700 miles between members of the crew/family to finish a job…it all helped make the 2009 wheat harvest a memorable one.

I want to thank you, the readers, for also making this summer memorable. When I first began writing for All Aboard, I had no idea the kind of impact it would have on me. I wasn’t sure that our small, family-run custom harvesting business and my tales from the road would be interesting enough to share with the rest of the world. But, you proved me wrong. 

Whether you checked the blog each day to see what we were up to, left a comment, "friended" us on Facebook, followed us on Twitter, or took the time to send me an e-mail – thank you. Your support, encouragement and involvement was overwhelming and amazing. You made my involvement in the All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest an experience that I will never forget, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Thanks for everything,
Jenna

Jenna Zeorian can be reached at jenna@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection. 

My parents and youngest sister are still in Jordan, Mont., attempting to finish harvest. It has been a strange summer in Jordan, as it has rained more than ever before. Also, the weekend before I left, there were two storms that produced hail. Unfortunately, one of our farmers lost about two-thirds of his crop to hail - a bad deal for everyone involved. I talked to Dad earlier today and it sounds like they could be finished cutting in the next couple of days.

So that's about all the news for now! I'm posting the pictures that I took throughout the summer - a way to remember each stop, I guess. :]

The day we left home.

First stop: Seiling, Okla.

Second stop: Manter, Kan.

Third stop: Deerfield, Kan.

Fourth stop: Limon, Colo.

Fifth and final stop: Jordan, Mont.

Jenna Zeorian can be reached at jenna@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.

School starts on the 24th, so leaving now will give me a chance to get home, moved in and somewhat adjusted to my "other" life. My parents and youngest sister, Callie, will remain here in Jordan, Mont., until the job is finished. If it continues to rain the way it has the past few days, though...who knows when they'll be home! They're usually back around the first or second week of September.

It's hard to believe my 2009 wheat harvest is already over. It feels like we just left home, and here I am getting ready to go back. I guess I've kind of been ignoring that fact for the past few days and trying not to think about it. It's best that way - I tend to get a little sentimental. :]

There will be a special All Aboard section in an upcoming issue of High Plains Journal - sort of a summary and farewell. But I'll continue posting on the blog for a bit longer about the trip home, how the harvest is going, etc. So, it's not goodbye completely yet!

Jenna Zeorian can be reached at jenna@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.

Mom communicates with Dad on the two-way radio while driving the combine.

Dad driving our farmer's grain truck to the grain bins outside of town. Because there isn't a grain elevator in Jordan, all the wheat goes to the bins.

Cutting at dusk.

Jenna Zeorian can be reached at jenna@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.

Whenever we are near the Gettysburg-Faulkton-Bowdle area and we are unable to harvest due to rain or green wheat, we hit the road for Whitlock Bay. That is where we have been for the last two days. It is one of my most favorite places in the world. It is definitely an escape from reality-there isn't even cell phone service in this area. While at Whitlock Bay, we camp out. During the day we go boating and jet skiing. At night, we cookout and hang out. Thurman and Sugden Harvesting and sometimes other harvester friends in the area usually join us. However, it is a tradition for our three crews to get away for a least a day together! We tested the wheat, but it was just too wet which is just too bad because no one had any fun the past two days. ;) We are hoping we will be able to cut tomorrow, but we were glad we had some time to have fun on the river! Check out photos of our fun getaway.

West Whitlock was getting dry and needed 30 feet of water to fill it up. This past winter we got it. It made such a difference! Our usual beach was under water but the shorter walk to the dock was great!

Take a tour with me on the jet ski....

Henrry and Bryce, my nephew, on the jet ski. 

Under the Whitlock Bay bridge. Look at all the support it has!

What a view! Below is part of our large group- Hoffman, Thurman and Sugden Harvesting. 

Some of our harvest buddies ... Greg and Cheryl Thurman and Jody Sugden.

Roly, Carin, Robert, Euan, Leon and Mark take time out from riding the boat. I think it is safe to say we all had a blast! What is harvesting?! 

 Perry, my sister Tara and Candice relaxing on the beach after a long day of fun in the sun.

Leon and I with our newly adopted baby, Kaidence (one month old today). 

Jada Bulgin can be reached at jada@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.

Yesterday afternoon, we cut a sample of wheat to test the moisture and see if it was dry enough to cut.

We use a hand-held moisture tester to see where we stand.

Unfortunately the moisture was still a little too high, so we couldn't cut. However, we were able to begin working this afternoon (Monday). So harvest in Jordan is now underway!

Jenna Zeorian can be reached at jenna@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.

Cloudy skies and cool temperatures have kept us from beginning harvest in Jordan (which is visible in the background of this picture.)

Dad working on the combine.

Our tool truck carries fuel, tools and other items needed in the field.

A different point of view.

Bruce and Blake Krumbach came to the farm so Dad could visit and work at the same time. The guys like to talk combines anyways, so it was a good setting for them! :]

Jenna Zeorian can be reached at jenna@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.

Because this is our last stop for the summer and we are usually here until the beginning to middle of September. My older sister and I actually used to start school here. We would spend a couple of weeks in the Garfield County School District and then transfer to our school back home when the time came. I grew up with the kids in Jordan just like I grew up with the kids at home, and some have remained close friends over the years. A group of them even had a trip planned to Nebraska for my high school graduation day, but since our ceremonies were on the same weekend, it didn't work out.

Just as I consider some of my old classmates here to be some of my best friends, some of our customers have become like family. And, to be honest, I think I probably know more people in this town than I do my hometown! Our family looks forward to coming to Jordan all year because of this. We cherish the time with our friends, and goodbyes are always hard.

But we don't have to say goodbye quite yet ... so I'm going enjoy the time we have left here! :] 

On another note, Mom and Dad finished cutting in Limon, Colo., last night and started their trip up here today. They should make it tomorrow if all goes well. Luckily, it has been raining the past couple of days and harvest has not yet begun in the area, so we haven't lost out on any work. However, harvest has usually started by now.

Jenna Zeorian can be reached at jenna@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2009 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.