Combining Wheat at Ron's

Rain Makes Grain

  Ron and Fran have the Kernels field that is closest to the elevator that I work at.   They grew hard red spring wheat this year. They straight cut the wheat when harvesting ( not swathing but cutting it and feeding it directly into the combine )   This  helps the wheat be harvested quicker and sprout less if you have a wet harvest season like we are having in Western Manitoba..  Earl came over to give them a hand as they harvested on Thursday Sept 25 th.  We had room at the elevator to receive it straight off the field.   It had suffered from the weather somewhat but will still make a lot of bread !
It ran about 40 bushels per acre.

Progress !

The Canola at Norquay had a good summer and now it is ready for a trip !  It will take a trip through Rock's combine getting it to come out of its shell and into the hopper of the combine and then a truck and then a grain bin at home or a nice longer ride to an elevator !.  Sometimes it even goes directly to a Canola Crushing Plant where it gets all the oil squished out of it ( usually about 43% of that little seed is oil ! )   the oil goes to so many uses and the meal ( the part of the seed that is left after being crushed goes most often to animal or poultry feed rations....  Here's Rocks combine doing its part ... one seed at a time ,,, row by row ... adding up to a really big deal !    Yield was tremendous on this field going about 58 bushels per acre !   Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice !

The Swathing Process

Action Shot of Rock Swathing Kernels Canola at Norquay


This canola is being swathed.  To you rookie farmers that means the canola plants are mature now and are being cut and put into field long windrows or swaths to cure.  The sun and the rain both help to make the seeds totally mature and ready to combine.   Rock has taken the picture from inside the cab of the swather.  Look closely at the reflection... Can you see him ?  Or can you see yourself ( the Virtual Farmer ! )  Then take a look all the way into next year as the crop in the picture goes to help those who need it most in the Congo!